Fighter's I Believe That Could Of Beaten Floyd Mayweather Jr

[Spicoli]

Coulda, woulda, shoulda, is a backdoor attempt to salvage some grace after being on the other side of the outcome of this fight. One can always make or form these conclusions based on reasons and statistics that are subjectively interpreted. I mean the very idea that this has some kind of cognitive value is ludicrous. Please, lets deal with issues we can measure in real time, and end these infatuations with adoloscent thought processes of "Coulda, woulda, shoulda"

I agree completely. There should be a separate board for this kind of thread. a fantasy matchup board maybe?

People are getting carried away with the debate and it robs on them. the next day they are convinced that fighter A will surely beat fighter B from the past.

With respect and no one asked but I couldn't disagree more.It totally removes historical perspective and discussion for the board and the sport.No one is 100 %saying...and simply could not.... that retired fighter a beats active fighter b but boxing is a continuum of eras and every fighter,with the exception of Holyfield,will retire one day.I think it speaks volumes when a guy is inj atg debates.

[Taeth]

Super Featherweight

No one.

Lightweight

Roberto Duran
Pernell Whitaker
Shane Mosley = highly debatable.
ODLH = Would be very close.

Jr Welterweight

No one.

Welterweight

Tommy Hearns
Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Robinson

Jr Middleweight

Terry Norris
Wilfredo Benitez

Besides the welterweights I shake my head in confusion, he would beat anyone else on here way more often than not.

Mayweather would move against Duran everytime and win by staying away and frustrating him.

De La Hoya at lightweight? Really? His chin wasn't as good, Floyd hit harder at lightweight for the weight class, I think he had better comparative speed at that class. The lower weight category they fight at the more decisively Floyd wins because it gets closer and closer to his best weight.

Mosley: it would be a better matchup, but Floyd would still be too sharp and quick(not too fast).

Pernell Whitaker is a great fighter, but Floyd is even better defensively and faster, still would be a great fight, but you have to favor the better fighter which is Floyd.

the welterweights definitely have a great chance of beating PBF, but he has an equal chance of beating any of them except maybe Hearns. And
lets not forget how much naturally bigger they are.

At 154
Terry Norris: power and speed, could definitely give Floyd a scare early, but Mayweather would adjust, dominate, and maybe even stop Terry.
Benitez: great defensive fighter, but I thought Whitaker was better and Floyd beats Benitez for the same reasons.

[El Kabong]

Well Taeth people consider Duran and Whittaker 2 of the greatest lightweights of ALL TIME.....I'm not saying he's not great but they don't say that about Floyd Mayweather Jr. and there ARE valid reasons behind that line of thinking.

[generalbulldog]

BTW, I have to add Marvin Hagler at 160.

Someone in the other thread believes FLoyd will beat Hagler in 15 rounds easily.

I love FLoyd's skills, but he ain't beating Hagler and he ain't beating him easily.

[X]

BTW, I have to add Marvin Hagler at 160.

Someone in the other thread believes FLoyd will beat Hagler in 15 rounds easily.

I love FLoyd's skills, but he ain't beating Hagler and he ain't beating him easily.

That's ridiculous, isn't it. Floyd is a small welterweight and Hagler would have been much too big and strong. Marvin would come out like he did against Hearns and Floyd would just be a bit too small, Hagler would walk right through him (and I mean that with no disrespect to Mayweather). Jesus, nuthuggers will srat saying that Floys would outbox prime Mike Tyson next.

I'd like to have seen Floyd v a prime Don Curry, that would have been fun. Ray leonard and Floys would have been a fascinating matchup.

I think Floyd is a much smoother boxer, and possibly a more complete fighter, than Tommy Hearns ..... but I think that the REAL Hit Man would have been PBF's nightmare opponent.

[THE THIRD MAN]

Super Feather - Azumah Nelson

Lightweight- Roberto Duran

Super Lightweight- Kostya Tszyu/Aaron Pryor

Welterweight - Sugar Ray Leonard/Tommy Hearns

All of the above in ther prime would give Mayweather hell.

Mosley was 8-9 years from his prime.

What i saw in Round 2 when Mosley caught Floyd, convinces me Tzsyu would have landed his right hand at some point, his hand speed and accuracy was exceptional.

[The Shadow]

Shame about Norris: the man can't even form complete sentences anymore. But, I think Norris would have given a ton of trouble, as Norris was a gifted athlete.
I don't think Duran had the hand-speed to compete with F.M.
I think Ray Robinson would have beaten him, but it would be a real technical fight.
I think there's a high probability that he gets caught by Leonard or Hearns. Both were great finishers. I really don't know. Would be interesting to write a program that takes all of these factors into consideration and spits out probable results.
As much as I admired Tszyu, I don't think he would have much of a shot. However, as a previous poster mentioned, Tszyu was deadly accurate with his punches. If Kostya would have landed the same right that Mosley landed in round 2, I think Tszyu would have had a much better chance at finishing Mayweather.
Whitaker would have proven to be a really intriguing match-up, but I think Mayweather has better defensive skills. Power goes to Whitaker, though. Whitaker was also a very adaptable fighter. I'm really not sure about this one.
I think Arguello would have been another intriguing match-up. I've effectively thrown his losses to Pryor to the wind, as Pryor had that piece of filth Panama Lewis in his corner - a man who has ended the career of many a promising fighter with his illegal tactics. Just look at what happened to Collins.

[jahmez]

I think someone who can feint right hands and follow up with a leaping left hook could hurt Floyd. SRR could do this and follow up that leaping left hook with two more, all fast and powerful. SRR had so many options offensively and if Floyd managed to close down that avenue he could revert to those beautiful right hands to the body that he threw around an opponent's guard taking away Floyd's attention from his own upper right side. Eventually, Floyd would adjust and look to counter with right hands to the head and this is where SRR could once again land left hooks. SRR was also great at jabbing while circling to his left, something that opens up angles for right hands to the body when facing an opponent with his lead should raised plus he could fight on the inside. Floyd's "shoulder roll" style was also a much more common way of fighting back in SRR's day so I think he would be the most accustomed to deal with Floyd's awkardness. Tommy's one of my favourite fighters but unless he knocked him out early I don't think he had the stamina nor variation of punches to keep Floyd from adjusting. As great as he was I always remember him jabbing looking to unload that huge right hand or throwing left hooks to the body then head which is fine from the outside but what happens when FLoyd weasles his way inside? But Tommy had that killer instinct and if he was in the same situation Mosley found himself he would've mauled Floyd till he dropped him or the ref stopped the fight. Man Mosley could've done it. It was like watching my clown of a mate on Saturday night somehow managing to get these absolute glamours up to dance with him but he just didn't make a fucking move. Frustrating shit.

[Iceman778]

i think you are right i agreed with you

[Taeth]

Well Taeth people consider Duran and Whittaker 2 of the greatest lightweights of ALL TIME.....I'm not saying he's not great but they don't say that about Floyd Mayweather Jr. and there ARE valid reasons behind that line of thinking.

They are ATGs, but Mayweather may conceivably end up a greater all time player then either of them in multiple weight classes.

I just feel Mayweather's style is all wrong for these guys. Duran would be frustrated by Floyd's movement, and when he did catch Floyd, this is a much better defensive fighter than Leonard, and I think it would tell.

The problem Whitaker would have is that his defense was largely based on reflexes and ingenuity, but I truly believe Floyd is too fast and accurate and adaptive with his punches for that type of defensive strategy. I think Whitaker being a fast southpaw with amazing skill would cause Mayweather some problems, but Floyd would keep his hands up, and catch Whitaker's punches off his gloves, then gradually integrate more and more offensive as the fight progresses similar to how he fought Judah, but I think Judah's speed and power were one tier above Pernell's.

I think Mayweather-Duran would be an incredibly tough fight because Floyd doesn't ride the bicycle like Leonard did in the second outing against Duran, but I do believe Floyd would win by a large margin against Pernell.

[generalbulldog]

Well Taeth people consider Duran and Whittaker 2 of the greatest lightweights of ALL TIME.....I'm not saying he's not great but they don't say that about Floyd Mayweather Jr. and there ARE valid reasons behind that line of thinking.

They are ATGs, but Mayweather may conceivably end up a greater all time player then either of them in multiple weight classes.

I just feel Mayweather's style is all wrong for these guys. Duran would be frustrated by Floyd's movement, and when he did catch Floyd, this is a much better defensive fighter than Leonard, and I think it would tell.

The problem Whitaker would have is that his defense was largely based on reflexes and ingenuity, but I truly believe Floyd is too fast and accurate and adaptive with his punches for that type of defensive strategy. I think Whitaker being a fast southpaw with amazing skill would cause Mayweather some problems, but Floyd would keep his hands up, and catch Whitaker's punches off his gloves, then gradually integrate more and more offensive as the fight progresses similar to how he fought Judah, but I think Judah's speed and power were one tier above Pernell's.

I think Mayweather-Duran would be an incredibly tough fight because Floyd doesn't ride the bicycle like Leonard did in the second outing against Duran, but I do believe Floyd would win by a large margin against Pernell.

At 135 or 147 against Duran?

I don't think Floyd beats Duran at all at 135, he has a chance at 147, but I wouldn't favor him.

[match]

Super Featherweight

No one.

Lightweight

Roberto Duran
Pernell Whitaker
Shane Mosley = highly debatable.
ODLH = Would be very close.

Jr Welterweight

No one.

Welterweight

Tommy Hearns
Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Robinson

Jr Middleweight

Terry Norris
Wilfredo Benitez

There are 4 fighters on this list who I don't think, but KNOW would beat Floyd at the mentioned weights: Duran at lightweight (was too much of an animal at 135), Robinson at welterweight (G.O.A.T.), and Norris and Benitez at Jr Middleweight (however that's only because Floyd clearly is too small for 154 as he showed when he weighed in 4 lbs under the limit his only fight there, he beats Benitez at every other weight). Sorry to say but of the 4 greats of the 80s Leonard is by far the most overrated. People b!tching that Floyd handpicked opponents need to first get a clue and realize Leonard was the Godfather of handpicking and dodging and maneuvering and waiting, only difference is Floyd doesn't have Angelo Dundee to cover his butt and say he instructed his fighter to wait on fighting certain people (just ask Hearns and Pryor and Hagler), and the dude flat out lost to Hagler. Also, of all the fighters mentioned only one has a GLARING weakness, and that's Hearns which is his conditioning. Match that with a fighter whose conditioning has not been surpassed by anyone and Tommy has a serious problem, not to mention I'm sick of people thinking that every single time Hearns landed his right hand he automatically just ended the fight at that moment. Yes he's pound for pound possibly the hardest puncher ever but ya'll do realize he landed it flush on several other opponents and they continued on.

[JazMerkin]

Super Featherweight

No one.

Lightweight

Roberto Duran
Pernell Whitaker
Shane Mosley = highly debatable.
ODLH = Would be very close.

Jr Welterweight

No one.

Welterweight

Tommy Hearns
Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Robinson

Jr Middleweight

Terry Norris
Wilfredo Benitez

In the main I agree with that, I think all of those COULD have beaten Mayweather (with the exception of Oscar at 135 as his opp was horrible because he was generally horribly drained).

But, tbh the only ones I think would, would be the 3 at 147 and only with Hearns would I be confident. Contrary to current wisdom, SRR could struggle with guys who could match him for speed & skill, and whilst I favour Ray to win, it would be marginal. Leonard I think might have had the same difficulties he had with Benitez at times, and over 12 rounds, I wouldn't be surprised if Floyd pulled out a narrow win. I think Hearns is all wrong for Floyd, but even then I wouldn't count him out.

He would have been competitive with all these guys, and I suspect most of them would have been with him.

[JonesJrMayweather]

Super Featherweight

No one.

Lightweight

Roberto Duran
Pernell Whitaker
Shane Mosley = highly debatable.
ODLH = Would be very close.

Jr Welterweight

No one.

Welterweight

Tommy Hearns
Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Robinson

Jr Middleweight

Terry Norris
Wilfredo Benitez

That equals smashed to fucking bits for floyd...

Even Floyd senior said "Shane used to throw punches like bam,bam,bam,bam,bam,bam,bam,bam, now he's like BOOM........Boom.......Boom"

And if the former version were in the ring last night then the third round doesn't exist....

[Beanflicker]

Super Featherweight

No one.

Lightweight

Roberto Duran
Pernell Whitaker
Shane Mosley = highly debatable.
ODLH = Would be very close.

Jr Welterweight

No one.

Welterweight

Tommy Hearns
Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Robinson

Jr Middleweight

Terry Norris
Wilfredo Benitez

Good list IMO. The only one I would argue would be Duran. Love Duran, but I think Floyd is a TERRRIBLE matchup for him, as great as he was.