Floyd straight up ducked Cotto in 2008

[djtmal]

Djtmal,
This is how it went down, I know there are so many Floyd fans in here. I understand them not accepting this, but this is the principle reason why the critics are there. I admir all of Floyd's accomplishments, but what happened in 2007 when he retired just doesn't make sense, it is what it is & there is no spinning this story around. You can come with your excuses for him, but you just can't change history.

i know somebody is trying to claim that prior to the hatton fight, mayweather announced he was retiring after the hatton fight, but i don't recollect that at all...i share your opinion on this though

[GrandmasterWang]

Not for nothing but I remember this interview. I was excited because I envisioned a classic clash between two young & undefeated champions that were gonna clash just like Hearns & Leonard & really more like a Duran vs Leonard. But then I heard Floyd respond with this; I already accomplish what I had to do in boxing...And I'm thinkng dude, you haven't accomplished jack-***** now is the time to make yourself a legend like back in da the days, you have Cotto, Margarito, Williams, Mosley & Floyd. How can you say you accomplished everthing when the Welterwgt division is so hot (reminiscent of the Benitez, Hearns, Duran, Cuervas, Palomino & Leonard days)?

As a Fan of this sport can you imagine how I felt to have all these fighters in the same didvision? It was a big let down when he retired, it is because of this that he has hurt his legacy & everyone that was around then remember this is how it went down.

Superb post. Wish this board had more posters of your caliber.

I'm a Floyd Mayweather Jr fan and love his sublime technique and efficiency but man his fanboys are unbelievable.

If Floyd really wanted to be considered as TBE he could have gone down that path but chose not to for self preservation reasons.

It is what it is, he is undeniably great but will never be the greatest.

[rickJen]

How do I subscribe to this thread so I won't lose it?

[Don Pichardo]

Not for nothing but I remember this interview. I was excited because I envisioned a classic clash between two young & undefeated champions that were gonna clash just like Hearns & Leonard & really more like a Duran vs Leonard. But then I heard Floyd respond with this; I already accomplish what I had to do in boxing...And I'm thinkng dude, you haven't accomplished jack-***** now is the time to make yourself a legend like back in da the days, you have Cotto, Margarito, Williams, Mosley & Floyd. How can you say you accomplished everthing when the Welterwgt division is so hot (reminiscent of the Benitez, Hearns, Duran, Cuervas, Palomino & Leonard days)?

As a Fan of this sport can you imagine how I felt to have all these fighters in the same didvision? It was a big let down when he retired, it is because of this that he has hurt his legacy & everyone that was around then remember this is how it went down.

I have the same sentiment. If top guys are still in the division you must challenge them. Only exception if there is some new hot guy out and you have twenty years in the game then u can retire in peace. Example no one is challenging floyds legacy for not fighting Danny Garcia or kieth Thurman. Floyd "retired" young with a super loaded division left untouched with vets. He should have been embarrassed. But we all knew that was a bootleg retirement.

[Don Pichardo]

So before Mayweather became a star Cotto couldn't have gone to Bob and offered to fight?

They had the same damn promoter.

Cotto wanted no part of Mayweather. He mentioned his name along with a bunch of others once (after Mayweather already stated he was retiring) and that's a call out? GTFOH.

Since when does arum put there two money makers in the same ring. Don't say Bradley he's not a money maker.

[sugar ray lenrd]

Superb post. Wish this board had more posters of your caliber.

I'm a Floyd Mayweather Jr fan and love his sublime technique and efficiency but man his fanboys are unbelievable.

If Floyd really wanted to be considered as TBE he could have gone down that path but chose not to for self preservation reasons.

It is what it is, he is undeniably great but will never be the greatest.

Thanks GrandMaster. Any realtion to GrandMaster Flash? Just kidding. Yes you have to admire Floyds career. I mean he did beat the best of his era, so in essence he is TBE (The Best of his Era) or TBOHE...
I enjoyed his fight with Cotto (even though it was 5 years later), enjoy his fight with Pacquia (even though that was 5 years later as well), enjoyed his fight with Zab, But i wanted to see him fight Margarito, Williams & Kotsta Zou.
The Best of his Era

[B Phontain]

Me personally, I have no problem with anyone wanting to see the fights in the ww division around that time. Hell I did too. But hindsight is 20/20. There is no way a man who beat down 130lb, 135, some fights at 140 and the #1 #2 in 147, went up to a 5th weight class and won there in the biggest fight in boxing history. then went back down to beat the #1 140 guy would know the future of the fighters in the ww division. How much more do most boxers get to do? I absolutely can't blame that man for thinking he was on top of the world and deciding to retire to heal his hands and be with his family. Aside from arguably cotto, who else would've raised his stock at that point? The two biggest fights he wanted would've been Mosley and hoya and he got Hoya while Mosley ducked him then lost, while under the same umbrella cotto ducked him.
That year going into 2008:

Mosley lost
Margarito lost
All before Floyd vs hatton
2008
Cotto lost
Williams lost

Floyd couldnt have fought them all in that one year. Be realistic. Maybe the Williams fight and cotto could've happened? Or someone not in the top 5 like up and coming clottey? Couldn't be collazo cuz he just got beat by hatton, couldn't be cintron because he got frogged by margarito. But to say he ducked cotto is asinine. Especially when he was the man at the top. Cotto never pursued a fight against the #1ww, #1 P4p fighter and top draw in his division. There is absolutely no way I can turn that around on Floyd. Imagine if Floyd never attempted to go after pac when he came back....what would y'all be saying?

[B Phontain]

Y'all are gonna make me go to the laptop so I can post some links at this rate lol. Someone put a list of the top welterweights and said that's why Floyd was scared forgetting that in 2007 only one was a potential Hof who ducked floyd previously, the another one ducked him a year or so prior when they were in the same weight class, under the same promoter who said hell no after Floyd cripped walked and beat down one of his beasties. the other two fought each other that year and the guy who won lost to a nobody some 7 or 8 months later. I will admit this is a fun discussion tho

[rickJen]

Williams was ducked like a plague.
You're fooling yourselves if you say height doesn't matter in boxing.

[B Phontain]

Williams was ducked like a plague.
You're fooling yourselves if you say height doesn't matter in boxing.

Did cotto and Mosley duck him too?

And your right height does matter, but how you use it matters even more. Quintana dusted him the first time they fought