
Originally Posted by
amat

Originally Posted by
Dizaster
Doesn't end up mattering who's to blame for opponent choice.. Floyd's fight record is the only thing in the end that reflects the opposition he's beaten, and the opposition he didn't fight...
He's fought for money and has been a completely success in that respect... If he's fighting for legacy and A.T.G status then he can do more... There are fighters with less talent out there that are more determined to carve out a legacy...
Not that I don't think money is an honourable guiding principle of a boxing career, but it's the contrast between that and the mexican foreign fighters why I love those guys so much.. Guys that in post fight interviews say "I'm just glad to be fighting, i'll fight whoever is in front of me, and the rest is up to my promotion and management..." When the fighters are wrapped up in the politics, that is what puts a stain on boxing I feel... Boxers should have their head down and focused on fights with whoever gets put in front of them... That's the spirit that built boxing, and that is the spirit that will make it live on...
The more politics that gets between fights and prevents the logical, wanted fights from happening, the weaker boxing becomes...
I know it's a bit off topic, but what can be taken from that is Floyd is his own undoing when it comes to his critics... There is just a gap between what critics want from a true all time great, and what Floyd wants out of boxing... So there is always going to be drama right in the middle of that.
Good post but I'll just say, a lot of this stuff borders on nitpicking.
I mean really, you would have rather seen him in with Dorin then Ndou? Neither Dorin nor Spadafora had their shit sorted at the time, Dorin missed weight by like 5 pounds and retired right after he fought Spadafora. Spadafora....I don't need to explain. Ndou was a very tough opponent and notice how Floyd ramps his game up on this inside after the Castillo fights. It was a very entertaining fight, Mayweather-Ndou. That's really nitpicking.
Give him some time guys, he had every right to retire. There is a reason boxers retire so much, it's hard. Everyone is allowed a break. So he says he's the greatest, yeah he's trying to sell fights. It's not that hard to figure out. He doesn't have a country behind him like Pacquiao so he has to be brash. Of course we are allowed to hold this against him but it doesn't mean his opposition has been terrible. I mean even without fighting all those guys that's a pretty good resume.
I was IN FAVOR all along for him staying the course and fighting Zab Judah even though Judah lost to Carlos Baldomir. That was a mega-fight derailed, lost a lot of it's luster. Still, it was a big fight. As was Cotto-Judah and as was Clottey-Judah. All those bouts shouldn't be discredited.
Then, of course he fights Baldomir. Antonio Margarito had done NOTHING except cry about how he was avoided. Seriously, Margarito would have been seriously outboxed, comprehensively and then all of you would have been moaning about why he avoided Baldomir. Baldomir was the lineal champ and he eventually signed for MORE MONEY to fight Baldomir. Of course he was outclassed, a formality but it was a fight he HAD to take. I was also in favor of Baldomir over Margarito from very early on. What I was worried about was what if Gatti beat Baldomir (I predicted it) and then became the lineal (and maybe Ring?) champ at 147. Oh man, imagine a PBF-Gatti rematch?

So that was the ONLY scenario in which I was in favor of Margarito getting a shot at Floyd.
Good posting Amat, I am actually even considering sending some rep your way for it. I won't of course, but I did consider considering it at least.
I didn't really agree with the 'least resistance' thread much either.
First he claimed Floyd had been following this path of least resistance since his close call with Castillo. Well if my memory serves me correctly, immediately after almost losing to Castillo, Floyd fought Castillo again, to prove he could beat convincingly and he did, that's hardly the path of least resistance, especially considering the likes of Calzaghe and Hatton never offered rematches when they won dubious decisions.
The criticism for not fighting Hatton whilst they were at junior welter is a bit ridiculous seeing as he fought Hatton later, when Hatton was still undefeated and also a double weight world champ.
Don't guys realise that the serious challengers, those likely to be the guys the public demand, need time to develop and prove themselves as marquee names so that when the fight does happen it happens for more money?
Fighting Cotto a few years ago wouldn't mean nearly as much in terms of cash and interest than if he fights him after the Manny fight, presuming Cotto wins. Likewise for Manny. Sugar Shane is a far bigger proposition now than he was a couple years ago as well.
Floyd just knows the right time to fight the big fights to maximise the size of the event and his earnings appeal. It's purely good management and a sound business plan.
What he is is smart, not a coward choosing the path of least resistance.
His last 3 fights have been Oscar, Hatton and J M Marquez, all three most likely future Hall of Famers, and his next fight will likely be against the winner of Cotto Pacquaio.
That's a pretty good resume for the path of least resistance.
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