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There's one very big glaring and obvious reason why Floyd "Check Casher" Mayweather has a good chance to go down as the greatest of all time or at least top 5 ATG.
The reason is simple:
no one else on the ATG list including Sugar Ray Robinson has faced and beaten an opponent also ranked in the top ATG list.
Who did Sugar Ray Robinson beat that was ranked in top 5 or even top 10 ATG? Maybe I'm missing someone but Lamotta sure as hell isn't in the top 10 probably barely edges out the top 50.
It's not about their skill, it's about that rare potential that Mayweather vs. Pacquiao represents. Never before, or at least not in a long time have two potential ATG's been both in their prime and ready to face off.
If Mayweather defeats Pacman and Pac goes down in the top 10 ATG as many of his nuthugging fans claim he will, then Mayweather will go down in history as one of the few greats that has proven himself against a top ATG opponent.
The only other time two ATG's of this stature were fighting each other was during the Fab 4 in the 1980's and most of those guys are considered top 10 and top 5 ATG's in particular Duran and SRL. So with that said, similarly Mayweather could be ranked right up there with them if he defeats Pacquiao though ofcourse it works both ways and Pacquiao could be the one up there if he defeats Floyd.
Not to mention both are also 5 and 6 division champs just like the Fab 4 guys, Duran was a 6 division champ, SRL was 5, and Hearns also was 6 if you count minor titles I believe.
However I should state that even if he beats Pac that probably would not elevate Floyd above SRL or Duran because they conquered as many (and more) divisions than him AND still fought each other (top ATG's). So for Floyd to be ranked higher than them he would have to not only decisively defeat Pacman but he'd have to either make another important win or two at 154 OR conquer one last strap at 160 for his 6th division which would match what DLH did when he went up and got Sturm's strap. I think Floyd can do this, as 160 is particularly weak right now and I can easily see him beating Sturm and probably doing the Martinez on Pavlik as well, however I just can't see him going that far up at the tail end of his career because I really do feel he only has 1 or 2 fights left though I could be wrong.
But I think if he beats Pac and Martinez he'd be up there in the top 10 or 15 at worst ATG and if he beats Pac, Martinez and maybe one or two more big names at 154-160 then he could make it into top 5 ATG.
The reason is simple:
no one else on the ATG list including Sugar Ray Robinson has faced and beaten an opponent also ranked in the top ATG list.
Who did Sugar Ray Robinson beat that was ranked in top 5 or even top 10 ATG? Maybe I'm missing someone but Lamotta sure as hell isn't in the top 10 probably barely edges out the top 50.
It's not about their skill, it's about that rare potential that Mayweather vs. Pacquiao represents. Never before, or at least not in a long time have two potential ATG's been both in their prime and ready to face off.
If Mayweather defeats Pacman and Pac goes down in the top 10 ATG as many of his nuthugging fans claim he will, then Mayweather will go down in history as one of the few greats that has proven himself against a top ATG opponent.
The only other time two ATG's of this stature were fighting each other was during the Fab 4 in the 1980's and most of those guys are considered top 10 and top 5 ATG's in particular Duran and SRL. So with that said, similarly Mayweather could be ranked right up there with them if he defeats Pacquiao though ofcourse it works both ways and Pacquiao could be the one up there if he defeats Floyd.
Not to mention both are also 5 and 6 division champs just like the Fab 4 guys, Duran was a 6 division champ, SRL was 5, and Hearns also was 6 if you count minor titles I believe.
However I should state that even if he beats Pac that probably would not elevate Floyd above SRL or Duran because they conquered as many (and more) divisions than him AND still fought each other (top ATG's). So for Floyd to be ranked higher than them he would have to not only decisively defeat Pacman but he'd have to either make another important win or two at 154 OR conquer one last strap at 160 for his 6th division which would match what DLH did when he went up and got Sturm's strap. I think Floyd can do this, as 160 is particularly weak right now and I can easily see him beating Sturm and probably doing the Martinez on Pavlik as well, however I just can't see him going that far up at the tail end of his career because I really do feel he only has 1 or 2 fights left though I could be wrong.
But I think if he beats Pac and Martinez he'd be up there in the top 10 or 15 at worst ATG and if he beats Pac, Martinez and maybe one or two more big names at 154-160 then he could make it into top 5 ATG.
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