Hahaha. This is easy.
Better? with Floyd as the current champion? No wayyyyyyyyyy.
Why not ?? he is probably one the best defensive fighters of all time probably even better than Pernell Whitaker P4P Mayweather has speed, power, he has won 5 World titles in 5 different weight divisions not even the great Sugar Ray Robinson achieved that just because he isn't to everyones taste he is without a doubt the best Welterweight out there.
Mayweather ducked Margarito. You call it greater than Robinson? He knocked out Mitchell whom Williams had knocked down in the third round, and three times in the fourth. This is the only fight I’ve seen Mayweather not running around coz he knows Mitchell could not hurt him anymore.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upumbp6miMY
He runs against an old and sluggish Baldomir, contented with picking up points instead of fighting it out (watch the 5th round). Baldomir is not even considered a power puncher by many boxing experts.. Mayweather has no courage, you dare compare him with Robinson?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hECeVAIXYBs
He struggled against Zab Judah during their second fight ( here’s the video).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=din0rds-EfI
Floyd compared to Armstrong, Robinson, Basilio, Leonard and Duran is like blasphemy to boxing. I'm lost with words. This topic is not even debatable.
It is ?? well Mayweather is arguably a better fighter than all of these fighters P4P Duran was great Lightweight but when he moved up he lost to mediocre fighters like Robbie Simms and was completey outboxed by British Kirkland Laing, no doubt his victory over Leonard was great win but thats only because Duran called Leonard a pussy and Leonard got lured into a brawl in the 1st fight but when Leonard boxed his normal style he completey outboxed Duran and forced Duran to quit in the rematch and Leonard won the trilogy easily as well.
Duran never quite made it when he moved up he also struggled with fast fighters and was made to look only goodish when he fought clever fast fighters and it showed when he was completey outboxed by Kirkland Laing.
The second time Duran and Leonard met was very controversial. May I quote wikipedia “Vacating the title was a build up for an attempt at the welterweight title. He fought for the welterweight title in June 1980 and beat Sugar Ray Leonard via a 15-round unanimous decision. In the November re-match, however, Durán shockingly quit. In round 8, Durán turned around, walked to his corner and gave up, supposedly saying the now famous words, "no más" (no more). However he really said, "No quiero pelear con el payaso." (Meaning "I do not want to fight with this clown.") Referee Octavio Meyran, perhaps as incredulous as was the rest of the world at what he was seeing, asked Durán if he was sure, and Durán then said, "No más, no más" (no more, no more). In violation of what any professional fighter does on the day of a fight, Durán gorged himself after the weigh-in, claimed he quit because he was having stomach cramps.[2] The controversy regarding this bout continues to this day.”
May I ask you how old Duran was when he fought Leonard the third time in super middleweight division? To remind you, he was, I believe, 37 years old. How old was he when he was beaten by all the fighters you named? 40 plus? Clearly, he was already a washed up fighter during that time. Compare his age to Barrera and you’ll find out that Barrera is much younger at 33 and Barrera is even considered by some as a washed up fighter. How much more Duran at 47?
Ray Robinson didn't even win as many world titles in as many divisions as Mayweather and Robinson's opposition is questionable at Welterweight name me one fighter he beat at Welterweight that stands out ??
Hahaha. Now Robinson’s legacy is questionable? Does his fights at the welterweights with Kid Gavilan, Tommy Bell, Levine, Henry Brimm, Charley Fusari, and Costner and all the other top contenders in the welterweight not enough for you.? Robinson may be short of one title but his fights are mostly explosive. He brawls and take risks. Dare compare him with Mayweather?
Carmen Basilio 56 wins 27 KO 16 losses not a great record by any means he went 1-1 with Robinson which is good but Robinson was also 37 and it was obvisious he wasn't in his prime anymore except for going 1-1 with an aging Robinson who else did he beat that was really any good ?? sounds like he was one hit wonder.
One hit wonder? Have you seen his fight with Tony DeMarco? He knocked Tony Demarco in the 12th round first time they met. Considered by ESPN as the favorite fight of classic sports. His second fight had the same result. He fought Ike Williams and won convincingly.
An aging Robinson, yes, but a Robinson who was able to recover the crown from Basilio second time the met. You call the first fight not an impressive win for Basilio? You must be joking.
Leonard ?? please the guy who ducked Aaron Pryor and moved up in weight to avoid Pryor ?? the guy who got gift decision against Hagler when Hagler was shot ?? or the guy who only fought Hearns in a rematch when he see Hearns get KO by Iran Barkley when he thought Hearns was shot and Leonard got a gift decision against Hearns Leonard was dropped twice by a shot Hearns and was outboxed in majority of the rounds basically Hearns was totally robbed.
Leonard won his first fight with Hearns in the Welterweight division (second fight was in middleweight when Leonard was already old)During the first fight, Leonard roared out in the 13th round and seriously hurt Hearns with a barrage of punches and knocked him down. Hearns barely survived the round. In the 14th, a combination of blows prompted the referee to stop the fight.
Remember, Leonard retired because of his eye injury. When he came back after retirement, he was no longer the prime sugar ray. His fight with Hagler was in Hagler’s favor. It was 3-1 favor of Hagler. The decision could be controversial but he still won the fight using his speed. Hagler vs Leonard was considered as a fight between two aging and inactive fighters (Leonard only fought once in 5 years and Haggler fought once in 2 ½ years). Anyway, Leonard’s s fight with Hearns was in Middleweight and it has nothing to do with our debate. One thing is sure, Leonard fought bravely even with an eye injury and even past his prime.
There are more quality fighters in Mayweather's Welterweight era than in any other Welterweight era ever the only other era which has as many quality fighters as Mayweather's Welterweight era is the 90s surely you must agree with that ??
Mayweather's era is not in the 1990's. He started to fight in welterweight in 2004. He is therefore fighting welters who may not be in their prime. 8) Mayweather became a champion in the welterweight only in November 2006.
One thing is for sure, unless mayweather knocks out hatton, the current welterweight era will never be better than before. I don't know if this will happen. Hope mayweather gets some courage from Pacquaio and fight all the way... that way he could earn my full respect.
edit;
By the way, how many of these fighters you have mentioned had fought mayweather?
Paul Williams
Miguel Cotto
Shane Mosley
Antonio Margarito
Kermit Cintron
Ricky Hatton
Zab Judah
Andre Berto
Joshua Clottey
Ohh. It's only Zab Judah!!!!!!!!!!
