What style of fighters have given Berto problems??? Most are rugged straight ahead fighters who keep coming and wear you down. Does Floyd bring that to the table??? What type of fighters give Floyd problems? On a couple of occasions, rugged type fighters, but more so, boxers with fast hands. What gives most aging veterans who depends on reflex and speed the most problems? Fighters with speed. Manny had nothing to prove and received his biggest payday, so I question how motivated he was for that fight. Berto has everything to prove. He has blazing speed, power in both hands, and a great trainer in Virgel Hunter. Does that mean he pulls off the upset??? No. But this has Norris vs Leonard written all over it!!! I have studied Floyd's career and its a great one. And I have noticed something many probably ignore. He no longer takes a power shot well. The very few times Maidana and Manny got to him, his legs looked very strange. He was hurt twice against Manny I think the 4th and 9th rounds. But with his high IQ and experience, I don't honestly think Manny even knew it. I think this is going to be a much better fight than many are expecting.
Bradley is a throwback fighter. Only easy opponent this man has faced in the last 6 years was a past his prime Casemayor. Peterson, Alexander, Chaves, Vargas, Witter, and Provodnikov are all very solid fighters and capable of beating any fighter on any night. Its a shame we may never see him against the Haymon fighters. Wins over some of those guys would put him on an elite level and possibly an all time great. But as of now, he is a future 1st ballad hall of famer, hands down. I'm sure we will see him fight Brook. But another mega fight for Tim will be Terrence Crawford in the next 2 years. That will be a war!!! But Tim falls in the category with Hagler and Holyfield. He is one of the best of his era but will always be over shadowed by other fighters like Manny, Floyd, and Khan. Hagler was overshadowed by Leonard and Duran and Holyfield was overshadowed by Tyson and Lewis. But Tim is a soldier and I believe him when he says he'll fight GGG. Appreciate him while he's still around, because it will be a long time before you see another fighter with this type of heart, courage, and skill, although I do honestly think Crawford is cut from the same cloth.
These guys are making these videos criticizing ATG fighters simply to make Mayweather appear to be the best fighter ever. You can say what you want about Leonard, he fought other legends and beat them. You can't name a more dangerous welterweight in their prime at 147 than Thomas Hearns. Ray fought him at his best, beat him, and was injured in the process. He was never the same fighter afterwards. After that fight, Sugar Ray Leonard, the fighter, focused more on Ray Leonard, the business man. Why wouldn't he wait for Hagler to slow down??? How can anyone with good sense say that a natural welterweight was ducking arguable the best middleweight champion ever??? The guy in the video claims Ray ducked McCallum, Nunn, and Barkley. Once again, a natural welterweight was ducking natural middleweights??? Simply doesn't make any sense. My next question. Why would a retired fighter with an injured eye come back to fight dangerous guys like Curry and Brown, who don't bring much to the table business wise, when there were big money rematches out there with Hearns and Duran??? Boxing is a business, right??? Without the injury and retirement, there is no doubt in my mind that Ray would have fought those guys. Ray in his prime was a serious competitor who wanted to be the best. There is no way in hell he would have another fighter walking around at his weight thinking they were better than him without proving it. And then, at 34 years old, he fights Terry Norris, who at that point was more dangerous than any of the guys they claim he was ducking. Norris ended up being a hall of famer and is considered by many to be one of the best jr middleweights ever. So quit with all that Leonard ducking talk. Ducking for what??????? You fight a monster in Hagler, who was knocking everyone out. You fight a monster in Hearns, who was knocking everyone out. You fight a monster in Duran, who was just moving up and arguably the best lightweight ever. You fight a defensive young wizard and champion in Benitez. And then to end your career, you fight a young viscous lion in Terry Norris. That resume defines a fierce champion with a lot of heart, not a ducker.
As of right now, I think Crawford has more experience. And because Crawford can switch up styles, plus switch stances, he could make better adjustments and win by points. By no means would it be easy. But in about 3 years, Spence will be the most dominant p4p force in the sport.
Yes, he is #2. The best fighters in this era are Mayweather, Pacquiao, Cotto, Marquez, and Timothy Bradley. His resume speaks for itself. No welterweight could have beaten the Manny Pacquiao that showed up Saturday night. Tim beats everyone in the top 10 at 147. He has too much big fight experience and too many championship intangibles for the rest.
Yes he beats both. Tim is more skilled and more experienced in big fights than both. He boxes circles around Danny and he would put smart pressure on Thurman and force him to fight. Once Keith opened up, Tim would counter him all night. His skill level is highly underrated. And Keith hates it to the body. When Tim commits to it, he is one of the best body attackers in the sport. By no means would either Danny or Keith be easy fights for Tim. He would have to dig deep. But he definitely have all the tools to beat both.
Great fight!!! Floyd was prime and much more offensive at 140. I would give the advantage to him. I see him outpointing Crawford in a very exciting and competitive fight. From what I've witnessed, Crawford gets tagged quite a bit by lesser fighters. A sharp shooter like Floyd would consistently connect. And with all the ability and talent that Crawford has, Floyd is still the more polished and technical fighter and has the chin and stamina to go all 12 with him. If it made it to the final bell, that version of Floyd wins in a classic. But the thing is, we don't know if we have seen Crawford at his best yet. If he shows another level against another A caliber opponent, then my opinion could definitely change.
I would say Bradley. The fight between Brook and Porter was very close. Bradley is a much better skilled and defensive fighter than Porter and can apply the same type of pressure but be more effective. Brook is very solid so I see him making it a very competitive fight. But with the championship experience of Bradley, plus that heart of his, I see him winning it.
Floyd has slowed down and Bradley is a serious problem for any fighter at 140 and 147. And in all honesty, at this stage, Bradley is the more versatile fighter. Floyd is still the more skillful guy, but Bradley can do more at this point. Floyd thinks defense first and then pot shots. Floyd will not present the same problems for Bradley as Manny did. With Manny, it was the combination of hand speed, in and out movement, and power. Bradley had to be extremely cautious at all times because Manny has that big left that could put him to sleep. Floyd does not throw combinations like Manny, and his offensive attack and power is definitely not as threatening. It would be an entire different style fight that Bradley could definitely win. If a slow flatfooted and slow handed Maidana could get to Floyd, what do you think a fast technical/banger like Bradley would do??? The speed would reveal Floyd's age, and that's why he stays away from fast technical fighters now.
I can't speak on how others judge a fight, I can only go off of my judgement. I thought both fights were extremely competitve and close. But in all honesty, there was no way in hell Bradley was going to win on the score cards in the 2nd fight. He knew it, his corner knew it, and his fans knew it. One judge had the 2nd fight scored 118 to 110. I don't know what fight he was watching, but it proves that Bradley's team was right, he needed a KO to win it. That's the reason we got an uncharacteristic performance from Tim.
Why no one could see that Tim was truly injured, is beyond me. It was very noticeable after the 3rd round. But, Tim had his chance. I would rather see him go after Mayweather and some of the other top guys at welterweight.There is nothing else left to prove with Manny. A fight between the 2 will always be tight, but Bradley doesn't have the fan support to demand a 3rd fight and he doesn't have the "powers" backing him to win a decision if it did take place.
Peterson vs Garcia would be a fight of the year type fight. Both guys are skilled and can bang. I honestly think Lamont has the tools to beat Danny and that's why you don't hear the Garcia team talking much about Peterson. The winner should then rematch Matthysse and the winner of that should be a top canidate to fight Mayweather. It would be exciting to see the undisputed Jr Welterweight Champion fight the p4p king.
His last 4 fights have been tough ones. He deserves an easy fight. I think he should fight Rios. Rios is a known fighter and has fought at 147, so it would be interesting. Bradley beats him easily though. Hopefully next year he can get another big fight. I have a feeling Arum is going to push Crawford to move to 147 and face Tim.
As a skilled fighter, who depends on speed and reflexes, age, an upset can always be expected. Maidana hits very hard, and it would not surprise me to see him drop Floyd. But what many fail to realize, Floyd is a beast in the ring and has a lot of pride. I can honestly say that I'm not his biggest fan, but I love this sport and will admit that Floyd is one of the most highly skilled and competitive fighters to lace them up. If floyd decides to open up on Maidana, it will be an easy night for him. I think he showed him too much respect the 1st fight. But if he fights cautiously and focuses too much on defending, then he's in for a long night.
Floyd can not afford to wait on countering Maidana. He has to get aggressive offensively and take the fight to him. He needs to stay consistent with the jab and throw combos. He needs to bang his body often. This will force Maidana to make adjustments and think. I don't think those are his strong points in the ring. But if Floyd fights the same fight as last time, I can definitely see him getting caught with something big from Maidana.
Bradley deserves an easy fight next. If he keeps fighting top guys at this rate, his career will be shortened. Pacquiao, Provodnikov, Marquez, and Pacquiao again, he definitely needs an easy fight after that stretch. Once he boxes Chaves ears off, then I want him to expose Thurman.
At 37 years old, there are quite a few who have a serious chance at beating Floyd. Shawn Porter and Timothy Bradley are a serious threat. Many have their doubts about Bradley because of his last performance against Manny. But the reality is, Floyd does not present the same threat as Manny. You have to seriously worry about getting KO'd with Manny because of his combination of speed, power, and akwardness. Floyd doesn't present that problem and Tim's approach would be much different. Porter has skill and a lot of ability and is very confident right now, plus he has youth on his side. Floyd will never fight him. But guys like Khan and Lara will always be a more serious threat to Floyd than the slower flat footed guys he has been facing lately. Martinez and Pacquiao are major threats as well because of their athletic ability and championship experience. Floyd has banged it in fans head that he is the best ever. His dominant performances has pretty much supported that. But once his resume in closely analyzed, you will have a better understanding why he's been so dominant. He has never faced a fighter from the same pedigree as himself with championship experience. By the time he faced Mosley and De La Hoya, they were way past it. Oscar still managed to lose by a split decision and Mosley had him hurt worst than ever before in his career. I'm not denying his greatness and accomplishments, but he has been well managed over the last 7 years. He has not fought the style of opponent that will exploit the fact that he is older and has slowed down. Maidana has just opened the door. If Floyd is not careful of his choosing of his last 3 opponents, he will not retire undefeated.
It would be a very interesting fight, but a horrible match up for Cotto. Lara is too elusive and a southpaw. Cotto would stand a better chance against GGG.
I think Bradley has learned his lesson. I think he sticks to boxing and wins by UD. I would rather see him fight Matthysse than Cotto. I'm starting to think that he's only fighting for a paycheck at this point. TR doesn't have the welterweights on its roster for Tim to build a great legacy, so they are going to start feeding him to guys way too big. That was Meldrick Taylor's downfall. They moved him too far up in weight, and we see how that turned out!
Like Lamont or not, he will be Danny's toughest fight as a pro. And if he doesn't catch him early with that big left hook, he will lose to Lamont by a close decision. Lamont is a rugged fighter who has underrated boxing ability. Plus, he has one of the most viscious body attacks in the sport. This is going to be a great fight and I truly think Lamont will come out the winner.
Lamont is the more skilled fighter and Danny seems to always win the big one. This is going to be a very close and exciting fight. I got Lamont pulling it off. Danny is a proven champion, but he will have to land that big left hook and get Lamont out of there to win the fight. With Peterson's versatile style, Danny will not win a decision, and I just see Lamont winning it if it goes in the trenches.
Bradley is my favorite fighter, hands down. But I honestly question if his heart is into it anymore. That 1st Pacquiao fight took a lot out of him mentally and emotionally. I think he lost his identity in the ring. He's out to please the fans now and goes away from the strategy and away from the advantages that makes him effective in the ring. He engages in toe to toe exchanges way more than he needs to. So with a lack of punching power, it does appear at times that he's struggling against mediocre opponents. I honestly think if he gets back to simply boxing and using his skill and speed, he will return to the level we are used to seeing him at. Resigning with Top Rank wasn't a wise move on his part either. After fighting greats like Pacquiao and Marquez, how can he honestly get motivated to fight Provodnikov and Chaves??? The best welterweights and jr welterweights are with Al Haymon. Those are the guys that would definitely keep him motivated and build a great legacy for him. With Top Rank, he is simply fighting for a pay day at this point.
I just recently noticed that he wasn't on the p4p list and wondered the exact same thing. No, he hasn't looked dominant in his last few fights. I think its very hard to get up for guys like Chaves, Vargas, and now Rios when you have been in the ring with hall of famers like Pacquiao and Marquez. He needs a bigger challenge. But still, other than Manny and Ward, he has the best resume of active fighters in the sport. If all around body of work is considered, he should at least be ranked 3 or 4. How does GGG, Brook, and Khan make the list and not Tim??? Yes GGG has looked dominant and very impressive, but against who??? He has never faced an opponent on the level of Marquez and Pacquiao. Hell, in all honesty, he hasn't even faced an opponent on the level of Peterson, Alexander(at his best), or Provodnikov. The p4p list by Ring used to be respectable. Now it seems they have an agenda.
There are multiple reasons why Tim is not beloved. I'll leave race out of it, but who is the last black fighter that was beloved??? Times have changed and the boxing audience has changed. This new breed audience does not quite appreciate or understand the "sweet science" of the sport. So, if they aren't seeing a brawl or KO, then the fighter gets criticized. Secondly, I understand why Tim made the move to Top Rank and HBO, but I think he got much more respect when he fought for Shaw and on Showtime. I think the Showtime network commentators gave Tim a lot more props than the commentators at HBO, and it was the latter that somewhat caused the hatred and confusion in the 1st Pacquiao fight. And lastly, the matchmaking has a lot to do with it. They put C and D class fighters in front of GGG and he KO them as he is suppose to do, and the media makes him a god. He has not fought one opponent on the level of even a Vargas, Chaves, or Provodnikov and he is ranked in the top 5 p4p. Yet Tim has been fighting A, B, and C level fighters his entire career and is not ranked??? There is something seriously wrong with that picture. The media controls the popularity of the fighters in this great sport now. And the media caters to the biggest fan base which are the Hispanics. That's why GGG is called a Mexican style fighter. But the TRUTH always comes to the light, and Bradley will get his due one day. Even if its after he retires.
Bradley vs Mayweather would not have been anywhere near as big as Floyd vs Manny. But in all honesty, I do think it would have been more competitive. As great as Manny is, he is a one dimensional fighter who depends on his athletic ability and it showed in his fight against Floyd. There was no plan B. Plus, for whatever reason, Manny did not take any major risks in that fight. That simply would not be the case against Bradley. Tim does not have the physical gifts of Manny, but he does have better fundamental skills. Also, at this stage of his career, Manny did not show passion or any need to prove his greatness. Bradley, win or lose, would have did everything in his power to pull off the upset resulting in a great fight similar to the performance of Cotto when he fought Floyd. Although I think Bradley would put up a great fight, because of his disadvantage in height and punching power, he would still fall short of victory. Its time fans stop acting like Bradley is some C class fighter who has overachieved. He is the definition of a champion and a future hall of famer. And yes, he is on the downside of his career, but that's after having one of the best resumes in boxing over the last 10 years.
It probably would be a good action fight, but there are much better match ups for Tim if all the politics can be put aside. I would much rather see Tim stay at 147 and fight Brook. And Could Cotto really get up for a Bradley fight? He has done it all, what would he accomplish by fighting a smaller less popular guy like Bradley? Bradley is no walk in the park and can really fight. A loss to him could put a black eye on Cotto's legacy.
I would be against it. Maybe in a few years in the PBC works and gets to be in a ufc-like position with boxing.
The only way I'd be cool with them making PBC belts this early is if they had legitimate tourneys with their best fighters and the end result is the winner getting the new PBC belt.
That would be the smart way to do it. That would also lead to the best fighting the best. I know a lot of fans hate on the PBC, but listen to what the fighters say about Haymon. He has a variety of different fighters. He has Hispanic fighters, European fighters, and Black fighters. I'm not sure about Asians, but you know he would sign whatever Asian fighters available. When I look at GB and TR, I just don't see that. PBC is about to take over the sport.
Why or why not?
Personally I was totally against a PBC world title when that was in the rumor mill. It was just going to be another trinket but now it makes a lot more sense. I think the sanctioning bodies over the passed couple years have become abundantly greedy by ripping boxers and fans off and adding to the divide in boxing. If PBC had all their fighters drop their belts minor and world, itd really stick it to the sanctioning bodies and itd set up some nice tournaments within their own brand. In a perfect world there wouldnt be a divide between promotions but its not that way so hopefully Haymon continues to maximize his clients revenue and drops their belts and forms his own title...
I honestly think that is what the overall plan is. That would completely change the sport for the best. I think Haymon is trying to start his boxing version of the UFC. If that happens, boxing will go to a whole other level. One belt for every weight class with a company that has the interest of the fighter first, only positive results will come from that. It would also lead to the downfall of GB and TR.
1. Bradley vs Thurman
2. Khan vs Brook
3. Maidana vs Guerrero
4. Porter vs Berto
Mayweather and Pacquiao probably will only fight 2 more fights, and that will most likely be against each other. Let the younger guys battle for welterweight supremacy!
Bradley would be a problem for anyone at 140 and 147. I doubt if there has ever been a big demand for a fight between Floyd and Tim, but it would be a very competitive fight. What makes anyone think that it wouldn't be??? Bradley made both fights with Manny highly competitive with an injury each time. He showed alot of skill and speed against Marquez. Both Manny and Marquez are future hall of famers. And, I think anyone with a combination of skill, stamina, hand and footspeed, and championship pedigree would give an aging Mayweather serious problems. Bradley brings all that to the table. What fighter has Floyd fought in the last 5 years presented that type of threat???
That statement could have been very relevant if Floyd had fought the biggest threats of his era. But the truth is, he hasn't and is fighting Manny 5 years too late. He should have fought Manny right after he stopped Cotto. That was Manny at his best. He should have fought Mosley and De La Hoya a few years earlier. He should have fought Margarito and Paul Williams when they were dominating the welterweight division. What about Kosta Tyzu??? We can only speculate on those fights because Floyd never fought them when it truly meant something. Floyd is a great fighter, but to say you are better than legends means nothing if your resume doesn't back it up! Ali fought every relevant heavyweight there was in his era!!! You can't compare his resume to a fighter who retired to avoid the best at 147 at the time, and now decides to fight the other top guy of his era 5 years too late. The argument is always WHY Floyd didn't fight certain guys and those arguments may be legit. But that's an argument we don't have to have with Ali because he fought them all!