Mayweather needs new challenges

[Manju]

Oddly enough, after all these years, the 2 fighters that I would be interested in seeing PBF fight are...JMM and PacMan.

1. JMM's a differnet fighter now. He's bulked up and comfortable at welter. He's also smart, and may adjust his strategy accordingly.

2. PacMan: if he's not shot, he always has a punchers chance (hell, JMM looked like he was ready to go). Being a big-underdog might help, he has a swarming style and PBF prefers a slow pace, and PBF offers him the only opportunity to effectively erase the JMM KO, besides JMM himself of course.

And I think smaller fighters bring out the best in PBF at this stage in his career. He's likes to muscle opponents around during the infighting, and tends to intimidate them by throwing head-snapping counters. Power, even if its not KO power, is a much bigger part of his game than folks realize.

Against Canelo, he did this in the middle rounds, but spent a lot more time running at the end. In the early rounds, he was jabbing a lot, which is unusual for him. I think the size difference made him more tentative.

[Rantcatrat]

This thread brings up an interesting question: with no viable competition between 147 and 154 for Mayweather to fight, will the public buy a Mayweather fight against a boxer that has no chance at all to win? Would the public buy a fight between Broner/Garcia/Khan and Mayweather? Those are complete mismatches.

Other than the Austin Trout/Erislandy Lara, the only arguably competitive fights between 147 and 154 are against Pacquiao and Bradley, assuming they come out victorious this fall, and Mayweather and Top Rank do not do business. Not that they aren't mismatches, but still.

In my opinion, Mayweather's most competitive, realistic options out there are Lara and Trout. Both are with Golden Boy and are tougher than Broner/Khan/Garcia.

[0james0]

The thing is, they would be able to hype up a fight with Bradley, Garcia, Broner. They are viable fights. Can't see Broner happening though. But they could put enough spin on any of them to still sell bucket loads. People are going to want to watch him even more now, Floyd is a huge draw, but its still growing. He's going to have more mega fights yet.

It won't be enough spin to fool all boxing fans (although many will be) but the general public and sponsors will buy it. Celebs will still want to be all over it. It will still generate loads of cash.

I can't see the Pac fight ever happening now though.

And I really hope he doesn't fight Khan, as much as I'd want to see the speed of Khan trouble him, the reality is that he would just pick Khan apart and Khans speed would mean nothing as he would be afraid to throw because of being countered all night.

[p4pking]

I think both of those last posts are quite true. Floyd is without any realistic threats his size, but at the same time he will have raised his profile somewhat in beating Canelo so decisively in a huge event. Fights with Garcia, Broner, or Khan would certainly sell more than his fight with Guerrero did, although those guys may not be any better, they do have a fanbase to add to the promotion a tad. The Guerrero fight more or less flopped as it was entirely a Mayweather event, although there were some question marks over Floyd to give that fight a lot more intrigue on the flip side

[Silkeyjoe]

Khan makes sense in that it would sell out a big stadium and sell well on PPV in Europe but would PPV sales in US be good with the time difference?

[Spicoli]

If I picked next, honestly I would like Mayweather v Lara. Just a styles, weight thing. Might just turn into an interesting chess match...for a bit at least...rather than yet another straight line fighter. I don't see Martinez happening a'tall as the weight is all off but I don't buy Sergio as "shot" and there to be had if somehow it came off. Styles vs Floyd. Broner v Floyd is waaay off if at all. I get the impression Mayweather is doing all he can to 'help' Broner along but feels like he is dealing with a thick headed child who thinks all he has to do is watch the video and stand in the mirror posing to be huge. Khan, I dunno man. I just don't see Khan holding it together mentally even leading up to a massive match like that let alone lasting to the midway point. Jmm-Bradley winner maybe. Maybe.

[beenKOed]

I think he could actually clean up middle weight. No KO's, but out box a win against all of them.

Super middles just wouldnt work, they are still small enough to be agile, yet they could walk right through him. He'd probably fair better (if you did start doing circus fights) against someone much bigger and slower.

Now also seems a good time to mention the whole heavyweight, weight differences. We talk about a fight not being able to happen with Floyd because of 15lbs, yet Haye is giving away 3 stone to Fury this weekend! Is it really that much different? It wouldn't make it impossible.

Floyd though is not going to want to disadvantage himself in any way though.

That ZERO is very important to Floyd so I agree with you. Mayweather will not do anything that will even remotely jeopardize the ZERO. I wouldn't!

Really ? He just went in with a guy who's 20lbs bigger and has real power lets not kid on here if Canelo landed a big shot on floyd chances are floyd would of not got up, floyd would fight anyone in his weight class

Were we watching the same fight? it could have gone 25 rounds and Canelo would no have landed a big shot! Canelo said it himself, he could not find Floyd--meaning he could not land a big shot.

[g3org3]

I think he could actually clean up middle weight. No KO's, but out box a win against all of them.

Super middles just wouldnt work, they are still small enough to be agile, yet they could walk right through him. He'd probably fair better (if you did start doing circus fights) against someone much bigger and slower.

Now also seems a good time to mention the whole heavyweight, weight differences. We talk about a fight not being able to happen with Floyd because of 15lbs, yet Haye is giving away 3 stone to Fury this weekend! Is it really that much different? It wouldn't make it impossible.

Floyd though is not going to want to disadvantage himself in any way though.

That ZERO is very important to Floyd so I agree with you. Mayweather will not do anything that will even remotely jeopardize the ZERO. I wouldn't!

Really ? He just went in with a guy who's 20lbs bigger and has real power lets not kid on here if Canelo landed a big shot on floyd chances are floyd would of not got up, floyd would fight anyone in his weight class

Were we watching the same fight? it could have gone 25 rounds and Canelo would no have landed a big shot! Canelo said it himself, he could not find Floyd--meaning he could not land a big shot.

Are you serious it's boxing anyone can land a big lucky punch floyd schooled him but if Canelo landed a big punch the fight could of been over that's all I'm saying

[p4pking]

Khan makes sense in that it would sell out a big stadium and sell well on PPV in Europe but would PPV sales in US be good with the time difference?

There is no chance Floyd would travel there for Khan in the first place, and his showtime contract is exclusive to the MGM grand in Vegas. Hypothetically even though, no The UK has a lot more hardcore fans per capita, which is dope.

[Tam Seddon]

Schafer said his options are a Garcia fight, a khan fight, maybe a pac fight and he will consider rematches with Ortiz,Cotto and canelo in the future.

[Master]

Khan makes sense in that it would sell out a big stadium and sell well on PPV in Europe but would PPV sales in US be good with the time difference?

There is no chance Floyd would travel there for Khan in the first place, and his showtime contract is exclusive to the MGM grand in Vegas. Hypothetically even though, no The UK has a lot more hardcore fans per capita, which is dope.

Forget the nonsense about Khan having the speed and height, all that becomes redundant when he gets hit on the chin and holds on to stay on his feet.