Floyd Mayweather Jr--- An appreciation

[basketcase77]

Ok so u may not like him and believe me on saturday nite i was pulling for our boy Ricky but for me Floyd produced one of the finest pieces of boxing/fighting i have ever seen.
I was so pumped up for this fight, i hoped beyond hope Ricky could do it, but deep down i knew he wouldn't, I was ashamed and embarrased by the usual ****in morons who booed the US anthem, and then onto business.
After the first 5 rounds i had it pretty close byt by the 6th Floyd really took over and started to show why he is P4P number 1.
It hurt seein the Hitman take those shots but as much as it hurt i knew i was witnessing something special, a "one off fighter" once every 20 years or so fighter and I congratulate Floyd for his magnificent performance and also for the way he conducted himself afterwards.
I think the one think Floyd learned after fighting Ricky is the true value of public opinion and hopefully from now on he can start to gain fans by being the great fighter he is in the ring and not being a total jackass outside it.
One final thought, Ricky was well beaten but once he goes back to Jr Welter he should be fine, but I was truely shocked to see how badly Joe Cortez refereed this fight, evrytime Ricky got close he broke it up, it was sooooo frustrating and seeing him and Floyd posing for that picture at the end was pathetic.
But no matter who was refereeing no one wud have denied Floyd Mayweather and he has made a big fan outta me and if he can be a bit more like hatton outside the ring he might make a lot more fans out of everyone else!!!

[meade95]

Without a doubt the sport of boxing is better off because of PBF than without him. He is a hell of a fighter that almost certainly could have been a champion in any era.......

[mh2365]

PBF seems to have hired a publicist ... he has been steadily working on his image since the ODLH fight. I don't know if it's to secure a career after boxing or to sell more PPV.

I agree Cortez was bad but come on ... Ricky enjoyed his uncle reffing his first 40 fights ... now with a fair/sometimes not fair ref he seems lost. Unfortunately, IMO, this will discourage other fighters from coming to the States .. why come and have a fairly reffed fight or take the chance that the ref favors the other guy when you are guarenteed favoritism in your home town?

[meade95]

Originally Posted by mh2365

PBF seems to have hired a publicist ... he has been steadily working on his image since the ODLH fight. I don't know if it's to secure a career after boxing or to sell more PPV.

I agree Cortez was bad but come on ... Ricky enjoyed his uncle reffing his first 40 fights ... now with a fair/sometimes not fair ref he seems lost. Unfortunately, IMO, this will discourage other fighters from coming to the States .. why come and have a fairly reffed fight or take the chance that the ref favors the other guy when you are guarenteed favoritism in your home town?

I don't necessarily take this angle as accurate (on the whole) - In that in many of Hatton's fights back home (UK) while the Ref's may have allowed some more rough and tumble actions.....They allowed so for BOTH fighters.....(thus making the fight fair, albeit possibly more in line with a style Hatton would choose/rather fight in).

Cortez simply was not fair (or more importantly consistent) within how he worked the other night ago. He allowed PBF to get away with all sorts of rough actions....but was constantly in Hatton's ear...or breaking him off (away) from PBF (yet not vis versa).

Being consistent is key to being "fair". Cortez was both not consistent as well as being a complete tool in taking a point away from Hatton. Cortez did have a impact the fight...and that is not his job nor role.....Especially in a fight of that magnitude....(though I still believe PBF would have won 9 out of 10 times).

[mh2365]

Originally Posted by meade95

I don't necessarily take this angle as accurate (on the whole) - In that in many of Hatton's fights back home (UK) while the Ref's may have allowed some more rough and tumble actions.....They allowed so for BOTH fighters.....(thus making the fight fair, albeit possibly more in line with a style Hatton would choose/rather fight in).

Like I've said before ... Cortez didn't give PBF anymore of an advantage than Hatton had in the Tszyu fight.

I have to admit I was drunk by the time the PBF fight came on, I have it recorded but I am waiting for my son to have time to watch it before rewatching it. What I remember is PBF was through the ropes with his back turned and Hatton hit him in the back of the head ... pretty clear foul ... but my memory is foggy ... will be watching it again in the next day or two.

[meade95]

Originally Posted by mh2365

Like I've said before ... Cortez didn't give PBF anymore of an advantage than Hatton had in the Tszyu fight.

I have to admit I was drunk by the time the PBF fight came on, I have it recorded but I am waiting for my son to have time to watch it before rewatching it. What I remember is PBF was through the ropes with his back turned and Hatton hit him in the back of the head ... pretty clear foul ... but my memory is foggy ... will be watching it again in the next day or two.

No. The point deduction was not the issue on the whole. The issue was early on PBF was allowed to hit with elbows, grab and hold (shove off, etc, etc). Yet, most times when Hatton had PBF cornered, Cortez was quick to jump in between them (not make them fight their way out)......When Hatton grabbed PBF to muscle him into position, Cortez was quick to jump in......When PBF grabbed Hatton, to stop an assault (not a word was said) and they weren't broken up no where near as often....

Cortez was constantly in Hatton's ear about this or that........This isn't being consistent. And it is completley different than in the Tszyu fight. In that fight Tszyu could have been as rough and tumble as Hatton was being....and the Ref would not have stopped Tszyu from doing so.....

Cortez on the one hand was allowing PBF to get away with whatever he needed to....While on the other hand cleary trying to stop Hatton from trying to fight his style of fight....


As for the point deduction....It is PBF would turns his back / twist his body in order to avoid "fighting"....Hatton hits him in the moment of action...... It was a terrible point deduction.

[mh2365]

From what I remember Tszyu was warned constantly while Hatton did everything but knee him in the nuts ... but my memory can be foggy.

I really don't think Floyd had as big of an advantage as you think.

[Lee]

Originally Posted by meade95

As for the point deduction....It is PBF would turns his back / twist his body in order to avoid "fighting"....Hatton hits him in the moment of action...... It was a terrible point deduction.

On top of that Hatton really hit the top rope, not the back of Mayweathers head. I don't think Cortez gave PBF the advantage, I think he just plain sucked. In a fight of this magnitude you let the guys go a little more and since they were both getting chippy, no harm done.