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how will floyd mayweather be viewed by future boxing fans? im talkin like 30+ years
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How he is viewed in the future depends quite a bit on how he finishes his career. We'll see if he can beat Mosley and after that (if he wins) who he decides to dance with next. I don't think he'll be looked at that favorably until he fights a young, dangerous fighter. You don't earn the title "All-Time Great" by not challenging yourself (for example Sugar Ray Leonard coming out of retirement to fight the larger ATG Hagler). Floyd hasn't challenged himself recently. If he were to fight Paul Williams or someone else (we could see if Floyd is great enough to overcome Williams long reach, punch output and height) who was still in their prime and recognized as a good fighter and win then it would be very impressive and no one could question him. As it is now he self-admittedly is just fighting for the $$$ as opposed to fighting the best opposition.
Floyd was best at 130-135. He was still an upcoming fighter and was forced to take risks to make a name for himself. Since he now has the stardom he's stopped fighting the very best. This is what separates a very good fighter from an ATG in my mind. An ATG fights the best opposition and takes risky, challenging fights throughout his entire career. Floyd fights to make the biggest purse or have the most pay per view buys or to have the biggest event. An ATG fights to prove he's the best in the sport. Floyd hasn't done this since becoming a "name" fighter. We'll see how the rest of his career unfolds after Mosley. -
History will view him as one of the true ATGs. In a head-head, he beats almost anyone against whom he can be paired.Comment
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if he beats pacman and ends his career with something like 50-2 yes he will be considered one of the best boxers of all time and be a hall of famer for sure.Comment
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The worse thing about Floyd is that he never had one career defining fight. Mosley had Oscar, Pac had Barrera, Ali had Liston, Leonard had Hearns, Morales and Barrera had each other, etc.
He'll be an all time great, but will be viewed as big of an underachiever as Gatti was an overachiever. He'll be ranked lower than he should be because of his assumption of being great, but not fighting the best around. Had all the skills in the world and showed it early in his career but one day, he decided money was his main motivation. He'll be viewed as one of fastest race cars that never raced, just out classed minivans and station wagons on the freeway.Comment
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As the previous poster said, it depends on how he finishes his career. For most people, his career started and ended at welter. If that's how he's judged, then he still has a bit left out for him. When he beats Mosley, he still need a couple wins, and that's why Floyd can't let Pac off the hook. Whatever the case, however he does it, he needs to fight Pac. If he beat those two, then retired, he would be viewed as a more of ATG, but some would still discredit those wins (Mosley=Old, Pac=Too small). If he were to go on and beat Berto, P Will., and maybe whoever proves to be the best at 140 and then moved up, maybe he would finally be viewed as his generation's undisputed best, but his main problem is that he may never be able to face a true peer, like Leonard and Ali did when they beat the likes of Frazier, Hearns, Foreman, and Duran.
Edit: H2H, I honestly would pick against him under 140, and only the very best like SRR, SRL, and Hearns, would beat him at 147.Last edited by -GDS-; 03-20-2010, 08:21 PM.Comment
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Like I said he never had the one career defining fight. If he beats Pac, that would be it. Mosley could also be that fight depending on how Floyd wins or even if he wins. Mosley always has that punchers chance and Floyd's defense is so great that we don't know how well he can take a welterweight punch. Just like Jones, no one really knew he had a glass chin till Tarver put him down because he never got hit.Originally posted by -GDS- View Post
Floyd could be an all-time legend if he takes on some serious challengers. As of right now, he's a major underachiever. Currently he's in the Aaron Pryor could of, should of, would of list. I don't like Floyd as much as I used to, but the saddest thing in life is wasted talent. Floyd has more talent than anyone and he's already pissed away a few of his prime years. It's not to late to turn things around.Comment
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You're going to call him an ATG based on what you think the outcome would be if he fought certain fighters? Not me, I won't feel he's an ATG until he proves it. He did good in beating the best at 130-135 (Castillo, Corrales, etc...) but has not fought the best since leaving these weights. He is just getting around to fighting a very good fighter (Mosley) for the 1st time since 2007 when he fought De La Hoya. Sugar Ray Leonard came out of retirement and fought Hagler. Mayweather came out of his "retirement" and fought Hatton and Marguez instead of all the other more challenging fighters available (Margarito, Williams, Cotto, Berto, etc...).Originally posted by capt_sam View Post
I like Floyd and he's definitely one of the most talented fighters I've ever seen. However, he tries to label himself the best ever and doesn't seem to realize he's not. He could be though, and this is what he should be fighting to prove (not just to make $$$). I just want to see him fight the best. May 1st goes a long way toward that and if he prevails and continues to fight the best (Williams, Pacquiao and the 140 fighters who will certainly want to move up and fight him like Bradley, Alexander, etc...) his legacy will be beyond reproach.Comment
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You mixed up 2 points bro. I regard him as a ATG owing to his supreme skill, success etc.
As a second point, I stated that I'd pick him over pretty much anyone whom he can be paired against.Comment
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he won't be remembered in 30+ yearsComment
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