Fights that DID take place, but you wish they hadn't...

That's what I figured. I guess I'd have to toss in PBF/Gatti then too for the same reason.

PBF/Hatton wouldn't count except that it occurred at 147 where Hatton had already proven he wasn't effective.

Thinking back, PBF really has cherry-picked his way through 140 and 147.

 

I'd hardly call Judah, Hatton, Dela Hoya and undisputed champ, Baldomir, "cherry picking". Also Shane Mosley was considered his biggest challenge not-named-Pacquiao when he fought him. Also Loveland, had Floyd fought and dominated Pacquiao, you would have found and excuse sounding like (Pacquiao was a former flyweight who already lost to Morales and arguably Marquez).

 

You must be Slystaff.

 

I'm Destruction and Mayhem and that's the name that you must get used to. :hammert:

 

I think quitting after the Manilla fight makes a difference. Look at interviews with Ali around that time then before the Holmes fight. HUGE difference.

Funny you bring up Ali...since meeting him I've watched a ton of his fights. Watched the Cleveland Williams fight then sadistically watched the Holmes fight. Was like two different people.

There's a point just before the fight starts, the ref clears the ring...Ali's playing like he wants at Holmes. The ref puts his hand on Ali's chest and knocks Ali off balance to the point Ali needs the ropes to steady himself.

Just before the bell rings, Ali stumbles a bit...grabs the ropes to steady himself again. It's amazing how anyone could see or hear him in that condition and allow him to spar let alone fight. It's really sad.

There's also a point in "When We Were Kings" where Ali's talking about fighting George...asking what there's to be afraid of...he throws a few punches and his right arm you see it tremble...starts at the shoulder. Obvious early signs of Parkinson's then.

Pretty sure I read once that prior to the Holmes fight when asked to spread his arms then touch his nose, he'd poke himself in the eye...when he managed to touch his face.

he would have had issues if he'd stopped after the Manilla fight but perhaps not as severe as what he has now. It was great to say I met him, but again...very sad by the same token.

 

The "Hatton was ineffective at 147" line is bullshit. All it meant for Hatton was that he had to boil off 7 lbs less than he normally did, which could only help him. He came in at the exact same weight he did when he was at 140. And like he kept pointing out himself before the fight, he was naturally bigger than Floyd.

Floyd signed to fight Judah before he lost to Baldomir, btw. He also fought Shane Mosley in a fight that a lot of people picked against him in. I wouldn't really say he's cherry-picked. Not on the level of Manny Pacquiao, at least.

 

Whitaker/Bojorquez

 

Well said.

 

Outside of Lewis and Klitchkos, I would favour the 2001 Heavyweight phenom Jones over any guy you listed here. He was still insanely fast, and had good enough power (underated) to break the Ruiz' face and make him fight SCARED for 12 rounds, the same Ruiz that went on to win belts and give tough neck and neck fights to guys like Holyfield, Rahman, Golota, etc.. Roy dominated this guy with EASE.

When he made the cut, we knew it was dangerous before hand, he looked drained in the pre-fight, looked drained and slow in the ring, and barely eeked a win over a guy he would have made look sub club-level 2 years earlier. Roy at 205 had way more power, way more speed and way more stamina than Post-205 175 Roy.

I was dying to see him fight a couple more heavies before he made a moronic decision to shit all over his career and cut 30 lbs of solid roid muscle.

 

says who??? I, and dozens of others around here, correctly saw that as an easy mismatch pitting Floyd against an old, tired fighter

 

out of curiosity, what was your prediction going into the mosley margarito bout?

 

Honestly, says most everyone going into the fight. Most liked that matchup and gave Floyd credit for taking the fight... probably around an 85-90% clip

 

Outside of Pac, who was a bigger welterweight challenge at the time? Mosley had previously destroyed Margarito.

 

Mosely was old and that was pointed out beforehand. He was also a legitimate challenge and still effective in his division. Shane was a good fight for Floyd to take.

 

Mosley was a good win, but the only meaningful win for Mayweather in the past 36 months.

Mayweather has wasted much of the last 3 years, once he got into the position where he was popular enough to demand fights, so fuck him for that.