By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing
Hall of Fame broadcaster Colonel Bob Sheridan has called fights featuring the greatest world welterweight champions including Sugar Ray Leonard (36-3-1, 25 KOs), Roberto Duran (103-16, 70 KOs) and Tommy Hearns (65-5-1, 48 KOs) in world title bouts. He says they would have defeated future Hall of Famer Floyd Mayweather Jr. (50-0, 27 KOs) inside the distance.
“Take Sugar Ray Leonard and Floyd Mayweather Jr. in their primes and there is no question that Leonard had the more powerful punch. Sugar Ray was as good on his feet as Floyd was on his feet. With the power of punch that Sugar Ray had, Floyd would not have had a chance in that fight. In every respect, Mayweather doesn’t measure up to Leonard. The accumulation of punches that Sugar Ray lands would wear Floyd down. Sugar Ray stops Floyd inside seven rounds.
“Roberto Duran would have chased Floyd Mayweather down and trapped him in the corners and on the ropes of the ring. Roberto was the greatest lightweight who ever lived but he was also a great welterweight who was in the same class as Sugar Ray Leonard. Floyd was good on his feet and would be running all the time. Duran was a great body puncher who would hit Mayweather with solid shots to the liver and Floyd is going down. Roberto would have stalked him and knocked him out in three rounds.
“Tommy Hearns would punch too hard for Floyd Mayweather Jr. and would stop him inside three rounds. In his prime, Hearns was a helluva puncher, and relentless. The Tommy Hearns versus Marvin Hagler fight was the greatest three rounds in boxing history.”
Woulda Coulda Shoulda. Too bad we will never know. Maybe this makes all the Floyd haters feel a bit better today.
Floyd was safe & Soft, Boychik.
Floyd also has a few decision wins that he, in reality, lost, Boychik.
Hearns, Leonard, and Duran would also all defeated Floyd Jr. Leonard beat his dad’s ass, and Leonard would have beaten his ass too.
Speaketh … Mort.
Boychik, I almost forgot. Hagler would have sent Floyd Jr. to the hospital. And not for stitches, Boychik.
Hagler is 2X his size Mort.. Curtis Parker and James Kinchen would sent him to the hospital also.. inarticulate observation. As hard as it is to digest, he didn’t lose any decisions, Castillo and Maidana were close fights, but those guys didn’t beat him and neither came even close in the rematches.
Ali would have beat Floyd too. So what
Bob Sheridan is spot on here!
NJ Boxing please get little Floyd’s nut sack out of your mouth already.
I’m not a Floyd fan, but I can’t deny his talent.
It’s all speculation really, but I Think the Bob S is largely talking BS.
You can argue either way in these match ups, but Floyd being KO’d by all, when he’s never been KOd during his entire career sounds like wild BS to me.
I think he could not escape Hearns and would be KOed
Leonard would make him fight and … think he would hurt him a few times and probably stop him
but Floyd is best managed fighter ever
Lol actually we do know what would happen logically. If you honestly think Floyd Mayweather could beat or avoid being knocked out by Tommy Hearns then you should stop watching boxing asap.
Jake paul would whoop him too
The “colonel” is about as equipped to be a credible boxing prognosticator as Colonel Sanders. Never considered him a serious source of boxing information. For the life of me I can’t see how he has maintained any semblance of relevancy. This mind bending ignorant dribble solidifies it.
All 3 would certainly beat Floyd. Leonard and Hearn might well stop him at Welter but I don’t think Duran would at Welter. Duran has a better chance of stopping Floyd at Lightweight.
I definitely think Hearns would’ve stopped Floyd. And while I would favor Duran & Leonard, not sure if either of them would’ve stopped Floyd. Floyd has an excellent chin & is always in shape.
I am not sure any of these guys could beat Floyd at welterweight, maybe Leonard. When Floyd needs to fight, he would. Remember what he did to Diego Corrales, same would probably happen to Hearns even at 147. As much as I am not a fan of Floyd, I think many underestimate his abilities.
You can’t compare Diego Corrales to Thomas Hearns.
Corrales was a destroyer. Until he fought Floyd, you absolutely could compare the two. Remember, Floyd was the underdog against Corrales and not supposed to win.
Corrales came from super feather weight and fought Floyd at lightweight
Hearns had 5 more inches of reach
and shoulders of a light heavy at welter weight and the highest ko percentage at welter weight
I could go on comparing but as you can see they were not twins
Why not? Both were champions and both were knock out… Floyd never lost to no one… All these guys lost and Hearns and Duran have been knock out brutally!
look at the resume of all 3 fighters and have someone of knowledge explain to you “why not”
At 154, Roy Jones and Floyd Mayweather in their primes would have been good in my opinion. Jones was hard to handle when he was on his “A” game as a prime fighter.
Folks, let’s not forget Sheridan was also the one fabricating stories about his mid-life crisis $200,000 Corvette, an attempted mugged, and Victorville having with only 4 police on duty. He’s a great storyteller…
Oops, mugging not mugged…..
i’m no Floyd fan BUT Colonel Bob, I feel, is just merely shooting from the hip with these predictions. Alot of folks forget that Mayweather was trained very old school by his dad and Roger. He also adapted some new school based on his own experiences. He’s faced guys that have bullied him by walking him down, also extremely hard punchers and slick boxers. I’m not saying Floyd would or wouldn’t beat those 3 beasts, but I can tell you Floyd would definitely make it one hell of a fight.
Exactly Tony * * * * * 5 stars*
Yeah I’ve got to agree, I really didn’t enjoy many of Floyd’s fights, and dislike his personality, but he was a hard nut to crack, so hard no one really cracked him.
Hearns was always exciting and often super destructive, but had his weaknesses… Chin and stamina.
Duran, great great lightweight, fantastic in his 1st fight with Leonard, not so in the 2nd as elusive fighters gave him problems.
Leonard, as much as I hate to admit it, esp after his fight with Hagler, probably had the best skillset to beat Floyd, super fast, blinding combos, very decent power, solid chin, good movement and plenty of stamina, but it’s not a given, Floyd was a special talent.
Shane Mosley cracked him really good.
Haha, yeah true.
He caught him good, but Floyd didn’t really go anywhere, stayed upright, smothered/held a bit, and fight back.
It really pains me to defend Mayweather, he’s an egotistical, insecure, unexciting (to me) boxer.
But leaving that aside, he’s fought a bunch of top opponents and other than arguably Castillo has, won all his fights and never been knocked on his back.
Kind of hard state with certainty who could have knocked him out.
Floyd is a much better fighter than his dad & Floyd senior went 10 rounds with Leonard. Floyd doesn’t get credit for his skills & ring IQ, I think he out boxes all them. Power has never seemed to dictate his fights he controls the ring & pace of all his fights. Every big puncher he’s faced not one has tried to walk through him and the reason is his accuracy and timing.
Aaron Pryor* * * * *
Leonard, Hearns, Duran all avoided Him.
My guess is Mayweather would have too ?
True
Paul D’
Myth, they didn’t avoid a short guy from a lower weight class. All three wouldve beaten Pryor up at Welter… his swarming style plays right into their hands. The avoidance myth was just a promotional angle that never panned out. Leonard fought Hagler, Benitez, Hearns, and Duran but avoided Pryor? Please be serious.
agree with the fake news myth
but I saw Castill win the first fight
Hearns 17 years of age lost a disputed fight against Pryor at the Olympic box offs. Once they had turned pro Hearns a late bloomer was way too big and powerful for Pryor. Pryor would have destroyed Fraud Mayweather. Millennials are in love with Frauds fast cars and gold chains not boxing.
yes Pryor was a monster in those days but I think there was some years between them and hearns was a pure boxer at 17 no devastating right yet
and take it easy on the Millennials lol
just be a teacher
…the bottle that I mixed…
Maybe those guys could beat Floyd, maybe not. But boxing historians tend to have really warped views on how good the oldtimers were. It’s like the older you get, the less you can admit that the guys of today can run with the guys of yesteryear.
You’d never see a football fan say the 1972 Dolphins could beat the Super Bowl champs of today. Yet boxing fans often think the opposite, that the guys that came earlier were tougher and more skilled than the ones now.
In reality, your comment has some validity. It seems every past generation attempts to cling to the “best” of their own eras by comparing and contrasting their past fighters to the current generation of fighters. It’s technically all talk with no show as the fantasy matchups will never happen. The “what ifs” are simply for entertainment purposes and are being used as a punchline in some crowds.
In this example, I kind of get it. The weights are consistent. But when you start looking at heavyweights, all oldtimer pundits want to dog today’s fighters. And while there are certainly guys from the past who’d give guys like Fury and Joshua major problems, the sheer size of today’s guys creates a match-up nightmare for oldtimers.
I met Joe Frazier about 20 years ago. He was a super nice guy and was really kind to me despite the fact I was just a fan-boy. But my first thought about him was “damn, this guy is really small.”
Good points. Thank you for your input. You mention how Frazier was so small. It amazes me how the evolution of heavyweight fighters today is much bigger in the frame. Causes? Expansion of human culture horizons, growing populations, and more DNA mixing.
well look what little Evander did to much bigger guys and little Iron Mike did
did you see a chubby short guy stop Joshua?
Young Foreman and Ali hangs with any era …. and give them todays PEDs and they dominate
I think the old time fighters may have been better; just watch video of both Sugar Ray Robinson vs. Carmen Basilio fights. As for other sports, I like the old time baseball players better. Babe Ruth crushed 60 home runs when no one else was close; Bob Feller threw 100 mph on 3 days rest & was never on the Disabled List! And I’d take Willie Mays over Barry Bonds any day!!!
Of course they would! Easily!! All in their prime against a prime Floyd would be good fights.
I’d take Leonard and Duran over Mayweather, with everyone at their absolute best, but I don’t think either would stop him. Floyd’s defense, his chin and his knowledge, in my opinion, would have him standing at the end of those fights. Every time I’ve seen him hurt, he’s always responded exactly how you want someone to respond.
And maybe I’m the only one, but I think Floyd would beat Hearns.
Floyd would chop Hearns down on angles and after the middle rounds, I am afraid Hearns would have been taken out of his game plan. Hearns had his moments as a fighter, but Floyd’s ring smarts would make Hearns thinking on overtime as a fighter. Like him or not, Floyd was tough to hit square for most fighters when he coupled the shoulder roll and used his legs.
Hearns had great, underrated speed. Watch his bouts with Leonard & Benitez.
I loved watching Hearns he was my 2nd favourite, behind Hagler, of the 4 Kings. He always gave it his best, huge heart, very powerful and generally aggressive, but he had his weaknesses, mainly his chin and stamina, but also being so agrees I’ve he often left himself open. If he couldn’t KO Floyd, I struggle to see him beating him.
Don’t forget the 5th King- Iran Barkley!
I liked Iran too, dude was super crude, but could bang and had a massive heart.
Every time I rewatch Hearns v Barkley 1 I’m amazed how Barkley survived the battering he got in rounds 1 & 2, and the eye brow and lip cuts, as well as the vicious hooks to the body in 3, and he still kept coming.
It looked textbook from Hearns, until Barkley caught him with that huge right.
Amazing come from behind win
I completely agree with you. I would see the same fight playing out.
Having seen all of these guys live, you are wrong about Hearns. He was a nightmare of a welterweight. I always said to beat Mayweather you need a great jab! That super long jab, speed and power made him the perfect mismatch for Mayweather. Think of how Cotto was out boxing Mayweather early. Now, imagine the Hearns out boxing Leonard. Hearns was going to land that right hand sooner or later a lot! Mayweather might not survive to round 5. Mayweather was smart. He stayed away from the poorman’s Hearns, Vernon Forrest for a reason!
Without Angelo Dundee, Sugar Ray Leonard would’ve lost that first fight against Hearns. Truth be told, Sugar Ray definitely lost the 2nd fight to Hearns.
Every round Cotto won against Mayweather, and he gave him a bloody nose, required so much effort he lost the next two rounds. I saw the fight with a group of 40 people, 20 black, 20 latino, I’m white, just for explanation, and they all agreed with my analysis. It was no surprise Floyd won 8-4 in rounds. Floyd grew up in the ring with his Father and more importantly his uncle, The Mexican Assasin, Roger. Similar was James Buster Douglas who only got in shape for 1 fight but had the skills from age 5. Ali and Foreman were taught correctly from age 12. It makes a big difference. If Ray Mercer had taken up boxing before the military he would have been more successful.
Hector
yes agree 100% he would not fight guys with reach I did forget about Vernon who had Moselys number
Mayweather won the 1st 5 rounds out boxing Cotto then he sat in the pocket during the middle rounds and Cotto did have some success. But in the late rounds Floyd banged with Cotto at his game and got the better of the exchanges, go back and watch a replay of the fight!!!
Scooby Doo go back to cartoons
that little bit of fiction is to much LMAO
We will never see these fights but why not have some fun and guess :)?
I think Floyd would beat Duran rather easily. Would pretty much be as the fight against Pacquiao. And I think Manny is more competitive than Duran because he has the speed Duran was missing. Hype before the fight, disappointment afterwards. Floyd wins, not closer than 116 – 112.
Hearns on the other hand would be Floyds nightmare. His reach, speed and combinations would be too much. Floyd would have his movements but the fight is Hearns. Hearns wins, late KO, or something like 116 – 112.
Leonard vs Floyd is the true war in, my opinion. Leonard with his speed, combinations, ring-IQ and a sense for strategy I have not seen in any other boxer. In this case I think Leonard even beats Ali. But Floyd is a genius, his defense, reach and poisonous counter-punches would be something extra for Leonard to face. I think the footwork in this fight would be the decisive factor. If Leonard would manage to catch Floyd in his backwards movements he would win but I’m far from sure he would manage. 50/50 fight in my opinion. I have a feeling Floyd would take it by SD.
you can add Paul Williams to that list as he had to fight at 154 and 160 as no welter weight wanted to face his range and volume and he was in Floyd,s era.
I would like to see Floyd try that shoulder roll defense against Hearn,s on the ropes or in the corner, Hearns would have hit him from the other side of the ring with straight jabs and the most devastating right hand in welter weight history!!KO
….the fight would never have happened as Floyd avoided fighters with reach and power as the best business man in boxing history.
Sugar Ray Leonard speed, power, aggression, would have stopped Floyd late.
Duran did not have the reach so he would have had to chase a great defensive Floyd, I think Duran would have lost at welter weight as Floyd would try not to engage and out point him with pot shots at distance and tie him up inside withe help of the referee as the Vegas cash cow
At the end of the day it is all speculation and above all personal opinion! WE WILL NEVER KNOW right?! I agree that the Kings would not only beat Floyd, but also the other 99.9% Lightweight, Welter and middleweights today!
Opinions are like ………………
Everybody has one.
Haha, so true, especially when they don’t line up with mine hahaha…
Its all good fun tho, reading the predictions, some good points being made (by most).
Again with the Bob Sheridan hour what a joke. Ask anyone for an opinion but it means nothing like comparing James to Wilt you will never prove anything really no right answer
Hearns would have beat the hell out of Mayweather.
All this talk about well Mayweather would have gotten to his chin is DUMB being that Mayweather stopped how many welters?
And good luck trying to outbox Hearns who has a 78 inch reach advantage and is 6’1.
And whoever out boxed Hearns? NOBODY.
Marcos Madiena would have been fortunate to see round 3 against a Hearns.
Mayweather isn’t faster then Hearns. Doesn’t hit harder.
How exactly is he going to win?
If an over the hill Dead La Hoyas jab caused Mayweather problems Hearns is going to have a field day with his.
You said Mayweather wasn’t faster then Hearns? Thats comical! Canelo hit harder than Mayweather. How did that turn out? Our forgot all about counter punching and Floyds defense. How do you even mention Floyd and not mention that? Hearns would have gotten frustrated hitting air.
Floyd was a good counter puncher but Hearns would be to far away
check out the fights Hearns vs Duran or
Benetez or Leonard for the scale and how he commanded territory in the ring
Enjoyed everyone’s comments and opinions….but ya forgot one minor detail, Floyd would have avoided all those fighter like the plague!!! Especially in their prime!! However, they all would have been great fights…..
I think I made that point but not as well as you as I was also here to educate on many points but I agree 100% his track record of least risk vs reward will be his legacy for the real truthful sweet science observers
Disagree, Leonard/Mayweather would have been a pick-em mayweather much better defense and Leonard did not stay active
Hearns/Mayweather I fell Hearns had big advantage due to mayweathers popcorn punches
Duran/Mayweather. Easy point victory for Maywweather
100%!!
Floyd couldn’t carry their jock straps
Floyd makes top 100 boxers of all time BUT compared to these greats falls well short obviously. Sweet Pea Meldrick Taylor beat Floyd. Even a prime DeLaHoya beats Floyd. Oscar nearly beat Floyd when he was a shadow of his prime. A close match up for Floyd would have been James Buddy McGirt.
Who knows that they would beat Floyd? I tend to agree but at least Floyd was the best of his time and that’s all you can say. Not fair to compare different generations of boxers.
Floyd Mayweather will never lose any fight with nobody and not because he is great but because he is an acrobatic clown who deceive the judges and wins rounds even he lose those rounds
Even so he got 2 gifs
One against José Luis Castillo 1
And against Oscar de la hoya
I don’t understand how the judges gave him these fights
Anyway Floyd is a chicken he is not a truly warrior like paquiao and many others that fight toe to toe like man
Not like chicken Mayweather who never gave a fight of the year
Was it a gift when mastered your boy Canelo? Or returned to easily outpoint JL Castillo in the rematch? U haters are so emotional. ODLH fought a good fight and made it close, but win? Please..
yes he got canelo at the right time
had to rematch Castill to save face
and your right about oscar fight but retired with hurt hands till his rematch clause was up with Oscar
Check out Hearns Hagler Lenonard fights
do you really think he would step in the ring with those fighters?
Castill beat him easily any body that doubts it check out the fight
Oscar came close and Floyd retired till the rematch clause was over
The blowhard and his $200,000 2021 Corvette is likely correct.
Floyd would’ve lost to Duran because Floyd struggled with Jose Luis Castillo in the first fight, and Duran was a much better fighter than Jose Luis Castillo; Floyd Would’ve lost to Sugar Ray, Floyd struggled with Zab Judah because of his hand speed, Sugar Ray would’ve overwhelmed him. Floyd would’ve gotten killed by Tommy Hearns mainly if he stayed from a distance; at one point, Floyd did not want to fight Margarito because of his size. Can you imagine what would Tommy could’ve done to him?
this guy knows boxing!!!!
but insert Paul Williams instead of Margarito as he was a cheat and should never been allowed to fight again
Being an old school guy who rooted for Floyd to lose many of times. Now saying this I think he beats Hearns and Duran by decision. Now Leonard is the only one I can see beating him because he is the only one who has as much and maybe more speed than Floyd. Hearns might could catch him with that one shot like Mosley did but with more devastating consequences. But Floyd would be more cautious with Tommy than he was with Shane.
Hearns out boxed Leonard and would have one on points if the sugar man did not stop him in the 14th…Hearns could have beat Floyd with his Jab if he did not have the BIG right
Look what Hearns did to Duran and Wilfered
know as the minister of defence
The man speaks the truth. I would never say Leonard would stop Mayweather inside of 7 though. Not sure if I should apply the 15 rounds to this fantasy but, if this was a 15 rounder and Leonard in his prime at 147, I would say Leonard in 14 or a UD. To much speed and power.
good call
A DISCUSSION LIKE THIS ALWAYS LEAVES ME COLD… TALKING ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT ERA’S… NOBODY KNOWS FOR SURE AND WE’LL NEVER KNOW
maybe in the future we will clone them to prove the obvious lol
You know you’re the best ever when so called “legends” and old crusty “hall of farmer” announcers hate on you. Like Floyd said everyone focuses on him and he focuses on winning. That’s why he’s still winning. Hating gets people nowhere.
I don,t hate Floyd he is top 5 welter weight in history and best boxing business man in history (best managed risk vs reward)
Top 5 Lightweight, not welter.
..And I could never put him in top 5 of any weight. He was great, but not top 5 stuff. He needed to beat more prime fighters.
A few points: 1) All of those guys were naturally bigger than Floyd, who fought at 125 lbs in the amateur’s and started his pro career and winning his first world title at 130 lbs. All 3 (Hearns, Duran, and Leonard) fought up 175 lbs and had significant fights, Mayweather never fought higher than 154 lbs. 2) Pretty Boy had some serious fights when he was in his prime and his skills, heart, chin, footwork, adaptability, and IQ are top 20 of all time worthy IMO. 3) Money May became more business minded and safety first towards the end of his career but still beat everyone put in front of him, with a couple of close decisions, but that’s every fighter. Floyd beats all 3 in closely contested fights.
your correct in the size department but those challenged them selves and fought much higher than their best weight
Sugar won gold at 140 Duran was a light weight champ first
Hearns went on to fight at cruiser weight and maybe heavy weight
Floyd fought exhibition fights
was more about the money and the inflated record that the casual fans would see
You may not know this but Floyd won
his first title at 130lbs. when he beat Genaro Hernandez. He beat De La Hoya and Canelo at super welterweight 154lbs. Give the man his credit.
How original, when boxing is slow. This is beating a dead horse. How many times weill some old crusty “hall of famer” present their original unbiased ideas? Of course they believe no one of today or Floyd’s era can beat their precious fighters of the 70s and 80s. Whats new.
I don’t think anyone could argue that FM was a great boxer but stands very little chance against four greats. I think Duran at 135 would murder even Floyd that fought Corrales.
Floyd avoided at least 2 walterwheigts, lost at least 2 fights against some regular guys… He pic opponents after they already lost… Many things that for me mined his credibility…
Duran vs Floyd would be interesting. Floyd would beat the 147 and up unmotivated at times Duran. Young 135 animal Duran I can see mauling him and roughing him up. Leonard would have some issues since boxers don’t like fighting outer slick boxers but would be busier and outlast Floyd. Hearns would keep Floyd at a ridiculous distance and then bomb him out if Floyd got close. Hearns only lost when his chin let him down, Floyd wouldn’t crack it
Nobody ever ran their own career the way Floyd Mayweather Jr did. Of course he was an elite boxer, but just how great was he? No one will ever know because of the way he ran his career. His hand-picking of who to fight and when to fight them along with his own negotiation tactics created multiple legitimate built-in excuses for his opponents and why they lost the fight.
Well, he made more money at it than anyone else and lasted longer at the top too. Look how many legendary World Champs who fought the best at their best had the legacy but took severe permanent damage and lost all their money.
points well taken
Floyd can be undefeated but nobody remember him
He always with no convincing
I remember him til someone mention his name otherwise I forgot about him
I like warriors like paquiao
Pac-Man is not undefeated but he was a warrior in the ring fighting toe to toe and dropping his opponents 2-3 times per fight
Floyd is a chicken
The Chicken beat the warrior Pacquiao. How
did you like Mayweather 49th victory. LOL.
I think the Colonel is full of it. As much as I never cared for Floyd outside the ring, no one can deny his ring IQ and defense were among the best in boxing history. I could see Hearns’s reach and jab posing problems to Floyd and I think Duran’s bodypunching and underrated defense would’ve also given Floyd some fits. But I don’t see SRL being able to handle Floyd’s hand-speed or counterpunching all too well and see defeating SRL by a wide unanimous decision. And if Shane Mosley’s best right hand couldn’t put Floyd down, I don’t see any of his fellow greats stopping him at all.
SRL was faster than Floyd look at his combinations
Mosley also was a light weight and way past his prime when Floyd thought it was safe to fight him …,check there ages
Floyd is not in the top 15 WW’s of all time. Anyone who know boxing history knows this. He was a good fighter in a weak era who is a blowhard. Who beats Floyd?
Robinson
Gavilan
Basilio
Napoles
Mickey Walker
Barney Ross
Duran
Leonard
Hearns
McLarnin
Henry Armstrong
Charley Burley
all the WW’s from the black murderers row
Most of these guys would have chased him out of the ring. The Colonel is correct
Any brawlers that do not know how to box don’t stand a chance against Floyd, believe that. So scratch off a few from that list.
Many of you fail to give credit for the man’s defensive genius. Boxing is about hitting and not getting hit, and Floyd is one of the all time best.
Sour grapes.
Aaron Pryor too! Just like Tommy, Ray & Roberto handles Mayweather Aaron Pryor would beat him to death.
Oh my goodness. Pryor? No one would fight him today. He would clean every clock in the shop. Not even close, even for Mayweather. Too much everything. 120 punches per round with bad intentions? Foghedaboudit.
Pryor style is tailor made for Floyd.
Floyd would jab him to death and pot
shot him with lead rights.
What youngsters of today don’t understand is that boxing was a much more popular sport in times gone by. There were many more fighters. The boxers were much more HUNGRY. They fought to survive. To feed themselves and their families. Competition was fierce. They were savages and did not whine about injuries. Some fought on a monthly, sometimes weekly basis. There weren’t as many other sports that they could gravitate too. Up through the 1960’s only baseball was as popular as boxing. Hence much more competition and they did not get paid like today’s fighters, not by a long shot.
Not a chance. They wouldnt be able to hit him. Floyd picks them all apart.
Bla Bla Bla Floyd would have cremated them all . Probably easy work too
Floyd can’t help it he was in a crappy era.
ducked the best and waited for them to be on the downslide of a crappy era
He beat Manny and Manny is still
fighting. He beat Canelo and Canelo
is considered the best fighter today.
People like you will never give Floyd
the CREDIT HE EARNED. 50-0 eat
your heart out.
Out of the three, I think Jearns’ style would be the worst for Floyd. I don’t see him making it past the 5th round. One straight blast and it’s over. Reach, punching trajectory and speed would be too much. He might survive Duran if he stays on his bike. If he decides to fight in the pocket with Duran, it’s nothing but bad news. Within Leonard, it might be a surprise finish around the 11th round with a left uppercut+right hook combination to start the beginning of the end.
Not to rain on the Colonel’s analogy, to speculate what could’ve, would’ve, and should’ve happened with potential match up with all time greats is just that, mere speculation tainted very badly with ones own era of bias. Floyd, love him or hate him was a super talent at nullifying another fighters strengths while maximizing his own. Because of the physical differences in height & reach plus power, Tommy Hearns would indeed offer a very different challenge to Floyd, unlike anything he has seen before in his career.
I’m not a fan of Floyd in any way but i recognize talent and Floyd was pure Talent, skills and work etic. What Colonel doesn’t take into account are the monstruous defensive skills and speed Floyd has, neither of RSL, Tommy or Hands of stones would’ve stopped Floyd by TKO or KO because he’s way to elusive. They could’ve give him a run for his money and SRL could’ve decision him but not so sure and we will never know..
I don’t care how many fights Bob Sheridan has
seen. Floyd is a master boxer and can compete
in any era. It is so easy to say fighter A would
have knock out fighter B. The fact of the matter
is they never fought, that leaves us speculating.
Floyd is 50-0. Eat your heart out Bob Sheridan.
Floyd in his mid-30’s as a welterweight…maybe. If they fought Floyd in his mid-20’s with healthy hands at 140…not a sure bet.
The numbers don’t like. Mayweather fought over 50 times and never lost. Leonard, Duran, Hearns..all those guys are top of the food chain but they lost. Say what you want about Mayweather but he was consistent….never had an off night…..boxing is all about hitting and not getting hit…..Mayweather did that better than all of those guys…….Sugar Ray Leonard would have the best chance at beating him…….people also forget how good of a fighter Mayweather was in his late 30s and 40s…..He’s the best defensive fighter ever, argubably the best ring IQ……but like I said before, to fight over 50 times and still be undefeated is an amazing accomplishment.