Ezzard wrote:Give me his top 5 wins and then let's give a mark out of 10 for each opponent on the night he fought them. Be interesting to see what people think and how opinions differ.
Edit: weird, it didn't post my bold. Not that anyone will bother with my hankesque novel. LOL.
Pretty futile exercise, Floyd's level of hate generates virtually zero objectivity. I mean there are several people in this thread that think he isn't an atg! A number is hard to craft since he's made so many very good/great fighters look pedestrian. The guy faced the best in the world for over a decade and they all were shot, cherry picked, off night, etc..?
I'll list his top 5 for me(minus the number and not in order) along with my reasoning. I'll also save his 'fans' some time and offer their rebuttal for them.
Actually, can't really narrow it down to 5. I'm not one for novels, but I'll go ahead and write one up. I wish he would have lost as much as anyone, but, much like Leonard. I have to acknowledge greatness. While I rate ray over Floyd, he's not far from that tier.
By no means am I suggesting these were all great opponents, but they're all part of the story. Pro and con. Some of the lesser talked about victories counter the long standing opinions against him. The biggest misconception is that he has no balls. Whenever he's had the occasion to nut up in a fight, he never failed to.
Genaro Hernandez
Very solid champion, I don't think he's HOF material but he may make it one day. Huge step up in class and from the first bell Floyd demonstrated that the step up wasn't in his corner. Beautiful combination punching and defense led to a corner stoppage. Later paid for his funeral to show he isn't entirely classless.
Rebuttal: Like many of these, too far down the line for the detractors to even acknowledge.
Angel manfredy
Not overly significant, but for younger fans that weren't around at the time this was considered a big test. Angel had dismantled gatti and while the prevalent thought was Floyd by decision he rolled in the ring with his rarely unveiled mean streak and demolished a guy who seemed durable if nothing else.
Rebuttal: bum
Diego Corrales
This is the perfect example of the blind criticism aimed at Floyd. Hindsight makes all of these guys out of his league(and they were) but who the hell else is he supposed to fight? Two unbeaten belt holders in the top 10 of the mythical p4p rankings is now a bullshit fight(reoccurring theme). This was the only fight he entered as an underdog and he put on one of the greatest performances in ring history. Defense, offense, power, ring generalship, killer instinct. Check in every box.
Rebuttal:Diego was elsewhere worried about his prison sentence, weight drained and uninspired. Not to mention, he was never at Floyd's level.
Carlos Hernandez
Hello adversity! Very scrappy fighter, only relevant because he fought half the fight with one hand. Pretty tough display for a pussycoward.
Rebuttal:Bum
Jesus Chavez
This was one of his more entertaining fights. I loved Chavez and he brought a ton of pressure to Floyd for really the first time. He showed the ability to dig in and fight back when someone showed they didn't give a fornicate about his skills. The skill levels were too much for Jesus and he got punished into submission. This is the kind of guy that fills up a resume like Chavez. Good solid opponent, not a world beater, but nobody to mock.
Rebuttal: Bum
Jose luis Castillo x2
One of my all time favorites and a borderline top 25-30 Lightweight. For the record, I thought Castillo edged this one. I also count good losses in a resume(no idea why everyone doesn't). This isn't the type of decision where I would just ignore the official result because it was a complete robbery. Two great fighters in a close fight. The main thing to take away is the cherry picking coward decided to give Jose an immediate rematch and conclusively prove who the better fighter was. Odd behavior for a guy that wouldn't sign to fight anyone of worth. Isn't it? No credit for fighting him, no credit for re-matching him, just no credit for anything.
Rebuttal: Castillo was robbed in the first fight and Floyd ran in horror in the second.
Demarcus Corley
Yeah, yeah, go ahead and laugh. Just another sign of his mental fortitude. Corley was the first guy to ever hurt him and he was kicking Corley's ass before the end of the round.
Rebuttal: Bum(all these 'bums' are belt holders.
Arturo Gatti
We all should have known that Gatti wasn't ever able to compete at this level, but there were a ton of fans convincing themselves that Arturo had the size and balls to slay the devil. Strangely, Gatti was intimidated before the fight ever happened. mainly significant because it was when he first began on PPV.
Rebuttal:Gatti was a punching bag, Floyd hit him with a cheap shot and he cherry picked Gatti instead of challenging Tszyu(who was out injured and had to fight Sharmba when he returned)
Zab Judah
I must admit, Zab fought much better than I expected. The 'knockdown', hand speed and shenanigans late did nothing to alter Floyd's focus. When his normal style wasn't dominant, he switched gears and walked his man down. Yet another sign that he could do everything in a ring.
Rebuttal: Zab was a mental midget who never deserved the fight after losing his previous one(valid). At the time, Floyd was 'exposed' to many.
Carlos baldomir
Lame fight, still did a good number. Significant because this was when he broke from Arum. Seems Floyd wanted to fight Oscar delahoya for 20 million and Arum told him it was a pipe dream. This was for the lineal title after all, though in modern times that and a quarter will get you a nickel imo. However, many of the lineal trumpeters were steamed at Floyd for not fighting the big bad margarito. Fact: Floyd fighting Margarito makes him resign with Arum and potentially costs him several hundred million dollars.
Rebuttal: He cherry picked the lineal title(LOL), ran the whole fight and ducked margarito.
Oscar DelaHoya
I actually won a contest doing a rbr prediction for this fight. 9-3 Floyd and he wins a SD. Heading in Oscar was the one, for many, too big and tough for Floyd. He was coasting down the stretch, Oscar had nothing for him. Early jab success was taken away with counter right hands. That's why Oscar stopped throwing it!
This was the birth of 'Money'. Hell yes he was the B side, but he generated a million more buys than anyone else Oscar fought.
Rebuttal:These can range from oscar won, oscar was shot, Floyd was afraid of a rematch, etc...
Ricky hatton
Undisputed, undefeated Jr Welterweight Champion vs Undisputed, undefeated Welterweight champion with both universally considered in the top 5 p4p? Yay, right? Ummmmm, not now. Floyd tried to fight Ricky at 140, but Hatton declined. The 7 pounds probably helped Ricky more than Floyd anyway, as he drained much more to make weight. Decent fight, great performance ended with a check hook.
Rebuttal: Hatton was a caveman who was forced to fight out of his natural division(LMAO). Floyd should have fought him sooner.
JMM
I would hope since this is BOTP, we all can appreciate a Lightweight champion moving up to fight the recognized top Welterweight? Anyway, Marquez showed he could handle the weight by beating manny twice here. This is one of the more overlooked performances in history, no ring rust and impeccable timing against an ATG. The whole weight fiasco is on marquez, all he had to do was turn down the money and Floyd would have had to cut the two pounds.
Rebuttal: Marquez was a blown up Lightweight and Floyd cheated to cut weight. Amusingly, the one thing I suspect that nobody talks about is I have an inkling that Floyd joined the PED world during his retirement to come back and clean up the sport. The gains from that stuff don't evaporate nearly as quickly as most fans think.
Shane Mosley
Welterweight Champion coming off one of his best wins. Two top 5 p4p fighters. Shane clearly had lost a step by now, doesn't make it the wrong fight to make. If he didn't make it, it would loom large on his 'ducking' list. Floyd was hurt the worst of his career in this one, and, again, by the end of the same round he was walking Shane down and whipping his ass. Anybody remember years earlier when Floyd challenged Shane and Mosley had a loose tooth? Or when Floyd wanted to fight him at 135 and Shane rightfully pursued Oscar instead? Yeah, didn't think so.
Rebuttal: Shane was a broken down fighter, Floyd cherry picked the lineal title(again LOL) and he should have fought him earlier. From this point on, you can just add ducked Pacquaio to all of these.
Miguel Cotto
I anticipated a good fight, and we got one. Cotto is a sure fire HOF fighter who had the size advantage. Floyd stood his ground and showed off his countering in a fight that was worth the money(a rarity, but that doesn't matter in terms of resume. Another fighter Floyd wanted to fight at 140, but Arum determined Miguel wasn't ready.
Rebuttal: FLoyd should have fought him at 140, Margarito ruined Cotto
Canelo Alvarez
Giving up 20 pounds to a prime, undefeated, Jr Middleweight? Big challenge? This is the guy, right? LOL, how anyone thought Alvarez had a chance is beyond me. He's not a pressure fighter and nobody in history is beating Floyd in a slow paced countering fight. Does that mean it isn't a big feather in his cap to completely tame the beast?
Rebuttal: Floyd made him drain 2 pounds and Canelo was too green. If he fought him NOW! Oh boy, Canelo would teach him a lesson.
Marcos maidana x2
A bigger, and closer, version of the Chavez fight. Marcos was another I don't give a fornicate if I look foolish at times, I'm winging. Again, even at the older age, Floyd responded with sharp counter-punching to clearly win imo. That being said, it was his second closest fight and he again delivered an immediate rematch that he won comprehensively.
Rebuttal:Don't hear too much on this one, lets say Floyd should have hit Maidana's face with his gloves more.
manny Pacquaio
fornicate both of these guys for this taking so long. Both were past their best, but still among the best in the world. Floyd clowned him. I'm sure if Pac would have knocked him out everyone would have acknowledged that Floyd was on the downside? LMAO
Rebuttal: Manny was hurt, manny was shot, Floyd ducked him for 40 years, he's the antichrist and the one guy who was always supposed to be the one was just another one.
Conclusion ATG, no matter how you cut it. Other than Ali and Holyfield, I can't think of many that you can't offer a single name that they 'should' have fought. Irrational navigating can sully most any resume. Guys like Grandberry can pick apart Ali's opposition much like people do Floyd's. Don't be a Grandberry, give the man his due.
Rebuttal: fornicate Floyd, he's a cherry picking coward that never fought anybody