Whoever Floyd beats, you'll keep raising the bar...

[BmoreBrawler]

floyd needs to A:Make a run at the Marciano streak, B: become viewed as someone who will take on all comers(Ali, De La Hoya, Joe Louis, etc) by fighting Williams, Cotto, Mosley, Hatton, De la Hoya again... the best he can get his hands on, C: Show some class and passion in the ring by being aggressive and winning in style. Dont cheat the fans.

[deuce_drop]

floyd needs to A:Make a run at the Marciano streak, B: become viewed as someone who will take on all comers(Ali, De La Hoya, Joe Louis, etc) by fighting Williams, Cotto, Mosley, Hatton, De la Hoya again... the best he can get his hands on, C: Show some class and passion in the ring by being aggressive and winning in style. Dont cheat the fans.

quality post, way to narrow it down to the specifics...............especially with don't cheat the fans..........

DLH-mayweather the fight to save boxing, what a joke. it did more harm than good.........

[Addison]

A couple of years ago, I asked the question (on another boxing board) of who PBF would have to beat in order to be considered among the all-time greats.

At the time, the answer was:

Judah (he was undisputed WW champ at the time)
Margarito (to unify the title)
Delahoya/Winky/Shane (any one of these "veterans")
Hatton (he had just knocked off Tszyu)

So, PBF has beaten two of those, and is fighting a third in a few months. The fourth, Antonio Margarito, has lost and is off the radar.

Something tells me that even if PBF dominates Hatton, he won't be considered on the shortlist (5-10) of GOATs.

So, my question is this: WHAT DOES PBF NEED TO ACCOMPLISH WITHIN THE NEXT THREE FIGHTS TO BE CONSIDERED AN ALL-TIME GREAT IN YOUR EYES?

This is not a thread of who Mayweather CAN beat. Let's assume (just for argument's sake) that he DOES win.

If FMJ beats Hatton, then the winner of Mosley/Cotto, then one of the young lions (Williams/Cintron/Berto), is that enough for YOU to say "Yeah, I saw one of the very best". ... or will you need him to beat Taylor, then Pavlik, then Chad, then Wlad, then Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz?

Ultimately, I don't think it would be so much his opposition because people will say Hatton/Mosley/De La Hoya/Cotto/Whoever is great and all - but those guys are no Jake LaMotta or Carmen Basilio.. Those guys are no Hagler or Hearns.. Those guys are no Foreman or Frazier.. They'll soften up his era and competition.

Mayweather could get an increase in his respect and appreciation levels if he fought a little guttier, took more chances, overcame some adversity, showed more power, and took on everybody without posturing.. Obviously not all of those things are even possible.. But some of them are.

Floyd has the opportunity to destroy Hatton, Mosley, and Cotto - if he does that spectacularly - he's in the argument as far as I'm concerned. But I mean really dazzle and surprise people with his performances.

[-EX-]

The critics will never be satisfied. **** him. I doubt Floyd gives a **** when he can take a bath in his own money.

[C.Y.]

floyd needs to A:Make a run at the Marciano streak, B: become viewed as someone who will take on all comers(Ali, De La Hoya, Joe Louis, etc) by fighting Williams, Cotto, Mosley, Hatton, De la Hoya again... the best he can get his hands on, C: Show some class and passion in the ring by being aggressive and winning in style. Dont cheat the fans.

why would floyd all of the sudden change his fighting style?
the boxers the brawl and have slugfests brawl because they have to
they dont have the skills to actually box and utilitze defense and technique
he doesnt need to fight oscar again he clearly won the fight the first time
if u throw in enough money or if a fighter has reached a certain high status in boxing he'll fight anyone
class and aggression in the ring?
how isnt he classy?
he's a defensive fighter
people have different fighters
learn to appreciate the art of boxing
as a fan i dont feel cheated
boxing is using technique and fighting
not brawling and bashing your brains out
can u tell me who else have 5 legit belts in 5 weight divisions?

[Alibata]

Now the bar is set at Shane Mosely and Cotto. Shouldnt be too high of a bar for someone as great as Floyd. Hatton will be a good hurdle. His hugging will come in handy in keeping Floyd from running away. I previously wanted to see Shane take on Floyd but based on Cotto's last performance againts Juddah, I think that would be just as good a bar as any to set. Floyd gotta fight the winner of Cotto vs. shane because Cotto would be undefeated and would gain more ground in popularity due to his warrior style of fighting and Shane is just a good stylistic matchup that could actually be entertaining and competitive. How do you proove your the best if you leave a shadow of a doubt that anyone else but you could be the best. Right now there is Cotto, Mosely, Hatton, Williams. Of those I think Cotto, and Mosley stand the best chance of winning based on resume and style. Hatton needs to go back to Jr welter but it would be a good fight none the less.

[guzi815]

Which one?

Well we got Mayweather/Hatton, gotta see what goes down with that. I just feel that Floyds Uncle Rog would never let Floyd brawl with Cotto. We all know PBF will box Miguel Cotto's ears off...but you know it and I know it...should Cotto catch "ANYBODY" in the later rounds with that left hook to the body, somethings gonna break. I'm just saying, It's been quite sometime I've seen PBF KO somebody. Some may chose to ignore the fact that his latest opponents are way older...It would say a whole lot about the risk factor in Mayweather should he ink a fight with a "YOUNG" UNDEFEATED Title holder.

[OptimusWolf]

yes of course the bar keeps getting raised - thats what elite sports is all about! You don't stop after one win if you want to go down as an all-time great.

Michael Schumacher
Lance Armstrong
Zinedine Zidane
Ryan Giggs
Martin Johnson
Pete Sampras
Sachin Tendulkar

None of these guys became the best and then said "yeah I'm the best, thats it, everyone else can **** off". they kept proving why they were the best.

[rudement]

its been done with every great champion if you followed the sport you would know this, there is always another opponent and it doesnt matter if the other oppenent is great or not pbf is a hall of famer even if he loses, lets stop these ****** threads seriously

[MaYaN_SuN]

lol Actin like the bar isnt being raised cause he hasnt fought anyone...

Fans sayin he's takin easy fights, Other fighters sayin he's takin easy fights, theres a reason behind all of this, lol you know?