Comments Thread For: Andre Ward: People Will Say Nonito's Older; He Didn't Look Old In His Last Fight

[Jim Tom]

At that age a fighter can age overnight. Boxing is a game of inches. It’s that split second loss of speed and timing that makes you cannon fodder. You could look great in sparring but come fight night you can’t get away from punches or can’t take a punch. No denying that Donaire is an old guy. He might still fight a few more fights but he isn’t the same fighter. No disrespect to Inoue who is awesome.

[Cigar]

39 is long old by boxing standards. 34 and you're out of your physical prime, thats a fact.

34, are you crazy? Your physical peak is over when you're about 25-28. Doesn't mean you can't be a better overall athlete in your 30's (many are, in fact), but physically you're not as fast twitchy, quick and athletic as you are in your mid to late 20's.

[War Room]

34, are you crazy? Your physical peak is over when you're about 25-28. Doesn't mean you can't be a better overall athlete in your 30's (many are, in fact), but physically you're not as fast twitchy, quick and athletic as you are in your mid to late 20's.

I'm not crazy and that figure is based on boxing, wear and tear etc. Not all other sports will have that same number.

[Oregonian]

39 is long old by boxing standards. 34 and you're out of your physical prime, thats a fact.

———
So why do people (haters) like saying Floyd fought a past prime Manny when Floyd was 38 and Manny was 34? Or even when he fought Canelo at 36 while Canelo was in the prime of his physical apex?

I’m not saying you are one of those, I’m being rhetorical just in case those haters pop up (and there’s a lot of them)

[War Room]

———
So why do people (haters) like saying Floyd fought a past prime Manny when Floyd was 38 and Manny was 34? Or even when he fought Canelo at 36 while Canelo was in the prime of his physical apex?

I’m not saying you are one of those, I’m being rhetorical just in case those haters pop up (and there’s a lot of them)

I am a huge fan of Floyd, let me say this first --->

Manny was definitely past his prime, but Floyd was waaaay past his own prime so it more than equally cancels itself out. I think the best Manny Pacquiao ended in 2011 and imo the best Floyd was maybe end of 2007. He took those 2 years off and came back against JMM in 2009, but his hands were well gone and he fought a very different style than he did when he was Pretty Boy as compared to Money Mayweather.

If you put prime vs prime with Floyd and Manny, Floyd knocks him out. Manny and Top Rank stalled those negotiations for years because their matchmaker Bruce Trampler; who is a genius, knew Manny could never beat Floyd.

Floyd was plenty past his prime against Canelo, it's not even a question. That's how good Mayweather was and that's how not so good Canelo was.

These fighters that are pulling off fighting past 35 to 40+ at the top level are from another era where the bar was set way higher. Manny came from an extremely competitive era, same for Floyd, same for Hopkins, same for Foreman, same for all of them that are winning at an older age. If you notice too, they're not fighting the tippy top guys either and if they are it's in a historically dead division (Hopkins), they dial it down a bit because that's how you keep winning.

Most top boxers of today wouldn't last in the 80's or even the 90's against most B level fighters, they just wouldn't.

[richardt]

will be surprised if ward rates inoue P4P#1 above his boy, crawford

Unless he has Canelo above Inoue......Canelo should still be ranked higher than Inoue.

[cacarr]

After Inoue brutalizes that Brit -- does anyone like Fulton or Akhmadaliev over Inoue, at 122?

Inoue's frame is almost a little on the small side for 118, but he hits like the harder punchers at 126.

I think he cleans out 122 without too much problem. 126 is pushing it though -- think of the reach on a guy like Navarrete. ... hmm, that would be freaking entertaining I think; Navarette's reach, and he punches from weird angles, makes me think Inoue's chin would get tested. But on the other hand Navarette is really sloppy and I see him eating some of those Inoue check lefts.

But anyhow, probably Inoue should stay at 122. I still don't know if he'll get respect from some fans, though, when he dominates there also.

[Oregonian]

I am a huge fan of Floyd, let me say this first --->

Manny was definitely past his prime, but Floyd was waaaay past his own prime so it more than equally cancels itself out. I think the best Manny Pacquiao ended in 2011 and imo the best Floyd was maybe end of 2007. He took those 2 years off and came back against JMM in 2009, but his hands were well gone and he fought a very different style than he did when he was Pretty Boy as compared to Money Mayweather.

If you put prime vs prime with Floyd and Manny, Floyd knocks him out. Manny and Top Rank stalled those negotiations for years because their matchmaker Bruce Trampler; who is a genius, knew Manny could never beat Floyd.

Floyd was plenty past his prime against Canelo, it's not even a question. That's how good Mayweather was and that's how not so good Canelo was.

These fighters that are pulling off fighting past 35 to 40+ at the top level are from another era where the bar was set way higher. Manny came from an extremely competitive era, same for Floyd, same for Hopkins, same for Foreman, same for all of them that are winning at an older age. If you notice too, they're not fighting the tippy top guys either and if they are it's in a historically dead division (Hopkins), they dial it down a bit because that's how you keep winning.

Most top boxers of today wouldn't last in the 80's or even the 90's against most B level fighters, they just wouldn't.

————
Truer words have never been spoken. I remember Freddie Roach being asked if he’d match Manny with Floyd and he said Manny wasn’t ready for Floyd. That was a couple of months after Manny had beaten Oscar and Freddie was looking for another opponent to get Manny ready for Floyd.
They picked Cotto and demanded a catchweight. I always believed Floyd would have KO’d Manny and that move just sealed it.

[TMLT87]

The guy is 39 in the lower weight classes, theres just no getting away from that. Still an impressive win for Inoue.