Kostya Tszyu vs Floyd Mayweather at 140

[Jim Jeffries]

If Hatton found a way to get it done, I'm sure Mayweather could as well.

Hatton fought an older version of Tszyu that had fought 3 times in the more than 3 1/2 years since he stopped Judah. Add in the fact that he had lots of help from the ref, and I'm not sure how the Hatton fight is relevant.

[Mr. Ryan]

Hatton wrestled his way to victory against Tszyu....Tszyu wasn't able to get any leverage on his shots because of Hatton's John Ruiz hugging style....The British ref was a biased joke and let Hatton get away with his crap the whole fight....Tszyu was also past his prime against Hatton....Prime Tszyu would've demolished Hatton.

Prime Tszyu vs Prime Floyd could go either way, but I would lean towards Tszyu by stoppage.

Vince Phillips would not knock Mayweather out. I don't care what people say, Tszyu was never the same after that KO. He became a more safety oriented fighter.

Tszyu's defense wasn't unlike Kid Diamond's, which is to pull back straight from punches without much head movement. I reiterate, I like Tszyu but he couldn't beat Mayweather.

You can't bring one trick to the dance and expect to waltz. It's not happening.

[Mr. Ryan]

Hatton fought an older version of Tszyu that had fought 3 times in the more than 3 1/2 years since he stopped Judah. Add in the fact that he had lots of help from the ref, and I'm not sure how the Hatton fight is relevant.

Regardless of what you say about the fight, Tszyu has never openly criticized the ref and is willing to live with quitting on the stool. His fans, ehh, another story I guess.

There are no excuses in boxing, if you lose you lose. It just happens like that. I don't think Tszyu would be able to find the range on Mayweather, he was too straight up for that.

[IMDAZED]

wrt inside-midrange:
in that case I disagree. Floyd working on the inside happens systematically but rarely (in most fights).

wrt Jab:
I was saying that he doesnt use it much in most of his other fights (just like inside fighting see above), not that it would be a bad idea to use it against zoo

wrt Zoo moving forward:
Ok let's say you are Zoo, you move in a few times, and you get spanked a up close. Why would you keep on doing that. Wouldnt you have a better chance to keep it at a distance where Mayweather would have to worry about power shots at least? Surely you wouldnt get your body demolished as you would if you stood there up close. Would you rather be potshotted or broken down?

Also it's not like Zoo had ANY choice agaisnt Hatton except fight up close... even against Philips not exactly much of a choice

Mayweather will want the fight close and that's what he'll get. Especially if he starts off moving. He's no Zab Judah when it comes to lateral footwork and boxing from the outside. But he cant do that for 12 rounds against Tszyu and he knows this. I'm of the opinion Tszyu will be happy to see Mayweather stand still. And Mayweather will want the fight close. What's Tszyu gonna do if that's what Floyd wants? Box from the outside? NO! He's used to guys running from him. So he's used to chasing. Game, set, match Floyd.

[Left Hook Tua]

Tszyu-Forrest World Championships

For those who haven't seen it. Here's Kostya's fight against Vernon Forrest when he won the World Championships. I think it was '91 and Kostya was 21-22 at the time.

[poeticlsykuac]

I have been arguing with IMDAZED about where thus fight would be inside, vs. outside.

Anyway my point is Mayweather is not going to be manhandled at 140. Hatton couldnt, and it's his bread and butter and damn sure he was wrestling all the time.

Mayweather is different from anyone Zoo has faced because he can fight outside/inside/midrange. Zoo fought fast boxers, but never found anyone with the boxing IQ, and the set of skill of Mayweather in front of him. Let's face it Judah on the inside is nothing (before even getting to his mind).

Zoo timed almost everyone, but it goes both ways: Mayweather almost never gets timed. He tries and succeeds to avoid falling in a pattern, so that openings are harder to find, which is part of the reason why most fighters have a very low output against him)

I dont understand one part of your post, do you think it would be lights out for Mayweather up close? or at a distance? I dont think a KO up close is a possibility (Zoo needs space fot that sledgehammer to work its magic).

Mayweather likes to sit back and pot shot, bounce in and out, this is how PBF was most effective. Mayweather seems to know his most effective distance and uses it extremely well. Tszyu's smarts are as good as anyone I've ever seen, he adjusts very well as well. But I am sure that Tszyu would use that same distance to his advantage. Tszyu had a very average out put anyways, averaging 50ish punches a round, but he was very economic average 45-55% of his punches.

And though I think Tszyu would look very bad early on but adjust midway, that is when everything changes, if he gets to Mayweather, does PBF adjust on time? Or does Tszyu get him, and beat on him till he is down and out? Or does Mayweather shake it off and move on with no problem and adjust accordingly?

[IMDAZED]

Mayweather likes to sit back and pot shot, bounce in and out, this is how PBF was most effective. Mayweather seems to know his most effective distance and uses it extremely well. Tszyu's smarts are as good as anyone I've ever seen, he adjusts very well as well. But I am sure that Tszyu would use that same distance to his advantage. Tszyu had a very average out put anyways, averaging 50ish punches a round, but he was very economic average 45-55% of his punches.

And though I think Tszyu would look very bad early on but adjust midway, that is when everything changes, if he gets to Mayweather, does PBF adjust on time? Or does Tszyu get him, and beat on him till he is down and out? Or does Mayweather shake it off and move on with no problem and adjust accordingly?

It's funny you say Tszyu's smarts are as good as anyone you've seen...especially since this match-up features another fighter who I think is far more intelligent in the ring (Floyd).

And Tszyu's "adjustments" were a tad overrated. He did the same thing over and over against Phillips and got the stuffing beat out of him. Never once adjusted to the rights slamming in his face over and over and the rights to the body as well. Just kept coming forward. Was even smiling when they knocked him down a couple rounds before the finisher. Then got up and continued his terrible gameplan.

[poeticlsykuac]

It's funny you say Tszyu's smarts are as good as anyone you've seen...especially since this match-up features another fighter who I think is far more intelligent in the ring (Floyd).

And Tszyu's "adjustments" were a tad overrated. He did the same thing over and over against Phillips and got the stuffing beat out of him. Never once adjusted to the rights slamming in his face over and over and the rights to the body as well. Just kept coming forward. Was even smiling when they knocked him down a couple rounds before the finisher. Then got up and continued his terrible gameplan.

You base his whole career on his 19th fight when he was 27? Dude fought another 15 times losing at 36 give me a break. He also KO'd 12 of them. And 13 of them were championship fights. He adjusted just fine and avoided shots a lot more then most people realize. Tszyu was very ring savvy, he adjusted, got hit less by the end of every fight but early and late in his career.

[IMDAZED]

You base his whole career on his 19th fight when he was 27? Dude fought another 15 times losing at 36 give me a break. He also KO'd 12 of them. And 13 of them were championship fights. He adjusted just fine and avoided shots a lot more then most people realize. Tszyu was very ring savvy, he adjusted, got hit less by the end of every fight but early and late in his career.

Perhaps but he didn't really fight anyone as good as Phillips until Mitchell. And Mitchell was a completely opposite fighter. And how many fighters did he fight who implemented Phillips' game plan? Exactly.

[poeticlsykuac]

Perhaps but he didn't really fight anyone as good as Phillips until Mitchell. And Mitchell was a completely opposite fighter. And how many fighters did he fight who implemented Phillips' game plan? Exactly.

Probably because it wasn't very easy to fight like that against him. His punches hurt and it was a pain getting inside without being at the end of his punches on the way. That is why it was his prime after that fight, and regardless he did catch everyone! Not some everybody got caught in his prime. An argument could be that his prime didn't happen till the Hurtado fight.