Willie Pep and Floyd Mayweather

[Shanus]

Pep was 230-11-1 and beat many, many champions and hall of famers. Mayweather is only 37-0 and his quality of opposition does not stack up very well. I'm sorry but Mayweather has many fights to go before he can be considered in the same breath as Pep. I don't give a **** if fighters fight less often today, that doesn't mean you can discredit Pep but putting him in the same category as Mayweather who lives in a pampered world where you don't need to fight as often. Aw it isn't Mayweathers fault he'll never have 200 wins? Too ****ing bad. It's not Pep's fault either so don't try to bring him down to Mayweather's level just because the guy lives in an era where boxing is a weak fringe sport.

It's funny to hear someone say don't bring Pep down to Floyds level, seeing as he's considered the best thing since sliced cheese by todays standards, but it's true.

[Abe Attell]

If you are fighting 230 times, I bet 90% aren't elite....you know how I know, because elite is the minority, rare, the best.

Now, many fighters back then could fight one good fighter like 10X, so there is credit for that, but you also have to question if person A knocked out person B, is person B really ready to fight again in two weeks?


But the point was still with style

[Shanus]

If you are fighting 230 times, I bet 90% aren't elite....you know how I know, because elite is the minority, rare, the best.

Now, many fighters back then could fight one fighter like 10X, so there is credit for that, but you also have to question if person A knocked out person B, is person B really ready to fight again in two weeks?

Do you know what 90% of 230 is?

Over half of Floyds career.

[Abe Attell]

So what...Pepe could of fought 1000 bums and won them all, does that make him better than Ali's resume?


It's quality, not quantity.

[Kid Achilles]

The average contender back then was about as good as a title holder these days. In Pep's day, the top 20 in a given division (except for heavyweight) were a tough bunch and could give the champion a run for his money, beat him on an off night. And not like how it is with the heavyweights today with no one caring or showing up in shape. It's just that the level of skill was so high, the fighters so sharp and experienced by the time they got to that level, that this was true.

James Toney is hands down the most skilled guy (as in the deepest skillset) in the sport today IMO. Put him in Pep's era and there would be a handful of guys alive who could match him in skill and some (like Pep) who exceeded him.

The sport was just plain better, to put it succintly. More participants, better prepared and more skilled fighters, the living was tougher and the food they ate wasn't processed like it is today. Fighting is the one sport that has actually GOTTEN WORSE since the 1980's. Even the 1980's were on the decline compared to the 60's 50's and 40's IMO. This is what I see with my eyes. I see better and stronger athletes, on average, but much, much worse fighters. Mentally those guys just kick the **** out of today's fighters and boxing is 80% mental.

[ferocity]

Floyd didn't even want to take on an easy fight in Margarito, thats one reason he gets the hate.

[GunStar]

The average contender back then was about as good as a title holder these days. In Pep's day, the top 20 in a given division (except for heavyweight) were a tough bunch and could give the champion a run for his money, beat him on an off night. And not like how it is with the heavyweights today with no one caring or showing up in shape. It's just that the level of skill was so high, the fighters so sharp and experienced by the time they got to that level, that this was true.

James Toney is hands down the most skilled guy (as in the deepest skillset) in the sport today IMO. Put him in Pep's era and there would be a handful of guys alive who could match him in skill and some (like Pep) who exceeded him.

The sport was just plain better, to put it succintly. More participants, better prepared and more skilled fighters, the living was tougher and the food they ate wasn't processed like it is today. Fighting is the one sport that has actually GOTTEN WORSE since the 1980's. Even the 1980's were on the decline compared to the 60's 50's and 40's IMO. This is what I see with my eyes. I see better and stronger athletes, on average, but much, much worse fighters. Mentally those guys just kick the **** out of today's fighters and boxing is 80% mental.

It's funny that you were never there!

If Pep fought today he would've been Paul Malignaggi of today!

[ferocity]

Willie Pep, died the other day and some of you can't even show some respect towards a legend. All to try and defend a fighter -Mayweather- that takes the road of least resistance, pathetic.

[GunStar]

Willie Pep, died the other day and some of you can't even show some respect towards a legend. All to try and defend a fighter -Mayweather- that takes the road of least resistance, pathetic.

RIP to an alltime great!

[wmute]

Pep was 230-11-1 and beat many, many champions and hall of famers. Mayweather is only 37-0 and his quality of opposition does not stack up very well. I'm sorry but Mayweather has many fights to go before he can be considered in the same breath as Pep. I don't give a **** if fighters fight less often today, that doesn't mean you can discredit Pep but putting him in the same category as Mayweather who lives in a pampered world where you don't need to fight as often. Aw it isn't Mayweathers fault he'll never have 200 wins? Too ****ing bad. It's not Pep's fault either so don't try to bring him down to Mayweather's level just because the guy lives in an era where boxing is a weak fringe sport.

LOL

whenever someone mentions any fighter from the past 30 years in the same sentence as a fighter from before the 50s, you get all nervous.

no one is comparing their careers (although there is ground to so, I am not interested in comparing active fighters with retired fighters)

all I am saying is: "Pep fought defensively and fought to make money, Mayweather does the same but everyone calls him a *****, while the former was (rightfully) respected as an artist"