Every boxer has a couple of opponents that they should have faced in their career's, but Mayweather has way too many.
This is a great question, i normally come here just to read and be updated with the latest boxing issues. I cannot pass this q without my own answer. Imo mayweather is a class of his own, no he is not a punk even if we're to compare him to duran and armstrong, skillset or record or competition. I mean floyd may be acting as a punk but we all have to agree that the guy is talented. Regardless, duran or armstrong is on another level, both will beat floyd anytime in lightweight or welterweight. Sean g is a knowlegable contributor but i have to disagree that floyd will beat duran. Comparing sugar ray to floyd to beat duran is out of line. Duran is not all about offense, i think his defense is underrated plus the fact that floyd cannot hurt him at his strongest punches but duran will disfigure him even in the early rounds, as duran mentioned, floyd will be just another boxer during his time. as for hank armstrong, he is the stronger, faster, more athletic version of pacquiao, if floyd doesnt wanna fight manny...i cannot imagine floyd wanna mix it up with armstrong.
nice little debate going on here.here's what i think
mayweather isn't a punk for being money driven.he is a punk for avoiding the best on too many occasions and having a ignorant attitude at times.the likes of duran and armstrong had more of the warrior spirit and were less wfraid of losing than floyd is and that is why he falls way short of thesr guys in the rankings but maybe not talent.i think it could be argued that floyds talent is right up there with these 2
for me,mayweather wouldn't of taken duran at lightweight but he would have a great chance to do so at WW
Mayweather is a wonderful boxer, and has tremendous defensive skills. He is also wise enough to know his own limitations. That is the reason he has not taken on all comers. He does not want to lose, and he does not want to get hurt. This is no secret, as he himself has said this.
The point is that if he wisely dodged Pac, he would do the same with other historic fighters. So he would not fight either of those you mention. He would play it safe.
I hope that answers your question, as I am not sure what a "straight punk" means.
People misread your question on purpose because their goal is to discredit his legacy. They think every ATG will beat him.
BQ: Floyd mayweather is a safety first fighter but Roberto duran was a warrior. However, I think mayweather will win because he is a technician. It will be 50-50 fight but I favor the boxer with the better skills.
EDIT: Robert duran had skills but Floyd mayweather is better.
If anybody think that mayweather could beat duran is delusional...He is scared to fight margarito, pacquiao and now he is beating duran...hahahahhahahhahahhahaha...Please stop kidding me...
Duran will beat mayweather, and would destroy his shoulder roll...Only real flomo think mayweather is better than leonard hahahah...
No, but you are! Have you ever boxed, 'Richie Rich?" Oh, and Manny Pacquiao was in such a hurry to fight Canelo, Paul Williams, prime Cotto, prime Mosley.
agreed, floyd got talent, but duran can box too, he can surely get in and deliver his package, not to mention the legend is a beast w/ a granite chin while floy got brittle hand
Mayweather is an ATG but Duran and Armstrong are a different breed. They were monsters in the ring and natural born fighters. Mayweather is more of a business man.
The Ring, the International Boxing Research Organization, ESPN & Bleachers all have Duran & Armstrong in their top 10 p4p fighters of all time, Sugar Ray Leonard is a top 20 in all of their list [not top 10], Mayweather is a top 30 in their list [and will likely retire a top 20].
Armstrong was undisputed champion from 126lbs to 147lbs and everywhere in between, some say that he was even undisputed at 160lbs but got robbed. Armstrong defended all of those titles simultaneously, only Bob Fitszimmons 1 century ago was ever undisputed champion in so many divisions, Armstrong dodged NO ONE. Being an undisputed champion means you whopped all paper title holders, no dodging or no business disagreements preventing fights.
Duran is arguably the best lightweight in history, he went up in weight with over 70 pro fights [beat goods] yet he beat Leonard at 147lbs, he later beat Barcklay who kayod Hearns at middleweight [unlike Leonard, who dodged Barklay btw] and Duran also whopped guys and did good against men who kayod Leonard like Camacho. He kept competing against likes of Pazienza and many others, Duran fought for 50 years!
Duran did NOT dodge Pryor, Duran went up to 147lbs to whop Leonard in June 1980, Arron Pryor was not only smaller but he didn't even have a world title in ANY weight division at that time. Duran went up to fight the prime middleweight king in Hagler and he even fought lightheavyweights, no way in hell he dodged the smaller midget who didn't even have a title in Pryor.
@Sean,
Duran was beat goods y the Leonard fights, in the second fight he was undertrained and Leonard is a big man with speed who kayod lightheavyweight champion Lalonde, he is WAY bigger than Mayweather. I don't see prime Duran having problems with Floyd.
Mayweather would have beaten Duran! That's right! I said it! Leonard boxed and moved and used his legs and speed to make Duran stop... Floyd is as fast and even more elusive than Leonard.
Armstrong is before my time, so it's hard for me to speak of him.
No one who has fought 45 professional fights, 20 of them vs champions...many against bigger men...is a punk or coward.
The fact is Floyd is the best fighter of our time and is the biggest draw in the sport. There is no way he could have fought everyone haters think he should have fought. And why should he want to please haters. Fans he should care about (not that I think he really does either), but he certainly shouldn't try to please people who only want to see him lose. That is impossible, without losing. Every defeated foe become an easy opponent...
Most if not all fighters are liable to duck at least once in their career, for example Robert Duran paid Aaron Pryor step aside money, but Mayweather's list of fighters that he could have fought but didn't is shocking. There's always an excuse not to take a dangerous fight for him. Is Mayweather a punk compared to Arstrong and Duran?
