Who could have beaten Floyd?

[Ron Swanson]

I would have liked to have had a chance to see Kostya Tszyu vs. FMJ at 140 back in 2005 before Tszyu fought Ricky Hatton.... Let the record show that Floyd chose to fight Henry Bruseles instead of Tszyu or Hatton @ 140 back in 2005.....

The record shows Floyd had great respect for KT and wanted to fight him. They were contractually bound to different networks though. With very little work you can find footage of Floyd both complimenting KT and saying they needed to fight. But then the Hatton fight happened.

As for who could have beat Floyd, it's boxing, many could have beat Floyd. But who would have beat Floyd, that's a whole different question.

Floyd wasn't the most physically gifted, that's Roy Jones. But Floyd was very very highly physically gifted.

And Floyd wasn't the technically most brilliant but he's up there with the best.

And speed, I personally think Floyds speed is greatly exaggerated. What Floyd had was great spacial awareness. If you know what your opponent will do where you are you are already at an advantage. Look through his history and you will see him get caught when people do awkward things. But Floyds speed was great.

His boxing mind was fantastic. Outside the ring he is a fool but inside the ring he knew everything his opponent would do and every way to take that away and turn it to his advantage. KT for example was far to simple for him. Outside a miracle shot it is a mismatch.

Defense, forget about it. There may be 5 better all time. Only may be.

So what do you do? You change levels like Maidana, making Floyd move before you attack. You apply constant pressure like Castillo did. You jab jab jab to open the weaknesses in his defense. But you do each out of rhythm. If you do anything in rhythm Floyd beats you. Castillo could have fought Floyd 100 more times, he never would have won. Each would be more dominant because Floyd would have had him timed better and better. You have to have no fear of being hit and hit flush. You have to have a good jab. You have to have a good mind. And good stamina. And mix it up. And have good footwork. Naming a fighter from his weight classes in his time that has it all is tough.

Or you just have to catch him flush. Maybe KT was the guy. All I know for certain is with his shit footwork Margarito wasn't the guy.

[Paul Kevin]

he is unbeaten fighter

[Gandalf]

Calzaghe was the greatest of all time. P4P Floyd wouldn't cope with that engine. You can only make it close by spoiling but he's still gonna outland you. No room to breathe.

[mikeeod]

First, it's professional boxing and we are all human, so if a pro boxer lands the right shot at the right time in the right place (completely lucky shot), ANYONE can be knocked out form it, including Floyd. The more accurate questions are: 1. Who would be favored to beat Floyd? and 2. Who do you think had the tools/style to consistently beat Floyd? My answers would be:

1. Floyd is no worse than 50/50 with ANYONE who EVER fought at 140 ot below. The only fighters I see having that good of a chance are prime versions of Duran, Whitaker, Pryor, Oscar, JCC, and Mosely. I think Kostya was great and strong, but I think Floyd is just too slick for him. At 147 I favor Hearns, both Sugar Rays, and possibly guys like Kid Gavilin and Emile Griffith due to unrealistic size advantages over Floyd.
2. The Duran who beat Leonard, the Whitaker who beat Chavez (wasn't a draw, despite what the judges said), prime Oscar, and the Pryor who beat Arguello are the only guys 140 and down who I see having all the tools to (possibly) win a majority of fights vs Floyd.

I'm not a huge fan of Floyd as a person, but I have to give him credit for his brilliance in the ring and as a (self) promoter. I have to agree that Floyd is a very highly ranked ATG, and that when you consider the totality of his career (money earned, brand recognition, faculties/wealth retained post career...etc.), it's hard to argue against him being one of the best ever (just can't bring myself to call him TBE though!).