Kostya Tszyu vs Floyd Mayweather at 140

[IMDAZED]

no need for a link I trust you.

Good post, especially back then, but still... do you see what I am saying? Against Castillo and Chavez he showed excellent inside fighting, but the Hatton fight looked different than those.

I can find a post from a discussion with Azteca where I said I wanted a lassez-faire ref so I could see Mayweather "elbow his way out of the clinches". He did elbow, but not really to get out of the clinch, he was more than happy to stay there. That's the part that I did not expect. He played exactly Hatton's game and ****ed him up right there. What I imagined going back to the Chavez would be him creating just enough room when needed and land those beatiful uppercuts, that I could see, based on previous fights.

Good point. I think that was part of his plan. The thing is, Hatton couldn't really bully him inside because Floyd was (surprise!) stronger than him. So it was poor Ricky getting worn down by all the clinching and hugging - not Floyd.

What a masterpiece by him, BTW.

[wmute]

Good point. I think that was part of his plan. The thing is, Hatton couldn't really bully him inside because Floyd was (surprise!) stronger than him. So it was poor Ricky getting worn down by all the clinching and hugging - not Floyd.

What a masterpiece by him, BTW.

total masterpiece, great strategy, as I was watching the fight, I was thinking "this guy is a great, I am so glad I am seeing this fight live and not on ESPN classics."

in the early rounds, when Hatton was still coming in with angles, Mayweather's footwork was spectacular.

Holding and hitting early to get the ref attention on holding for the rest of the fight... brilliant

stepping in always hiding his right side, Hatton never saw an opening for a left hook to the body.

those Hopkins-like straight right hands.

and then the 'usual' display of boxing mastery.

As annoying as he is out of the ring, he made up for it every time he stepped in there

[IMDAZED]

Agreed.

I haven't always been pleased with Floyd's choice of opposition but the way he fights...

That Zab fight was just beautiful. I mean, he introduced a totally new style to his repertoire. Hands up, coming forward like a slugger...just amazing.

[wmute]

Agreed.

I haven't always been pleased with Floyd's choice of opposition but the way he fights...

That Zab fight was just beautiful. I mean, he introduced a totally new style to his repertoire. Hands up, coming forward like a slugger...just amazing.

Zab fight was beautiful too. Zab was faster and hit harder than him, so he pressured him making the fight happen at midrange... beatiful...

Many people complain about him fighintg Baldo, Oscar, Hatton I think Judah and those 3 are all fine opponents.

What really bugs me is that he spent his peak years fighting Sosa, N'dou, Bruseles, Corley, Gatti, Mitchell... we saw the best possible Mayweather against subpar opposition, that's sad...

[baya]

there's no way tzuyu would have ever beaten floyd, at any weight. tzuyu was good, floyd was great.

[oldgringo]

Zab fight was beautiful too. Zab was faster and hit harder than him, so he pressured him making the fight happen at midrange... beatiful...

Many people complain about him fighintg Baldo, Oscar, Hatton I think Judah and those 3 are all fine opponents.

What really bugs me is that he spent his peak years fighting Sosa, N'dou, Bruseles, Corley, Gatti, Mitchell... we saw the best possible Mayweather against subpar opposition, that's sad...

Hatton, Oscar and Judah were all fine competition. I agree with the bolded part though. Baldomir is not a good fighter. It's too bad that was all he was matched with in that little block of 2003-2006(?). Floyd is a great fighter, it is a shame that he has only fought 40 or whatever times.

[5burowz]

Kostya was one-dimensional. Jab, straight right hand. He never would've caught Floyd with his power shots.

Floyd would easily outbox him.

[oldgringo]

Floyd would have beaten Tszyu, not easily, not by knockout. He would get the better of the exchanges whenever he stepped inside of Kostya's range and he'd fight him on very even terms from that area where Tszyu is comfortable. Too many angles, to precise with his punches for Tszyu, a stand up fighter who only possessed competent defense.

It would have been a nice fight to watch though. Both guys are technique freaks...would have been a nice match up between the boxer/puncher and the pure boxer.

[C'MONMANG']

there's no way tzuyu would have ever beaten floyd, at any weight. tzuyu was good, floyd was great.

Ud ing Chop, Brusels and Koing Gatti at 140 doesnt make you great homay. by any means...

[oldgringo]

Kostya was one-dimensional. Jab, straight right hand. He never would've caught Floyd with his power shots.

Floyd would easily outbox him.

That's horse ****. He also had a very good left hook, a punch he would use to set you up or to knock you down/out. Watch the Mitchell, Gonzalez, Chavez and Hurtado fights...he straight crushes Hurtado with a left hook to the body before stopping him.