2012 Pound-for-Pound List, January Edition

Ali is not “1000 times better than mayweather”. Ali was great, but Ali fought a different style all together. You’d be better off comparing Roy Jones, Jr. to Ali. They were fighters who were really good and just beating the hell out of people. Mayweather is a pure boxer who knows the sport and his opponent better than the opponent knows themselves inside the ring. Simple as that. Mayweather is 1 and Pac-Man is 2. Both absolutely amazing to watch in the ring, but if you in anyway shape or form think that Pac-Man can win a fight with Mayweather after watching all 3 Pacquiao/Marquez fights, You Are Delusional. If Marquez is able to pick apart Manny the way he has done, what makes you think Floyd won’t do the same? Plus Floyd is faster and strong than JMM. Anyways, just my 2 cents.

Thanks for commenting Dfdf. Quality of opposition is a good basis in p4p considerations. With that being said and considered, I still have Floyd as #1. Why because he’s fought better competition than Pacquiao them all. 

In boxing, it is all about the “0″, i.e., the victory. If a fighter loses, that’s not good. Therefore they pursue a rematch so that they can redeem themselves. Why would they want to redeem themselves? Because they want to win. If it was not all about victories, boxing fans would not care about Pacquiao’s current victory streak.

As a matter of fact, anytime you mention the fact that Pacquiao has lost before, the common reply is “that was a long time ago. look at what he’s doing now [winning]!” So yes, winning in the ring matters. Winning is the bottom line.

I guess the next counter argument would be “legacy/overall body of work.” Let’s look at what Manny’s, or Hopkin’s overall body of work is when you consider them as pound for pound. I get that as well. For that reason, once again, I have Floyd Mayweather Jr. #1 p4p. His overall body of work outshines Manny’s. Floyd has outperformed Manny the majority of  his career. Compubox and his final professional record proves it. 

The only opportunity Manny has to differentiate himself from Floyd is the amount of belts he’s won, 8 titles total. What’s interesting about that is Manny won eight belts because he turned pro at 106lbs. Floyd turned pro when he was roughly 130lbs. Both fighters were 106 at the age of 16. It’s common knowledge that Floyd could have won 8 belts had he decided to go pro at 16 at 106lbs.

And finally, performance and versatility. There’s no fighter in the sport who’s flat out more skilled than Floyd and it’s apparent when you look at the variety of fighters he’s faced his entire careers and bested them with a variety of skills. Manny on the other hand, still struggles with great technical boxers which means he’s skill set has more limitations than Floyd’s. That doesn’t equate to pound-4-pound #1 status. 

Pound-4-Pound means “if I take a boxer’s skill set, put it into any body type (welterweight, heavyweight, flyweight etc…) and put it up against any opposing skill set, how successful would he be?” Floyd’s skill set would be the most advanced and successful of them all. We saw what happened when Manny puts his skills against a great technical boxer 3 times. Yet Floyd’s skill set dominated the same boxer. That’s #1 P4P status.

The videos produced about Manny is only the beginning my friend. As time permits, there will be videos produced about other boxers. In the meantime, take a little of my advice and try not to interpret the current selection of videos as an indication of an some sort of underlying plot to discredit Manny Pacquiao. 

As far as my description of Mayweather’s upside/downside and your perceived bias of my position regarding Floyd’s upside/downside is concerned, always remember that I base my views on what actually happens in the ring. With that being said, I’ll gladly address the two examples (Castillo and Judah) you thoughtfully offered. 

Castillo pressured Mayweather wonderfully in their first bout. Judah troubled Mayweather with his lead right-left combo, great hand speed. Yet, Floyd solved the puzzles presented by both of these good fighters. Floyd adjusted to Castillo’s pressure beautifully and defeated him easily and convincingly. Against Zab, Floyd adjusted to Zab by occupying Judah’s lead right hand and suffocated his right hand thereby neutralizing Zab’s last resort- the counter right uppercut. 

Weakness (in boxing) refers to inadequate or defective qualities in a boxer’s skill set that is both ongoing and continuously exploited as a result of a failure to make corrections/improvements. Zab and Castillo benefited from short lived success against Floyd until Mayweather adjusted. Neither fighter was able to successfully best Floyd after he corrected the deficiencies they were exploiting. Floyd’s adjustments, and success, as noted in both fights, by definition does not satisfy the definition of weakness. 

Had Floyd continued to have trouble with Zab through 12 rounds and Castillo in their 2nd bout- never finding a way to dominate them, then yes, I’d whole heartedly agree that “Floyd Mayweather has weaknesses and it’s this, that, etc…” Unfortunately, for your example’s sake, that outcome did not occur. A total of 14 fights since his 1st bout against Castillo, Mayweather is performed impeccably in the ring. 

Being consistent, let’s see if the definition of weakness applies to Manny; Against the first 2 bouts against Marquez, Juan exploited the same deficiencies (weaknesses) in Manny’s skill set. Going into the 2nd bout, the general consensus around the boxing campfire was “this fight will be different because Manny’s a more complete fighter having so developed his right hand.” As a matter of fact, this was practically Jim Lampley’s opening statement as the opening bell sounded beginning the 1st round of the 2nd bout between Marquez-Pacquiao- and I quote “Is it round 13 of the first fight- in which case Marquez’ technical skills could be the difference? Or is a different fight because Manny Pacquiao has progressed so much as boxer and has so developed his right hand in the four years since the first fight?” 

We all know what happened the 2nd fight, Pacquiao could not dominate, ergo, solve Marquez, ergo minimize his own deficiencies. Nearly 4 years later, in the 3rd bout, Marquez gives Manny the same troubles as Pacquiao is unable to perform as brilliantly against Juan as he did against the 7 other opponents he faced between their 2nd and 3rd bouts. 

Juan’s consistent performance against Manny is two-fold in reason; (1) because Juan is a great fighter who can exploit Manny’s deficiencies, (2) because Manny has not yet learned how to correct his deficients and improve upon them. That, by definition, is weakness.

I have to give call it like it is. 42 fighters, all fighters solved. What’s even more frustrating is the process I go through to find justifiable grounds to create a “Mayweather’s Weaknesses” video. Let’s take Zab Judah vs Mayweather for instance; I’ll see the first four rounds and get excited. “Hell yah, I got something to go on”, I think to myself. But my process doesn’t stop there. I have to view the rest of the tape (fight). Then I see Floyd adjusting and ultimately solving Zab. Then I’m like “crap!” I need more than just “isolated punches or stanzas spread out among fights as moments of success against Floyd.” Because as soon as I make the video, anyone with half a brain will say “hey bro, uhhhh yeah, show us what happened the rest of the fight!” Checkmate. I’m screwed and discredited for showing “half-truths.” 

I can’t produce a video with Zab landing 4 big shots on Floyd, or Shane landing two big shots on Floyd, or Corely landing a big hook on Floyd, or Marquez’ best punch on Floyd in the 2nd round, or Castillo’s first fight again Floyd without showing the 2nd. Why? because Floyd solved them all. I wish I could do that for Manny but unfortunately, against Marquez, he has not improved upon the deficiencies that plague him today against a great technical boxer of Juan’s class.

Long winded, yes. But i’m willing to take the time out for anyone who blesses me with their time to visit my site. Thanks again for posting RS.