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Interesting topic. Seems to be a buzz still going about for Floyd being the best ever (TBE).
It's certainly debatable and quite a fun discussion to have considering he just retired in a stoppage against Conor Mcgregor, leaving before us a HOF career to assess.
My analysis is he is not the best ever or even the top 5 greatest in any of the weight classes he competed in. I think the level of dominance against some of the ATGs on his resume pales in comparison to other colleagues performances against said opponents. For example, how far Oscar De La Hoya had fallen from his peak by the time they fought, and how insignificant the win was compared to the level of defeat De La Hoya faced in previous and future losses. Miguel Cotto is another example. It was fiercely competitive but Floyd was able to dig deep and pick up the last four rounds with Cotto sharply waning. Now again this was a good win not saying it wasn't. I'm just saying against a battle-worn Cotto, who had previously been demolished by a natural 154lber Margarito and a vastly undersized blown up lightweight in Pacquiao, along with being out of place professionally & privately with his lifelong father and trainer passing after all that, it doesn't ring true as a sensational win or even great. Not to mention Clottey virtually almost beating him where Cotto was very lucky to get the nod by the judges or Trout beating him convincingly, if not better, than Floyd.
Also to note, Floyd competed and became a world champion in five different weight classes. Probably one of his greatest feats in legitimization as one of boxings ATGs.
But what stumps me is how he can be the best ever when he's in the shadow of Manny Pacquiao, an eight division world champion, who remains as boxings only octuple champion.
When I get down to it, I always admire and appreciate Floyd as one of boxings most successful salesman and entertainer in our modern era. His PPV numbers are unparalleled in boxing and his latest PPV record with UFC's Conor Mcgregor proves this. But I still have a hard time recognizing him as the greatest/prolific figure as an active fighter in boxing history because he isn't really a household name to the degree some past greats were. Whether it's Jack Dempsey taking the entire nation's ear by storm in pure imagination over radio, Sugar Ray Robinson celebritizing boxing in a sheen of consummate professionalism setting the bar for what everyone should strive for but can't ever achieve today or The Greatest, Muhammad Ali, maybe the most widely known and revered global sports personality of the 20th century.. I can't in good conscious say he's above them when Conor is a bigger household name in a foreign nation where Floyd on his soil has had decades of exposure.
I'll leave my analysis there and perhaps may add more if something else comes to mind in grading Floyd's 'the best ever' status.
I'd love to hear y'alls take on this surprisingly contentious debate.
Also any critiques for where you may disagree.
It's certainly debatable and quite a fun discussion to have considering he just retired in a stoppage against Conor Mcgregor, leaving before us a HOF career to assess.
My analysis is he is not the best ever or even the top 5 greatest in any of the weight classes he competed in. I think the level of dominance against some of the ATGs on his resume pales in comparison to other colleagues performances against said opponents. For example, how far Oscar De La Hoya had fallen from his peak by the time they fought, and how insignificant the win was compared to the level of defeat De La Hoya faced in previous and future losses. Miguel Cotto is another example. It was fiercely competitive but Floyd was able to dig deep and pick up the last four rounds with Cotto sharply waning. Now again this was a good win not saying it wasn't. I'm just saying against a battle-worn Cotto, who had previously been demolished by a natural 154lber Margarito and a vastly undersized blown up lightweight in Pacquiao, along with being out of place professionally & privately with his lifelong father and trainer passing after all that, it doesn't ring true as a sensational win or even great. Not to mention Clottey virtually almost beating him where Cotto was very lucky to get the nod by the judges or Trout beating him convincingly, if not better, than Floyd.
Also to note, Floyd competed and became a world champion in five different weight classes. Probably one of his greatest feats in legitimization as one of boxings ATGs.
But what stumps me is how he can be the best ever when he's in the shadow of Manny Pacquiao, an eight division world champion, who remains as boxings only octuple champion.
When I get down to it, I always admire and appreciate Floyd as one of boxings most successful salesman and entertainer in our modern era. His PPV numbers are unparalleled in boxing and his latest PPV record with UFC's Conor Mcgregor proves this. But I still have a hard time recognizing him as the greatest/prolific figure as an active fighter in boxing history because he isn't really a household name to the degree some past greats were. Whether it's Jack Dempsey taking the entire nation's ear by storm in pure imagination over radio, Sugar Ray Robinson celebritizing boxing in a sheen of consummate professionalism setting the bar for what everyone should strive for but can't ever achieve today or The Greatest, Muhammad Ali, maybe the most widely known and revered global sports personality of the 20th century.. I can't in good conscious say he's above them when Conor is a bigger household name in a foreign nation where Floyd on his soil has had decades of exposure.
I'll leave my analysis there and perhaps may add more if something else comes to mind in grading Floyd's 'the best ever' status.
I'd love to hear y'alls take on this surprisingly contentious debate.
Also any critiques for where you may disagree.
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