By Klaas Mabetlela: Floyd Mayweather Jr. has taken a giant leap with his emphatic win over Sugar Shane Mosley to join the very rare breed in the upper echelon of the fistic game.
These are the kind of pugilists who define boxing and represent names such as Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Henry Armstrong and very few others. I think we are caught in our own excitement to already regard Mayweather as the best of all times. Most did the same thing after Manny Pacquiao’s demolition of Miguel Cotto and are starting to back down on that claim after Mayweather’s recent win.
I think Floyd Mayweather belongs in the same sentence with the very best and could have held his own. However, it is stretching it too much to say he is the best of all times. I define supreme greatness based on the following- Record, abilities and talents, longevity, impact and ability to transcend sport as well as ability to overcome odds at the highest level.
Mayweather’s record is very good indeed and most people chose to overlook it before Mosley’s fight. Being unbeaten in 41 fights with over half of the fights being against world champions is not for the faint-hearted. It is not just statistics that count otherwise Joe Calzaghe will be mentioned in the same breath. He won his first title 12 years ago and rose to the top of pound-for-pound lists when he annihilated crowd favourite Arturo Gatti. The performance of Mayweather that night ranks as one of the most impressive and one-sided in boxing history. It is indeed the most complete massacre I have ever seen in modern boxing.
This is from the boxer some people have been branding as boring. During his tenure, Floyd won 9 world titles in 5 different divisions and that is easily comparable to the greatest who ever graced the ring. He possesses wins over hall of famers in De La Hoya and Sugar Shane Mosley and beat plethora of good fighters. On the way he twice won The Ring’s fighter of the year. Mayweather first called Oscar De La Hoya out when he was still a skinny Jr. Lightweight and we all thought he was smoking something. He pursued his dream and eventually defeated De La Hoya down the stretch. I am surprised that people still refused to admire his talents after De La Hoya’s fight. Yes the fight was close and a tart controversial but Mayweather was facing all disadvantages imaginable in that fight and wad was way out of his breath from matchmaking point of view. The win alone was admirable under the circumstances.
Mayweather is easily the most talented boxer of all times. He is a scientist in the ring second to none. In terms of pure talent and abilities in the ring, he surpasses Robinson, Leonard and Ali. Pernell Whitaker and Roy Jones were supremely gifted boxers but both were not complete packages. Whitaker relied on elusiveness and was not conditioned enough to match Mayweather. Jones was superb indeed and at one stage went through the round without being hit by a single blow. However, he relied on dexterity and poise and used to undermine his overmatched opponents. Floyd Mayweather is a consummate professional who is among the fittest athletes in all sports. He takes his fights very seriously and is always in top physical and mental shape. Great fighters like Ali and even Robinson has tendency of not preparing well sometimes and that is a no-no at the highest level.
Most of the older fighters had many fights and fought longer than modern fighters. In some cases, the standards were abysmal to state it mildly. Modern greats like Mayweather, De La Hoya and Whitaker have relatively fewer fights to their older counterparts, but it is quality that matters. It should be noted that boxers like Mayweather and De La Hoya performed at higher level relatively early and were world champions in their 3rd year as professions. Mayweather fought no less than 23 world champions and that is comparable to the older fighters in terms of quality. We cannot penalize modern fighters who are generally fitter, technically sounder and arguably fitter.
Mayweather’s impact in sport is amazing and he continues to show a good business brain. He understands that in a world of branding, perception sells and he has created this persona that stir emotions- positive and negative. It is not by accident that he was part of the richest boxing event of all-times and continues to be a massive pay-per view earner. Seeing the likes of Paris Hilton in the crowd during Mayweather’s recent fight, tells me that he has transcended his sport and brings a totally different market to the sport. Ali stood for more than just a world champion and so did Robinson and recently De La Hoya; now Floyd Mayweather.
People have always said Mayweather cannot be great because he was not tested in the ring. He was not tested because he did not put himself in a position to be tested. It takes a lot in terms of preparation; physical and mental to be where he has been. He has actually been tasted in the ring, the last being during the second round with Mosley. It took extreme fitness for Mayweather to hang on his feet after those two bombs and it took a special brain to elude and tie rather than follow a more natural response of fighting back.
Mayweather was taken to a rare place and he refused entry at the gate of the gallows. Other fighters like Zab Judah have whacked him pretty hard before but again his fitness minimized the impact that should for all intents and purposes been more severe. With all due respect if one studies the first fight between Ali and Frazier, one of the glaring realities is that Ali could have entered the ring in a better physical condition. He was not unfit, but he was not where he should have been.
When the dust settles, Mayweather has entered the lion’s den in as far as the top ten fighters of all times are concerned. Whether he will fight his way to be the king of the hill remain to be seen. For me, his entrance alone is an honour and we are blessed to be around this special athlete.
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