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

[The Hammer]

Did Floyd "retire" after fighting the 140 boxer Ricky Hatton because he was shook at the idea of fighting all the prime welterweight at that time?

Mosley was still very good at that time, and he called Floyd out on ESPN in 2007. There were people like Margarito, prime Cotto, Clottey (who beat the former Floyd opponent Corrales), and Paul Williams.

Did Floyd "retire" to avoid those guys?

Floyd made Hatton move up to 147 and fight in his hometown, but Floyd would never consider moving up a weight division and fighting Vernon Forrest.

[chav]

Come on Tunney....you are slacking in your age, where is the poll?

Edit: there it is

[The Hammer]

Come on Tunney....you are slacking in your age, where is the poll?

Edit: there it is

Poll is up.

[Twako]

floyd's resume was good already before he exited the first time. but really, how could a fighter retire at that point in their career when those fights that would further define your greatness are on the table? did he really think beating hatton at 147 made him an atg at that point?

[Jack Napier]

yes he did
but he deserves respect for beating Hatton
JWW champ took a shot at the WW champ, nothing wrong with that
Floyd shot himself in the foot trying to rematch DLH though
he was willing to fight on in 08 if he was facing DLH
but if he'd be facing Cotto or Tony? nope, can't do it
retirement and Wrestlemania instead :laugh:

[shade darkar]

i wonder why you have made this thread! could it possibly have something to do with the vitali being shook thread somebody has made!!! read you like a fcukin pamphlet!!!

but yeah, i dont think floyd fancied fighting the likes of margarito or cotto back then, and pacquiao in the last few years. peeps wanted to see the winner of hatton mayweather vs the winner of cotto mosley. would have been a very big fight.

[The Hammer]

but really, how could a fighter retire at that point in their career when those fights that would further define your greatness are on the table? did he really think beating hatton at 147 made him an atg at that point?

He's definmitely not a bona fide ATG, he's avoided too many boxers.

He ducked Kostya Tszyu, whom he could have fought anytime between 2000 and 2004.

Floyd demanded smaller boxers like 135 JMM and 140 Hatton move up to fight him at 147 , but when Floyd was at 130/135 he was afraid of going up to 140 to fight Kostya.

[hayZ]

How we have/had the debate about Floyd ducking Pac, we had this debate back in 2007 all over these forums...probably not as big as the Pac v Floyd debates but still very big. I honestly think, he saw Cotto as a legit threat, anytime he sees someone who is a legit threat I noticed he never ends up fighting them or ends up fighting them years after it should have happened.

He NEVER fought Margarito when that fight was hot in 2006.
He NEVER fought Cotto when Miguel was at his best in 2007.
He NEVER fought Paul Williams in 2007/2008 when he was on a tear and beating the likes of Margarito.
He NEVER fought Pac period even when there was a DISGUSTINGLY HIGH number offered.

I'm still a big Mayweather fan because of how clean and pure his boxing is but his legacy could have been so much better. I think he could have beaten most of these fighters maybe ALL but he didn't take those chances.

[ßringer]

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.

[-PBP-]

I defend a lot of things related to Floyd Mayweather but this was inexcusable.

He took the paydays from the De La Hoya and Hatton fights and ran off into the sunset.