the mayweather double standard
I’m a big Mayweather fan but more importantly I’m just a huge boxing fan. I think Floyd as he has moved up the weights has developed a style which many would describe as ‘boring’ and due to his big mouth many people unfairly criticise him as ducking the best fighters of his era, which for my money is way off the mark.
When Floyd was down at 130 and 135 he fought the best guys out there bar none, including Hernandez, Manfredy, Corrales, Chavez, Castillo and N’dou. After struggling with Castillo in their first fight he had the balls to take him on again and proceeded in thoroughly outclassing him. This segment of his career clearly highlights that he had total belief in his ability and that he didn’t duck anyone.
After dominating at super-feather and lightweight he moved up and won another championship at 140 against Gatti. Gatti was the champion albeit not a great one. This is where the accusation of ducking began. In and around this time their was Tszyu and Hatton who had just fought for light welterweight supremacy. I can’t see how anyone could say that Mayweather ducked either of these two fighters. Tszyu got beat my Hatton who got whooped by Mayweather thus destroying any arguments that Floyd was ducking anyone at 140. Tszyu never once called out Mayweather, plus if Floyd had destroyed Tszyu when he was 35 he would no doubt have been accused of beating a ‘shell’ of the once great fighter. Therefore based on facts up till 140 he hadn’t ‘ducked’ anyone.
When Floyd moved up to 147 he fought Zab Judah who was at the time considered a top fighter. When Zab lost to Baldomir everyone criticised Floyd for not fighting Baldomir because he was the best fighter. Floyd beat both fighters thus in theory dispelling any notion of him ducking the best guys. After becoming the lineal champ he was then criticised for not taking on people like Margarito, Cotto and Mosely. Mosely had already rejected an offer to fight Floyd and was at the time fighting Vargas at 154 so I find it laughable to even suggest he was ducking Mosely when it is well known that Mosely avoided Floyd. I found the Margarito accusations really ******, here was a guy who had lost multiple times to lesser fighters, had only just won against the unheard of Clottey (at the time) because of Clottey suffering hand injuries and had only ever held the WBO belt and had made no effort to unify the division. Arum created this rumour of ducking Margarito because he was bitter that Floyd had left him, everyone knows if there was money on the table Floyd would of beat this guy easy. Ask yourselves people was Aaron Pryor better than Antonio Margarito? Was Joe Calzaghe better than Margarito? I hope the answer is yes in both cases. We wouldn’t suggest that Leonard or Jones Jnr were ducking these two fighters who are clearly way ahead of Margarito but when it comes to Floyd he is seemingly avoiding any run of the mill character who was currently rated as a ‘champion’.
Finally Miguel Cotto probably has the strongest argument for me that he was being ducked but that isn’t saying much. Cotto by mid 2007 had Zab Judah as his biggest win, had struggled at various times during his career with lesser fighters and then proceeded in winning an extremely close decision against Mosely. The only thing Floyd would get out of winning him is the fact he could state he took away his undefeated record that’s it. Instead he gave up all the advantages travelled to 154 and beat a HOF’er which history will show is much more important than beating good contenders of the time. Ask Marciano whose greatest victories are against all older fighter yet he is considered and All time great. Cotto had never made an effort to unify his division yet he was never accused of ducking. The problem is whatever Floyd does he always seems to be accused of ducking, its always a catch 22.
After beating two guys Hatton and De La Hoya, who many thought would beat him he left the ring never having lost and winning in multiple weight divisions achieving something no one else has done. Yet that wasn’t enough. Now he is coming back off an 18 month yr layoff against the current No2 pound for pound and he is being heavily criticised for ducking Mosely and Cotto which is as explained above is laughable. If he beats Mosely he will be criticised for beating him when he’s too old and if he beats Cotto people will say that Cotto was not a great fighter.
Pacman (one of my other favourites) beats Diaz and its known as a pugilistic masterpiece but when Mayweather faces Gatti and puts on a better performance in my opinion against a more durable guy its given little to no credit. Pacman faces both Morales (Bout 3) and Barrera (Rematch) when they are past their prime and is rightly applauded for his victories yet when Floyd faces ODH at 154 (once giving away all the advantages) people suggest that had ODH been in his prime he would of beaten the hell out of Floyd (with his left jab). I find this comical an old Morales beat PACMAN in 2005 what do you think a young Morales would of done to him then? We tend to give people like Hopkins and PacMan huge credit for their wins because they have lost. If Hopkins had not lost to Calzaghe and Taylor the Pavlik win would not have that big. But the fact he lost made it big because he was the underdog. How can Floyd have such a big win? He is always the favourite.
There is just too many double standards when it comes to Floyd. I really don’t understand what he can do if there is even anything he can do because it seems to me his boxing fate is written and it he doesn’t seem to be destined as an all time great.
not sure how i feel about this one. good read none the less. but seems to be more of the same recycled material.
When Floyd was down at 130 and 135 he fought the best guys out there bar none, including Hernandez, Manfredy, Corrales, Chavez, Castillo and N’dou. After struggling with Castillo in their first fight he had the balls to take him on again and proceeded in thoroughly outclassing him. This segment of his career clearly highlights that he had total belief in his ability and that he didn’t duck anyone.
After dominating at super-feather and lightweight he moved up and won another championship at 140 against Gatti. Gatti was the champion albeit not a great one. This is where the accusation of ducking began. In and around this time their was Tszyu and Hatton who had just fought for light welterweight supremacy. I can’t see how anyone could say that Mayweather ducked either of these two fighters. Tszyu got beat my Hatton who got whooped by Mayweather thus destroying any arguments that Floyd was ducking anyone at 140. Tszyu never once called out Mayweather, plus if Floyd had destroyed Tszyu when he was 35 he would no doubt have been accused of beating a ‘shell’ of the once great fighter. Therefore based on facts up till 140 he hadn’t ‘ducked’ anyone.
When Floyd moved up to 147 he fought Zab Judah who was at the time considered a top fighter. When Zab lost to Baldomir everyone criticised Floyd for not fighting Baldomir because he was the best fighter. Floyd beat both fighters thus in theory dispelling any notion of him ducking the best guys. After becoming the lineal champ he was then criticised for not taking on people like Margarito, Cotto and Mosely. Mosely had already rejected an offer to fight Floyd and was at the time fighting Vargas at 154 so I find it laughable to even suggest he was ducking Mosely when it is well known that Mosely avoided Floyd. I found the Margarito accusations really ******, here was a guy who had lost multiple times to lesser fighters, had only just won against the unheard of Clottey (at the time) because of Clottey suffering hand injuries and had only ever held the WBO belt and had made no effort to unify the division. Arum created this rumour of ducking Margarito because he was bitter that Floyd had left him, everyone knows if there was money on the table Floyd would of beat this guy easy. Ask yourselves people was Aaron Pryor better than Antonio Margarito? Was Joe Calzaghe better than Margarito? I hope the answer is yes in both cases. We wouldn’t suggest that Leonard or Jones Jnr were ducking these two fighters who are clearly way ahead of Margarito but when it comes to Floyd he is seemingly avoiding any run of the mill character who was currently rated as a ‘champion’.
Finally Miguel Cotto probably has the strongest argument for me that he was being ducked but that isn’t saying much. Cotto by mid 2007 had Zab Judah as his biggest win, had struggled at various times during his career with lesser fighters and then proceeded in winning an extremely close decision against Mosely. The only thing Floyd would get out of winning him is the fact he could state he took away his undefeated record that’s it. Instead he gave up all the advantages travelled to 154 and beat a HOF’er which history will show is much more important than beating good contenders of the time. Ask Marciano whose greatest victories are against all older fighter yet he is considered and All time great. Cotto had never made an effort to unify his division yet he was never accused of ducking. The problem is whatever Floyd does he always seems to be accused of ducking, its always a catch 22.
After beating two guys Hatton and De La Hoya, who many thought would beat him he left the ring never having lost and winning in multiple weight divisions achieving something no one else has done. Yet that wasn’t enough. Now he is coming back off an 18 month yr layoff against the current No2 pound for pound and he is being heavily criticised for ducking Mosely and Cotto which is as explained above is laughable. If he beats Mosely he will be criticised for beating him when he’s too old and if he beats Cotto people will say that Cotto was not a great fighter.
Pacman (one of my other favourites) beats Diaz and its known as a pugilistic masterpiece but when Mayweather faces Gatti and puts on a better performance in my opinion against a more durable guy its given little to no credit. Pacman faces both Morales (Bout 3) and Barrera (Rematch) when they are past their prime and is rightly applauded for his victories yet when Floyd faces ODH at 154 (once giving away all the advantages) people suggest that had ODH been in his prime he would of beaten the hell out of Floyd (with his left jab). I find this comical an old Morales beat PACMAN in 2005 what do you think a young Morales would of done to him then? We tend to give people like Hopkins and PacMan huge credit for their wins because they have lost. If Hopkins had not lost to Calzaghe and Taylor the Pavlik win would not have that big. But the fact he lost made it big because he was the underdog. How can Floyd have such a big win? He is always the favourite.
There is just too many double standards when it comes to Floyd. I really don’t understand what he can do if there is even anything he can do because it seems to me his boxing fate is written and it he doesn’t seem to be destined as an all time great.
not sure how i feel about this one. good read none the less. but seems to be more of the same recycled material.
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