The way people talk

[Galaxy]

For me its not really the case of fighting smaller men, its the fact he has been coasting against safe opponents since his scare with Castillo.

Instead of fighting Dorin or Spadafora he chose Sosa & Ndou

Instead of fighting Tszyu, Cotto or Hatton he chose Corley, Bruseles & Gatti

Instead of fighting Margarito, Mosley or Cintron he chose Mitchell, Judah & Baldomir

Then he took the money fights: DLH & Hatton, nothing wrong with that. But then instead of defending his championship against Cotto or Margarito he chose to retire.

Only to comeback against a lightweight, when guys like Cotto & Mosley reigned in the division.

He took the path of least resistance

If he fights the Pacquioa/ Cotto winner & then the Mosley/ Berto winner all can be forgiven. If he doesn't his legacy will always be questioned!

I do agree with you that PBF has taken the path of least resistance. And it is preposterous to say PBF fights smaller guys when he was normally the smaller guy in a lot of his fights. But in all fairness PBF's path of least resistance is really only in welterweight. And all the fights that weren't made can not be blamed totally on PBF. Thats one sided. PBF and Tsyzu was only possibly going to get made because PBF contacted Tsyzu about it before the Hatton fight. Hatton ruined that possible fight. Cotto never pushed for a PBF fight and PBF wanted to set the fight up after fighting Cotto's stablemate, Bruseles. PBF cleaned out 130, beat the king of the 135's and the top two 140's. Even though Judah and Hatton fought PBF at 147 it would be just a flimsy excuse to say PBF was too big or had an unfair advantage at 147 instead of 140. Would the fights really have been different when PBF is the naturally smaller guy? Dorin, Spadafora, and Cintron are lesser fighters than many of the fighters PBF demolished. He can't fight them all No fighter fights everybody at every weight class. And his comeback fight against JMM is his first in 2 years. I'd rather have that tune up than a 147 pound Joe Blow. I am not liking PBF's selection at 147 in totality. If PBF doesn't fight Cotto or Mosley then he deserves to be ridiculed for his welterweight run.

I'm not saying Floyd is the only one to blame for all those fights not getting made, but to have not 1 of the 8 guys I mentioned is pushing the envelope a little to far

After facing Castillo twice, which I give him credit for; it turned to custard. Instead of fighting rated guys like Johnston, Spadafora & Dorin who were all in the top 5 at the time Floyd presided, he took on the unrated Sosa & Ndou who moved up from 130

He did face 2 rated fighters at 140 in Corley & Gatti, but Corley had already been defeated by Judah & Gatti wasn't even in the same league, although being on a strong run was mainly a marketing ploy. The challenges in the division at the time were Tszyu, Mitchell, Harris & Hatton... Cotto could be also be mentioned as he was around 25-0 at the time. The thing for me here is he was the champ moving up & should have done everything possible to get Tszyu!

147 is just a joke, he fought Mitchell who had been crushed by Tszyu, Judah who had come apart vs Baldomir (just to pick up a lousy trinket which Baldomir should have earned anyway). I respect him for fighting Baldomir because he was the champ, but why waste time on Judah? And did anyone give the gutsy Argentine a chance? Then instead of facing Margarito or Cotto who had by then moved up, he chose to take the money fights with DLH & Hatton. I give him credit for facing those guys cause Hatton was the 140 champ & he fought DLH at 154. But then failed to give the fans the fights they wanted to see with Cotto or Margarito.

He then retires & comes back against Marquez, no what was wrong with Mosley, Cotto, Clottey or Berto. Sure he'd been out a while... so what Leonard was out for almost 3 years & come back to fight the middleweight champ of the world in Hagler & that was Leonards 1st fight at the weight.

Floyd has great skills but his legacy is seriously flawed!!!

[blegit]

For me its not really the case of fighting smaller men, its the fact he has been coasting against safe opponents since his scare with Castillo.

Instead of fighting Dorin or Spadafora he chose Sosa & Ndou

Instead of fighting Tszyu, Cotto or Hatton he chose Corley, Bruseles & Gatti

Instead of fighting Margarito, Mosley or Cintron he chose Mitchell, Judah & Baldomir

Then he took the money fights: DLH & Hatton, nothing wrong with that. But then instead of defending his championship against Cotto or Margarito he chose to retire.

Only to comeback against a lightweight, when guys like Cotto & Mosley reigned in the division.

He took the path of least resistance

If he fights the Pacquioa/ Cotto winner & then the Mosley/ Berto winner all can be forgiven. If he doesn't his legacy will always be questioned!

I do agree with you that PBF has taken the path of least resistance. And it is preposterous to say PBF fights smaller guys when he was normally the smaller guy in a lot of his fights. But in all fairness PBF's path of least resistance is really only in welterweight. And all the fights that weren't made can not be blamed totally on PBF. Thats one sided. PBF and Tsyzu was only possibly going to get made because PBF contacted Tsyzu about it before the Hatton fight. Hatton ruined that possible fight. Cotto never pushed for a PBF fight and PBF wanted to set the fight up after fighting Cotto's stablemate, Bruseles. PBF cleaned out 130, beat the king of the 135's and the top two 140's. Even though Judah and Hatton fought PBF at 147 it would be just a flimsy excuse to say PBF was too big or had an unfair advantage at 147 instead of 140. Would the fights really have been different when PBF is the naturally smaller guy? Dorin, Spadafora, and Cintron are lesser fighters than many of the fighters PBF demolished. He can't fight them all No fighter fights everybody at every weight class. And his comeback fight against JMM is his first in 2 years. I'd rather have that tune up than a 147 pound Joe Blow. I am not liking PBF's selection at 147 in totality. If PBF doesn't fight Cotto or Mosley then he deserves to be ridiculed for his welterweight run.

I'm not saying Floyd is the only one to blame for all those fights not getting made, but to have not 1 of the 8 guys I mentioned is pushing the envelope a little to far

After facing Castillo twice, which I give him credit for; it turned to custard. Instead of fighting rated guys like Johnston, Spadafora & Dorin who were all in the top 5 at the time Floyd presided, he took on the unrated Sosa & Ndou who moved up from 130

He did face 2 rated fighters at 140 in Corley & Gatti, but Corley had already been defeated by Judah & Gatti wasn't even in the same league, although being on a strong run was mainly a marketing ploy. The challenges in the division at the time were Tszyu, Mitchell, Harris & Hatton... Cotto could be also be mentioned as he was around 25-0 at the time. The thing for me here is he was the champ moving up & should have done everything possible to get Tszyu!

147 is just a joke, he fought Mitchell who had been crushed by Tszyu, Judah who had come apart vs Baldomir (just to pick up a lousy trinket which Baldomir should have earned anyway). I respect him for fighting Baldomir because he was the champ, but why waste time on Judah? And did anyone give the gutsy Argentine a chance? Then instead of facing Margarito or Cotto who had by then moved up, he chose to take the money fights with DLH & Hatton. I give him credit for facing those guys cause Hatton was the 140 champ & he fought DLH at 154. But then failed to give the fans the fights they wanted to see with Cotto or Margarito.

He then retires & comes back against Marquez, no what was wrong with Mosley, Cotto, Clottey or Berto. Sure he'd been out a while... so what Leonard was out for almost 3 years & come back to fight the middleweight champ of the world in Hagler & that was Leonards 1st fight at the weight.

Floyd has great skills but his legacy is seriously flawed!!!

In essence I agree with you that PBF's legacy is flawed. So I am not really arguing against your main point. I am just saying that we are being too harsh on PBF by ,what one poster said, nitpicking. PBF's only measly run is at welterweight. Dorin, Spadafora, Cintron are guys who have absolutely no one on their record as a victim. Dorin's best fight is a draw against Spadafora, his best win is against Emanual Agustus. Gatti KO'd and retired Dorin in less than 2 rounds. Dorin/PBF would have been manslaughter. Spadafora, went to prison, but his best win is a decision against Angel Manfredy. Cintron's best accomplishment is robbery draw against Martinez at 154. Beating Cintron would not validate PBF's stay at 147. He needs Mosley, Cotto, or Williams. After Hatton KO'd Tsyzu who would've gave PBF credit for fighting him? PBF KO'd Hatton. PBF called out Mosley before he moved out of lightweight but no one slanders Mosley for pricing himself out of that fight. No one blames Mosley for that fight not getting made when, money aside, it matter most. Mosley went the money route the way PBF does now. Of the eight guys you name PBF did KO Hatton who KO'd Tsyzu. Dorin, Spadafora, and Cintron are names that aren't relevant and would do nothing more for his legacy than what he already has. The only ones of credit are Margarito, Mosley, and Cotto. And I'll even add Williams. That is the real welterweight division. That is where PBF's legacy gets murky but lets see how 2010 plays out before we talk too much against it like he is retired and can not add to it.