Did Floyd "retire" in 2007 because he was shook by the 147 division heating up?

[Marvellous1]

Cotto and Margarito would have been fantastic fights/events, especially around that period. 2008 Cotto vs Floyd would have been crazy. That's why I found the Cotto v Floyd fight at 154 frustrating, because it could have been so much more meaningful at one point.

As for the topic in hand - I'm a Mayweather hater but I think the retirement looks worse in retrospect than it was at the time. Now we can look back and i looks like these guys beat the prime out of each other, and then Floyd came back once everything cleared. I dunno. I think he genuinely felt burn out from boxing - DLH/Hatton were gigantic back-to-back events and money makers. He probably lost some motivation at that point.

Kudos to you for throwing a little light and objectivity on a ******ly biased and load "poll" thread. You touched on something that was very prevalent at the time actual time Mayweather "retired". He'd just had two major events back to back on the end of what was a 13/14 years career. Most people at the time said he had little else to prove, he'd got his target (DLH) and couldn't agree a deal for the rematch. I didn't like the fact that he stopped when he did. I thought he could've had more matches with the guys around at the time.

But.... again a threadstarter brings up the ****** notion of Tszyu being ducked when both guys paths just didn't realistically cross. Was Mayweather supposed to just skip lightweight altogether? The fight could only have happened if Tszyu had beaten Hatton. He didn't and that's the end of it. Ironically, Mayweather could've faced Mosley in 2006, but guess who went on vacation? MOSLEY did. He told Larry Merchant that he needed a vacation and had no desire to fight Mayweather. How people willingly forget.

I don't think it was a calculated plan to sit back, Mayweather probably didn't feel motivated to keep going, and I don't know what goes into preparing for a fight at that level. But I know it's pretty easy for us to type about it, but have no idea what it does to someone over 13 years of doing it over and over. Someone enlighten me if they know by experience.

I don't believe it was some kind of master plan, but I think Mayweather missed out on improving his resume and giving boxing fans some intriguing matches. I'm not going to say he would've won those fights because nobody knows. But repeatedly bleating about it won't change how things worked out. His career is still pretty stellar and not over yet.

[Porter's Dad]

Both would have been extraordinary events. But quite honestly, I just don't think much about the skill level of both of these fighters. Solid fighters, big hearts, tough, loyal fans, always bring excitement to the ring but as far as skill level is concerned, I never considered either of them elite.

Like I said earlier. These would have been good wins for Floyd but would have zero impact on his career from a historical perspective. Wins would not have placed him among the greatest welterweights of all time. I don't think anybody he's been accused of "ducking" would except maybe Pacquiao. The talent at 147 has never been high enough to the point where he could put together a resume similar to the likes of Robinson, Armstrong and Leonard.

I disagree re resume. Those two wins would have boosted his legacy big-time. Because at present, everyone is left with the feeling that he's wasted his years at WW.

You might not rank Cotto and Margs that highly in terms of their own ranking in boxing history, but you have to remember this - not every fight that propels you up the ATG has to be against a fellow ATG. In fact, FMJ doesn't even have a close to prime ATG on his resume.

You do those two fighters a real diservice, IMO. Margarito, in particular, is so massively underrated on this site.

[Marvellous1]

I disagree re resume. Those two wins would have boosted his legacy big-time. Because at present, everyone is left with the feeling that he's wasted his years at WW.

You might not rank Cotto and Margs that highly in terms of their own ranking in boxing history, but you have to remember this - not every fight that propels you up the ATG has to be against a fellow ATG. In fact, FMJ doesn't even have a close to prime ATG on his resume.

You do those two fighters a real diservice, IMO. Margarito, in particular, is so massively underrated on this site.

Whomever put the plaster in Marg's hand wraps did him the biggest disservice. Tainted everything he achieved and left him washed out after being beaten up by Mosley and Pacquiao. And, yes, mayweather doesn't have a prime fellow ATG in his resume. Mosley needed the dentist and a vacation in '06 and Pacquiao didn't see the need for more stringent testing (he does now though). But for a couple of different decisions by them- AND Mayweather himself in choosing to retire when there were opportunities, Mayweather's career could be different.

[Porter's Dad]

Whomever put the plaster in Marg's hand wraps did him the biggest disservice. Tainted everything he achieved and left him washed out after being beaten up by Mosley and Pacquiao. And, yes, mayweather doesn't have a prime fellow ATG in his resume. Mosley needed the dentist and a vacation in '06 and Pacquiao didn't see the need for more stringent testing (he does now though). But for a couple of different decisions by them- AND Mayweather himself in choosing to retire when there were opportunities, Mayweather's career could be different.

I wasn't even having a dig at Mayweather for the lack of an ATG on his resume - simply making the point an ATG doesn't need a stack of ATG on his resume to become one. And as such, yes, Margarito and Cotto would have been terrific additions to the Mayweather resume, right up there with his best.

The poster before sorta dismissed them as opponents, but Cotto/Margs would have been his best wins since Castillo.

[IMDAZED]

I wasn't even having a dig at Mayweather for the lack of an ATG on his resume - simply making the point an ATG doesn't need a stack of ATG on his resume to become one. And as such, yes, Margarito and Cotto would have been terrific additions to the Mayweather resume, right up there with his best.

The poster before sorta dismissed them as opponents, but Cotto/Margs would have been his best wins since Castillo.

I agree, those two would have been solid additions to his dossier. But if that's the case, and Cotto lost to Margarito who then got trounced by Mosley, then the Mosley win is as good and better than a Margarito on 2008, for instance.

[The Big Dunn]

Why couldn't Floyd fight Tszyu at 140 before that?

Floyd made Hatton move up from 140 to 147 to fight him.

Floyd made JMM move up TWO DIVISIONS from 135 to 147 to fight him.

Why couldn't Floyd fight Kostya at 140?

Didn't floyd move up and fight gatti in his hometown? Or does it only count if he moved up to fight vernon forrest?

[Uturn]

Margarito scared him into retirement!

[GoldenAssassin]

He got too rich and was already a HOF'er.

He came back cause he needed the money IMO.

[Pacquiao'd]

It's obvious to any impartial fan of the sport that he did.

He left when Cotto was at the highest peak of his career, Margarito was a threat to anybody, and Paul Williams was stomping around the division throwing thousands of punches per fight.

Then he comes back when Cotto's been beaten to hell, Margarito is exposed as a fraud, and Paul Williams has left the division in pursuit of people who actually want to fight him.

who the hell worth mentioning PW, Marg or Cotto had beaten? dont worry, Ill wait.

[thuggery]

Yes, most definitely.