Four Mayweather myths debunked: Fan’s take

[daggum]

laughing out loud @ people who think Margarito was a more valid opponent for Mayweather in '06 than Baldomir

laughing out loud @ people who think Miguel Cotto was a more valid opponent for Mayweather from 05-07 than Ricky Hatton.

Revisionist history at it's finest.

Now let me hop in my time machine for a sec....

Alternate scenario:

Mayweather stays with top rank, gives one sided thrashings to both Cotto & Margarito. Never gets around to fighting Hatton & Baldomir (because he can't pass up a megafight with De La Hoya) Hatton & Baldomir remain dominant in their respective divisions for the next couple years. Here is what the general narrative would be of the armchair boxing community.



Sounds pretty ridiculous, doesn't it?

you think baldomir would be dominant for the next couple years if floyd didn't fight him? baldomir couldn't even beat jackson bonsu or luciano perez after he fought floyd but you see him beating cotto, margarito, and paul williams? i think you suffered some brain damage during your fantasy time machine voyage.

if you think baldomir was a better opponent than margarito then you must also think julio cesar gonzalez after beating darius was a much better opponent than roy jones or tarver at that time. why didn't tarver just fight gonzalez and become linear? why didn't jones rematch gonzalez and become linear? they ducked him! oh wait everyone knew gonzalez wasn't the real deal just like baldomir wasn't. they didn't pay attention to a guy who wasn't on their level and fought each other. what a strange thing to do! floyd did the opposite of course and took the easy fight against the guy who just scored the upset instead of against the well established top fighter.

gonzalez was actually a lot better than baldomir though because he beat a guy with 23 title defenses while baldomir beat judah who had 1 title defense and ****** at welterweight.

[straightleft]

There are few athletes that generate the same level of controversy and debate as five-division world champ, Floyd Mayweather jr. From his days as a 21-year-old world champion wunderkind right through to his current status as world class, elite-level heat magnet, Mayweather has become a permanent part of the psyches of most fight fans.

Attacked by unfriendly media sources and his persistent legion of critics, Mayweather has often been his own worst enemy, refusing to acknowledge critics' assertions and playing the role of indifferent party boy. As a result, myths have popped up about the talented former Olympic bronze medalist and have been allowed to stay in the public forum, becoming part of conventional wisdom for some, regardless of whether the accusation is based in fact or not.

In the spirit of fair play, here's a look at the most persistent myths regarding Mayweather and why they are more fiction than fact:

Mayweather has ducked…

Mayweather's failure to fight guys like Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto continue to hound the former welterweight titlist, but what's seldom pointed out is the promotional barriers to making these bouts.

When Mayweather left promoter, Bob Arum, he made a powerful, spiteful enemy. He also ensured that any dealing with Arum's promotional company, Top Rank, would be as pleasant and easy as a root canal.

When he was criticized for not meeting Margarito's "challenge" in 2006, it's rarely mentioned that Mayweather had just left Top Rank, had pending legal action against Arum, and was unlikely to turn around immediately after leaving his promotional company and fight, once again, under his old promotional banner.

As for Cotto, it should be noted that by the time Cotto made his debut in the welterweight division, Mayweather had already captured the lineal welterweight title and was beginning negotiations for his money fight with Oscar De la Hoya.

If Arum had wanted to force a fight between his guys and then-WBC champ, Mayweather, he could've easily done so by positioning Margarito, Cotto, and Clottey within the rankings of the organization. Instead, Arum chose to position his fighters in every division, except the WBC.

Mayweather always fights smaller fighters

This is easy to debunk. Mayweather has only fought two fighters who moved up in weight to fight him, Ricky Hatton and Juan Manuel Marquez— and Hatton was WBA welterweight champ a year prior. For the vast majority of his career, Mayweather has been the naturally smaller fighter.

Mayweather "cherry picks" his opponents

This isn't a myth at all. However, hardcore, observant fight fans will acknowledge that every top fighter strategically chooses the right opponent for the right price. Mayweather may, indeed, be a cherry picker, but this is nothing unusual at all. All professional prize fighters at the top of their game weigh risk vs. reward carefully when it comes to their bouts.

Mayweather is afraid of Pacquiao

"Afraid" is a heavy word to toss around when talking about a professional prize fighter who has been in competitive action since childhood. There aren't many cowards who fight for a living and have dominated the amateur and professional ranks, fighting fifteen past, present, or future world champions.

Mayweather did what he could to make the Pacquiao fight happen. Whether the request for random blood testing was just a psychological ploy or it represented a sincere concern on his part, the fact of the matter is that Mayweather came to terms quickly on all stipujations and even went to arbitration to settle the blood testing issue. During arbitration, as stated by the arbitrating judge, Mayweather would even go on to compromise on his request for true random testing, but it was Pacquiao who wouldn't budge.

Mayweather would move on after the fight fell apart and, by most accounts, hold firm on his demand for true, Olympic-style random blood testing— a stipulation Team Pacquiao has never conceded. The truth remains that on the one occasion where both Mayweather and Pacquiao were present for negotiations, it was Pacquiao who ultimately killed the deal.

Believe what you wish, but all the subsequent stories about Pacquiao agreeing to random testing and Mayweather turning down huge financial offers to take the fight have come from one source, and one source alone— Pacquiao promoter and jilted former member of Team Mayweather, Bob Arum.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news;_ylt=AgnZAHVm8dkenKO320oS_4uUxLYF?slug=ycn-8617789

thoughts?

I sum this up for you.

(In video when approached by Margarito and challenged him.) Floyd: Ahhhhhhhh.....daaaaaaa........uhhhhhhhh. Ok, we fight laaaaater. (face scared like a wet kitten).

(when asked about a Cotto fight) Flyod: ahhhhh.......daaaaa.....uhhhhhh....You live very far in Puerto Rico.

(about the Pac fight) Floyd: My previous 40 opponents I know by heart they are not on PEDs that is why I didn't ask them to take test. Ross Greenburg was a liar! There was no negotion. My mind not in boxing anymore and I'm on vacation, bye.

[Discipline]

I sum this up for you.

(In video when approached by Margarito, challenged him.) Floyd: Ahhhhhhhh.....daaaaaaa........uhhhhhhhh. Ok, we laaaaater. (face scared like a wet kitten).

(when asked about a Cotto fight) Flyod: ahhhhh.......daaaaa.....uhhhhhh....You live very far in Puerto Rico.

(about the Pac fight) Floyd: My previous 40 opponents I know by heart they are not on PEDs that is why I didn't ask them to take test. Ross Greenburg was a liar! There was no negotion. My mind not in boxing anymore and I'm on vacation, bye.

If you're the best, take the test!

[ADP02]

If you're the best, take the test!

If you're the best, take the test .......... fight Manny!!!

[straightleft]

If you're the best, take the test!

The words serve no purpose. Try this one.

ESPN: Floyd is a coward!
or
I scared to you! Take the test.

[prinzemanspopa]

When he was criticized for not meeting Margarito's "challenge" in 2006, it's rarely mentioned that Mayweather had just left Top Rank, had pending legal action against Arum, and was unlikely to turn around immediately after leaving his promotional company and fight, once again, under his old promotional banner.

Mayweather left Top Rank after rejecting the offer to fight Margarito.And the excuse given for not fighting Margarito was that Mayweather had hurt his hand against Judah and that he wasn't ready to fight him yet.

As for Cotto, it should be noted that by the time Cotto made his debut in the welterweight division, Mayweather had already captured the lineal welterweight title and was beginning negotiations for his money fight with Oscar De la Hoya.

The demand for Mayweather and Cotto was after Cotto had beaten Mosley and Mayweather had beaten Hatton.You had the two best Welterweights in the world,both of them elite,both at the top of their game,both undefeated and two proven draws.It was the most logical match-up for Mayweather at that point.He would have made huge money and received great credit for beating an elite fighter that was on a hot run at the time.

[CumulousClouds]

PULLCOUNTER, how about you get pacquiao's **** out your mouth that way when I post a mayweather thread you won't get butt hurt and start giving red k

[McFearless]

PULLCOUNTER, how about you get pacquiao's **** out your mouth that way when I post a mayweather thread you won't get butt hurt and start giving red k

lol cmon man, you know once you put a may thread thats not negative these **** riders are gonna start red k'ing you because other than saying "floyd aint got the balls" they've nothing to say.
keep on keepin on man, let these guys keep on slurpin on the ****

[straightleft]

you think baldomir would be dominant for the next couple years if floyd didn't fight him? baldomir couldn't even beat jackson bonsu or luciano perez after he fought floyd but you see him beating cotto, margarito, and paul williams? i think you suffered some brain damage during your fantasy time machine voyage.

if you think baldomir was a better opponent than margarito then you must also think julio cesar gonzalez after beating darius was a much better opponent than roy jones or tarver at that time. why didn't tarver just fight gonzalez and become linear? why didn't jones rematch gonzalez and become linear? they ducked him! oh wait everyone knew gonzalez wasn't the real deal just like baldomir wasn't. they didn't pay attention to a guy who wasn't on their level and fought each other. what a strange thing to do! floyd did the opposite of course and took the easy fight against the guy who just scored the upset instead of against the well established top fighter.

gonzalez was actually a lot better than baldomir though because he beat a guy with 23 title defenses while baldomir beat judah who had 1 title defense and ****** at welterweight.

In the red bold sentence quoted for the truth. That is exactly what is Floyd doing right now and the *****s hyping Ortiz as the best welterweight right now with just one fight there?

[Discipline]

In the red bold sentence quoted for the truth. That is exactly what is Floyd doing right now and the *****s hyping Ortiz as the best welterweight right now with just one fight there?

If you're the best, take the test!