Quote Originally Posted by Lyle View Post
Quote Originally Posted by killersheep View Post
It is possible, all he needs to do for me is beat PAC/Cotto winner and Mosley, to get considered, HOW he looks in victory will be as important to me as the "W" itself.

Talk of Williams and Pavlik is ridiculous. He would weight ~155 lbs on fight night with his opponent at ~175-180, add in the ridiculous reach advantages
and you have 3 times the advantages he had against JMM. The would both be absolutely incredible victories on par with David and Goliath. Perhaps we should include one of the Klitschkos in the mix just so there could be no doubt.
So you're saying it's impossible for anyone of Floyd's skill and stature to beat someone who is GOOD (if that) when he has to give up height, reach, power

Then the answer is obvious if he can't beat someone when he's at a disadvantage then he's not the greatest, he's not even close to the greatest.....especially if he never takes a chance.

Sugar Ray Robinson 5'11 ( a little taller than Floyd) started out at 135 and won titles at 147, 160, and 175 and that was before all of this Junior division bullcrap.

Sugar Ray Leonard 5'10 (just a smidge taller than Floyd) did about the same thing 147, 154, 160, and 175

Roberto Duran 5'7 (SMALLER THAN Floyd!!!) started out fighting at 119 he eventually went on to win the middleweight title!

Sure guys like Tommy Hearns had the frame to add on weight to take him all the way up to cruiserweight and Paul Williams has that frame, but the thing is Ray Leonard didn't duck Tommy Hearns, he knew Tommy was big and bad and would look impressive on his record....Floyd has never done that, sure Marquez's name looks impressive but it's not like come fight night Floyd was in any real danger, he's rarely been in danger
Robinson did not win a world title at 175. Leonard did not win one at 154 either.

As for the Leonard comparisom, it's interesting that in retrospect his legacy has been re-assessed. The only 2 wins he was really given complete respect for at the time were over Benitez & Hearns. The Lalonde win for the SMW & LHW titles were both heavily criticized because he 'drained' Lalonde well below his usual limit. Not to mention the criticisms over his comeback against Hagler or his rematch with Duran. I don't agree with these, but in 25 years I wouldn't be surprised if the same thing happens to Mayweather's career, where current criticisms will become overlooked.

As for the emboldened part, I think that is one of the key contemporary criticisms of any boxer who doesn't have to struggle. I remember an article in The Ring saying that boxing fans have an attitude of 'fight the bigger man, the faster man, the stronger man. Let us know your limits where you struggle so we are sated'. I think this is true of fans in every area, & its only with retrospect we can see how excellent fighters are. We've seen this Lennox Lewis & I reckon we will see the same with Mayweather & the Klitschkos.

On the subject if he beat Mosley & the Pac/Cotto winner, I would rank him in the Top 5 & certainly up for discussion, although SRR would still edge it for me. However, if he beat a Williams/Pavlik, then I think he would be #1. There's a long way to go before that can seriously be thought about though.