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Here are some random facts I pulled up about Floyd at various stages of his career:
Super featherweight
*In 1998, Mayweather won his first world title, the WBC super featherweight (130 lb) championship, when the corner of Genaro Hernandez stopped the fight after round 8. From there, Mayweather defended his title with dominating performances against contenders such as Angel Manfredy and Carlos Gerena. Mayweather was named as The Ring magazine's fighter of the year for 1998.
*Mayweather's biggest fight as a super featherweight was on January 20, 2001, against Diego Corrales. At the time, neither fighter had been defeated or knocked down. In the bout, Mayweather won every round and knocked down Corrales five times (three times in round 7 and twice in round 10). After the fifth knockdown, Corrales' cornermen climbed onto the apron and stopped the fight, thereby establishing Mayweather as one of the claimants to boxing's mythical pound-for-pound title.
*Mayweather's last fight in the super featherweight division was against future super featherweight and lightweight champion Jesús Chávez. It was Mayweather's eighth defense of the WBC super featherweight title, which he had held for more than three years. He won when Chávez's corner stopped the fight after round 9. Mayweather had such difficulty making weight for this fight that he did not eat for four days before the weigh-in.
Lightweight
*In 2002, Mayweather moved up to the lightweight (135 lb) division. Mayweather fought only four bouts at this weight, but they were all world championship fights.
*On April 19, 2003, Mayweather dominated the Dominican Victoriano Sosa and won by unanimous decision. Mayweather's next fight (on November 1, 2003) was in his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. He fought against the promising South African knockout specialist Phillip Ndou, whose record was 31-1 with 30 KOs. Uncharacteristically, Mayweather was offensively oriented from the beginning of the fight. Round 5 was one of 2003's most action-packed.[15] In the middle of the round, Mayweather landed a barrage of powerful punches. Ndou endured and threw wild punches that forced Mayweather into the ropes, but Mayweather demonstrated his rhythmic defensive technique and let Ndou wear himself out further. In round 6, Ndou wobbled and was pushed down. In round 7, a combination of three straight right hands knocked down Ndou and caused a TKO.
Super lightweight
*Mayweather then moved up to the super lightweight (140 lb) division. His first fight in this division was against southpaw DeMarcus Corley. Mayweather used his speed to win the early rounds. In the first minute of round 4, Corley landed a solid right hand and drove Mayweather into the ropes, but Mayweather recovered and fought back ferociously. After that round, Mayweather mostly controlled Corley. Mayweather knocked down Corley in rounds 8 and 10, but Corley was able to continue until the end. Mayweather won by unanimous decision. The fight was Mayweather's only one in 2004.
*The win over Bruseles made Mayweather the mandatory challenger for Arturo Gatti's WBC super lightweight championship. The pay-per-view fight occurred on June 25, 2005 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where the fans heavily supported Gatti. Among many boxing experts, Mayweather's dominance over Gatti solidified his position as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
Welterweight
*On November 19, 2005, Mayweather fought a non-title bout at 147 lb against welterweight Sharmba Mitchell. In round 3, Mayweather knocked down Mitchell with a straight right hand to the head. In round 6, another straight right hand—this one to Mitchell's body—dropped Mitchell again and ended the fight.
*On April 8, 2006, Mayweather defeated Zab Judah for the IBF and vacant IBO world welterweight titles by unanimous decision
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The point of all this, besides to highlight his accomplishments is to show the very, very long road Floyd Mayweather has taken from Super Featherweight to Welterweight. Yet he confidently says that he is the pound for pound king all the way up to 154 lbs. Does anyone else see that as suicide? I say we see Mayweather very badly beaten at some fight at Jr. Middleweight. The man is too far from his starting weight class, without a solid enough punch to hang with the big boys. I think the higher in weight he goes, the less he accomplishes. Look at his track record.
Floyd has accomplished quite a bit in his career...but if he plans to go up to 154 in the near future, I think we are in the twilight of his pound for pound reign. Any thoughts?
Super featherweight
*In 1998, Mayweather won his first world title, the WBC super featherweight (130 lb) championship, when the corner of Genaro Hernandez stopped the fight after round 8. From there, Mayweather defended his title with dominating performances against contenders such as Angel Manfredy and Carlos Gerena. Mayweather was named as The Ring magazine's fighter of the year for 1998.
*Mayweather's biggest fight as a super featherweight was on January 20, 2001, against Diego Corrales. At the time, neither fighter had been defeated or knocked down. In the bout, Mayweather won every round and knocked down Corrales five times (three times in round 7 and twice in round 10). After the fifth knockdown, Corrales' cornermen climbed onto the apron and stopped the fight, thereby establishing Mayweather as one of the claimants to boxing's mythical pound-for-pound title.
*Mayweather's last fight in the super featherweight division was against future super featherweight and lightweight champion Jesús Chávez. It was Mayweather's eighth defense of the WBC super featherweight title, which he had held for more than three years. He won when Chávez's corner stopped the fight after round 9. Mayweather had such difficulty making weight for this fight that he did not eat for four days before the weigh-in.
Lightweight
*In 2002, Mayweather moved up to the lightweight (135 lb) division. Mayweather fought only four bouts at this weight, but they were all world championship fights.
*On April 19, 2003, Mayweather dominated the Dominican Victoriano Sosa and won by unanimous decision. Mayweather's next fight (on November 1, 2003) was in his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. He fought against the promising South African knockout specialist Phillip Ndou, whose record was 31-1 with 30 KOs. Uncharacteristically, Mayweather was offensively oriented from the beginning of the fight. Round 5 was one of 2003's most action-packed.[15] In the middle of the round, Mayweather landed a barrage of powerful punches. Ndou endured and threw wild punches that forced Mayweather into the ropes, but Mayweather demonstrated his rhythmic defensive technique and let Ndou wear himself out further. In round 6, Ndou wobbled and was pushed down. In round 7, a combination of three straight right hands knocked down Ndou and caused a TKO.
Super lightweight
*Mayweather then moved up to the super lightweight (140 lb) division. His first fight in this division was against southpaw DeMarcus Corley. Mayweather used his speed to win the early rounds. In the first minute of round 4, Corley landed a solid right hand and drove Mayweather into the ropes, but Mayweather recovered and fought back ferociously. After that round, Mayweather mostly controlled Corley. Mayweather knocked down Corley in rounds 8 and 10, but Corley was able to continue until the end. Mayweather won by unanimous decision. The fight was Mayweather's only one in 2004.
*The win over Bruseles made Mayweather the mandatory challenger for Arturo Gatti's WBC super lightweight championship. The pay-per-view fight occurred on June 25, 2005 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where the fans heavily supported Gatti. Among many boxing experts, Mayweather's dominance over Gatti solidified his position as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
Welterweight
*On November 19, 2005, Mayweather fought a non-title bout at 147 lb against welterweight Sharmba Mitchell. In round 3, Mayweather knocked down Mitchell with a straight right hand to the head. In round 6, another straight right hand—this one to Mitchell's body—dropped Mitchell again and ended the fight.
*On April 8, 2006, Mayweather defeated Zab Judah for the IBF and vacant IBO world welterweight titles by unanimous decision
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The point of all this, besides to highlight his accomplishments is to show the very, very long road Floyd Mayweather has taken from Super Featherweight to Welterweight. Yet he confidently says that he is the pound for pound king all the way up to 154 lbs. Does anyone else see that as suicide? I say we see Mayweather very badly beaten at some fight at Jr. Middleweight. The man is too far from his starting weight class, without a solid enough punch to hang with the big boys. I think the higher in weight he goes, the less he accomplishes. Look at his track record.
Floyd has accomplished quite a bit in his career...but if he plans to go up to 154 in the near future, I think we are in the twilight of his pound for pound reign. Any thoughts?
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