Could Floyd end his career as the best ever?

[Kev]

If Floyd beats Shane Mosley, and then went on to beat Manny Pacquaio where would he rank on an all time scale?

I mean to be 42-0 against such high quality opposition, with no losses, never put down, never hurt, it would be an awesome acomplishment.

Also for me the quality of opposition argument couldn't really be used against him as who else from 125-147 should he have fought?

It would be an amazing legacy in my mind. I mean no other fighter would have come close to going through an entire career, against such opposition, without ever losing a fight.

If you don't think this is the case, who would he have to fight in order to get up there, or is it simply impossible no matter what he does?

[amat]

I don't think it's possible for a fighter today to compile a resume that matches Robinson's. He beat like 9 hall of famers I think it was, I can't think of anyone who has more then 4 or 5 on their resume today. De La Hoya and potentially Mosley are the only real locks Mayweather has on his. Marquez, Castillo and Gatti are borderline candidates.

I would say he is possibly the best meaning put him in the ring with anyone and he's got a more then favorable chance to win, but his accomplishments will never stack up. Now if you talk the last 30 years then possibly.

[Taeth]

I think people dislike his style too much, and that its unlikely he will ever have to pull out the drama the other greats did in order to win certain fights. His technique is too good, and he always comes in the best shape he possibly can which makes his fights a lot less dramatic then say Ali who didn't train hard enough for guys like Frazier(and wasn't ready to face him the first time they fought).

I just think its amazing that a lot of the great fighter athletically haven't had his technical brilliance, he is unique mix of Bernard Hopkins' ring wizardy with truly elite athletic ability, and the stamina of anyone who's ever fought.

All that being said he won't ever be the top fighter p4p ever simply because guys don't like him enough. There will always be another opponent he supposedly avoided, arguements that excitement counts for where you stand on the p4p pole.

We will see after Mayweather-Pacquiao that might be the first time to future top 10 p4p'ers ever face eachother under fair circumstances. Robinson was way bigger than Armstrong who was aging, and Tunney was bigger than Zale.

[generalbulldog]

I forgot who said it, but someone here said that Roberto Duran has the greatest accomplishments of a fighter in the last 30 years or so. And I have to agree. For Floyd to be best ever, just ask yourself if he's accomplished more than Roberto Duran (a modern all time great) even if he beats Mosley and Mayweather.

My answer would be no, and Duran is a top 5 fighter of all time by many boxing publications and fans.

I may not even see someone being better than DUran in terms of skills, accomplishments and longevity in my lifetime.

[Kev]

I forgot who said it, but someone here said that Roberto Duran has the greatest accomplishments of a fighter in the last 30 years or so. And I have to agree. For Floyd to be best ever, just ask yourself if he's accomplished more than Roberto Duran (a modern all time great) even if he beats Mosley and Mayweather.

My answer would be no, and Duran is a top 5 fighter of all time by many boxing publications and fans.

I may not even see someone being better than DUran in terms of skills, accomplishments and longevity in my lifetime.

I'm not sure I honestly think Manny Pacquaio has done more than Duran now.

Duran was a great for sure but he lost the most significant fights of his career, the second fight with Leonard, was KO'd by Hearns, lost to Hagler. Manny has moved up higher in comparison from where he started and dominated the top guys.

I do think nostalgia creeps in a little bit with Leonard, Duran, Hearns and Hagler.

I actually agree with Taeth to an extent. They are rated so highly because their fights against each other were often wars and wildly entertaining.

Floyd beats his opponents with comparative ease and ironically gets downgraded because of it.

For the record I think Floyd beats Duran. Too smart to engage and let him fight his fight, he'd box him and keep away. If Kirklaind Laing could do it Floyd undoubtedly could.

[eagle]

I think we are lucky to have 2 current fighters who could or are already top 10 fighters of all time. I feel Pac has a headstart on Floyd already as he started at lower weights and has a better resume. floyds advamtage over Pac when it comes to all time rankings is that he hasnt been defeated yet unlike Manny.

Her are a couple of scenarios i think could mak either a real contender to be ranked as the greatest fighter of all time.

Manny Pac:
Fight and defeat Floyd Mayweather
Fight for a title at 154 and win.

If Manny did this it'd be titles at 8 different weight classes right? And he would have wins over 6 future HOF fighters. That stacks up well with anyone including Robinson.

PBF:
Fight and beat Shane Mosely
Fight and beat Manny Pac
fight and beat Sergio Martinez for the WBC 160 title.

This may sound a little farfetched but is it beyond possibility? Martinez is not really that much bigger than ODLH who Floyd has already beaten, altho he does have a massive reach advantage.
It would mean wins over 6 or 7 possible future HOF fighters, and the WBC title in 6 different weight classes. And most importantly an undefeated record. This too would stack up well against anyone in the history of boxing.

[generalbulldog]

I forgot who said it, but someone here said that Roberto Duran has the greatest accomplishments of a fighter in the last 30 years or so. And I have to agree. For Floyd to be best ever, just ask yourself if he's accomplished more than Roberto Duran (a modern all time great) even if he beats Mosley and Mayweather.

My answer would be no, and Duran is a top 5 fighter of all time by many boxing publications and fans.

I may not even see someone being better than DUran in terms of skills, accomplishments and longevity in my lifetime.

I'm not sure I honestly think Manny Pacquaio has done more than Duran now.

Duran was a great for sure but he lost the most significant fights of his career, the second fight with Leonard, was KO'd by Hearns, lost to Hagler. Manny has moved up higher in comparison from where he started and dominated the top guys.

I do think nostalgia creeps in a little bit with Leonard, Duran, Hearns and Hagler.

I actually agree with Taeth to an extent. They are rated so highly because their fights against each other were often wars and wildly entertaining.

Floyd beats his opponents with comparative ease and ironically gets downgraded because of it.

For the record I think Floyd beats Duran. Too smart to engage and let him fight his fight, he'd box him and keep away. If Kirklaind Laing could do it Floyd undoubtedly could.

I didn't want to turn this into a Duran thread. But Duran is arguably the greatest 135 pounder. A natural lightweight that beat a prime Leonard convincingly in their 1st fight. Floyd and Manny ain't beating prime Leonard at 147. And for sure they ain't going to beat Tommy Hearns at 147 or 154. Could they go 15 against Hagler? Remember Duran was winning that fight after 12 and would have been MW champ if it was by today's rules. He also beat a top 3 154 pounder in Davey Moore for his title. Also beat Iran Barkley for a piece of the MW title at 38.

Remember for those losses you brought up, he lost them out of his prime weight. And he started his career as a bantamweight, 118 pounds.

He didn't need to fight guys at a catchweight either or demanded all kinds of advantages in his favor like Leonard or Manny.

I used Duran because he's a modern great instead of SRR who's not considered to be a modern fighter. Ain't no modern guy has the resume or accomplishments of Duran today.

[paddy448]

If Floyd beats Shane Mosley, and then went on to beat Manny Pacquaio where would he rank on an all time scale?

I mean to be 42-0 against such high quality opposition, with no losses, never put down, never hurt, it would be an awesome acomplishment.

Also for me the quality of opposition argument couldn't really be used against him as who else from 125-147 should he have fought?

It would be an amazing legacy in my mind. I mean no other fighter would have come close to going through an entire career, against such opposition, without ever losing a fight.

If you don't think this is the case, who would he have to fight in order to get up there, or is it simply impossible no matter what he does?

i tell ya bilbo,mayweather and greatest of all time dont sit well in the same sentence within the boxing world. i voted that mayweather would be the greatest of all time if he beat both mosely and pac but would have too dominate the 154 division as well. lets get right to the point tho,if ur gonna be considered the best then that means bein better then SRR,a tough task for sure, but really none of us no the outcome of a welterweight showdown between SRR and mayweather, for all we no mayweather could beat SRR 9 times out of 10,but where so attached to the greats of old that it could blind our vision,especially if ur a young lad(like myself)where u here the older folk or boxing experts say that SRR was the best ever,ur gonna believe that. yeah its hard to admit, but we really do not no.









job bicuit (what do u expect me to say.these silly demands that u try to enforce.when i retaliate u act like a pussy,u act like u never did shit to me,im above all ur bullshit,im bigger than all that bullshit,seriously,come test me again and lets see what happens because i will die for what i believe in,and that makes me a dangerous man, if i want i can make u wish u was never born)

[X]

I think Floyd is certainly the stand out fighter of his generation. I think the guy is a fantastic fighter .... simply oodles of natural talent, but you can tell that he pits in the sweat in the gym. I had 2 questions about him - what sort of heart he had (and I think that by standing up, just, to Mosely's 2 BIG shots which would have probably ended the fight to most other fighter) and about his true punching power at welterweight (I still don't think he's a banger, but he punches hurtfully and authoritatively enough)

The guy's technique is so crystal, he doesnt fall apart or get ragged under pressure.

I think he is an all time great fighter, without doubt. The question of whether he is actually the best of all time is not answerable in my view. I'd wait for Floyd to die and then let God referee a Super Six type tournament with people like Ray Robinson, Henry Armstrong, Joe Gans, Sam Langford and those guys.

What is clear, though, is that I think Floyd would have been competitive with any welterweight in history.