Has Mayweather Really Met His Match: A Response to Ring Magazine

When I have time I always like to go to my local Barnes and Noble, buy a cup of Starbucks Coffee, relax and read Ring Magazine. I can honestly say that I’m really pulled in by the cover articles. If the cover is something interesting or controversial I’m more likely to pick it up. If its something that doesn’t interest me, like the Klitschko’s, I will ignore it and instead grab a Forbes Magazine or something like that.

I don’t have any interest in buying Ring Magazine by the issue because it’s $9 an issue. I don’t get a $50 yearly subscription because personally I think some of the journalism is out of line, disrespectful, inaccurate, and overly bias. I’m sure my regular readers remember my rant about when Ring Magazine accused Andre Ward of using steroids. That is just one example of what I just described.

One thing I’ve always noticed is that RIng Magazine doesn’t like Floyd Mayweather, whether Mayweather likes the negative publicity or not, Ring Magazine slaughters him in every other issue and the November 2010 issue is no different.

The cover states “Money Meets His Match, 10 Guys That Would Have Kicked Mayweather’s Butt” I couldn’t help but grab the magazine after seeing this. Then I open the magazine and I see a list of 10 fighters that would have “Kicked Mayweather’s Butt”

1) Ray Robinson: Even though Ray fought the majority of his career at MIddleweight. He did make a big run at 147lbs. But asking someone who would win a fight between Ray Robinson and Floyd Mayweather is like asking someone, who would win 1-on-1 Dwight Howard or Wilt Chamberlain, an impossible comparison. We’re talking about 60-70 years difference. You be the judge but personally, its impossible to compare the two fighters.

2) Sugar Ray Leonard: here’s a guy that’s easier to compare. Leonard was a great fighter. But one thing many don’t remember about him is that he struggled against defensive fighters, this is evident hen you watch his fight with Wilfred Benitez. Many had Sugar Ray down on the cards heading into the 15th round where he knocked Benitez out. With this said does anyone really want to compare Benitez to Mayweather, or can we all just agree that Mayweather is much much better? I believe Mayweather’s speed could frustrate Sugar Ray. Not only did Sugar Ray not cross paths with someone of equal or better speed but he also never fought someone as smart as Mayweather. Floyd isn’t going to let him steal rounds in the final 30 seconds. Leonard was known for using his bicycle, tiring his opponents out, throwing a few flurries a round, making 1 or 2 of those punches count and getting back on the bicycle. Personally I don’t think this strategy would work with Mayweather but I’ll let you guys be the judges.

3) Tommy Hearns: Okay, I will give you Tommy Hearns. We can’t say “Well when Mayweather fought so-and-so he did it this way” because Mayweather hasn’t fought anyone with the size and power of Tommy Hearns. To be honest, there isn’t anyone I can think of that has the kind of makeup that Tommy Hearns has. Who can we compare him to? Do I think Mayweather is capable of beating the Hitman? I stopped doubting Mayweather after the Corrales fight but I think it would be a very very tough fight and personally I would pick Tommy Hearns. Tommy was known for slowing down late on and Mayweather is easily a 15 round fighter. He has never shown stamina issues. So I personally would say, if its a 15 round fight and Mayweather takes it deep, he is likely to win. If its a 12 round fight, my money is on The Hitman.

4) Aaron Pryor: I don’t understand this one. How many fights did Pryor have at 147 pounds? Maybe his last 5 fights? At the most 5 fights. It wasn’t his prime weight, in my opinion it wasn’t even a good weight for him. I think Aaron Pryor liked to apply pressure, and Mayweather has shown that he doesn’t mind pressure. The only fight that he let the pressure get to him was Castillo 1, and we all remember Mayweather had torn his rotator cuff in training but still fought the fight anyways. And when he was asked after the fight why he didn’t throw his jab, he said he had torn his rotator cuff in training. Castillo’s pressure didn’t seem to bother him in the rematch when Mayweather used his jab.

5) Henry Armstrong: Seriously? Seriously? His last fight was prior to the 50′s! Remember the example of Wilt Chamberlain vs Dwight Howard I mentioned above? Can I reiterate that here also?  Armstrong in my opinion lacks the size to beat Mayweather despite his phenomenal stamina.

6) Robero Duran: I’m a big Duran fan. I really like Hands of Stone. But Mayweather has proven time and time again that a smaller fighter will never beat him, and Duran like Armstrong lacks the natural size necessary to beat Mayweather. I think we all can agree 147 isn’t a good weight for Duran. Mayweather wins this one by a margin.

7) Pernell Whitaker: Oh Lawd…who would buy this PPV? Would anyone throw a punch? But here’s another situation where we have a much smaller fighter against Mayweather. Yes he may have speed to bother Mayweather, yes he may be southpaw, yes he may have defense. But Mayweather has shown that he has an answer for everything that’s been thrown at him, example the Zab Judah fight.

Zab got to him early until Floyd figured him out and made the necessary adjustments and the same goes for the Shane Mosley fight. Zab Judah was bigger in size than Mayweather at the time of their fight, and still lost by a considerable margin. If I remember correctly after having 4 good rounds Judah ended the night landing less that 20% of his punches at the end of the night. On top of all this I ask, what were Sweat Pea’s 3 biggest wins at 147…my point exactly.

8 ) Oscar De La Hoya: Hmmmmm…Is my memory playing tricks on me or did Mayweather beat this guy? Maybe people are trying to flip the outcome because it was a split decision but Floyd won this fight and it shouldn’t have been a split decision. I remember Max Kellerman saying he thought the split decision was horribly inaccurate and that De La Hoya took 2 or 3 rounds, anything over 4 is a travesty. I agree with Max for a change.

9) Sandy Saddler: I’m going to be honest…I don’t know much about this guy. I couldn’t remember where I heard his name before until I read the article and came to the name “Willie Pep” and it dawned on me. Sandy Saddler was the guy who beat Willie Pep. I know a lot more about Pep than I do Saddler and going off nothing more than memory and this magazine article I know Pep fought in the 40′s and 50′s and is possibly one of the best, if not the best featherweight of all time…but wait, did I just say Featherweight? I would be willing to bet that neither Pep or Saddler ever fought at welterweight. We’re really digging into the annals of history to find guys who can be mentioned next to Mayweather. Lets argue about Bill Russell vs Lamarcus Aldridge instead.

10) Alexis Arguello: A guy who spent the majority of his career below 140 pounds? Is it really fair to say Mayweather would lose to him a 140? How many fights did Mayweather have at 140? 3? 4? Mayweather wasn’t close to his prime at 140. I honestly believe Mayweather wasn’t even in his prime against De La Hoya. Mayweather has improved since then. If you’re going to make a comparison make it prime vs prime.

With all this said, it all make sense to me. Ring Magazine had to find guys from the 40′s and 50′s and some who had never fought at 147 to be able to say “He would kick Mayweather’s Butt”.

It was really isn’t that hard to compile a list of guys who had a shot at beating Mayweather after all!

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