when exactly did all the "ducking" begin by mayweather?

[StrongSauce]

It wasn't just one instance. Morales called out Floyd a few times after his first Barrera fight. It was common knowledge that Morales wanted to fight Floyd, and If you followed Floyd back then, you defiantly would have heard that because a few analyst called Floyd out on it.

It's kinda like Celestino Cabellero with JuanMa. For over a year now, Celestino has been calling out JuanMa for a bout. In similar fashion, it was over a course of time that Morales kept wanting the fight Mayweather, and the same with Floyd wanting the fight with Hamed. Hamed vs Floyd didn't happen solely because Floyd couldn't make weight and Hamed had so many guys chasing him.


In all honesty, there really wasn't any justifiable excuses for not taking the fight.
Morales was a bigger name in boxing than Floyd
Morales had a huge buzz, especially since he was in FOTY with Barrera
Was willing to go to 130 to fight Floyd
Was willing to take a lesser cut of the purse

I mean I cant think of any reason why Floyd would not take the fight. The excuse Floyd made was that Morales was too small. Yet he was willing to go down in weight to fight Hamed, but not willing to face someone willing to come up to 130 and fight him. No hate, just calling it like I see it.

lmao Morales was still 120 at that time, he might have been willing to come up to 130 but what sense does that make for Floyd??? Hamed was a featherweight 126, and Floyd would rather fight a prime undefeated Hamed who happened to be a more exciting fighter than Morales....how can you in your right mind call that a duck?

[Danny Gunz]

There was so many great fighters in the welterweight division when floyd was in it yet he didnt fight any of them.

I didnt necessarily think he ducked anyone until he retired after fighting hatton then came back and fought jmm

[jrosales13]

Floyd stopped avoiding tough fights after the rematch with Castillo. After that didn't fight Stevie Johnston, Paul Spadafora, Juan Lazcano or Leonard Dorin at 135. In return fought the great Phillip Ndou and Victoriano Sosa. Calls out the winner of Freitas-Casamayor. Who both are with Showtime so is impossible to make that fight. Floyd knows that.

At 140 didn't fight a tough fighter in Vivian Harris or an awkward fighter in Junior Witter. Instead fought Henry Bruseles. Calls out Hatton and Tszyu who he knew those fights couldn't be made cuz both were under contract with Showtime. Floyd was an HBO fighter it was impossible to make the fight. Floyd knew that so Floyd called them out. Also calls out a prospect in Miguel Cotto. After he beat Gatti "calls out" Shane, when Shane was at 154, calls out Winky at 154. Basically he called out fighter who he knew it was hard to make fights with

At 147. fights Mitchell then goes and fights an overrated Zab Judah who was coming off a loss to a fighter who was not that good at all. Then not unify
turns down a career high payday but pays $750,000 in order not to fight Margarito. Instead fights Baldomir.

At 154 fights Oscar, Forrest calls him out, Spinks calls him out at 154. Floyd retires. Hatton comes calling then Floyd comes out of retirement beats Hatton. Larry Merchant asks Floyd about Cotto not that Cotto has a win over Shane. Floyd says I will retire from boxing, boxing will not retire me or something effect. And, Floyd retires then Floyd is willing to fight Oscar in a rematch set for September of 2008. Wants a bigger piece of the split Oscas says no he retires AGAIN. Shane calls him out Shane offers 8mill but is willing to negotiate. Floyd in return wants a guarantee 20mill and no less not willing to negotiate. Floyd knew he couldn't get 20mil for Shane so outpriced himself out. Roach was willing to put Pac against him. But, the #2 P4P JMM came calling and Floyd accepts. Didn't fight any of the top 10-20 WW. But, fought the #1 LW who at the time could of still made 130.

[Xcusemymood]

- right there.

Some ***** just red k'd me for quoting the same thing earlier....wtf?

[r.burgundy]

with Erik Morales around 2000-2001. I remember it like it was yesterday, because it was about as blantant as you can get.

Hamed was the biggest name in the lower divisions, highest paid, and had HBO backing him. Floyd wanted to fight him at a catch weight of 128, but Hamed stated "I'm the Draw, you should come down and face me". Hamed could do that back then because he had about 5-10 different options, all of which HBO would back and also would earn him big paydays.

Since Floyd wouldn't come down, the fight never happened. Meanwhile, Erik Morales had just beaten Barrera in their first classic fight that got them FOTY honors. Morales also had a huge buzz behind him and was becoming more and more popular. He had also moved up to 126, and seeing how the Floyd vs Hamed fight fell through, Morales was like **** it, I'll go up to 130 and fight Floyd.

Not once but several times Morales tried to make the fight only for Floyd to duck him. There was no way to defend Floyd for not fighing Morales, as there weren't any justifiable excuses at the time. So to answer your question, that was the first "duck" by Floyd.

Basically Floyd was willing to go down to 128 to fight Hamed, but not willing to accept a fight from a guy who was willing to come up to his own weight class and fight him.

you have your facts all wrong.floyd fought in 130 up until 2002.1 of his last fight at 130 was against coralles,who woulda mangled erik morrales.so to suggest he ducked morales when instead fighting a 6' k.o machine is ******.

2nd chavez didnt fight barrera at 126 until 2002.at which point floyd was already at 135.so why on earth would he come down to fight morrales,when morrales hadnt even fought at 130 yet?please explain.he fought castillo twice,who also woulda mangled morrales,as well as sosa an ndou,who also woulda mangled morrales

[jrosales13]

lmao Morales was still 120 at that time, he might have been willing to come up to 130 but what sense does that make for Floyd??? Hamed was a featherweight 126, and Floyd would rather fight a prime undefeated Hamed who happened to be a more exciting fighter than Morales....how can you in your right mind call that a duck?

Morales at the time was also prime and undefeated. Morales was coming off fight of the year fight. Great fight. Morales had earned respect. So you could argue that Morales was just as exciting or even maybe more exciting than Hamed.

[Xcusemymood]

Floyd stopped avoiding tough fights after the rematch with Castillo. After that didn't fight Stevie Johnston, Paul Spadafora, Juan Lazcano or Leonard Dorin at 135. In return fought the great Phillip Ndou and Victoriano Sosa. Calls out the winner of Freitas-Casamayor. Who both are with Showtime so is impossible to make that fight. Floyd knows that.

At 140 didn't fight a tough fighter in Vivian Harris or an awkward fighter in Junior Witter. Instead fought Henry Bruseles. Calls out Hatton and Tszyu who he knew those fights couldn't be made cuz both were under contract with Showtime. Floyd was an HBO fighter it was impossible to make the fight. Floyd knew that so Floyd called them out. Also calls out a prospect in Miguel Cotto. After he beat Gatti "calls out" Shane, when Shane was at 154, calls out Winky at 154. Basically he called out fighter who he knew it was hard to make fights with

At 147. fights Mitchell then goes and fights an overrated Zab Judah who was coming off a loss to a fighter who was not that good at all. Then not unify
turns down a career high payday but pays $750,000 in order not to fight Margarito. Instead fights Baldomir.

At 154 fights Oscar, Forrest calls him out, Spinks calls him out at 154. Floyd retires. Hatton comes calling then Floyd comes out of retirement beats Hatton. Larry Merchant asks Floyd about Cotto not that Cotto has a win over Shane. Floyd says I will retire from boxing, boxing will not retire me or something effect. And, Floyd retires then Floyd is willing to fight Oscar in a rematch set for September of 2008. Wants a bigger piece of the split Oscas says no he retires AGAIN. Shane calls him out Shane offers 8mill but is willing to negotiate. Floyd in return wants a guarantee 20mill and no less not willing to negotiate. Floyd knew he couldn't get 20mil for Shane so outpriced himself out. Roach was willing to put Pac against him. But, the #2 P4P JMM came calling and Floyd accepts. Didn't fight any of the top 10-20 WW. But, fought the #1 LW who at the time could of still made 130.

Thats **** right there totally de-credits your whole post.

[Khalid X]

lmao Morales was still 120 at that time, he might have been willing to come up to 130 but what sense does that make for Floyd??? Hamed was a featherweight 126, and Floyd would rather fight a prime undefeated Hamed who happened to be a more exciting fighter than Morales....how can you in your right mind call that a duck?

Morales had just moved up to 126, same division as Hamed. After Morales vs Barrera I, Erik clearly stated that it was taking too much outta him to make 122. Not just that but Morales challenged him even after he won fights at 126 against live opponents.

Again, Both hamed and morales was regarded as the top 3 FW at the time Morales wanted the Mayweather fight and had wins their to prove he was a legit featherweight.

[jrosales13]

you have your facts all wrong.floyd fought in 130 up until 2002.1 of his last fight at 130 was against coralles,who woulda mangled erik morrales.so to suggest he ducked morales when instead fighting a 6' k.o machine is ******.

2nd chavez didnt fight barrera at 126 until 2002.at which point floyd was already at 135.so why on earth would he come down to fight morrales,when morrales hadnt even fought at 130 yet?please explain.he fought castillo twice,who also woulda mangled morrales,as well as sosa an ndou,who also woulda mangled morrales

In 2001 Floyd fought at 130 against Corrales in January. He fought 2 more times that year against Hernandez and Chavez..

Morales by July 2001 had already like 2 or 3 fights at 126. And, had wins was undefeated top 10 P4P already had a win over Barrera. Again Floyd could of fought Morales in Erik prime instead of Chavez or Hernandez right? And, Morales would of been a tougher fight then those 2 don't you think? Since Morales beat both of them also.

[StrongSauce]

Morales had just moved up to 126, same division as Hamed. After Morales vs Barrera I, Erik clearly stated that it was taking too much outta him to make 122. Not just that but Morales challenged him even after he won fights at 126 against live opponents.

Again, Both hamed and morales was regarded as the top 3 FW at the time Morales wanted the Mayweather fight and had wins their to prove he was a legit featherweight.

I feel what your sayin, but thats not a "duck" at all