Official Mayweather vs. Mosley Thread: Legacy Defining

Originally Posted by abeautifulhaze

CC if Floyd beats Pac and Pun...you don't have him in your top 5 welters?

What else could he do besides that to get ranking?

He just doesn't have the needed competition..
Even with Pacquiao, I can't see him touching those on my list.

If you can present an argument that shows Mayweather bumping someone from my list,
I might change my mind.
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Originally Posted by GUNNA GET IT

Tonio starts slower than Tito ever did, Tito woulda put Margarito in a Coma

True.
I might be overestimating his chin.


You find the article?
 
Antonio Margarito would likely have been a handful for any welterweight in history. He might not have beaten all of them, but they would surely have knownthey had been in a fight.

As Saturday's big fight with Shane Mosley draws closer, here's a look at how the Tijuana Tornado might have fared against 10 former 147-poundchampions. (Names were selected not on a basis of all-time greatness, but because each of the matches would have had its own special intrigue.)
[h3]10. BARNEY ROSS[/h3]
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AP PhotoBarney Ross's slick boxing skills would have befuddled Antonio Margarito's attack.

A lightweight and two-time welterweight champion in the 1930s, Ross fought his share of tough customers, including two wins over "Fargo Express"Billy Petrolle and three over Ceferino Garcia, the bolo-punching Filipino who might have given Margarito all he could handle. He went 2-1 in a three-fightseries with vicious left-$$$#+@ Jimmy McLarnin, and, even as a faded fighter, he endured for 15 rounds against the fabulous fighting machine HenryArmstrong.

Margarito would have had the physical advantages over Ross, who was a small welterweight. Ross, though, could box very well: "a smart fellow and asmart fighter," as John Kieran of The New York Times described him. When he defeated Garcia in their title fight at the Polo Grounds in 1937 he had tosurvive a battering in the last two rounds in "as masterful an exhibition of boxing, as admirable a display of fighting courage and as determined a standas a champion has flashed in recent years," as The New York Times described the valiant victory.

With today's 12-round distance, Ross could have outscored Margarito in the early rounds and survived a late onslaught.

Pick: Ross by decision.
[h3]9. CARMEN BASILIO[/h3]
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Frank Scherschel/Time Life Pictures/Getty ImagesCarmen Basilio's hard head would have enabled him to walk through Antonio Margarito's devastating fists.

Talk about an irresistible force meeting an immovable object. Margarito and Basilio would have come together like two trucks in an alley with room for onlyone to pass. One man would have had to give ground at some point. We think it would have been Margarito. As rugged as Margarito is, he would have met his matchin Basilio, who twice stopped sturdy left-$$$#+@ Tony DeMarco in the 12th round of an all-time epic war, and defeated the incomparable Sugar Ray Robinson atmiddleweight. In his rematch with Robinson, Basilio fought the last 10 rounds with his left eye pounded, yet still made it a highly competitive fight after"one of the gamest defenses ever seen in any ring," in the words of news-agency reporter Jack Cuddy. The craggy-featured ex-onion farmer fromCanastota, N.Y., would have outfought and outlasted Margarito in a grueling war of attrition.

Pick: Basilio TKO11.
[h3]8. EMILE GRIFFITH[/h3]
A superb boxer-puncher, Griffith was a great champion as a welterweight and middleweight and a veteran of many 15-rounders. Margarito might have been thestronger man but not by much, and Griffith would have been faster and more skilled. Griffith would have had rocky moments, but he was a fighter who knew how towin long, difficult fights, although it is a tragic irony that his greatest display of boxing and punching came in the fight that ended in Benny Paret'sdeath.

Pick: Griffith by decision.
[h3]7. JOSE NAPOLES[/h3]
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AP PhotoAn early points lead would be all Jose Napoles, right, needed to cruise past Antonio Margarito.

Margarito would have been bigger, rougher and tougher, but Napoles was a masterful boxer who hit precisely and powerfully. Napoles prevailed in a long,tough fight against Ernie "Indian Red" Lopez, winning by 15th-round knockout (the rematch was easier), and the game, slugging Lopez was a similartype of fighter as Margarito, though not nearly as physically imposing.

There seems little doubt that Napoles would have dominated the early rounds against Margarito and inflicted damage. The later rounds would have seenMargarito coming on and making up leeway, but likely not enough to overtake Napoles' early lead on points. Napoles would have been very glad to hear thefinal bell, but he would likely have put enough rounds in the bank to get the verdict.

Pick: Napoles by decision
[h3]6. PIPINO CUEVAS[/h3]
This Mexican civil war would have been what the boxing fraternity calls a "fun fight," although it probably wouldn't have been much fun forCuevas. While a big hitter with the left hook, Cuevas wasn't the most durable of fighters and tended to leave himself open when launching his blows.Margarito might have had to pick himself up off the floor, but he would have ground down the smaller Cuevas, breaking his spirit and draining his resistance.By about the eighth round, the war of attrition would have tilted irrevocably in Margarito's favor.

Pick: Margarito TKO8.
[h3]5. WILFRED BENITEZ[/h3]
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AP PhotoAn expert at making opponents miss, Wilfred Benitez, right, would have racked enough points to earn the nod against the Tijuana Tornado.

There is no doubt that Benitez was a beautiful boxer. He could make good fighters look ordinary. Benitez never faced anyone quite like Margarito, though.Margarito might have floundered at times, missing and even being made to look a bit foolish, but gradually his earnest aggression and physical strength wouldhave started to catch up with Benitez, who would not have been able to keep him at bay for the whole fight. Benitez was masterful at fighting with his back tothe ropes, slipping and dodging punches and countering in a way that seemed effortless, but going to the ropes would have led to his downfall againstMargarito, who would have been throwing such a high volume of hooks and uppercuts that some surely would have connected.

Pick: Margarito KO10.
[h3]4. THOMAS HEARNS[/h3]
Margarito would have had problems against Hearns: He would have been meeting someone as tall as himself but much more skilled. Hearns would have been ableto hit Margarito all too easily with a wicked left hook as well as the missile-like right hand. If Kermit Cintron could bounce shots off Margarito's chinin the rematch, it doesn't take much imagination to picture Hearns doing the same, but with more devastating effect. Margarito would have had to walkthrough some bombs in a bid to wear down Hearns. He would have been hit too hard, too often, getting stopped before he could gather the momentum necessary forhim to be able to overpower the Motor City marksman.

Pick: Hearns TKO7.
[h3]3. SUGAR RAY LEONARD[/h3]
Leonard's speed, skill and combinations have been much praised, but it is easy to overlook the fact that, at his best, he was also a resilient,determined warrior who could rally from adversity to pull out a victory, as was famously demonstrated in his classic 14th-round win over Hearns. Leonard'sspeed and movement would have had Margarito struggling to find him in the early rounds, and Sugar Ray would have been rattling off combinations and piling uppoints. Margarito might have had his moments, perhaps getting in body punches and driving Leonard to the ropes once in a while, but overall he would likelyhave found himself perplexed and being picked apart.

Pick: Leonard by decision.
[h3]2. FELIX TRINIDAD[/h3]
This would almost certainly have ended in someone being stopped. Trinidad would have had the edge in hand speed and probably in firing power, too, withMargarito possessing a clear advantage when it came to absorbing punishment.

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Robert Sullivan/AFP/Getty ImagesFelix Trinidad, right, might've possessed blistering combinations, but his suspect chin would have let him down against Antonio Margarito.

Margarito's iron chin would have been severely tested, but his left hooks and uppercuts would have been a threat to Trinidad, who was dropped by lefthands in his fights with Yory Boy Campas and Kevin Lueshing. Margarito would probably have been the underdog, and it would have looked this way as the morepolished Trinidad unloaded blistering barrages. One big left hook or uppercut from Margarito could have turned things around in an instant, however. Withvictory in sight, Trinidad might well have been caught by a powerful left-hand blast that, in his eagerness to close the show, he wouldn't have seencoming.

Pick: Margarito KO6
[h3]1. OSCAR DE LA HOYA (AT HIS PEAK)[/h3]
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Jed Jacobsohn/Getty ImagesNo where to run: Antonio Margarito's relentless attack would have eventually worn down Oscar De La Hoya.

De La Hoya would have had the advantages in speed and talent, but Margarito might have been a nightmare for him even on the Golden Boy's best night. DeLa Hoya's late-rounds fade against Trinidad has been well-documented, and he barely beat Ike Quartey. He might have been able to outbox and outsmartMargarito to win a string of early rounds, but Margarito's incessant forward march, digging to the body at every opportunity, might have taken a toll on DeLa Hoya as the fight went deeper.

This could have been one of those fights in which the superior boxer is outlasted by the one with the greater endurance and will to win. A batteredMargarito, behind on points, could have overwhelmed a tiring De La Hoya in the home straight to score a dramatic and shocking upset.
Pick: Margarito KO12.


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Ross by UD
Basilio TKO10
Griffith KO8
Napoles UD/TKO12 by cuts (Napoles combo's were as beautiful as they were quick and accurate.)
Cuevas KO7 (Monstrous power Cuevas had, and a tough chin to boot)
Benitez WIDE UD (EL Radar makes Margocheato miss all night.)
Hearns KO 5 (No explainable needed)
SRL KO10 (He might showboat a little bit but he can take him out earlier if pushed.)
Trinidad KO6
DLH UD/TKO11 (DLH had underrated boxing skills, a;though his great left hook could take Margo out...)


Those are my picks.
 
I think the Bert Sugars of the boxing world kind of hijack boxing legacies by overromanticizing bygone eras. If Floyd can beat Pac, who is a legend in his own right, and someone as athletically freakish and tough as Williams, I have him right in the mix of SRL and The Hitman, all of who are behind SRR.

While modern era boxing is love taps compared what it was at the turn of last century...the athletes have evolved TREMENDOUSLY. I can't honestly asssess the careers of a Kid Gavilan or Jose Napoles but I try to watch as much of the archives as possible and have many classic fights on my HD, frankly...I think a lot of those fighters would get sent back to the Essence by modern era legends. Tiger Jones/Gavilan, great for their time but they fought straight up, in slow motion, no feinting, basic footwork....They were great fighters for their era but I don't see them or the fighters on their resume being greater than many of the fighters from the 80s, 90s or today.

Take a 1999 Ike Quartey and put him in the 50s he would wreak havoc. The Bert Sugars need to remain relevant somehow so they knowingly create these dusty tales that keep their value as sports historian intact but if you look at the resumes and the corresponidng tapes yourself you will see a lot of tomfoolery and amateurism running rampant. No disrspect to the legends. We can see one of a kind athletes who would be great in any era but a lot of the other names that get thrown in the mix, don't strike me as exceptional when I see their performances.
 
Those cement gloves really had cats gassed. LMFAO

Emile Griffith would put Margarito in a coma and Bentiz would pepper him with shot until he crumbled like he did against Shane.
 
Maybe it was Mosley's age and the long layoff. The three-division champion and future Hall of Famer is 38 and had not fought since his January 2009 upset knockout of Antonio Margarito to begin his second welterweight title reign. However, we elect to view it more as Mayweather's sheer brilliance than any decline in Mosley. The critics -- including a particular ESPN.com boxing writer -- can't have it both ways. We can't say that Mayweather needed to fight an elite welterweight for the first time in his career before the fight in order to get credit for his greatness and then, when he finally does, disrespect the win by saying Mosley is a shot fighter. That is not fair. So Mayweather gets the full credit he deserves for a tremendous victory. His talent was never in doubt for one second. We just wanted to see him actually do what he said he could do. And you know what? Mayweather, 33, a Las Vegas resident from Grand Rapids, Mich., looked great doing it.
 
Floyd Mayweather or Pac would be fools to hop in the ring with Paul Williams. Why would they take that risk when Paul isn't even a household name and won't generate big PPV numbers? With that being said Money showed heart in this fight because that second round looked bad for Money. Mosley is my boy but i think it's about that time to retire.
 
I can't lie, I was hyped up as well after the fight with Cotto. I thought Margarito would beat any welterweight out there outside of a PBF fight. I wasn't as hasty as the author of that article to put him up there with the greats, though.
 
if they do fight pac and floyd i wonder who they put as the favorite.... i hope its manny cuz my money is going on floyd
 
While modern era boxing is love taps compared what it was at the turn of last century...the athletes have evolved TREMENDOUSLY.

great for their time but they fought straight up, in slow motion, no feinting, basic footwork....

Perhaps the two biggest myths in boxing.

Most of the atg from those eras were technically brillant, perhaps even more so than those of today.
It's just that the video is so grainy and not as appealing (no muliple angles HD, etc) that most just assume
that fighters of yesteryear were somehow "crude".

I do agree with your part about Sugar, you seen his top 100?
Atrocious.


Here are some videos that show the brilliance of what I'm talking about.

Burley:


 
 
Rocky Marciano is also another victim of this mindset.
He is thought of as a crude wild swinging slugger, although with his crouching style
he made himself difficult to hit from long range, forcing opponents to come closer and risk getting KO'd
 
Originally Posted by FromThaTown

I say Mayweather is a punk for NOT fighting Pacman on steroids. Becuase the man has waaaaay to much skill. You may think, I'm Vietnamese, and have something aga my Filipino brothers, but I don't. I pick Mayweather b4 this fight, and after this fight. Mayweather took 2 or 3 major hits from Moseley. It's a wrap if Pacman, fight him., I',m am drunk tonight while pisting, but I need to read NikeTalk's rules. it,! Maywether will own Pacman. I give it to both, BOTH, can take punches.

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Dude said PBF needs to let Manny roid up for the fight.
 
Originally Posted by you go boy

if they do fight pac and floyd i wonder who they put as the favorite.... i hope its manny cuz my money is going on floyd

I'm no Vegas linemaker but I believe it would be something close to:

Mayweather -130
Pacquiao +100

Mayweather would be a SLIGHT favorite but it would still be close to 1/1
 
I'm on my iPhone right now so I can't really respond with a video rebtual, but if you post clips of Kid Gavilan and his fiercest adversaries, you can clearly see that there is no way that they would stand a chance in a modern day championship bout.

Boxing is all about timing, leverage and rhythm no doubt but when both men possess an elite understanding of the fundamentals, it comes down to style, brains, heart and athleticism. I don't see how Kid Gavilan or his peers could manage to beat a Sugar Ray Leonard or Floyd Mayweather.

Marciano and Joe Louis would be elite fighters in any era due to their blend of will power, ring IQ and athleticism but that doesn't ring true for all champions, from every era, in every weight class. The Philly shell defense, shoulder rolling, foot shuffling, advanced infighting, light years of advance in training regiments and nutrional enchancement. There are so many idiosyncrancies that have changed the sport and the level of competiton forever. Like all sports, boxing has evolved. Bob Cousy is an all time great NBA player but he wouldnt be fit to serve LeBron James Gatorade.
 
Originally Posted by abeautifulhaze

I'm on my iPhone right now so I can't really respond with a video rebtual, but if you post clips of Kid Gavilan and his fiercest adversaries, you can clearly see that there is no way that they would stand a chance in a modern day championship bout.

Boxing is all about timing, leverage and rhythm no doubt but when both men possess an elite understanding of the fundamentals, it comes down to style, brains, heart and athleticism. I don't see how Kid Gavilan or his peers could manage to beat a Sugar Ray Leonard or Floyd Mayweather.

Marciano and Joe Louis would be elite fighters in any era due to their blend of will power, ring IQ and athleticism but that doesn't ring true for all champions, from every era, in every weight class. The Philly shell defense, shoulder rolling, foot shuffling, advanced infighting, light years of advance in training regiments and nutrional enchancement. There are so many idiosyncrancies that have changed the sport and the level of competiton forever. Like all sports, boxing has evolved. Bob Cousy is an all time great NBA player but he wouldnt be fit to serve LeBron James Gatorade.

I hate when old people automatically assume someone from the 50's or whatever could compete with an athlete from today.
  
 
Originally Posted by abeautifulhaze

I'm on my iPhone right now so I can't really respond with a video rebtual, but if you post clips of Kid Gavilan and his fiercest adversaries, you can clearly see that there is no way that they would stand a chance in a modern day championship bout.

Boxing is all about timing, leverage and rhythm no doubt but when both men possess an elite understanding of the fundamentals, it comes down to style, brains, heart and athleticism. I don't see how Kid Gavilan or his peers could manage to beat a Sugar Ray Leonard or Floyd Mayweather.

Marciano and Joe Louis would be elite fighters in any era due to their blend of will power, ring IQ and athleticism but that doesn't ring true for all champions, from every era, in every weight class. The Philly shell defense, shoulder rolling, foot shuffling, advanced infighting, light years of advance in training regiments and nutrional enchancement. There are so many idiosyncrancies that have changed the sport and the level of competiton forever. Like all sports, boxing has evolved. Bob Cousy is an all time great NBA player but he wouldnt be fit to serve LeBron James Gatorade.

Ok rebuttal time.

Gavilan, is a complete boxer in the stylistic sense. Napoles is better as a pure technician imo, because his hooks and combination punching enable him to get more power on each individual shot as part of a combo, it's because of punching form the way i see it. Anyway, Gavilan had great outboxing ability, his jab was pinpoint, whilst his footwork was natural. He also loved to fight and mount offensive barrages, and he was relentless in that mode. The man was not a hard puncher and still battered good opposition from pillar to post when he got pissed off. They say at his peak, only Sugar Ray Robinson was a better combination puncher (at that particular time), the footage testifies to it. When he gets in close, he slices right though guys with multiple shots downstairs, 'bolo'ing' all the time. He was such a good inside man, though he just disregarded his defense at times there, his chin was granite and his durability was out of this planet. He would usually have the upper hand in such a trade off of shots because his hooks and uppercuts were fast and terribly accurate. If you stood there with him you'd likely come off second best because of this, and if you didn't close him down you could just be outjabbed.

As an extra here is the first round of Naploes-Lopez II
with my own commentary.
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Here in the Lopez fight Napoles is as graceful as you'll see a fighter.


at 1:47, 1:53, 2:15 you'll see Napoles slip the jab, always moving and jabbing all the while.
Then at 2:17, he slips yet another jab and counters with his own jab and lefthook.

Yet again at 2:29 he jabs, slips a counter jab and lands his left hook.

He slips lefthook at 2:34 as well.

He then slips a right hand, misses a right hand lead of his own and lands another left hook.

Just in the first round Napoles shows his slickness, slipping and countering, working the jab and left hook. He occasionally throw a right hand lead to set up the left hook, or a jab as well.

Also he is always wary of the ropes and tries to counter off of them to get back in the center of the ring (2:17)

This already breaks the notion that he was "fought straight up, in slow motion, no feinting, basic footwork"
 
You make some good points and cite some good examples. I really want to dig into the tapes and careers for a proper rebuttal though.

Love this kind of boxing back and forth. Gives me an idea for a thread spinoff.

NT Clash of the Eras boxing thread, complete with GIFs, videos and commentary?

Lets get it popping this week or over the weekend.
 
Originally Posted by abeautifulhaze

You make some good points and cite some good examples. I really want to dig into the tapes and careers for a proper rebuttal though.

Love this kind of boxing back and forth. Gives me an idea for a thread spinoff.

NT Clash of the Eras boxing thread, complete with GIFs, videos and commentary?

Lets get it popping this week or over the weekend.
Just have an open mind when it comes to oldtimers.
I used to think like you too, but then I began studying the hell outta fighters that seemed simple and crude and they surprised me.
 
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