Send in a fighter to destroy Mayweather Jr

[Anomalocaris]

I think the absolute worst stylistic match up for Mayweather is the welter version of Hearns.

Floyd lacked the power to hurt Tommy who himself was never outboxed in his entire career.

I think that Hearns was fast enough to land that ballistic missile of a right eventually.

Then it's over.

[JAB5239]

I think the absolute worst stylistic match up for Mayweather is the welter version of Hearns.

Floyd lacked the power to hurt Tommy who himself was never outboxed in his entire career.

I think that Hearns was fast enough to land that ballistic missile of a right eventually.

Then it's over.

Tommy Hearns

Oops, maybe I should have read the whole post before jumping the gun. Second pick, Duran.

[DeeMoney]

Yes, you are right. The answer is Hearns at WW. As you stated, his weakness (chin) is something Floyd didnt really take advantage of.

On the other hand, one of Mayweather's biggest assets, reach, Tommy negates. I think De La Hoya was the only opponent Mayweather had who had a longer reach than him, and May used this to his advantage. Mayweather would stand in his blade stance and combine being quicker with having greater reach to just pop his opponents and move away.

Hearns negates that reach advantage, by a lot. Mayweather is still quicker, and probably has better timing, but he would have to get inside Tommy's reach to land, and that doesnt work well with him.

[Anomalocaris]

Yes, you are right. The answer is Hearns at WW. As you stated, his weakness (chin) is something Floyd didnt really take advantage of.

On the other hand, one of Mayweather's biggest assets, reach, Tommy negates. I think De La Hoya was the only opponent Mayweather had who had a longer reach than him, and May used this to his advantage. Mayweather would stand in his blade stance and combine being quicker with having greater reach to just pop his opponents and move away.

Hearns negates that reach advantage, by a lot. Mayweather is still quicker, and probably has better timing, but he would have to get inside Tommy's reach to land, and that doesnt work well with him.

I actually think Tommy's chin is highly underrated at 147 & 154.

He was stopped a grand total of once at those weights in the greatest welter match up and fight of all time (over 9 years).

Ray landed some huge power punches throughout, the same sort that put Boy-Green into the shadow realm.

[Willie Pep 229]

Do you guys think SRL could out box him? I do.

Duran once said that Leonard hit him harder than anyone else he fought.

But yes, the WORST possible matchup would be Tommy.

[Mr Mitts]

If someone said Mayweather was the greatest pure boxer ever, I have no qualm.

But there are many lads who fought at welter who would beat him IMO. The reason is simple--he was not a welterweight, he had the frame of a lightweight. He managed to beat all existing welterweights because he was that much better; he studied better and was much more well rounded. There was nothing fake about his medicine bag, it was seemingly full of every trick and technique known to boxers.

I will be scorned for it, but MW has more breadth and depth than any boxer I can think of. He had a hella lot more to draw from in emergencies than most or maybe all boxers before him. But he had learned so well that emergencies were few and far between. I want to give the lad his credit.

That said, it may be shorter to list past champions he would beat than vice versa, or whatever the hell I am talking about. I list who he probably would probably lose to, in my view. MW is a 1rst table ATG, so he has a chance against any welterweight under Queensbury rules. That should be clear.

I do not know all past WW champs from personally watching them. Literally everything is sheer guesswork anyway, mind you, from either of us.

Welterweights I favor over Mayweather:

Langford
Walcott
Robinson
Leonard
Hearns
Griffith
Napoles
Walker
Armstrong
Servo
Gavilan
Curry
Crawford
Duran
Whitaker
De La Hoya Trinidad

Other than that, there are as many I could not list who are ATGs too, but I am too ignorant of them to bring them into play. Others will do that though.

P.S. I had to come back to add a few names.

[IronDanHamza]

Do you guys think SRL could out box him? I do.

Duran once said that Leonard hit him harder than anyone else he fought.

But yes, the WORST possible matchup would be Tommy.

He could box with him.

I think his size, jab, speed and output would what would lead Leonard to victory.

Welterweight is Mayweather's 4th weight class. I'd pick most elite historical WW's to favour over him.

At his first weight class, 130 lbs, I don't favour many, if any.

[The D3vil]

Hearns
Robinson
Leonard

They all beat Floyd

[DeeMoney]

Hearns
Robinson
Leonard

They all beat Floyd

These are the only three who I would significantly favor over Mayweather. Griffith, Napoles, Gavilan and Walker I put on par with him at WW. I know a lot of people like to downgrade him over all the politics, but shouldn't let that blind them to the fact that he was very hard to beat- even at WW which is bigger than his probable best.

[Anomalocaris]

These are the only three who I would significantly favor over Mayweather. Griffith, Napoles, Gavilan and Walker I put on par with him at WW. I know a lot of people like to downgrade him over all the politics, but shouldn't let that blind them to the fact that he was very hard to beat- even at WW which is bigger than his probable best.

Those three are head to head the very hardest to beat in welter history.

How remarkable that two of them actually met.