Comments Thread For: Andre Ward: Expected More From Mayweather, Showed His Age

[Eff Pandas]

I didn't even think he'd stop him tbh.

I think he was defensively careless on purpose, because McGregor's technique is so bad, he was not concerned with those badly thrown punches.

What I did see is that Floyd's offense was not very good. Yes he picked it up in the 9th, and stopped him in the 10th. But there were times were McGregor was hard to hit for Floyd.

Also, I believe Floyd when he said to Jim Gray that McGregor is better than he thought. I really believe Floyd was surprised that McGregor had a little bit of defensive skills and Floyd did have some issues trying to land.

I pretty much agree with all of this. Except I did think Floyd would get the KO not cuz of Floyd's offense, but because of Conor's gas tank. I thought most boxing fans had no clue as to Conor's gas tank issues, which is a problem in his chosen profession so for sure it was gonna be a problem in a new world of a longer duration.

And Floyd's offense has always been based upon counter punching & this fight was him coming forward so its kinda to be expected his offense wouldn't be tip top fighting in a uncharacteristic way to how he's been fighting along with the lack of fighting at all for the last 2 years along with the alleged lack of sparring due to the minor hand injury Floyd said he had. So that being the case I wouldn't disagree Floyd's offense wasn't great by any means, but strategy & reality taken into account it'd be surprising if it was super impressive or even just on point & not rusty & lacking the same confidence he has in his countering + pot shoting strategy he's employed for years.

[Dip_Slide]

Floyd been clearly showing his age since the Cotto fight, I think the first 5 rounds of this fight was the last time Floyd Mayweather fought like the Floyd Mayweather of old. But despite him declining he still had enough in the tank and he was smart enough to beat current younger, bigger world champions.

The decline is also understandable since he's been fighting at a top competitive international level since he was 17-18 years old and he never lost. Just imagine how many miles he ran, how many rounds he hit the bag, how many rounds he sparred through the years, this takes a whole lot out of you. So physically it's clearly understandable, mentally too as he accomplished everything and he made enough money that his great grand kids are set for life with everyone around them, never understood how he still managed to be motivated enough to train and fight the way he did for the last 7-8 years.

Only objective fans noticed that decline, haters and biased fans think that Floyd was some kind of a superhuman that never ages. He aged but he was smarter than the previous champions who fought past their prime and lost because he was TRUTHFUL to himself, when the speed and power weren't there anymore he abandoned relying on them and used what he still had: smarts and experience! and when he felt that this wasn't enough to compete at the top level he just retired. Many fighters are too proud to do that, many fighters never had the fundamentals nor the ring IQ to fall back on once the physical gifts faded, he did and that's why he's a special ATG fighter.

[Devils Advocate]

Floyd has retired 3 times now. Just saying

[_Maxi]

Everyone calm the **** down. Floyd didn't start fighting seriously until 4th or 5th round. Ward can't be this ******, he knows it.

[Devils Advocate]

Yep. Anyone who's been around for the whole Floyd Mayweather show has seen him develop into the guy who destroyed Diego Corrales, which may have been the peak of his powers, & eventually start declining to the pot shoting PPV king of boxing version of Floyd that we saw retire for a third(?) time yesterday. If you don't notice that you are selectively seeing sh^t or just in denial.

Some people seem to think Floyd is some superman who never ages. Floyd is just a man like everyone else here whos put in a ton of work to get where hes gotten to, but the body don't give a f#ck about that. Floyd like Bhop & Klitschko & some others here & there in various eras already double crossed mother nature to be performing at a high level past the age of 35 when so many great fighters in history were shot to sh^t & not even a shadow of themselves at a younger age. You can't double cross mother nature forever as Bhop & Klitschko will tell you from outside the ring where Bhop fell & with a neck thats now 2 inches longer from that video game uppercut Joshua hit Klitschko with.

Your message had me in tears bro!! BHOP outside the ring and klitschko neck being 2 inches longer! Classic!

[biraboyz]

No doubt. Floyd didn't even punch Conor in his giant Irish balls even once. I mean how do you miss such a huge target even at 40 years old?!?!

he did, in the round where Floyd complain for a low blow :blow:

[TheThirdEye]

Very accurate take by ward. He really knows his stuff. Great ti listen to when he talks boxing

Ward is just a hater, wishing to have the "next floyd mayweather" reputation on his back. Andre Ward wants that money shine, I mean he would like to taste some of those hundred millions per fights. But his boring style doesn't sale.
Not to mention, if Ward's not reacting from Stevenson tw*tter quote: (Ward is wasting my time); it means Ward is really ducking Stevenson.
According to Ward, if Mayweather's 40 and show his age, why he doesn't setup a fight against OLD 40 years old Stevenson, to easily become Undisputed. Ward is just a hater, it's all talk; Mayweather had his game plan, and Ward knows. Look Mayweather face after this fight, and look Ward face after his fights.
Ward is playing with people...

[cameltoe]

I didn't even think he'd stop him tbh.

I think he was defensively careless on purpose, because McGregor's technique is so bad, he was not concerned with those badly thrown punches.

What I did see is that Floyd's offense was not very good. Yes he picked it up in the 9th, and stopped him in the 10th. But there were times were McGregor was hard to hit for Floyd.

Also, I believe Floyd when he said to Jim Gray that McGregor is better than he thought. I really believe Floyd was surprised that McGregor had a little bit of defensive skills and Floyd did have some issues trying to land.

All of this, plus I'd add in the size and reach disadvantage. Floyd did struggle with distance early, a large part is obviously age and ring rust, but I also felt it was sheer size and reach difference that caused him issues too.

[SugarRayCurtain]

Hes old and not as sharp but Floyd was forced to be offensive and even then he wasnt that accurate
Connor was just a lot better than he thought, he fought tall and while his chin was up in the air his head was far back. Hard to counter someone like that.

Ward although not as defensively blessed as Floyd is a better offensive fighter who can stalk and fight on the inside more effectively

[Reloaded]

Hes old and not as sharp but Floyd was forced to be offensive and even then he wasnt that accurate
Connor was just a lot better than he thought, he fought tall and while his chin was up in the air his head was far back. Hard to counter someone like that.

Ward although not as defensively blessed as Floyd is a better offensive fighter who can stalk and fight on the inside more effectively

How can he be forced to be offensive when he said before the fight that's what he will do, appears to me to be more his choice than forced.

Floyd has so many dimensions he choses the way he wants to fight.