Floyd Mayweather Jr Lost a Step? Statistics Show Otherwise

[Carpe Diem]

Lack of combinations have been a fan complaint since he left 130.

People were complaining of his pot shotting actually in the Castillo rematch, Baldomir, DLH.

It's a bit different now though. He hurts his hands in almost every fights now. He's more wary to let his hands go now. He's just not as fluid at putting punches together anymore. He's still good enough to beat just about any fighter at the WW Division, but it's clear as day that he's no longer the same fighter he once was six years ago.

[IronDanHamza]

I have touched on Whitaker and his style. Simply, his style was a young man's style, just like Roy Jones. You need way too much energy to be as elusive as he was. Whitaker's style relied heavily on reflexes, crazy upper body movement, speed, great legs to dash out.

With Floyd style he can lay on the ropes, use upper body/head movement and pick off opponents with timing and the worst scenario we'll see is the one's like in the Cotto and first Maidana fight, where he lost 2-3 rounds in each of those fights.

Whitaker was just as technical as Floyd, as was Benitez. All 3 rely on reflexes and backed it up with technical skills.

Plently of others are in the same boat.

It doesn't matter how much punishment you avoid, you'll still take enough for it to take a toll and after 10-15 years at the top level safe bet is you're going to be in a state of decline.

Like all 3 are/were at this stage.

Pick any fighter you can think of that has been fighting at the elite level for 15+ years and you will see a fighter that's well passed their best days.

[IronDanHamza]

One thing we can say is that Maidana doesn't square up, those overhand rights may have been unsuccessful against Maidana but against Khan it'll do wonders.

We'll have to wait and see.

I have little doubt Floyd will catch Khan. Especially 6-12. And that's his chance to win it.

Because I imagine he'll be behind on the cards going into the 7th.

[IMDAZED]

Whitaker was just as technical as Floyd, as was Benitez. All 3 rely on reflexes and backed it up with technical skills.

Plently of others are in the same boat.

It doesn't matter how much punishment you avoid, you'll still take enough for it to take a toll and after 10-15 years at the top level safe bet is you're going to be in a state of decline.

Like all 3 are/were at this stage.

Pick any fighter you can think of that has been fighting at the elite level for 15+ years and you will see a fighter that's well passed their best days.

Even watching him fall in the early rounds on his own was a sign that he's physically off. Mayweather may be crafty enough to win out the rest of his contract but he's fairly close to finished physically. Mentally though he's sharp as ever and his experience is what can carry him.

[IronDanHamza]

Even watching him fall in the early rounds on his own was a sign that he's physically off. Mayweather may be crafty enough to win out the rest of his contract but he's fairly close to finished physically. Mentally though he's sharp as ever and his experience is what can carry him.

Definitely. Mentally he's sharp.

That's why I think he keeps thinking he's overtrained. "I felt dry" "I didn't feel great" "I overtrained" "I felt better the last fight".

It's because he's seeing the opening, he's seeing the opportunity, his body just isn't pulling the trigger like it's used to, his timing isn't what it used to be and he can't understand it.

[GoldenGloveLove]

Lost a step? He's closer to forty than thirty and has been a champion since 1998. NOBODY is at that level that long without losing a step. Still p4p on top and can 100% get the job done. But hell yes he's lost a step. You'll never ever see this man as sharp as he was with Corrales or Gatti. Those days are over. Even his best style match like against a Guerrero you're never seeing that Floyd again. That's gone.

[-Kev-]

It's a bit different now though. He hurts his hands in almost every fights now. He's more wary to let his hands go now. He's just not as fluid at putting punches together anymore. He's still good enough to beat just about any fighter at the WW Division, but it's clear as day that he's no longer the same fighter he once was six years ago.

He injured his hands in his prime at the tail end of his 130 campaign. From 135-present he's had a handicapped right hand. That's why at 130=20KOs in 27 fights; above 130=Only 6KOs in 20 fights. Floyd above 130 is about as powerful as Chris Algieri and Tim Bradley.

[lefthook2daliva]

Guys I consider old in boxing years are like Margarito who fought Pac and on, Julio Diaz, H. Soto, basically guys who have an unfavorable boxing style to their health. Ortiz with all the punishment he's taken will be old fast, Rios too, Provodnikov. Dawson is more of a chin problem, always has been, as far back as the Adamek and first Johnson fight.

Mayweather has taken so little punishment in his career, I would argue he is like a 30 year old now. Khan is 27 and probably has like 3 prime years left, and his prime isn't even that good.

I think boxing is too easy for Floyd, thanks to his genes. We are making a big discussion about if he's lost it or not, yet here he is winning 10 rounds to 2. Even in his worst offensive performance I have seen against Cotto, I had him winning 9 rounds to 3. We can debate if he's lost it or not, but chances are he's going to stay in that 8-4 or 9-3 realm until he retires, no matter how bad he looks or he fights.

Like I have said so many times before but not many agree with me, Floyd has had an old man's style since entering WW in 2005. His style from 2005-present doesn't rely heavily on speed or reflexes, that was his 130-140 style that relied much more on reflexes and speed. He's all about timing now.

I don't believe Floyd wants to fully retire. I think he'll want to keep fighting twice on good years and once a year when he's feelin' lazy for many more years.

So this is my question cause' I haven't seen the fights yet:

It seems pretty much accepted that Floyd is now past prime physically.

So from here does Floyd go the way of RJJ or Bhop? Straight up.

[-Kev-]

Whitaker was just as technical as Floyd, as was Benitez. All 3 rely on reflexes and backed it up with technical skills.

Plently of others are in the same boat.

It doesn't matter how much punishment you avoid, you'll still take enough for it to take a toll and after 10-15 years at the top level safe bet is you're going to be in a state of decline.

Like all 3 are/were at this stage.

Pick any fighter you can think of that has been fighting at the elite level for 15+ years and you will see a fighter that's well passed their best days.

I don't like grouping Whitaker, Mayweather, Hopkins, Jones, Ward, Rigondeaux all together. I think a lot of fans like to lump up fighters together like that, I feel it's inaccurate.

I think Toney(prime), Mayweather, Rigondeaux and Lara share a common style.

I think Hopkins and Ward share a common style.

Jones is another style, that is copied today by Gamboa, Martinez, Pascal, but not as good.

Whitaker had a style of his own and I hate to see it lumped together with Floyd's style, I don't see all that many similarities TBH. With Whitaker's style it just looks like so much movement to keep up with as you age. I don't see how you can use Whitaker's style at 35-40. I can definitely see Mayweather, Rigo, Lara using their styles effectively(still winning at the top level) at 35-40.

Sure they all have their level of technicality but from watching Whitaker footage, I don't see how that's a safe style to use for an older guy. It looks like you have to be a young guy to pull it off successfully.

[Carpe Diem]

Nor me.

I didn't like how badly his timing was (At times), and how he got himself out of position.

I've been noticing these things since the Ortiz fight. from 2011-Present has been a rapid decline.

I hope he fights one last time, and then hang up the gloves for good. He's just not as good at getting his punches first anymore. His hands are messed up and he looks slow when he tries to load up with more than one punch. His punches just don't seem to have the same effect anymore. He slaps-punch now. He should find a way to make the Pacquiao fight happens, if not, he needs to retire. **** a fight with Thurman, Khan, Garcia, etc, he doesn't have anything to gain by fighting them. With Pacquiao, he can still come close to make almost the same amount of money as he'd likely make in his next two fights combined, and still walk away from the sport at the top.