mayweather v.s pernell(sweet pea)whitaker take your pick and why

[MightyMikeA]

Whitaker by UD. Pernell arguably beat a prime Oscar at an advanced age (yes, he was robbed), whereas a prime Floyd had difficulties with a contented, 34 year old multi-millionaire version of Oscar.

Whitaker had better defense than Floyd (Floyd's is based on the rolling James Toney technique while Whitaker was like freaking Keanu in the Matrix!). Whitaker also had a better offensive arsenal than Floyd and threw accurate combinations. Whitaker also undoubtedly hit harder than Floyd as the knockouts that Whitaker did have were more devastating than Floyd's which are based more on accumulated damage.

Oh and in his later days, Pernell beat up some tough competition while being high as a mut*a*ucka as well. You can't beat that!

[Soda_Popinski]

I said PBF basically because I'm a Floyd nuthugger...lol no seriously though....

no I'm just a nuthugger...

kidding...anyways I went with Floyd only because nobody has beaten him...I honestly can not say i'd be sure either dude would win....both play the same game for the most part....and its tough to say who would be better at it...

[robjr]

nuthugger or fanboy is only way I see someone picking floyd.. unless they lack any knowledge of boxing.

[DLT]

Whitaker by UD. Pernell arguably beat a prime Oscar at an advanced age (yes, he was robbed), whereas a prime Floyd had difficulties with a contented, 34 year old multi-millionaire version of Oscar.

Whitaker had better defense than Floyd (Floyd's is based on the rolling James Toney technique while Whitaker was like freaking Keanu in the Matrix!). Whitaker also had a better offensive arsenal than Floyd and threw accurate combinations. Whitaker also undoubtedly hit harder than Floyd as the knockouts that Whitaker did have were more devastating than Floyd's which are based more on accumulated damage.

Oh and in his later days, Pernell beat up some tough competition while being high as a mut*a*ucka as well. You can't beat that!

People forget way too much about these fights. 1st off Oscar was not in his prime like everyone says. He was only 24 years old. 2nd, the fight was at 147 where Sweet Pea had been for 5 and a half years and it was Oscars "1st" fight at that weight. You know where Oscar was 5 and a half years before that? He wasnt even pro yet and was fighting at 130. Think about those numbers guys. Sweet Pea was at 147 for 5 and a half years and it was only Oscar's 1st fight while he was only 4 and a half years from being a amature and was at 130. You know where Floyd was at 5 and a half years before he fought Oscar? He was still at 130. You know where Oscar was? He was the 154 pound champ. Floyd still beat him at that weight when he clearly shouldve been a Jr. WW at best. In the Pea fight he was bigger then Oscar and had much more experience at that weight but in the Floyd fight Oscar had him by 20 pounds and he was much more experienced at that weight. Again people dont realize these redicules numbers that Floyd was doing weight wise.

I still cant understand where all this stuff comes from about Sweet Pea being the better Offensive fighter. Floyd is probally the most underatted offensive fighter in history. There is not one person out there right now who has a more complete offensive game then Floyd. Now you can say that Floyd doesnt use all of it all the time but you cant deny that he has it and uses it enough. Name one other fighter who can fighter who can jab, go to the body, throw hooks, throw leaping punches, throw straight punches, can hit you with 3 straight right hands, throw uppercuts, has power on inside punches, can fight in the pocket, and so on. No other guy out there has that arsenal, let alone Sweet Pea and he definatly wasnt more accurte. If Floyd does anything well its throw with accuarcy. Also, how can you say that Sweet Pea has more power when Floyd has a way better KO ratio. Pea was never known as a power guy but at 130 people always use to talk about Floyd's power and he had alot of devastating and early KO's. No way is Sweet Pea the harder puncher

[DLT]

nuthugger or fanboy is only way I see someone picking floyd.. unless they lack any knowledge of boxing.

Ive been around this sport forever and that is just crazy to say. The thing people forget is that Floyd has fought every kind of fighter while Pea never really fought the guy who could match his speed. What wouldve happened if he wouldve fought that way against Meldrick Taylor? Guys who have the speed to get to him, land, and still not get hit clean wouldve made it very difficult. Floyd wouldve walked him down, cut off the ring way better then anyone he's faced, and it wouldve been a great techniqal battle. To say Floyd has no chance of winning is foolish. Again, even Max who loves Pea to the fullest said that he thinks Floyd wouldve beat him and is the kind of fighter who could give him mad problems. If Floyd doesnt give him problems then what kind of fighter would? You guys arent even trying to open your mind. Think about them in the ring. None of those pressure fighters would even come close to sweet pea. Its a guy like Floyd who would give him hell

[DLT]

The bottom line is I could see Floyd walking him down and landing some with that straight right or left hook. Sweet Pea has never faced someone with Floyd's speed or D. 1st off Sweet Pea's style is to go backwards and circle all fight and then at times he will catch you off guard by leaping back with the left. Think about that against Floyd? It doesnt work at all. Floyd is walking him down, landing the occasional straight right that he is brilliant with or left hook then when Sweet Pea leaps back in, Floyd can see that coming and block that with his right hand which is already beside his face. No way he can land on Floyd while going backwards and circling the whole fight.

[oldgringo]

People forget way too much about these fights. 1st off Oscar was not in his prime like everyone says. He was only 24 years old. 2nd, the fight was at 147 where Sweet Pea had been for 5 and a half years and it was Oscars "1st" fight at that weight. You know where Oscar was 5 and a half years before that? He wasnt even pro yet and was fighting at 130. Think about those numbers guys. Sweet Pea was at 147 for 5 and a half years and it was only Oscar's 1st fight while he was only 4 and a half years from being a amature and was at 130. You know where Floyd was at 5 and a half years before he fought Oscar? He was still at 130. You know where Oscar was? He was the 154 pound champ. Floyd still beat him at that weight when he clearly shouldve been a Jr. WW at best. In the Pea fight he was bigger then Oscar and had much more experience at that weight but in the Floyd fight Oscar had him by 20 pounds and he was much more experienced at that weight. Again people dont realize these redicules numbers that Floyd was doing weight wise.

I still cant understand where all this stuff comes from about Sweet Pea being the better Offensive fighter. Floyd is probally the most underatted offensive fighter in history. There is not one person out there right now who has a more complete offensive game then Floyd. Now you can say that Floyd doesnt use all of it all the time but you cant deny that he has it and uses it enough. Name one other fighter who can fighter who can jab, go to the body, throw hooks, throw leaping punches, throw straight punches, can hit you with 3 straight right hands, throw uppercuts, has power on inside punches, can fight in the pocket, and so on. No other guy out there has that arsenal, let alone Sweet Pea and he definatly wasnt more accurte. If Floyd does anything well its throw with accuarcy. Also, how can you say that Sweet Pea has more power when Floyd has a way better KO ratio. Pea was never known as a power guy but at 130 people always use to talk about Floyd's power and he had alot of devastating and early KO's. No way is Sweet Pea the harder puncher

Oscar was pretty close to being in peak shape by the time he fought Whitaker, whereas Whitaker was already abusing drugs and booze by that point. Although Oscar had not been a pro very long, he had already gained more experience than your average young fighter. He had already fought Hernandez, Raf Ruelas, Leija, Miguel Angel Gonzalez, etc. Sure he wasn't as experienced as he was for the Floyd fight, but he was the young lion fighting the old pro, with more experience than 99% of other fighters with 23 fights under their belt. Oscar was bigger than Pernell, so any weight issues are pretty irrelevant. Notice how Oscar never moved back down.

Whitaker had more power than Floyd. Floyd has never knocked an opponent (actually another champion) out cold with one punch in a title fight...like Whitaker did Nazario. Whitaker dropped and hurt bigger opponents to the head and body. Floyd has only really busted up a shot Gatti, a nothing in Bruseles, and a shot Sharmba Mitchell at higher weights. Gatti and Mitchell were pretty much Floyds size too.

I don't think Floyds KO ratio would be nearly as high had he fought in Whitakers era either. In Whitakers first 18 fights he had already fought Haugen, Mayweather, Ramirez and Layne...4 former, eventual, or current title holders at the time. For every opponent Floyd has fought I can name a more quality opponent on Whitakers record.

McGirt > Judah
Chavez > Castillo
Nelson > Corrales
Haugen > N'Dou
Pendleton > Corley
Paez > Chavez
Ramirez > Vargas/Manfredy/Gerena/whoever
Vazquez > Baldomir

and on and on. I would agree that Floyd is more accurate with his punches, but I wouldn't say he has more power.

As far as a Mayweather/Whitaker fight goes, I'd go with Whitaker. Whitaker was a tricky, unorthodox fighter who punched from angles that Mayweather has never seen. You couldn't out feint the guy and nobody he fought at lower weights (assuming this is a match at 135/140) out jabbed him. I think Whitaker would dig to the body inside and he'd hit Mayweather more than he's ever been hit before considering Pernell's unbelievable reflexes and southpaw stance.

Close fight either way you see it, but I personally can't see any other fighter around 130/135 beating a peak Whitaker besides (one could argue) Roberto Duran.

[danny stash]

We must have alot of new members because i posed this same thread a month or so ago...nice new responses though. Not hating. I still think sweet pea beats floyd in a decision.

[oldgringo]

The bottom line is I could see Floyd walking him down and landing some with that straight right or left hook. Sweet Pea has never faced someone with Floyd's speed or D. 1st off Sweet Pea's style is to go backwards and circle all fight and then at times he will catch you off guard by leaping back with the left. Think about that against Floyd? It doesnt work at all. Floyd is walking him down, landing the occasional straight right that he is brilliant with or left hook then when Sweet Pea leaps back in, Floyd can see that coming and block that with his right hand which is already beside his face. No way he can land on Floyd while going backwards and circling the whole fight.

Whitaker didn't fight going backwards all of the time...? How many of his fights have you seen? If anything Floyd was more inclined to fight backing up, using his legs to get position. Whitaker walked down McGirt, had Poli Diaz running from him, he stood man up with Vazquez for a good portion of their fight as well as with Paez. And since when is Floyd some come forward juggernaut who strafes his opponents with these big rights and lefts?

This fight would mostly be fought in the middle of the ring. Both guys like to counter. Pernell would use his quick right jab to find range, dodging many of Floyds quick right hands with his superior reflexes. Pernell wasn't some big mover...he made his opponents miss badly standing right in front of them.

No way he can land on Floyd while going backwards and circling the whole fight.

Watch some of the fights I named above. If anyone is making the fight here it's Whitaker, who generally relied less on his legs to avoid punches. Whitaker moved often against Chavez, Nelson and Pendleton because of the significant pressure they put on him. Otherwise he was pretty much right there.

[oldgringo]

Ive been around this sport forever and that is just crazy to say. The thing people forget is that Floyd has fought every kind of fighter while Pea never really fought the guy who could match his speed. What wouldve happened if he wouldve fought that way against Meldrick Taylor? Guys who have the speed to get to him, land, and still not get hit clean wouldve made it very difficult. Floyd wouldve walked him down, cut off the ring way better then anyone he's faced, and it wouldve been a great techniqal battle. To say Floyd has no chance of winning is foolish. Again, even Max who loves Pea to the fullest said that he thinks Floyd wouldve beat him and is the kind of fighter who could give him mad problems. If Floyd doesnt give him problems then what kind of fighter would? You guys arent even trying to open your mind. Think about them in the ring. None of those pressure fighters would even come close to sweet pea. Its a guy like Floyd who would give him hell

Uh, what would have happened to Floyd if he fought Meldrick Taylor? The guy had the fastest hands I have ever seen on a boxer. Whitaker would have had a much better time of it with Taylor because he's less of a straight up and down fighter...harder to find. That's why he (Taylor) was able to grind down and stop a very good fighter in buddy McGirt, who was about as technical as it gets. McGirt was a VERY underrated fighter in his day.

Speaking of McGirt, he was pretty quick handed himself. You say that Whitaker never faced anyone who could match his speed. I think McGirt was pretty fast, but he just paled in comparison to Whitaker. McGirt and Whitaker displayed just about every amazing aspect of pure boxing in their two fights. McGirt wasn't a chump in the mid-late rounds like Judah either. He was dangerous for the full 12.

You say:

None of those pressure fighters would even come close to sweet pea.

But previous to that you say:

Floyd wouldve walked him down, cut off the ring way better then anyone he's faced

So he would have essentially pressured him? I agree that Mayweathers hand speed and accurate punching would have made it tough, because this would be a tough, close fight. But Mayweather is not a come forward fighter and Whitaker wasn't a big mover. If anyone is coming forward making the fight it's Whitaker...used his legs less frequently than Floyd did. It would be a technical fight in the middle of the ring. Floyd would make a close contest of it in the mid-late rounds because he's very mentally strong, but Whitaker would get the decision.