Floyd Mayweather vs. Jose Napoles

Is Floyd in over his head in this one versus the boxing scientist and tough guy that many experts feel was the Greatest Welterweight Ever?

It's gonna be for 15 Rounds, not 12.

Who wins this battle of boxing masters?

 

which experts feel napoles was the greatest ever at 147? can you provide reference to a single one?

 

I'd pick Napoles but I agree with Neil, I don't know anyone that has Napoles number one

Napoles is a top 5 for sure, but the only consistent number one I've seen is Robinson

 

Naploes the greatest welter of all time? Maybe in Karl's world. A world where obviously Robinson, and Leonard don't exist.

 

I think Floyd would dominate him

 

:mut:

 

The majority of Latino sportswriters in South and Central America as well as the islands and boxing experts have Napoles rated Number One at 147 ahead of Robinson.

I'm not talking about Mexican-American sportswriters, but Latinos.

Now; bear in mind 40 years ago Napoles was discussed in identical terms when he was Champion the way Mayweather is now, and one of the boxing magazines: International Boxing, World Boxing or Big Book of Boxing took a readers' poll as to whom was the best ever at 147 and Napoles won with Armstrong runner-up and Robinson third.

Maybe 7 or 8 years later another poll was taken and this time around Robinson finished in first place with Napoles second and Armstrong third.

It's a matter of opinion and styles, and I don't think Ray's style of moving and jabbing would have worked well versus Napoles who was a superior counter puncher, particularly to the body, and a master timer.

Ray was not this invincible force he was made out to be by then Home Box Office and Larry Merchant beginning in 1979 at 147 as he received highly questionable verdicts over Fritzie Zivic, Marty Servo, Sammy Angott and Tommy Bell, to name a few that pushed him to the limit.

I think Napoles would have given him a good going over in the second half of the fight winning with several rounds to spare.

I have no problem with folks selecting Ray as the best at 147 as I know he is the general concensus pick by many, but again I don't see him beating Napoles even if he pulls out all of the stops and comes down off of his toes to trade with him, which he would have to do eventually.

The greater overall fighter historically is regarded as Robinson by most people here in the United States, but many Latinos have different opinions regarding that as they consider Duran a greater overall fighter than Ray and Napoles as the greater overall welterweight.

If I can find those back issues, I'll buy them and scan the articles and voting.

 

I stand corrected as Armstrong was named the greatest at 147 with Napoles a close second.

Robinson was named best at 147 with Duran a close second in the later one.

See how times change?

I'll post them in just a bit.

 

This is the same shit you always say about Ezzard Charles... That it is somehow Larry Merchant's fault he is (deservedly) ranked number one at 175 and that "back then" guys still had Billy Conn or whomever number one... Back then it was common for guys to pretend that Rocky Graziano was a great middleweight... we know now that that is a bunch of horseshit... Back then it was common to pretend that Joe Louis vs. a dinosaur like Jack Johnson was somehow a debate-worthy matchup... The films don't lie... Joe Louis was taking part in a different sport and would murder Jack Johnson

The films don't lie and neither do the resumes... Robinson > Napoles... Napoles was one of the all-time best at the weight but he's not greater than Robinson.

Ezzard Charles is the best 175 pounder... The resume and the films DO NOT LIE.

Now the only left is to see if you still repeat the FALSEHOOD that "there's no films of welterweight Robinson" followed by me directing you to youtube where the same films from my collection and others' collections are now there for all to see

 

I have Charles Number 2 at Light Heavyweight behind only Bob Foster and Robinson at Number 2 Welterweight Behind only Napoles.

 

I doubt I'd pick Napoles over a prime Curry, let alone a prime Robinson.

 

i still dont see any proof that napoles was voted second ahead of robinson in this poll

 

just use your X-Ray vision to see into the magazine

That's what Hegman does

 

You bunch of chicken mama's don't know Joe Naploes they way I did. Gladys!

 

OK, I just bought the damned thing.

 

You'll have to wait about a week or so.

When it comes in, I'll take a photo and post it here.

This was nearly 40 years ago when I bought this the first time.

 

this matchup has been done a million times. i'll take floyd this time

 

fair enough

I like this matchup better at lightweight. do you think it changes the outcome if they fought there instead of welter?

 

I think junior welter would be pretty ideal... Napoles fought for a long time there

 

a lot of older mexican fight enthusiasts Ive spoken to insist napoles was better as a light weight than as a welter. certainly mayweather jr was better at lightweight.

here is footage of napoles beating the fuck out of canelo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5oVr4jN7Ek&feature=player_embedded#t=165

 

I'd be extremely confident Napoles would win this. Perfect style to beat Floyd.

 

I'd pick him as well but it would be a lot of fun because they are both such great technicians

 

Man, what a hook

 

I'm one of the biggest fans of Mayweather that I know of, but I call it as I see it.

I'd still go with Napoles at 135 over him, and I'd take many lightweights over Floyd: Duran, Whitaker, Chavez, Armstrong, Ortiz, DeJesus and Arguello to name some.

I think Floyd is a truly great fighter, the best of his era but I don't see him beating Napoles at any weight.

If you look at that magazine I posted, Duran came in second in a close vote to Robinson over thirty years ago when he was riding on the same wave then as Floyd is now.

Napoles was the same way 40 years ago, so folks have a way of going with what is current and wha tis hot.

30 years in the future, some other guy is going to be spoken about in the terms that Floyd is now, it's an ongoing and never-ending cycle in boxing.

In my era, it was Napoles.

Remember the old saying "Everybody loves a winner."

When Napoles was winning all the time, he could do no wrong in the boxing world just like Floyd can do no wrong now.

Napoles' mistake was taking some bad advice and the money to challenge Monzon for the middleweight title, and I didn't give him a chance in hell in that fight as Carlos was way too big and strong and was the best fighter in the world at that time.

Napoles should have captured the jr. middleweight titles and he would have with very little problem if he wanted to move up.

 

I think I'd take Napoles at LW as well, based on the WW footage of him and the fact that he didn't really belong at WW. Would be a great fight either way. (Then again, Floyd was better at LW too)

 

I'd pick Napoles over Floyd, but he wouldn't be a lock. I wouldn't pick anybody relative to Floyd's size over him as a lock, except for Duran. I'd make Leonard, Robinson, and Hearns locks over Floyd, due to not only their talent, but the fact that they were considerably bigger and rangier than Floyd.