Quote Originally Posted by Beanflicker View Post
Quote Originally Posted by Rantcatrat View Post
I'll try to explain. Allowing Ricky to weigh in at 147 didn't necessarily hurt Ricky's performance, as you mentioned he didn't have to struggle as much to make weight. However, Ricky's style depended in part on his ability to out-muscle his competition. He couldn't do that as effectively at 147, as he could at 140. He was only 5'6.

Before his fight against Floyd, he fought Collazo at 147, who I thought he struggled a lot with. In fact, Collazo hurt him in the last few rounds and Ricky was forced to hold as a result. If we're honest, what Did Ricky Hatton really do at 147? What was his best win at that weight class? Collazo? Maybe it's just me, which is fine, but Hatton looked like a tough Staffordshire Terrier at 140, but at 147, he looked of average, if not small size.

For example, I think Sergio Martinez's win over Kelly Pavlik at 160 is better than Hopkins' win over him at 170 because Pavlik just wasn't as effective above 160.
Right, and I totally understand how Ricky was more effective fighting 140lbers than 147lbers. That's boxing, some guys move up in weight and can no longer do what made them great at a lower weight. I get that, fair enough.

What I don't get is how it effects his performance specifically against Floyd Mayweather. You're telling me that it's not the weight itself that effects the performance, it's the actual fighting of guys a weight class higher that is the problem. Ok, but what's that got to do with Floyd, who was never a true WW even to this day?

Floyd weighs in at 147, on fight day he weights in 147-150. He doesn't cut weight. If they fought at 140, what happens? Floyd sweats out 7lbs, puts it back on and comes into the ring at 147-150 (which incidentally would be much lower than what Ricky comes into the ring at.) Either way, Ricky fights at 147-150lb Floyd Mayweather.

To this day, it's the dumbest excuse I've ever heard in any fight sport.
I gotcha. You're saying a 140 version of Hatton wouldn't have beat Floyd. Fair enough. I tend to agree with you. In a p4p sense, weight being equal, I think he beats Hatton on most days. Frankly, scoreboard, he has a win over Hatton, even if it wasn't at Hatton's best weight.

On the other hand, in my opinion, Floyd's a natural welterweight. Sure, he fights at 150 on fight night, but that doesn't mean that losing 7 pounds wouldn't be difficult for him and might not zap some strength and performance out of him. Keep in mind too that Floyd agreed to a catch weight of 145 for Marquez and then came in at 147 even though it cost him money. I have to think that was because it was more comfortable to make 147 than it was 145. Clearly, it wasn't the honorable thing to do. If it was so easy to make weight, and Floyd isn't shy about using his A-side status to his advantage, why not force big strong welterweights to fight at 140 or below 147? He forced Canelo to fight at 152. In other words, if he wanted to fight at 140, he would fight at 140. He doesn't because he's a welterweight.