Tszyu vs De La Hoya & others, how come it didn't happen?

[IMDAZED]

Kostya Tszyu was never a very good in-fighter, a fact exposed by Vince Phillips who laid the blueprint Hatton followed to perfection. The "Thunder From Down Under" was at his best at range, where his long right and straight shots worked well. On the inside...not so much.

A 140lb Floyd Mayweather would've stopped Tszyu in the late rounds. Mayweather was not only a master of distance himself, he was an excellent, STRONG in-fighter and, more importantly, an underrated body puncher (perhaps puncher period). There would be no need for him to stay at a distance. He'd wear Tszyu down the same way he wore Hatton down; both fighters' biggest strength was their STRENGTH. You take away that weapon and what do you get? Phillips kept digging to Tszyu's body and the Australian eventually wilted. There's no reason to think Floyd wouldn't do the same.

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Kostya Tszyu was never a very good in-fighter, a fact exposed by Vince Phillips who laid the blueprint Hatton followed to perfection. The "Thunder From Down Under" was at his best at range, where his long right and straight shots worked well. On the inside...not so much.

A 140lb Floyd Mayweather would've stopped Tszyu in the late rounds. Mayweather was not only a master of distance himself, he was an excellent, STRONG in-fighter and, more importantly, an underrated body puncher (perhaps puncher period). There would be no need for him to stay at a distance. He'd wear Tszyu down the same way he wore Hatton down; both fighters' biggest strength was their STRENGTH. You take away that weapon and what do you get? Phillips kept digging to Tszyu's body and the Australian eventually wilted. There's no reason to think Floyd wouldn't do the same.

I think Zoo was a fairly good infighter, with a nice bag of tricks, but simply not on Mayweather's level, and ...boy do those long arms work well for Mayweather.

[IMDAZED]

I think Zoo was a fairly good infighter, with a nice bag of tricks, but simply not on Mayweather's level, and ...boy do those long arms work well for Mayweather.

I'm not quite sure if fairly good is really different from "not very good" but whatever. It's clear that Tszyu wasn't as effective on the inside.

As for Mayweather's long arms, they suit him well on the outside. However, that's usually a negative for infighting. Not so in his case.

[Wiley Hyena]

lol... your explanation is based on labels. "pressure fighter", "boxer". Mine is based on details on what could possibly go on in the ring. You know why that is? Because you dont understand this sport and I do, Mr. "Calzaghe has more impressive D than Mayweather"

I already explained to you that Mayweather has plenty of power to attract any 140er's (in fact he was knocking people down quite a bit at that weight). If you don't see it, your problem everyone else sees it. Zoo is not huge head "I will eat the kitchen sink if you throw it at me" Baldomir.

I also explained to you how Mayweather has the style to avoid a straight right hands in his sleep, it's simply ridiculous that you didnt already know that!

Watching actual fights point out that a 2005 Zoo is up for even more trouble on the inside.

You can only say "pressure"... "boxer"... How about you break down the fight and tell us what goes on?

I will tell you how this fight goes.

First couple of round potshotting by Mayweather who starts real slow respecting Zoo's power and guile. Rounds likely scored for Zoo.

Mayweather starts to adjust to the distance and lands more, rounds start being scored for Mayweather, but nothing big. Zoo isnt landing much but he is still throwing consistently. Somewhere between round 7-10, it is clear that Mayweather is ahead on the scorecards.

Now there is a couple of options.

a) Zoo doesnt change anything, fight goes on boring, Mayweather potshots his way to a UD

b) Zoo changes plan on and gets up close, hoping to rough up Mayweather and maybe even catch him off the clinch with some of those nice letf hooks to potentially set up some right hands... and he finds out what Hatton found out. That Mayweather is dirty and slippery as **** on the inside and it's damn hard to lend a left hook on someone who comes in slanted, wrestles you with his elbows rather than his arms (keeps his defensive form more intact) and knows that punch is the one to look for. Zoo is landing something here, but nothing flush. In the meantime. Mayweather who is not having much success landing head shots either (because Zoo being who he is damn well knows where to keep his head) but he is working his body nasty with short power punches. short looping shots to the ribcage, uppercuts to the solar plexus...Zoo might win a round here, but that bodywork pays off fast in those late rounds.

Now... in his prime Zoo makes it more of a fight at this point (and it would be interesting to see the nice little fouls they'd pull on each other), but in 2005 Zoo gets stopped late if he pushes the fight.

If Zoo was had more of a left handed attack fighter, or he was a southpaw with a great right hook, or if he was rangier, he'd be a lot of trouble with his skills and smarts, but unfortunately he has the wrong tools to deal with Mayweather.

I'm sorry. I've just got to respond further. Nice fantasy post, by the way.

First of all, who said 2005 Tszyu? But, that's ok....I'll take any Tszyu against Mayweather all the way up to the Hatton fight. But, note when Mayweather was at 130 he was already calling for DeLaHoya. Didn't ever call for Tszyu though. Well enough of that.........I'll respond.

You're basing your whole argument on Floyd's seemingly being invulnerable to a straight right. Yes, I understand his shoulder rolling defense (called the "Philly shell"...in case you didn't know). This kind of thing works against against alot of conventional (as opposed to southpaws) fighters. Especially sloppy fighters who wing their shots inaccurately hoping to just get thru. But, if it worked all the time......everybody would be doing it. POINT ONE: Tszyu was not sloppy. He was extremely accurate. He had magnificent timing with both hands. And, just one good shot with that right hand of his.....lights out. IT takes ACCURACY to defeat the shell. Remember N'dou v. Mayweather? N'dou almost got to Floyd, but he wasn't accurate. He was sloppy. N'dou was no Tszyu. POINT TWO: Tszyu's left hook. He has two hands, remember? POINT THREE: Mayweather's power. Not enough there to back up Tszyu. He may be able to potshot him, but when he does, Tszyu counters. That's what he does. Which leads me to POINT FOUR: Tszyu was one of the best counter-punchers the game has ever seen, IMO. This is the real key.

So here's how it plays out. Tszyu wades right in with the jab followed by a few rights and Mayweather goes into his shell, occasionally potshotting. Tszyu counters Floyd's potshots and backs Mayweather around all night. Eventually, Mayweather will try to throw a left hand. Tszyu counters and eventually Mayweather goes to sleep. Or, Tszyu attacks and counters Floyd all night with his left. Potshotting Tszyu won't get the decision if Tszyu can't be hurt. If Floyd survived, then Floyd loses the UD. It's as simple as that, IMO.

[Brandish]

I like the way you qualified that as "past prime" Tszyu.

was zoo ion his prime when he fought hatton

just face the fact because zoo was not in his prime you would have never given floyd credit for beating him, but that's ok we saw what zoo was like in his prime and cool vince philips handled that business perfectly

[Wiley Hyena]

Kostya Tszyu was never a very good in-fighter, a fact exposed by Vince Phillips who laid the blueprint Hatton followed to perfection. The "Thunder From Down Under" was at his best at range, where his long right and straight shots worked well. On the inside...not so much.

A 140lb Floyd Mayweather would've stopped Tszyu in the late rounds. Mayweather was not only a master of distance himself, he was an excellent, STRONG in-fighter and, more importantly, an underrated body puncher (perhaps puncher period). There would be no need for him to stay at a distance. He'd wear Tszyu down the same way he wore Hatton down; both fighters' biggest strength was their STRENGTH. You take away that weapon and what do you get? Phillips kept digging to Tszyu's body and the Australian eventually wilted. There's no reason to think Floyd wouldn't do the same.

This is B.S. Review Tszyu's fights again and then talk to me about "in-fighting." ROFL!

The guy only lost one fight in his prime, 2 fights in his whole career. Almost every ATG that ever fought lost fights. Duran, Robinson, Ali, Louis, Leonard, Pryor, etc...ad nauseum.

[IMDAZED]

This is B.S. Review Tszyu's fights again and then talk to me about "in-fighting." ROFL!

The guy only lost one fight in his prime, 2 fights in his whole career. Almost every ATG that ever fought lost fights. Duran, Robinson, Ali, Louis, Leonard, Pryor, etc...ad nauseum.

You're throwing out names like Duran and Robinson when we're discussing a man whose best wins are Zab Judah and Sharmba Mitchell.

Who's full of it again?

LOL@ he "lost only once in his prime"...so? Mayweather never lost in his prime so what's your argument there?

And I've studied Tszyu's career to back in the amateurs when he beat Vernon Forrest so cut the "go back and watch his fights" bull****. YOU go back and watch them and then come tell me all about those wonderful in-fighting exhibitions you saw the great Kostya put on.

[Brandish]

This is B.S. Review Tszyu's fights again and then talk to me about "in-fighting." ROFL!

The guy only lost one fight in his prime, 2 fights in his whole career. Almost every ATG that ever fought lost fights. Duran, Robinson, Ali, Louis, Leonard, Pryor, etc...ad nauseum.

zoo is not on a level of a leoanrd or hagler, and secondly floyd beat hatton, did kosta tszyu

[Wiley Hyena]

You're throwing out names like Duran and Robinson when we're discussing a man whose best wins are Zab Judah and Sharmba Mitchell.

Who's full of it again?

LOL@ he "lost only once in his prime"...so? Mayweather never lost in his prime so what's your argument there?

And I've studied Tszyu's career to back in the amateurs when he beat Vernon Forrest so cut the "go back and watch his fights" bull****. YOU go back and watch them and then come tell me all about those wonderful in-fighting exhibitions you saw the great Kostya put on.

Yeah, right. Gonzales, Chavez, Ruelas, Hurtado, Pineda, Lopez......all pretty crappy fighters. ROFL! Ever wondered what might have happened to Mitchell and Judah had they beaten Tszyu?

Tszyu was the first man to unify the 140 pound division in 30 years. To me, from what I saw, he was clearly an ATG and one of the finest boxers I have ever seen. He could have given any JrWW in history alot of problems. IMO

[Brandish]

Tszyu was the first man to unify the 140 pound division in 30 years. To me, from what I saw, he was clearly an ATG and one of the finest boxers I have ever seen. He could have given any JrWW in history alot of problems. IMO

he couldn't even get by vince philips or ricky hatton get out of here you schlep lep