Originally posted by Haka
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- Bradley's Hypothetical Placement:
- If Bradley were on Floyd's resume, he would likely be considered one of the most "prime" and formidable opponents Floyd faced at welterweight.
- This reinforces the critique that Floyd’s actual welterweight opponents, like JMM, Guerrero, Berto, Ortiz, and Maidana, do not rank as highly as Bradley in terms of skill, accomplishments, and "prime" status.
- Strength of Opponents:
- The inclusion of Bradley on Floyd's resume would address a frequent criticism: that Floyd fought many opponents who were either past their prime (e.g., Mosley, Cotto, De La Hoya) or not elite-level threats at 147 pounds.
- Fighters like Guerrero, Ortiz, and Berto, while solid professionals, were not viewed as the top-tier threats in the welterweight division during their time.
- Prime Opponents:
- Acknowledging Bradley as a #1 or #2 "prime" opponent highlights a lack of comparable "prime" opponents on Floyd's resume at welterweight.
- Prime Ricky Hatton could be considered a similar tier to Bradley.
- However, many of Floyd's other notable victories at welterweight are diminished by opponents being out of their prime or naturally smaller fighters moving up in weight (e.g., JMM).
- Acknowledging Bradley as a #1 or #2 "prime" opponent highlights a lack of comparable "prime" opponents on Floyd's resume at welterweight.
- Quality Over Quantity Debate:
- While Floyd's welterweight resume includes a higher quantity of notable names compared to Bradley, the quality of those opponents in terms of their "prime" condition is debatable.
- Bradley’s higher ranking over several of Floyd’s welterweight opponents suggests that Floyd's resume may prioritize breadth over depth in terms of elite, prime challenges.
What Can Be Said About Floyd's Resume:
- Strength and Critique:
- Floyd’s resume is impressive in its breadth, featuring many well-known names and champions. However, the critique remains valid that his welterweight opponents were not the absolute best or at their prime when he fought them.
- Timothy Bradley, if included, would bolster Floyd’s resume as one of the most significant prime wins, which highlights a relative gap in his actual record at welterweight.
- Relativity to the Era:
- Floyd’s welterweight dominance remains a defining feature of his career, but the absence of certain opponents (e.g., Bradley, Margarito, or Paul Williams) and reliance on opponents like Maidana, Ortiz, and Guerrero, who rank below Bradley in terms of skill and significance, weakens his claim to facing the absolute best of the era.
- Hypothetical Conclusions:
- If Bradley is truly better than several of Floyd’s actual opponents, this suggests Floyd’s resume could have been even stronger had he taken on Bradley or similar caliber fighters.
- This critique doesn't erase Floyd’s dominance but contextualizes his resume as potentially less rigorous at welterweight than it appears on the surface.
Final Thought:
Floyd Mayweather’s welterweight resume, while historic, contains a notable gap in terms of elite prime opponents when compared to hypothetical inclusions like Timothy Bradley. The cold, hard fact that Bradley ranks higher than multiple actual opponents on Floyd's resume strengthens the argument that Floyd’s welterweight record may lack depth in terms of facing the absolute best contemporaries.
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