Thread: Could Floyd end his career as the best ever?

If Floyd beats Shane Mosley, and then went on to beat Manny Pacquaio where would he rank on an all time scale?

I mean to be 42-0 against such high quality opposition, with no losses, never put down, never hurt, it would be an awesome acomplishment.

Also for me the quality of opposition argument couldn't really be used against him as who else from 125-147 should he have fought?

It would be an amazing legacy in my mind. I mean no other fighter would have come close to going through an entire career, against such opposition, without ever losing a fight.

If you don't think this is the case, who would he have to fight in order to get up there, or is it simply impossible no matter what he does?

I don't think it's possible for a fighter today to compile a resume that matches Robinson's. He beat like 9 hall of famers I think it was, I can't think of anyone who has more then 4 or 5 on their resume today. De La Hoya and potentially Mosley are the only real locks Mayweather has on his. Marquez, Castillo and Gatti are borderline candidates.

I would say he is possibly the best meaning put him in the ring with anyone and he's got a more then favorable chance to win, but his accomplishments will never stack up. Now if you talk the last 30 years then possibly.

I think people dislike his style too much, and that its unlikely he will ever have to pull out the drama the other greats did in order to win certain fights. His technique is too good, and he always comes in the best shape he possibly can which makes his fights a lot less dramatic then say Ali who didn't train hard enough for guys like Frazier(and wasn't ready to face him the first time they fought).

I just think its amazing that a lot of the great fighter athletically haven't had his technical brilliance, he is unique mix of Bernard Hopkins' ring wizardy with truly elite athletic ability, and the stamina of anyone who's ever fought.

All that being said he won't ever be the top fighter p4p ever simply because guys don't like him enough. There will always be another opponent he supposedly avoided, arguements that excitement counts for where you stand on the p4p pole.

We will see after Mayweather-Pacquiao that might be the first time to future top 10 p4p'ers ever face eachother under fair circumstances. Robinson was way bigger than Armstrong who was aging, and Tunney was bigger than Zale.

I forgot who said it, but someone here said that Roberto Duran has the greatest accomplishments of a fighter in the last 30 years or so. And I have to agree. For Floyd to be best ever, just ask yourself if he's accomplished more than Roberto Duran (a modern all time great) even if he beats Mosley and Mayweather.

My answer would be no, and Duran is a top 5 fighter of all time by many boxing publications and fans.

I may not even see someone being better than DUran in terms of skills, accomplishments and longevity in my lifetime.

Originally Posted by generalbulldog

I forgot who said it, but someone here said that Roberto Duran has the greatest accomplishments of a fighter in the last 30 years or so. And I have to agree. For Floyd to be best ever, just ask yourself if he's accomplished more than Roberto Duran (a modern all time great) even if he beats Mosley and Mayweather.

My answer would be no, and Duran is a top 5 fighter of all time by many boxing publications and fans.

I may not even see someone being better than DUran in terms of skills, accomplishments and longevity in my lifetime.

I'm not sure I honestly think Manny Pacquaio has done more than Duran now.

Duran was a great for sure but he lost the most significant fights of his career, the second fight with Leonard, was KO'd by Hearns, lost to Hagler. Manny has moved up higher in comparison from where he started and dominated the top guys.

I do think nostalgia creeps in a little bit with Leonard, Duran, Hearns and Hagler.

I actually agree with Taeth to an extent. They are rated so highly because their fights against each other were often wars and wildly entertaining.

Floyd beats his opponents with comparative ease and ironically gets downgraded because of it.

For the record I think Floyd beats Duran. Too smart to engage and let him fight his fight, he'd box him and keep away. If Kirklaind Laing could do it Floyd undoubtedly could.

Originally Posted by Bilbo

If Floyd beats Shane Mosley, and then went on to beat Manny Pacquaio where would he rank on an all time scale?

I mean to be 42-0 against such high quality opposition, with no losses, never put down, never hurt, it would be an awesome acomplishment.

Also for me the quality of opposition argument couldn't really be used against him as who else from 125-147 should he have fought?

It would be an amazing legacy in my mind. I mean no other fighter would have come close to going through an entire career, against such opposition, without ever losing a fight.

If you don't think this is the case, who would he have to fight in order to get up there, or is it simply impossible no matter what he does?

i tell ya bilbo,mayweather and greatest of all time dont sit well in the same sentence within the boxing world. i voted that mayweather would be the greatest of all time if he beat both mosely and pac but would have too dominate the 154 division as well. lets get right to the point tho,if ur gonna be considered the best then that means bein better then SRR,a tough task for sure, but really none of us no the outcome of a welterweight showdown between SRR and mayweather, for all we no mayweather could beat SRR 9 times out of 10,but where so attached to the greats of old that it could blind our vision,especially if ur a young lad(like myself)where u here the older folk or boxing experts say that SRR was the best ever,ur gonna believe that. yeah its hard to admit, but we really do not no.









job bicuit (what do u expect me to say.these silly demands that u try to enforce.when i retaliate u act like a pussy,u act like u never did shit to me,im above all ur bullshit,im bigger than all that bullshit,seriously,come test me again and lets see what happens because i will die for what i believe in,and that makes me a dangerous man, if i want i can make u wish u was never born)

I think we are lucky to have 2 current fighters who could or are already top 10 fighters of all time. I feel Pac has a headstart on Floyd already as he started at lower weights and has a better resume. floyds advamtage over Pac when it comes to all time rankings is that he hasnt been defeated yet unlike Manny.

Her are a couple of scenarios i think could mak either a real contender to be ranked as the greatest fighter of all time.

Manny Pac:
Fight and defeat Floyd Mayweather
Fight for a title at 154 and win.

If Manny did this it'd be titles at 8 different weight classes right? And he would have wins over 6 future HOF fighters. That stacks up well with anyone including Robinson.

PBF:
Fight and beat Shane Mosely
Fight and beat Manny Pac
fight and beat Sergio Martinez for the WBC 160 title.

This may sound a little farfetched but is it beyond possibility? Martinez is not really that much bigger than ODLH who Floyd has already beaten, altho he does have a massive reach advantage.
It would mean wins over 6 or 7 possible future HOF fighters, and the WBC title in 6 different weight classes. And most importantly an undefeated record. This too would stack up well against anyone in the history of boxing.

I'ld still like Mayweather to fight Paul Williams before he retires. It will never happen I know. But he would get a lot of credit if he beat Williams IMO.

Originally Posted by Bilbo

Originally Posted by generalbulldog

I forgot who said it, but someone here said that Roberto Duran has the greatest accomplishments of a fighter in the last 30 years or so. And I have to agree. For Floyd to be best ever, just ask yourself if he's accomplished more than Roberto Duran (a modern all time great) even if he beats Mosley and Mayweather.

My answer would be no, and Duran is a top 5 fighter of all time by many boxing publications and fans.

I may not even see someone being better than DUran in terms of skills, accomplishments and longevity in my lifetime.

I'm not sure I honestly think Manny Pacquaio has done more than Duran now.

Duran was a great for sure but he lost the most significant fights of his career, the second fight with Leonard, was KO'd by Hearns, lost to Hagler. Manny has moved up higher in comparison from where he started and dominated the top guys.

I do think nostalgia creeps in a little bit with Leonard, Duran, Hearns and Hagler.

I actually agree with Taeth to an extent. They are rated so highly because their fights against each other were often wars and wildly entertaining.

Floyd beats his opponents with comparative ease and ironically gets downgraded because of it.

For the record I think Floyd beats Duran. Too smart to engage and let him fight his fight, he'd box him and keep away. If Kirklaind Laing could do it Floyd undoubtedly could.

I didn't want to turn this into a Duran thread. But Duran is arguably the greatest 135 pounder. A natural lightweight that beat a prime Leonard convincingly in their 1st fight. Floyd and Manny ain't beating prime Leonard at 147. And for sure they ain't going to beat Tommy Hearns at 147 or 154. Could they go 15 against Hagler? Remember Duran was winning that fight after 12 and would have been MW champ if it was by today's rules. He also beat a top 3 154 pounder in Davey Moore for his title. Also beat Iran Barkley for a piece of the MW title at 38.

Remember for those losses you brought up, he lost them out of his prime weight. And he started his career as a bantamweight, 118 pounds.

He didn't need to fight guys at a catchweight either or demanded all kinds of advantages in his favor like Leonard or Manny.

I used Duran because he's a modern great instead of SRR who's not considered to be a modern fighter. Ain't no modern guy has the resume or accomplishments of Duran today.

Sugar Ray Robinson fought everyone who was everyone, buy his 131st professional fight his record stood as: 128-1-2

Nope, He's already ducked too many guys to be in consideration. Pacquiao is much higher P4P all time IMO. If Pacquiao beat Mayweather and Mosley convincingly he could pull the greatest ever card I believe.

It's funny how time only counts against the modern guys...floyd at lightweight would tax duran's ass...shane mosely would really beat that ass.

As far as Floyd being greatest of all time he and manny both are fighting for 4th place at best because they both left too many opponents in their prime weight classes. manny gets no credit for beating oscar. Hatton, cotto, clottey,
does definitely put him ahead of floyd.

p.s.

SRR was replaced on march 1, 2003 as p4p #1 all time....

WTF? Jones has 2, count them, 2 hall of famers on his resume under the win column. How the FUCK did he unseat SRR as the GOAT?


*** edit, I guess I forgot McCallum if that even counts. Roy is great maybe the most talented fighter of all time but how could you say 1 win over a mediocre heavyweight unseats SRR? Really that's silly to say, if you believed he was the greatest you believed it far before the win over Ruiz.

Originally Posted by amat

WTF? Jones has 2, count them, 2 hall of famers on his resume under the win column. How the FUCK did he unseat SRR as the GOAT?


*** edit, I guess I forgot McCallum if that even counts. Roy is great maybe the most talented fighter of all time but how could you say 1 win over a mediocre heavyweight unseats SRR? Really that's silly to say, if you believed he was the greatest you believed it far before the win over Ruiz.

silly as it may sound to the boxing choir..I don't really give a shit..RJJ p4p best to ever wear gloves...

and that was decided before he beat ruiz, that HW belt just solidified it..

As Jim Lampley said (I believe during the Trinidad Jones fight) : if the object of the game is to fight the easiest guys possible and make the most money possible Roy Jones is the greatest of all time. Please tell em your going by that criterion otherwise you're delusional.