Teddy Atlas: It's insulting to compare Mayweather to great fighters

[Spear]

Floyd Mayweather based on pure skill is better than even Joe Louis pound for pound. If you can't acknowledge that you're blind. There's an extreme bias against current fighters in boxing. I really have no clue why.

he's one of the greats, get over it. just because he can be an arrogant ******* means ****. Oj Simpson was a murderer, doesn't stop the fact that he was one of the best running backs ever.

****** fcuk. oj simpson never cherry picked his opposition. he always fought the best something floyd cant say.

[gopi11]

Its biased and blind. If you cant see that then you have problems

You just proved the book was right by responding...

[The Noose]

Some of the most knowledgeable boxing figures of this era said Mayweather’s ability would not translate to the sport’s golden past because his superior speed and a diminished talent pool never required him to develop skills beyond natural athleticism.

Veteran matchmaker Bill Goodman said Mayweather benefits from an era of “unskilled labor.”

“They talk about Mayweather’s speed, but he isn’t as fast and as skillful as Bernie Docusen, who fought Sugar Ray Robinson for the title in 1948 and gave him plenty of trouble,” Goodman said in the book. “Would you say Mayweather’s going to give Ray Robinson as a welterweight plenty of trouble? There’s no comparison. But you go and tell that to a young boxing fan today and they think you’re a psycho.”

Television analyst and trainer Teddy Atlas cited the fight with Oscar De La Hoya as evidence that Mayweather was unable to create offensive openings until “De La Hoya made it easy for him and just opened the door for him by walking in with no jab and not offering up the answers and the resistance that he should have.”

“You cannot get intoxicated to the point where you are comparing Floyd Mayweather Jr. to one of the great fighters of all time,” Atlas said. “I’m not taking anything away from Floyd, but I think it’s insulting to the great fighters and to the great history of the sport to make that comparison.”

Former lightweight and junior welterweight champion Carlos Ortiz called Mayweather “just a regular fighter with great speed.”

Mayweaather has never needed to win a fight using more than his speed and athleticism.

I believe only when he is losing a fight, or hurt will we see what he is truely capable of.

I believe he has much more than what we have seen.

[Spear]

Mayweaather has never needed to win a fight using more than his speed and athleticism.

I believe only when he is losing a fight, or hurt will we see what he is truely capable of.

I believe he has much more than what we have seen.

nobody is denying his skill. Lebron James has skill, you can see it playing in highschool & now playing against the best in the nba. floyd is lebron but playing against the best college teams.

[gopi11]

Floyd Mayweather based on pure skill is better than even Joe Louis pound for pound. If you can't acknowledge that you're blind. There's an extreme bias against current fighters in boxing. I really have no clue why.

he's one of the greats, get over it. just because he can be an arrogant ******* means ****. Oj Simpson was a murderer, doesn't stop the fact that he was one of the best running backs ever.

That bolded part is very true, but the difference is, Joe Louis always seeks the best competition his division has to offer, which I can't say the same for Floyd. Mayweather's defensive skills is out of this world, his speed and timing is beyond compare, but sadly, it will all go to waste if left unused and untested against the best. The good thing is, Floyd has still time to mend it, if he gives more weight to his legacy than his already full pocket...

[Benny Leonard]

Mayweaather has never needed to win a fight using more than his speed and athleticism. I believe only when he is losing a fight, or hurt will we see what he is truely capable of.

I believe he has much more than what we have seen.

The Man has incredible skills. He was actually faster on his feet and with his hands below 147. His best performance was probably the Diego Corrales fight.
Hell, he was just plain better back then compared to now so he can be tested at any time. The only thing he has now that he is better at is that he seems stronger.

He was hurt against Corley and you can see the skill in the two fights below. There are many other fights to pick at but not many have HL.

[-Antonio-]

****** fcuk. oj simpson never cherry picked his opposition. he always fought the best something floyd cant say.

Hey ****** ****, Floyd proved himself at two weight classes before he cherry picked big fights. Sure since 2005 he could have fought better fighters, but he's not fighting bums here. Before then he was already great anyway.

[Benny Leonard]

That bolded part is very true, but the difference is, Joe Louis always seeks the best competition his division has to offer, which I can't say the same for Floyd. Mayweather's defensive skills is out of this world, his speed and timing is beyond compare, but sadly, it will all go to waste if left unused and untested against the best. The good thing is, Floyd has still time to mend it, if he gives more weight to his legacy than his already full pocket...

I've been saying for a while and Roach actually said something similar not to long ago: Floyd showed "greatness" below 147...but since the move up, not so much.

Floyd needs to fight big names that could trouble him at 147+ for a legacy there. Cotto/Pac winner...Shane (although he is past his prime and I really don't think people will give him credit at the end of the day)...and of course, his biggest challenge... PAUL WILLIAMS who I can't see Floyd fighting and at this point, he probably would have to move up to 154 for that fight.

[Webber676]

How can Mayweather be mention with the big names in the history in the sport when he never ever has shown the heart of the champion??? has he ever fought 9 rounds with a big gash in his eye ala Cotto? NO, has ever come back from a couple of Knockdowns to impose his will and win ala Chico Corrales? NO, or has he ever egaged in a battle ala Marquez-Vasquez? NO? so how the hell you can call that an ATG? how? you should be shamed if you do.

For me Mayweather is one of the best defensive wizards of all times period. Plus he doesnt help himself either because he isnt humble and talk to much s__t to be running like he does in the ring. In fact he is one of the most boring fighters to watch, well can you imagine yourself watching a chess match sunday afternoon on TV? boring as hell my friends....

[-Antonio-]

That bolded part is very true, but the difference is, Joe Louis always seeks the best competition his division has to offer, which I can't say the same for Floyd. Mayweather's defensive skills is out of this world, his speed and timing is beyond compare, but sadly, it will all go to waste if left unused and untested against the best. The good thing is, Floyd has still time to mend it, if he gives more weight to his legacy than his already full pocket...

Credit to Louis for being a great man and fighting the best guys in front of him. He didn't have a lot to choose from though lets be honest.

Floyd doesn't always fight the best, but he has fought and easily beaten very good fighters before. He does need to challenge himself more to further his legacy. These next two years will tell.