04.02.09 – by Yero Moody: Dear Floyd, I write this letter to you hoping that you will take heed to its message. I have paid close attention to your career and all the accomplishments you have made. Your status as the pound for pound best is well deserved. I can recall you clearly saying that you wanted to be regarded as the best fighter ever by the time you retire. Quite a lofty goal and one that is very difficult to achieve. Especially, when comparing fighters from different generations and athletes in general.
Throughout the years you have created controversy, garnered respect and earned many accolades as well as fans and detractors. Since your retirement, your detractors have grown in abundance. I have heard, as I hope you have, that your retirement was a move based on maintaining your undefeated record while risking very little. They say you have spent a great portion of your career “cherry-picking” opponents. Many of them viewed as low risk, high reward.
However, I am not one of your detractors nor am I a biased fan. I am simply one who recognizes great talent when I see it. No other fighter in this era has the skills that you possess. Your defense is one of the best of all time. You have fast hands combined with very accurate punches, great footwork and a mind-boggling workout regimen. Your “ring smarts” are at an extremely high level. All these things, in my opinion, is what made you the pound for pound best fighter of your generation.
What greatly disturbs me both as a fan and a boxing analyst, is that early on in your career you fought the best and now it seems as if you think that is enough. I, unlike many of your detractors, remember the fact that you did pursue fights with Acelino Frietas, Joel Casamayor, Kostya Tsyzu, Oscar De La Hoya (in his prime) and most recently Sugar Shane Mosley in 2007 and they all turned you down for varying reasons. I think, that if most people knew and remembered these facts, that your reputation amongst many as a “cherry-picker” would prove unwarranted. My question to you is why not continue that pattern?
I’ve heard you compare yourself to Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard and Muhammad Ali. In these comparisons you have made yourself better than them by pointing out some of their technical flaws, how you are better than them and how they all lost and you didn’t. Some of the points you raised were true. However, they will fall and continue to fall, on deaf ears my friend. The reason is very simple and it seems as if you don’t get it. They fought the very best and beat the very best in their respective divisions time and time again. Even when everyone around them thought they would lose they pressed on and won anyway. They placed themselves in positions where they would be tested but they had an inner confidence that they would win against all odds. You definitely showed heart when you immediately gave Jose Luis Castillo an immediate rematch because your first fight with him was very close and you were injured in the fight. That was admirable but just not enough.
You were considered the best pound for pound fighter on the planet at the time when you retired. Yet, you retired having not fought one top fighter in your division. You deserve major respect for fighting and defeating Oscar De La Hoya who was bigger, called all the shots and was more experienced. However, he was past his prime and gave you a very good fight. Even in defeating him the fight did not live up to the hype. Watching the HBO documantary “24/7” leading up the fight was much more exciting. You then retired only to come out and face Ricky Hatton. I think you deserve major accolades for fighting and beating him as well. Hatton was a fighter that most people, including myself, wanted to see you fight. He represented a young, prime undefeated opponent and you showed your metal and “ring smarts”.
Many people thought his aggressive style would foil your undefeated record. In the end, your detractors would attempt to discredit your victory by stating that Hatton was too small. I totally disagree with that assessment because just like you trainer Roger Mayweather stated that you, yourself are truly a 140 lb. fighter as well. Your skills, much like Manny Pacquiao, have allowed you to be successful fighting above your natural weight. The result would be even worse if you had fought Hatton at 140 lbs. in my opinion because you would be at your best and your KO percentage is higher at your lower weights.
What continues to fuel the fire is that you would come out of retirement to fight Hatton but you refused a fight with Margarito. These kinds of moves will make it impossible for you be mentioned as the best fighter ever let alone even mentioned in the same breath as Robinson, Leonard or Ali. I will be very frank with you. In order to be regarded as the best ever you will have to face fighters where you will be tested and where the playing field is level. Meaning facing opponents in the welterweight division or above who are in their prime and offer some legitimate competition for you. If you come out of retirement to face Hatton again only to retire again, shame on you! He is very low risk, you’ve already beaten him and only die hard Hatton fans think he is a legitimate threat to you. If you come out of retirement to face Pacquiao and win that is great but if you retire after that, shame on you! Pacquiao is a legitimate threat and he is a young, in his prime, great fighter. However, you will leave too many questions unanswered in your own division. Fighting the smaller Pacquiao is no way, shape, form or fashion equal to fighting, Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto, Paul Williams or possibly Antonio Margarito.
Facing opponents like those aforementioned are the ones that define your legacy and most importantly your heart. You seem to be more concerned with maintaining your undefeated record than fighting the absolute best fighters. I know your new nickname is “Money” but if you allow the pursuit of big money fights to take precedence over fighting the best fighters you will never be regarded as the best. I truly believe that you can defeat Margarito, Cotto, Williams and Pacquiao rather easily but seeing is believing. If you fight Pacquiao, face Mosley and the winner of Cotto v. Margarito in my opinion you can then retire knowing you fought the very best. I hope this message finds you in good health and spirits but most importantly that you take heed to it.
Questions or comments: e-mail yero_m@yahoo.com