Is Floyd Past His Prime?

[Wiley Hyena]

when you get down to trivialities bout how he will muscle him , you know hes done fore. If pushing floyd around is all hes got, Floyds in for an easy night.

Well, I respect your opinion. You may be right. But, is it safe to say that Floyd has not fought anybody like Hatton? I cannot think of any. I mean one could have made that statement about Castillo or Tszyu. Body shots got Castillo, but in Tszyu's case, it was general wear and tear.

[Fox McCloud]

Ok...we agree on something besides steroids, Dios. Cheers. You are right about that. It is respectable power, not awe inspiring or anything close to that. But, that's all he's needed thus far, right?

It's definately not one-punch power... it never was, even at 130... it usually took quite a few rounds to get someone out of there, unless they had a losing record.

His power is good enough to wear people down for the TKO though, as long as they don't outweight him by 20 pounds or have a Baldomir chin. People forget pretty quickly. Before the Judah fight, he had knocked 4 out of his last 5 out... feather fisters can't do that.

[DIOS DOMINICANO]

IMO (respectfully..because I'm taking the time to be serious tonight) saying "if Floyd allows him to..." is begging the question. This fight will be won or lost if Hatton is able to impose himself physically on Floyd, it doesn't matter what Floyd decides to do at all. The issue is: Can Floyd do anything about it?

That is the wrong perspective. You are basically saying "what is the better fighter going to do to stop the inferior fighter". That is a losing game. And I think it is that perspective that has made us butt-heads a bit.

The reason that Team Hatton declined previous fights is because THEY SAID PBF's style was bad for them.

That is like saying Tim Duncan won't be able to post up Shaq. Tim don't need to post up Shaq. He will score on him a zillion different ways. And have Shaq in foul trouble to boot.

If Hatton had one OVERARCHING strength (i.e: Pavlik's power), then I can understand your point. But he doesn't.

[Wiley Hyena]

I think he has good speed, and I include that as part of his physical package. There's NOTHING wrong with physicality. Hell, see Jermain Taylor's career.

But I think it is worth noting that when RH fought FRESHER fighters, Ricky seemed to be the one fading late.

Do you agree that rounds 10-12 of both Collazo and Urango were not encouraging?

That's like saying do you agree that the Baldomir fight was not encouraging? You see it your way, I see it mine. But, as to Floyd we're talking apples and oranges. Floyd's style is different.

[Wiley Hyena]

That is the wrong perspective. You are basically saying "what is the better fighter going to do to stop the inferior fighter". That is a losing game. And I think it is that perspective that has made us butt-heads a bit.

The reason that Team Hatton declined previous fights is because THEY SAID PBF's style was bad for them.

That is like saying Tim Duncan won't be able to post up Shaq. Tim don't need to post up Shaq. He will score on him a zillion different ways. And have Shaq in foul trouble to boot.

If Hatton had one OVERARCHING strength (i.e: Pavlik's power), then I can understand your point. But he doesn't.

Will disagree here. You assume Floyd is the "superior fighter". IMO Floyd is a superior boxer. Hatton is a superior "fighter." This is the clash that will be decided in the ring. Whose style will impress itself on the other fighter. This is what I meant.

Lastly, you don't seem to respect Hatton's power. It's there in bundles, Dios. Don't make this mistake.

[DIOS DOMINICANO]

That's like saying do you agree that the Baldomir fight was not encouraging? You see it your way, I see it mine. But, as to Floyd we're talking apples and oranges. Floyd's style is different.

But the Baldomir fight was VERY encouraging for me. It basically showed Floyd's advantage in skill and discipline/style can't just be overcome by size/strength/tenacity/chin. It (further) demonstrated the gulf between PBF and Zan/Gatti.

That fight could have gone 20 rounds, and PBF would have won 20-0.

What if Hatton-Collazo went three more rounds? what would that look like? Or even ONE more round.

See what I mean?

[Fox McCloud]

Will disagree here. You assume Floyd is the "superior fighter". IMO Floyd is a superior boxer. Hatton is a superior "fighter." This is the clash that will be decided in the ring. Whose style will impress itself on the other fighter. This is what I meant.

Lastly, you don't seem to respect Hatton's power. It's there in bundles, Dios. Don't make this mistake.

But will it be at 147? Question of the day.

I have never heard described as a one-punch KO artist though... and I think that's what Dios was referring to. He was saying that Ricky has a puncher's chance, and that puncher's chance is relatively small, because Ricky has never been the guy who ends fights with one, skull-shattering blow.

A body shot, on the other hand, doesn't need a plethora of power to knock someone out. So even if Hatton is getting outclassed, that is his golden ticket in the fight.

[DIOS DOMINICANO]

Will disagree here. You assume Floyd is the "superior fighter". IMO Floyd is a superior boxer. Hatton is a superior "fighter." This is the clash that will be decided in the ring. Whose style will impress itself on the other fighter. This is what I meant.

Lastly, you don't seem to respect Hatton's power. It's there in bundles, Dios. Don't make this mistake.

I guess it is semantics, because I use 'boxer' & 'fighter' interchangeably.

Yo me, Willie Pep is a fighter. So is Pernell Whitaker.

[DIOS DOMINICANO]

A body shot, on the other hand, doesn't need a plethora of power to knock someone out. So even if Hatton is getting outclassed, that is his golden ticket in the fight.

And it is just that.

we are all huge boxing fans. We watch a lot (too much) boxing.

Over the past twenty years, name the top fighters in their prime who got stopped by a bodyshot.

GO.

[Wiley Hyena]

But the Baldomir fight was VERY encouraging for me. It basically showed Floyd's advantage in skill and discipline/style can't just be overcome by size/strength/tenacity/chin. It (further) demonstrated the gulf between PBF and Zan/Gatti.

That fight could have gone 20 rounds, and PBF would have won 20-0.

What if Hatton-Collazo went three more rounds? what would that look like? Or even ONE more round.

See what I mean?

I see what you mean...but regarding Baldomir...I don't want to get under your skin here, but I saw Baldomir standing in the middle of the ring saying, "C'mon, let's fight." Floyd wouldn't. That's what I was referring to as not being encouraging. Don't counter me with details here because you know what I'm talking about. Do you think that will happen with Hatton?