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......to get the same undisputed respect that previous greats continue to receive. I'm talking about the "ATG status" type of respect that fighters like Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Sugar Ray, Whitaker and Oscar get.
Floyd's skills are without question, the best in the game (defensively speaking). But his legacy is always a topic of discussion. He did not get all the blocks checked in order to achieve the same undisputed respect that other great fighters receive.
Lets get started.
He failed to win the Gold Medal at the Olympic Games. This is a big one. It's a major stepping stone and favorable mark if you want to be held in the same regard as the other greats.
He did not take on the biggest possible challenges. His selection of opponents was comparable to the way he fought - safety first. He missed big fight opportunities against Casamayor, Shane, Kostya, Cotto & Margarito.
He did not take risks inside the ring. To say his style was crowd pleasing would be a stretch of the imagination; remember Carlos Baldomir. The fighters mentioned above took risks to cement their legacy and made for some of the most memorable fights in history, less Whitaker. But Pernell was fun to watch.
I know I'll get some hate for this. But I wish Floyd would have checked these blocks. Had he done so, there would be no question as to his status as an All Time Great.
Floyd's skills are without question, the best in the game (defensively speaking). But his legacy is always a topic of discussion. He did not get all the blocks checked in order to achieve the same undisputed respect that other great fighters receive.
Lets get started.
He failed to win the Gold Medal at the Olympic Games. This is a big one. It's a major stepping stone and favorable mark if you want to be held in the same regard as the other greats.
He did not take on the biggest possible challenges. His selection of opponents was comparable to the way he fought - safety first. He missed big fight opportunities against Casamayor, Shane, Kostya, Cotto & Margarito.
He did not take risks inside the ring. To say his style was crowd pleasing would be a stretch of the imagination; remember Carlos Baldomir. The fighters mentioned above took risks to cement their legacy and made for some of the most memorable fights in history, less Whitaker. But Pernell was fun to watch.
I know I'll get some hate for this. But I wish Floyd would have checked these blocks. Had he done so, there would be no question as to his status as an All Time Great.
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