How Mayweather would have fared in the 80s

[Sleepwalker]

I'm gonna try to pattern his weight classes with his actual career over a 10-11 year span.

As a young lightweight/super featherweight, I believe he would have beaten Arguello, Pryor and Mancini.

As a welterweight is where things will undoubtedly get more difficult for him.

He'll barely squeak by Duran (who was a tad past his prime by then) on points.

He'll suffer his first loss at the hands of Sugar Ray. Ray's power would be too much for Floyd in the 2nd half of the fight.

Hearns would have been his toughest opposition out of the bunch. I'd give Floyd winning 3 rounds tops. Hearns by UD.

Benitez: Once again Floyd would have tapped his way into a decision inflicting very little damage on Wilfredo
Late 80s

JCC: At this point in FM's career, he'll be going against a ripe Chavez. Chavez by split decision

Meldrick Taylor - this matchup would be entertaining as hell. However I believe Taylor's activity would give him the nod in a narrow decision.

When it's all said and done, Floyd would have had 4 losses by 1990. At least 3 for certain. I wish I could have elaborated more on the matchups, but I am posting from my phone. Feel free to add more fighters.

[brocktonblockbust]

GOOD POST, but only disagree with 2 fights there: IMO, no way he beats The Hawk nor does he beat Manos de Piedra.

He surely smokes Mancini and Arguello. though.

[Master]

Those are tough questions. Floyd could hold his own against all of them but whether he could beat the welterweight particularly is another question. I would have more confidence in him winning at featherweight/lightweight against anyone.

[X]

Mayweather is not really a full blown welterweight. He is only fighting there because thats where the money is. I dont think he would have done so well against Hearns, Leonard and the like.

I think he would have beaten most people at the lower weights quite easily, except for Whittaker, Chavez and Duran. They would have been great fights.

[marbleheadmaui]

Respectfully, you've made an elementary error.

In the 1980's there were same day weigh-ins. It's likely Floyd would NEVER have fought below 140 and would have been a welter/154 for most of his career. Or looking at it the other way with day before weigh-ins? Leonard et all might well be lightweights today.

Given THAT?

He loses to Hearns, Leonard, Duran, McCallum, Sweet Pea, The Hawk, Curry and he beats everyone else.

But let's be clear. Going say 45-6 against the 1980's welters is an enormously impressive thing!

[marbleheadmaui]

Mayweather is not really a full blown welterweight. He is only fighting there because thats where the money is. I dont think he would have done so well against Hearns, Leonard and the like.

I think he would have beaten most people at the lower weights quite easily, except for Whittaker, Chavez and Duran. They would have been great fights.

By the standards of same day weigh-ins (the 1980's rules) Floyd is, and may always have been a welter.

[rjj tszyu]

They are all tough matchups and they are 2 different era's so it really is hard to compare, BUT I fancy Mayweather to beat all with the exception of Leonard. That to me is the hardest fight to call on there.

Hearns is a hard one to call too, we've never seen Floyd in with anyone like Hearns but on the other hand I don't think we ever saw Hearns in with anyone who could counter punch anything like Mayweather and I feel that's where he would take it from Hearns.

[TheCobra]

If only If only

[Taeth]

I'm gonna try to pattern his weight classes with his actual career over a 10-11 year span.

As a young lightweight/super featherweight, I believe he would have beaten Arguello, Pryor and Mancini.

As a welterweight is where things will undoubtedly get more difficult for him.

He'll barely squeak by Duran (who was a tad past his prime by then) on points.

He'll suffer his first loss at the hands of Sugar Ray. Ray's power would be too much for Floyd in the 2nd half of the fight.

Hearns would have been his toughest opposition out of the bunch. I'd give Floyd winning 3 rounds tops. Hearns by UD.

Benitez: Once again Floyd would have tapped his way into a decision inflicting very little damage on Wilfredo
Late 80s

JCC: At this point in FM's career, he'll be going against a ripe Chavez. Chavez by split decision

Meldrick Taylor - this matchup would be entertaining as hell. However I believe Taylor's activity would give him the nod in a narrow decision.

When it's all said and done, Floyd would have had 4 losses by 1990. At least 3 for certain. I wish I could have elaborated more on the matchups, but I am posting from my phone. Feel free to add more fighters.

This is a stupid post.

Duran? Watch Duran-Benitez. Everyone points to Duran-Leonard, but Leonard couldn't hold a stick to Floyd defensively. The fact is that Floyd style gives Duran way more fits than Ray's did.

Ray Leonard-Floyd Mayweather: THis would be a tough fight. Leonard is very fast and he has an excellent jab while being taller than Floyd. These are the two factors that make this a tough fight for Floyd, not Leonard's punching power which isn't that significant. He wouldn't have been the hardest puncher Floyd has ever faced, and he was never a huge puncher.

Mayweather-Hearns: Hearns always has the chance of lining Mayweather up with a right hand, but his power in his right hand came when a guy was coming in on him. Floyd is very hard to hit as he comes in with the right hand, it almost never happens. I don't see Hearns being the same threat that Leonard would be, simply because a. he wasn't as good on the inside and b. he didn't win his biggest fights. It shows a lack of the mentality needed to push deep against a guy who was way better conditioned than him in mayweather.

JCC: are you kidding me? Chavez would have been picked apart by Floyd. The little things Jose Luis Castillo did against Floyd were things Chavez didn't do. This fight goes 12 rounds, but JCC gets a boxing lesson. We have never seen Floyd hurt a body shot, and Chavez didn't have crazy power going upstairs. This is a situation where CHavez is far too much slower and far more imcomplete technically to deal with Floyd.

Mayweather-Taylor: Floyd would knock out pre-Chavez Taylor. For all his speed, Taylor wouldn't be that much faster than Floyd, and he would have a huge reach disadvantage against a guy with a way better jab and defensive skills. Floyd would pick it him apart with the jab from the outside and evade the oncoming counter-combinations by Taylor. This would look like a more competitive Mayweather-Marquez, but not by much.


I am not saying these weren't great fighters, but go watch their fights. Too many people look at past fighters as gods. I am not saying Mayweather better on the All time great list than these guys or anything, but his style is so diverse and unique that all these guys would have an incredibly difficult time with him.

[marbleheadmaui]

They are all tough matchups and they are 2 different era's so it really is hard to compare, BUT I fancy Mayweather to beat all with the exception of Leonard. That to me is the hardest fight to call on there.

Hearns is a hard one to call too, we've never seen Floyd in with anyone like Hearns but on the other hand I don't think we ever saw Hearns in with anyone who could counter punch anything like Mayweather and I feel that's where he would take it from Hearns.

We saw Hearns in with Benitez.

[Hulk]

I'm gonna try to pattern his weight classes with his actual career over a 10-11 year span.

As a young lightweight/super featherweight, I believe he would have beaten Arguello, Pryor and Mancini.

As a welterweight is where things will undoubtedly get more difficult for him.

He'll barely squeak by Duran (who was a tad past his prime by then) on points.

He'll suffer his first loss at the hands of Sugar Ray. Ray's power would be too much for Floyd in the 2nd half of the fight.

Hearns would have been his toughest opposition out of the bunch. I'd give Floyd winning 3 rounds tops. Hearns by UD.

Benitez: Once again Floyd would have tapped his way into a decision inflicting very little damage on Wilfredo
Late 80s

JCC: At this point in FM's career, he'll be going against a ripe Chavez. Chavez by split decision

Meldrick Taylor - this matchup would be entertaining as hell. However I believe Taylor's activity would give him the nod in a narrow decision.

When it's all said and done, Floyd would have had 4 losses by 1990. At least 3 for certain. I wish I could have elaborated more on the matchups, but I am posting from my phone. Feel free to add more fighters.

This is a stupid post.

Duran? Watch Duran-Benitez. Everyone points to Duran-Leonard, but Leonard couldn't hold a stick to Floyd defensively. The fact is that Floyd style gives Duran way more fits than Ray's did.

Ray Leonard-Floyd Mayweather: THis would be a tough fight. Leonard is very fast and he has an excellent jab while being taller than Floyd. These are the two factors that make this a tough fight for Floyd, not Leonard's punching power which isn't that significant. He wouldn't have been the hardest puncher Floyd has ever faced, and he was never a huge puncher.

Mayweather-Hearns: Hearns always has the chance of lining Mayweather up with a right hand, but his power in his right hand came when a guy was coming in on him. Floyd is very hard to hit as he comes in with the right hand, it almost never happens. I don't see Hearns being the same threat that Leonard would be, simply because a. he wasn't as good on the inside and b. he didn't win his biggest fights. It shows a lack of the mentality needed to push deep against a guy who was way better conditioned than him in mayweather.

JCC: are you kidding me? Chavez would have been picked apart by Floyd. The little things Jose Luis Castillo did against Floyd were things Chavez didn't do. This fight goes 12 rounds, but JCC gets a boxing lesson. We have never seen Floyd hurt a body shot, and Chavez didn't have crazy power going upstairs. This is a situation where CHavez is far too much slower and far more imcomplete technically to deal with Floyd.

Mayweather-Taylor: Floyd would knock out pre-Chavez Taylor. For all his speed, Taylor wouldn't be that much faster than Floyd, and he would have a huge reach disadvantage against a guy with a way better jab and defensive skills. Floyd would pick it him apart with the jab from the outside and evade the oncoming counter-combinations by Taylor. This would look like a more competitive Mayweather-Marquez, but not by much.


I am not saying these weren't great fighters, but go watch their fights. Too many people look at past fighters as gods. I am not saying Mayweather better on the All time great list than these guys or anything, but his style is so diverse and unique that all these guys would have an incredibly difficult time with him.

hahaha

WHO are these huge power punchers that Floyd has faced that hit harder than Sugar Ray Leonard ?

How the hell would lil Floyd counter tall Tommy Hearns and his loooong right hand ?

Floyd could conceivably outpoint Duran at welter, or barely squak by a prime Duran at lightweight (though I dont' think so at lightweight), but as far as Floyd outboxing Sugar Ray Leonard

Not a fucking chance.

I have serious doubts Floyd could ever beat a PRIME Oscar Delahoya.

[THE THIRD MAN]

He would struggle against prime Azumah at 130lbs. He beats Arguello, Chavez, Benitez, Pyror by decision. (Pryor would be to wild and to reckless to beat PBF. Duran June 1980? (50/50?) He doesn't ever beat Duran at lightweight. Leonard 1981 - No! Hearns anytime definately No!

[Hulk]

He would struggle against prime Azumah at 130lbs. He beats Arguello, Chavez, Benitez, Pyror by decision. (Pryor would be to wild and to reckless to beat PBF. Duran June 1980? (50/50?) He doesn't ever beat Duran at lightweight. Leonard 1981 - No! Hearns anytime definately No!

Exactly.

[Mr140]

I see Mayweather beating most of them the only ones i do not see him winning is Leonard and Hearns. Hearns i can not see how the fuck Mayweather can win it i just don't see it at all. The height and boxing skills of Hearns would be to much for Mayweather how would he knock Hearns out i just don't see it. As for Leonard he had reach and height over Mayweather and was just as well rounded and far more active. I would of loved to see the fights though but for now we can only really guess who would win.

[Master]

I actually think Floyd is growing stronger at welterweight, when he fought Baldimor he was running around, this time and with Shane he actually pushed the opponent back.