If Mayweather had a more likable personality, would he be making better numbers?

[Vladimir303]

1. Mosley was not bred as much as Floyd because he started in a weak division and had no Olympic background because Forrest beat him out of the spot.

.

And he got his shot at Delahoya just like Floyd and Oscar was considered still prime at that time. But it didn't sell. Everybody were hyped about the fight because they thought it had the potential to be a great fight.

But they were not hyped about THE EVENT. Big difference.

24/7 and Floyd's antics made the event huge, nobody cared about the fight. After the boring fight Floyd put on against Baldomir, people predicted it would be boring yet THE EVENT broke records.

[Fox McCloud]

And he got his shot at Delahoya just like Floyd and Oscar was considered still prime at that time. But it didn't sell. Everybody were hyped about the fight because they thought it had the potential to be a great fight.

But they were not hyped about THE EVENT. Big difference.

24/7 and Floyd's antics made the event huge, nobody cared about the fight. After the boring fight Floyd put on against Baldomir, people predicted it would be boring yet THE EVENT broke records.

And here is my question to you... who was more popular before they fought Oscar, Floyd or Mosley? Obviously it is Floyd, and it is because he was already on top of the sport before he fought Oscar, which was not at all true with Shane.

Shane very well could have risen to the kind of popularity that Mayweather has, but really, that was it for him after he beat Oscar the first time. He got beaten up by Forrest I, edged by Forrest II, NC with Raul Marquez, a bad decision over Oscar at 154, dominated by Wright I, edged by Wright II, and then beat a shot Vargas twice at 154, where his age showed as well in the first fight.

Shane Mosley may have been so much more, but it seemed like he peaked way too early ability-wise in his moment of popularity.

[Vladimir303]

And here is my question to you... who was more popular before they fought Oscar, Floyd or Mosley? Obviously it is Floyd, and it is because he was already on top of the sport before he fought Oscar, which was not at all true with Shane.

It's floyd and areed.

Shane very well could have risen to the kind of popularity that Mayweather has, but really, that was it for him after he beat Oscar the first time. He got beaten up by Forrest I, edged by Forrest II, NC with Raul Marquez, a bad decision over Oscar at 154, dominated by Wright I, edged by Wright II, and then beat a shot Vargas twice at 154, where his age showed as well in the first fight.

Shane Mosley may have been so much more, but it seemed like he peaked way too early ability-wise in his moment of popularity.

I agree, maybe it's the steroids. Either way after beating Delahoya, he went quiet again. He performed in little Ballroom-esque arenas.

I'm sure just like SRL and Oscar tried telling Floyd to smile and be nice, if you told Mosley to be ****y and brash and run his mouth, he wouldn't do it.

That's not who they are. Floyd and Shane are totally the opposite in personalities. And it cost Mosley's pockets more then it did Floyd's.

Part of it is also that Mosley is what people want Floyd to be. A guy who takes on all challanges. He did that and he lost and he didn't make huge money doing it.

He gets respect from hardcore fans but money and mainstream, I don't think so.

So love floyd or hate him, he does what he does. Financially he couldn't be any better. A Mike Tyson he'll never be and doing what he does is what it takes for him to be rich and famous.

[Fox McCloud]

^^^^^

That's a good point, and one that people might not realize. I certainly didn't until I read what you just posted. Even though Floyd has all the ingredients to be a great good guy, it just might not be in his blood or personality to be the good guy that everyone thinks he would do well with. He might thrive off of talking **** on his opponents or whatever.

Good point Vladimir!

[Motofan]

It wouldnt make a difference because he isnt exciting to watch fight. I dont say this to slam, but look at it this way. He fights safe, and he usually wins by such a large margin that you lose interest in watching the fight. Him being a jackass has little to do with it. Now if we are talking his legacy or the respect he gets, then yes. He would be remembered as being even greater then he is if people liked him at all. As it is, people look for any reason to discredit him.

[Vladimir303]

It wouldnt make a difference because he isnt exciting to watch fight. I dont say this to slam, but look at it this way. He fights safe, and he usually wins by such a large margin that you lose interest in watching the fight. Him being a jackass has little to do with it. Now if we are talking his legacy or the respect he gets, then yes. He would be remembered as being even greater then he is if people liked him at all. As it is, people look for any reason to discredit him.

Gatti was exicting to watch. Any blood thirsty/back and forth action type of fan will tell you that. So why was his only PPV fight against Mayweather and why was that fight his career high payday? He made more money in the Floyd fight then he did in any of the three Ward fights. Second, the majority of Ali and Leonard fights went the same way, them dancing around and showing their superior boxing ability. They both became popular and one was a ****y rude guy (Ali) while the ohter was a nice smile kinda guy (Leonard). In other words being nice has nothing to do with it.



I don't think being liked or disliked has anything to do with a fighters greatness. Maybe in the WWE, if you're a great heel and people boo you, you go down as a great bad guy. If you're a great face, you go down as a great good guy wrestler that the audience cheered.
Not in boxing. Historians rank greatness by your skill and what you've done with your skills. Floyd has done enough to be amongst the all-time greats but not to be THE all-time great. And I don't think there is anybody out there for him to beat to get him to all-time greatness.

[Sin City]

Great you run away from the other thread and make a new one. But I'll give you the same examples I gave you before:

Why isn't Shane Mosley making Mayweather money?

Why isn't Vernon Forrest, a guy who financed a home for ******s helping them out.

Winky Wright? Is it debatable that he is a nice guy?

It's all about finding a shtick that works and selling it. Floyd knew that the fans didn't like him so he created the whole Money May persona and pushed it to sell the Delahoya fight more and it worked. Mike Tyson was a bad guy and it sold. SRL was a good guy and it sold.

Because they don't have the talent Floyd does.
Talent + Personality = Popularity

[Vladimir303]

Because they don't have the talent Floyd does.
Talent + Personality = Popularity

Pulling out the owned sign without any groundbreaking new evidence to shut anybody down.

Umm ok kid.

[frankpaganini]

With the talent Mayweather holds (a gold mine in boxing) would he have had better numbers and viewership all throughout his career if he would have had a better personality ala Ray Leonard or Oscar De La Hoya.. Vladimir303 doesn't seem to think so.. do you agree?

i think if his personality was better and considered himself more of a "people's champ" rather than a selfish immature (at times) money hungry fighter then i think its no question he'd be liked much more and thus it would make him more popular overall.

it would also help to make the big fights happen (not just big money fights...but fights the fans want to see...)

if he did those things i'd like him more.

to be honest i admire him once the opening bell rings to the final bell of the 12th round BUT outside the ring i dont like hearing him because i think he acts foolish many times and really disrespects fighters and compares himself to all time greats...

that just screams ****yness.

the people's champ is a better route in my opinion.

but dont get me wrong his attitude now is working well (because everyone wants to see him get beat and someone else be the top p4p fighter in the world) but when floyd DOES lose and DOES lose his top p4p spot he will no longer be as big of a deal...

so it works both ways but in terms of longevity "the people's champ" will always work best.

[MANGLER]

Floyd's been one of the best boxers in the sport for years but he didn't become a big star until the DLH fight. He was sick of not gettin paid based on his talent so he created a nice niche for himself as an arrogant villain. PBF figured if people weren't gonna love him they could at least hate him and it's been a winning formula for him. Even if people are talkin hateful **** about you or watchin you fight just cuz they're dying to see you get beat you're doin sumthin right cuz they're talkin and watchin. Floyd could give a **** about people dissin him as long as his name is on their minds and coming out of their mouths all the time. If he was a nice guy he wouldn't be makin the paper he's makin right now cuz his drawing power ain't based on the excitement level of his fights, it's the fact that people will always watch cuz they want somebody to knock him out and shut his big mouth.