Is Floyd's welterweight run comparible to Jones Jr's heavyweight title?

[S.G.]

I mean it's obviously better, but has anyone else considered that Floyd may be overstretching himself at the weight and doesn't want to risk losing to someone purely because they are too big?

What's your stance on this, is it a legitimate excuse for Floyd to not face Cotto (though I believe he will retire on a Cotto bout eventually)? Or do you feel it's essentially cowardice?

Personally I lean more towards the former opinion

(I couldn't think of a more apt comparison off the top of my head, sorry if you feel it's not appropriate - you understand what I'm getting at though)

[javelin_fangs]

No. Floyd didn't fight an endless string of mandatories who held part time jobs. He just didn't fight at all for the last year plus.

[RL_GMA]

I mean it's obviously better, but has anyone else considered that Floyd may be overstretching himself at the weight and doesn't want to risk losing to someone purely because they are too big?

What's your stance on this, is it a legitimate excuse for Floyd to not face Cotto (though I believe he will retire on a Cotto bout eventually)? Or do you feel it's essentially cowardice?

Personally I lean more towards the former opinion

(I couldn't think of a more apt comparison off the top of my head, sorry if you feel it's not appropriate - you understand what I'm getting at though)

Nah...He fought Zab, Baldomir, and Hatton at 147 and Oscar at 154. He's game at 147

[larryx]

cant blame him for picking his fights at his 4th weight class

[S.G.]

Nah...He fought Zab, Baldomir, and Hatton at 147 and Oscar at 154. He's game at 147

Hatton vs. Floyd was two little WW's fighting, it was a bit different to a Mosley vs Margarito in my eyes

the others are good wins (the Zab one especially) but they're not quite Cottos or Mosleys

he can obviously handle himself up there because of his immense skills, but does there get a point where the oppositions' weight/size advantages topping up their skills gets too much?

[Xplosivo]

cant blame him for picking his fights at his 4th weight class

i wonder why doesnt Cotto fight at Middleweight, or Margarito at Super middleweight. that would be their 4th weight class, lets see them even stepping up at that weight, let alone face the top fighters there (Abraham, Pavlik, Kessler, Bute)

atleast floyd stepped up in weight and fought fighters bigger than him through out his career using his skills and won while being injured during the bouts, i mean we saw him fight the top fighters in his true weight class (130-135) yet he still won a linear/ring title at 147, lets see miguel cotto win a linear title at middleweight.

p.s can you imagine calzaghe facin a heavyweight? ahahah

[Sparked_1985]

cant blame him for picking his fights at his 4th weight class

I agree wholeheartedly.

People just think he is so good he should be able to win against much bigger guy and he does anyway. Others, well, they want to see him knocked out.

[javelin_fangs]

Hatton vs. Floyd was two little WW's fighting, it was a bit different to a Mosley vs Margarito in my eyes

the others are good wins (the Zab one especially) but they're not quite Cottos or Mosleys

he can obviously handle himself up there because of his immense skills, but does there get a point where the oppositions' weight/size advantages topping up their skills gets too much?

I feel you, but at some point you have to consider this; what other all time great 130 lb champion is judged based on what he did at 147? There isn't one.

Now, Roy Jones wasn't an all time great 160 or 168 lb champion. He probably would have best the best 168 lbers of all time if he'd stayed there, but he didn't. He spent most of his prime years at 175. THAT is why its fair to judge him for wasting those years fighting nobodies. That said, he's still an all time top 10 or possibly even top 5 175 lber. So, that in and of itself is impressive.

If Mayweather were to beat some fighters, like Mosley and Cotto, who've made their bones at 147 and become a top 10 or 5 147 lber just think about how impressive that would be. He is definitely one of the top 3 130 lbers ever...maybe the best. He beat all of the best 140 lbers of his era, even though he beat some of them at 147 and he'd be an all-time rated 147 lber.

So, I mean it's what he should do because he has the talent to do it, but to demand it before you can give him respect is a bit extreme.

[S.G.]

I feel you, but at some point you have to consider this; what other all time great 130 lb champion is judged based on what he did at 147? There isn't one.

Now, Roy Jones wasn't an all time great 160 or 168 lb champion. He probably would have best the best 168 lbers of all time if he'd stayed there, but he didn't. He spent most of his prime years at 175. THAT is why its fair to judge him for wasting those years fighting nobodies. That said, he's still an all time top 10 or possibly even top 5 175 lber. So, that in and of itself is impressive.

If Mayweather were to beat some fighters, like Mosley and Cotto, who've made their bones at 147 and become a top 10 or 5 147 lber just think about how impressive that would be. He is definitely one of the top 3 130 lbers ever...maybe the best. He beat all of the best 140 lbers of his era, even though he beat some of them at 147 and he'd be an all-time rated 147 lber.

So, I mean it's what he should do because he has the talent to do it, but to demand it before you can give him respect is a bit extreme.

great post, we're definitely on the same page

[Testdead]

I mean it's obviously better, but has anyone else considered that Floyd may be overstretching himself at the weight and doesn't want to risk losing to someone purely because they are too big?

What's your stance on this, is it a legitimate excuse for Floyd to not face Cotto (though I believe he will retire on a Cotto bout eventually)? Or do you feel it's essentially cowardice?

Personally I lean more towards the former opinion

(I couldn't think of a more apt comparison off the top of my head, sorry if you feel it's not appropriate - you understand what I'm getting at though)

Floyd didnt fight trash collectors and bouncers.