Comments Thread For: Larry Merchant on Floyd Mayweather, History and Legacy

[JayPro81]

I'd be lying if I said I didn't care if Mayweather/Pacquiao happens, but there are other fights out there for both fighters that would probably be far better fights than that one.

[cupocity303]

Merchant just doesn't like Floyd, its so obvious. All the old school types who are always like 'he's never been in a war, he's not a real fighter'.... they just can't seem to grasp the simple concept - he is that godd, he doesn't need to be in a war! .

How is he not getting it? He acknowledged that Mayweather is too good for his own good but then that it can't be his fault.

But yes, he is old school and the whole "Every great fighter has to be challenged" rhetoric was there.

With that said, he was trying to be as impartial as possible for a old man so I give him credit for that.

[cupocity303]

I don't particularly like Larry Merchant, but he makes some very good points. Everybody just wants to see the good or great fights. But that said, people also want to see the consensus top fighters face each other as well. There's no guarantee that Mayweather/Pacquiao would be a great fight, or even a good one, but that's the fight everbody wants to see because they are the top 2 p4p fighters.

Well there you go.

Everybody wants to see something but it depends on their overall agenda.

If you don't like Floyd, then when you say that you wanna see a great fight, it generally only means seeing him lose. Otherwise it wasn't a great fight unless it was Gatti/Ward in there.

If you're impartial towards both fighters, then wanting to see a "great fight" means just that. You want a good even matchup, instead of a one-sided affair.

Same words, different meanings to different people.

[cortdawg25]

So by your statement you don't want to see this fight.You are letting your dislike for Pac cloud you vision.Pac is a draw weather you like it or not he has never tested positive for any peds so he does not have to bend to what Mayweather wants and that's the bottomline.

He better bend...the lil congressman don't got a leg to stand on. He has no logical advantage or leverage to demand anything. Take 60-40, the drug test, and get yo a$$ whooped!

[Black Dynamite]

h brings up some good points.....the fans make too much of an UD record.....it's not the be all and end all.....he is right about Floyd using it wisely to promote his fights though.

The one thing i do take issue with is this:


Merchant thinks you have to be in wars and dramatic fights to be great.....and i don't believe that for a second.....it helps...but he mentioned sweet pea........he is top 15 on almost every ATG list......was he ever in dramatic fights??? No not really. If this was the "true" basis for greatness Arturo Gatti would be GOAT hands down.....but he's not.

Is it Mayweather fault these other guys can't force him into a "dog fight"??? The only fighter i think could have done it a few years back was Plaserito......or Shane if they fought at 135....but that wasn't going to happen...Shane was struggling to mae weight and moved up to make the real $$$ vs Oscar.

I think people need to give Floyd his credit....he deserves it......

This is the best post I've read on here so far.

[RR_1988]

"outpointing has-beens"??? sounds like it can be applied to floyd as well.

manny, p4p or matchmaking???

same argument for floyd buddy:
baldomir - really???
oscar - past his prime BUT it was still an SD!!! LOL
hatton - overrated and had to move up
jmm - jumped 2 weights for a payday, outclassed in every aspect, old
shane - past his prime, overtrained (i dont agree with this excuse, but this will be the most popular).

Q, come on bro, you know better than that man... lol

I agree. Its not Pacs fault they werent undefeated. Only undefeated champions Mayweather beat was Corrales which was good and Hatton who wa overrated. Hatton was glorified for beating an ols Tsyzu and Castillo. Hatton only fought bums lol and soccer players lmao. Whats spectacular about Pac is that he beat all those ppl 34lbs and 41lbs above where he started his career. Mayweather would need to fight at MW and SMW to become a 7 weight class champ. Sugar Ray Robinson won at LW, WW, MW, LHW. That would equal to seven weight classes today. Its not everyday you get a fighter like Pac. In the last 30 years we have seen five weight class champ such as SRL, Hearns, and De La Hoya.

[supremelygifted]

Its the giving in to a demand part....im sure that 10 days makes no difference to pac at all. Its letting FLoyd boss the champ around making demands instead of negotiating

What about Manny's demands? Glove size, ring size, 10 million per pound over the limit all of those are things Manny demanded. If he's clean why not prove it?

[Sugar Q]

It could also be interpreted as although Floyd would be considered the favorite if he were to beat Pac, he isnt confident himself that he can beat him.

Just because everyone feels fighter A should beat fighter B, doesnt mean fighter A is as confident as the odds makers.

Floyd simply has to say to himself is fighting Manny worth the aggravation cause from the looks of things it wont silence the critics. If Manny doesn't submit to testing I say hell no. I say beating the P4P#2, the linear welter-wt champion and the middle-wt & jr-middle-wt champion is far more career defining. Floyd has no business bowing to Manny or his fake ass fans.

[Rome-By-Ko]

**** Manny, bring on Martinez. Manny brings nothing to Floyd's career but money cause when all is said and done the world will see how Manny's rise was due to great matchmaking against fighters on the decline. Martinez will be the icing on the cake for Floyd giving him titles from 130-160. A Top 5 All Time Great. 42-0. If Manny doesn't submit to random testing **** HIM!!!!!!!!!!

Top 5 atg nah you bugging lol.Anyway hey if May makes the fight with Martinez I'm not mad at him.But the fight everyone wants to see is Pac vs May and it will do wonders if he beats pac.IMHO more then the Martinez fight Pac is num 1 P4P there is no bigger fight and no better fight for Mays legacy at the moment.

[Chuckylee]

**** Merchant, he's a racist & a hater. He doesnt even like Floyd so this article is bias. The difference between Floyd, Ali and Manny is. Floyd has beat the best the sport has had to offer. Ali lost to the best, and Manny Pacquiao Fought the names and lost to no name fighters! Manny has been given credit to wins over fighters that floyd beat first. They say his last 2 opponents were of smaller guys. Out of 41 fights the man cant fight to people smaller?? Give me a break!