Never A Fan Of Floyd, But…

[Outwest Exp 355]

These young fighters think Floyd made all this money because he had zero losses. He became a PPV star because we knew he was the real deal. He fought and beat great fighters. There’s a half dozen or so fighters out there undefeated and nobody even close to breaking through to the main stream.

[CubanGuyNYC]

Mayweather believes a lot of things, most of which I'm uninterested in. Boxing wise, yeah he's one of the best, but strip away the hype and a lot of it's underwhelming. I certainly don't miss him being an active boxer and I actually think he instigated a lot of problems boxing suffers today, with fighters protecting records and pricing themselves out of fights they might lose. No one used PPV numbers as a marketing tool before Floyd, and that got old real quick.

Maybe semantics, but I disagree with the word “underwhelming” when describing Floyd’s boxing ability. I don’t disagree with what you say is Mayweather’s legacy. But my post is really all about Floyd’s mammoth work ethic. He deserves what he earned, in my opinion.

[dan-b]

Maybe semantics, but I disagree with the word “underwhelming” when describing Floyd’s boxing ability. I don’t disagree with what you say is Mayweather’s legacy. But my post is really all about Floyd’s mammoth work ethic. He deserves what he earned, in my opinion.

I was impressed with him up to and including 135, he moved very fluidly and it was good to watch. Beyond that, there were too many passive performances to minimise risk. His body of course, but it wasn't the stuff of greatness to me.

[Roadblock]

Mayweather believes a lot of things, most of which I'm uninterested in. Boxing wise, yeah he's one of the best, but strip away the hype and a lot of it's underwhelming. I certainly don't miss him being an active boxer and I actually think he instigated a lot of problems boxing suffers today, with fighters protecting records and pricing themselves out of fights they might lose. No one used PPV numbers as a marketing tool before Floyd, and that got old real quick.

Floyd marketed himself, that entity was selling the biggest PPVs in history, beating the most WCs, beating the biggest names of his era, dominate in 5 weight classes, did things outside of the box like Dancing With The Stars, 24/7 and bringing drug resting to the front, he transcended boxing and is still the biggest name in the sport years after retirement, he did the hard yards and told the world about it, that's marketing and he was great at it.

Floyd has every right to call himself the best ever if that's what he wants, that doesn't mean people have to believe him, with what he has done in the sport he probably does believe it, the bottom line nobody has a better list of accomplishments when you add up everything, fighters have elements that's better but not overall as a total.

I agree that because of the paydays he received it over-inflated what other fighters think they should receive today, is that Floyds fault or the fault of those that followed, he wasn't just given these massive paydays he created the environment where they were happy to pay him because he returned a profit, the guys today want that paycheck but return a loss, that's not on Floyd that's on them.

[CubanGuyNYC]

Floyd marketed himself, that entity was selling the biggest PPVs in history, beating the most WCs, beating the biggest names of his era, dominate in 5 weight classes, did things outside of the box like Dancing With The Stars, 24/7 and bringing drug resting to the front, he transcended boxing and is still the biggest name in the sport years after retirement, he did the hard yards and told the world about it, that's marketing and he was great at it.

Floyd has every right to call himself the best ever if that's what he wants, that doesn't mean people have to believe him, with what he has done in the sport he probably does believe it, the bottom line nobody has a better list of accomplishments when you add up everything, fighters have elements that's better but not overall as a total.

I agree that because of the paydays he received it over-inflated what other fighters think they should receive today, is that Floyds fault or the fault of those that followed, he wasn't just given these massive paydays he created the environment where they were happy to pay him because he returned a profit, the guys today want that paycheck but return a loss, that's not on Floyd that's on them.

Good post. Agreed to all. As I said earlier, my focus is on Floyd’s work ethic — terribly impressive and beyond question. It’s an inspiration. I think a lot of people can learn something from it. Wanna have what the 1% have? You gotta do what the 1% do.

[pretty boy_]

“Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready”
“Never stop working on your craft”
“Don’t drink or smoke”

Mayweather always told the youth and other boxers that if you stay dedicated to those three things then the sky is the limit.

[Roadblock]

I was impressed with him up to and including 135, he moved very fluidly and it was good to watch. Beyond that, there were too many passive performances to minimise risk. His body of course, but it wasn't the stuff of greatness to me.

The thing is youre categorizing a style in such a way that defence cannot be great, it surely can be great because of the level of skill involved its probably the hardest thing to master when facing the elite of your time, Floyd was an artist his skills were sublime, there have been many great fighters in history where their style is not a limitation its an asset of their individuality, when you beat the best of your era there is no more you can do other than knock everybody out, and often that's easier to do than it is to dismantle them over the full course of the fight.

Its not accurate to rate fan-friendly above skill when talking about greatness.

[djtmal]

If he would just trained that hard to beat the best guys in their prime he wouldn't have to still be out here attention whoring against non boxers, and cats like Big Dunn Iron Dan and Larry wouldn't have to make up so many far flung excuses for him.

Threads like this would be a non entity

[CubanGuyNYC]

The thing is youre categorizing a style in such a way that defence cannot be great, it surely can be great because of the level of skill involved its probably the hardest thing to master when facing the elite of your time, Floyd was an artist his skills were sublime, there have been many great fighters in history where their style is not a limitation its an asset of their individuality, when you beat the best of your era there is no more you can do other than knock everybody out, and often that's easier to do than it is to dismantle them over the full course of the fight.

Its not accurate to rate fan-friendly above skill when talking about greatness.

The level of work that Floyd had to put in to master and maintain those sublime skills is mind-numbing. Watching those vids I mused at how many hours, weeks, months, years — indeed, decades — of repetitive practice Mayweather had to endure to reach his level of ability. The boredom one has to endure. I have never in my life applied anything near that level of dedication to anything. That’s what put Floyd at the very top. I can’t hate on that.

[Roadblock]

The level of work that Floyd had to put in to master and maintain those sublime skills is mind-numbing. Watching those vids I mused at how many hours, weeks, months, years — indeed, decades — of repetitive practice Mayweather had to endure to reach his level of ability. The boredom one has to endure. I have never in my life applied anything near that level of dedication to anything. That’s what put Floyd at the very top. I can’t hate on that.

Youre exactly right his work ethic was on another planet and reflects in how good of a fighter he was he gave his life to the sport as all great ones do, there is mental conditioning going on when youre hitting the pavement at 2am knowing you opponents is sleeping, I know Jeff Fenech personally and he was a beast in the gym and he had seen Floyd train and was totally blown away in that he would spar 45 minutes straight with multiple guys then do bag work floor to ceiling then run that night, Jeff said he couldn't believe his eyes with what Floyd was doing, as Judah once said Floyd trained like he was broke.