Mayweathers limited options

So money can't buy you love... but it can buy you freedom, for a time.

But what decent opponents are out there? Personally I think Guerrero is neither good enough nor abig enough to be competative against Mayweather, and hasn't earned the shot IMO.

Being as it's a Mexican holiday (almost certainly booked in advance so Pac didn't get it for JMM 4) then Mayweather needs a Mexican to make big PPV>

So who is there? Canelo at 154?

Given this fight literally bought his freedom, who does Mayweather fight?

Pac has options, Bradley,Marquez or rematch with Cotto.

Mayweather, not as many options or credible ones at least.

Who should he fight?

He should fight Pac Man, that is the right fight and there is so much frustration in me that he isn't i simply want to scream. It makes me want to be bad, Seanusrillius.

But alas, they cannot swim, so... fight Cotto! Cotto is a real challenge and wont be overawed in the limelight. Guerrero has not earned the fight, Bradley neither, fight Cotto Floyd you draft dodging bum!

He won't fight Pac, that is certain. Maybe in Nov, and Cotto isn't Mexican so wont sell as much.

I'll fight him, can't make 147, to be honest would probably struggle to make 247, but I am a bit skint so am willing to give it a go, and Vegas is lovely so will be a decent holiday despite getting my head kicked in.

If 'that' fight can't be made for May, there's only one possible Mayweather opponent that would really get my blood pumping, and that's Alvarez. Would be more than happy to shell out to watch that, should it be the case. I think even Mayweather's biggest critics would be hard pressed to find a way to discredit him taking on a genuine threat such as Alvarez at 154 lb.

Outside of that, nothing really gets me that excited. Cotto isn't the fighter he was four or five years ago and Arum is likely to keep him inhouse for the remainder of his career. The Welterweight titlists, Pacquiao aside, offer little threat, or certainly no more than Ortiz did. He decisioned Marquez with plenty to spare a long time ago, and Khan won't be stepping up in search of 147 lb honours any time soon, for very obvious reasons.

So, Alvarez for me. I can always dream.

I think he could fight Marquez again it would be a big fight with the Mexicans and one Mayweather knows he can win. Most people know MArque beat Pacquiao so Mayweather will want to make him look bad again and people will get behind Marquez more now. Tbh I think Mayweather would school him again but I can see why he would fight him again and there is not much else to fight in his division.

Cotto is a free agent and a fighter who will sell tickets and can come down to 147 Seanus, so why you beefing on him. The Ghost is more likely his opponent, you think he sells tickets? Ka Pow, you dismiss Cotto but it can be made and would be huge. If Berto wins it could be him too, and there is no way Canelo is coming down to 147. He isn't going to be risked and he would lose.

Cotto, Berto, only they make sense.

Ka Pow!!!!!

Will not be Marquez, PT Barnum could not sell that one, the first was not even close, nobody is shelling out $50+ to watch a repeat of that.

Well said Rowley, more chance of D-Man (me) getting a shot. I used to be a contender.

Cotto Rowley? Seanusrillius is on crack juice if he thinks it can't happen. Floyd will love the fact he's a slightly damaged fighter too. Love Cotto.

ROwley, me and you v Mayweather, i will share half the purse and half the resulting coma.

Davidemore, not hating, just thinking business, i personally would love MAy v Cotto at 147

Chriss agree, Alvvarez at 154 would be great. The weight difference would balance out a few of May's talent advantages too, big money for both, sell out guarenteed. It is a bit early for Alvarez in some respects but easy sell and genuine contest

Never gonna happen Seaunsrillius. Mayweather aint going up to 154, never gonna do that.

Cotto yo, get behind the fight, why can't you see it happening?
I wanna know?

I think Mayweather will fight Cotto at 150lbs. I hate catchweights though so i hope it isnt going to happen (unless he fights for the title at 154lbs). Marquez, as stated, would be an easy night for Floyd.

Alvarez for me would be a good fight. Live opponent with a great record (all be it against mediocre opposition), would generate a lot of money and probably respect for fighting an up and coming future GREAT world champ.

The Ghost? Hmmmmm possible tune up for pacman (even though the only resemblance is the southpaw stance).

Who knows, roll on the Opponent!

d26000

How can you say Canelo has a great record and then say against average opposition? Doesn't make sense.

Cotto be great!!!!

Sorry mate, didnt mean it as in "Its a great record" i meant it as the way he has dispatched the opposition and in how he looks both in the moment and in terms of potential talent. The opponents have been average, but he has stepped up the class over the past couple of years. Every fight he improves and chooses better opponents.

Judging by Cotto against Marg, i think that would be a great fight at 154lbs if it happens. Just hope May dont pick The Ghost. Would make no sense to me along with the boxing world!

under normal circs i would say not way does Mayweather go up unless he is fighting a bigger cash cow (aka De la Hoya when he fought) but with jail looming and clearly MAyweather is a gambling addict for anyone who saw this on his twitter.

http://twitter.com/#!/FloydMayweather/media/slideshow?url=http%3A%2F%2Finstagr.am%2Fp%2Feaqn8%2F

Yes thats a $400 k bet

I think he needs to generate money for retirment, Alvarez is money

good information dg200000!!

Good point. Financially apart from Pacman, the logical fight for him, ESPECIALLY on Cinco De Mayo, would be Alvarez.

Cotto on the other hand sells out wherever he goes.

Pacman for obvious reasons.

Thats its for me, i dont see any other cash cows or real competition worth fighting.

I think Mayweather critics would say that Alvarez is a "bit green" but personally I would love to see this fight at 154, would be a massive test for Floyd, one that I can see him winning mind you, but would get me excited as there is a bit of a possibility of Floyd losing there.

Cotto would be ok, moneywise it would sell, wouldn't get me excited as Cotto would just be countered all night long with no real answer, could possibly envisage something close to a shutout.

Seeing as Arum seemingly won't let Pac to the table these two are the best options. Still though as you say Sean, it is a bit limited, Berto or a Ortiz rematch wouldn't be out of the question and Ortiz was warming into a good fight before "The incident" still would have been beaten soundly but it good pretty good at a couple of stages.

Alvarez aside, Kell Brook would be an interesting fight.

It's not going to happen because of the need to sell PPV in America and the fact that Brook is going down the sure and steady route to a bel. However, it could have been a nice little case of a champion giving an up and coming fighter a shot at the title. Kell's not going to beat him but it would have given him a no pressure shot at the best fighter around and the experience of a lifetime whilst gaining maximum exposure in America. Provided he takes the positivies from the defeat, it could set him up for the rest of his career.

Unfortunately, that's not the way it works these days and it'll never happen.

Love to see the Canelo fight, that would be electric. It won't be Pacquiao, Uncle Bob is still too scared. You know he is ducking when he says pacquiao can fight roughly the same time Mayweather's jail sentence starts.

One thing I have to ask, whoever he fights, it makes it more interesting because how much of his focus will be on his impending jail time?

Brook is the future of 147. Mark my words, and he went to America early for a ice breaker, smart move by Hearn, in fact, great move by Hearn.

Agree Brook is something special, genuinely think that. But I don't really want to see him in with Floyd just yet, I want someone who's more proven to give Floyd a real test, not saying Brook can't provide that test, just someoen like Alvarez would have that bit more to ask questions of him.

Brook is not ready for floyd, but he is the future. A prime floyd dusts a prime Brook, but still, a real gift in his own right.

We don't know how good Brook will be, doubt he would beat Floyd at any stage like you say though Davide

Ortiz would sell, the cheap shot angle could be worked to death on 24/7, but he has a tough fight first and then the promotional side of May v Ortiz 2 would be v short. Plus Ortiz will eat some leather in Berto whether he wins or not. So v difficult to make that fight.

Just don't fight Guerrero, he is doing my nut with his chat on this.

If Floyd fights either Cotto or Alvarez at 154 with no stips or catch weight thrown in it becomes sellable because everyone knows Floyd is not really natural at that weight and this gives the fight the mystique that is pretty much lacking at 147. For me if we accept Manny will not be in the opposite corner those are the two fights I would like to see most because there is nobody at 147 or below who pushes him even close as far as I can see.

"Ka-Pow!"

"D-Man!"

Your not gonna start this crap again David are you? It won't last too long on here.

Anyhooooo, Alvarez would be a great event to stay up for, I love a good build up to get the heart pumpin'.

But I read reports months and months ago that Guerrero was being lined up for a crack at Floyd. I will be interesting to see how the extra weight suits Robert because he is a very big lightweight and a great fighter also.

Cotto would be good as well, but unfortunately he has been humilated twice in his career and I doubt he will be up for a third.

Khan wont be ready until Floyd is getting his hip replacement.

Brook, nowhere near this level. Still needs another 4+ fights to get out of Leisure Centre mode that Frank Warren had him stuck in. Once hes used to the big big stage, he will be one to watch.

Martinez??? Floyd sort of shocked a bit with the Ortiz fight when it was announced. It had been a while since he fought a game opponent (as we thought at the time). You never know whats round the corner, a fight against Martinez would be such a kick in the nuts in regards to Manny's opponents of late.

I would like to see Alvarez as an opponent. Floyd has never been in with anyone as big as Alvarez and he is young and fresh and is i9mproving all the time. The Mexican holiday really makes the fight the logical choice.

Personally if Floyd beats a Martinez or an Alvarez he would become my P4P number 1 again.

It will most probably be a Mexican as it is on Cinco de Mayo which is something he "exploits" to gain extra PPV's facing Mexicans, could easily be Ortiz 2 or Alvarez, a win over Alvarez really would bend over Pac's latest opposition and give them a good...

AlexHuckerby wrote:Personally if Floyd beats a Martinez or an Alvarez he would become my P4P number 1 again.

It will most probably be a Mexican as it is on Cinco de Mayo which is something he "exploits" to gain extra PPV's facing Mexicans, could easily be Ortiz 2 or Alvarez, a win over Alvarez really would bend over Pac's latest opposition and give them a good...

He already is p4p 1. The honourable members od v2 decided that in a free vote.

Above FW, Manny hasn't fought anyone with the calibre of Saul of Martinez (without stips).

azania wrote:

AlexHuckerby wrote:Personally if Floyd beats a Martinez or an Alvarez he would become my P4P number 1 again.

It will most probably be a Mexican as it is on Cinco de Mayo which is something he "exploits" to gain extra PPV's facing Mexicans, could easily be Ortiz 2 or Alvarez, a win over Alvarez really would bend over Pac's latest opposition and give them a good...

He already is p4p 1. The honourable members od v2 decided that in a free vote.

Above FW, Manny hasn't fought anyone with the calibre of Saul of Martinez (without stips).

Agreed but the Cotto win for me is a still a better win than anything that Mayweather has done at WW.

Weight stips puts an asterix for me. Interestingly Cotto went straight up to LMW citing weight-making issues as the reason. How he got down to 145 in that case, only God knows. Old and tired argument anyway.

azania wrote:Weight stips puts an asterix for me. Interestingly Cotto went straight up to LMW citing weight-making issues as the reason. How he got down to 145 in that case, only God knows. Old and tired argument anyway.

Doesn't normally stop you.

88Chris05 wrote:

azania wrote:Weight stips puts an asterix for me. Interestingly Cotto went straight up to LMW citing weight-making issues as the reason. How he got down to 145 in that case, only God knows. Old and tired argument anyway.

Doesn't normally stop you.

hahaha

88Chris05 wrote:

azania wrote:Weight stips puts an asterix for me. Interestingly Cotto went straight up to LMW citing weight-making issues as the reason. How he got down to 145 in that case, only God knows. Old and tired argument anyway.

Doesn't normally stop you.

How dare you? How very dare you. Accusing me of rehashing tired, old arguments

Reeborn i wont i am legite on here now.

Back to boxing. The only fight i want Floyd in is one with Pac so anything less irks me. Still, if it is the Ghost then that reeeeeeeeeeeeeeally irks me, as he is a massive step down for Floyd.

Is there really much evidence that Cotto was weight drained for the fight with Pacquiao? He seldom ever weighed in on the limit for his welterweight fights. I think he was only a pound lighter than when he fought Clottey just a few months prior to that. Outside the issue of of the title being on the line, I never quite what the fuss about it was. It was just a catchweight fight. I dont even think Cotto blamed the weight for the loss to any real degree? I think his move to light middle was largely because there were more opportunities there and there wasnt much left for him at welterweight.

Manos i agree, Cotto was not weight drained, not at all.

Agree wholeheartedly with Manos and Davide - the Cotto win was a very, very fine one for Pacquiao. I've said before that as a singular win, it's very possibly better than anything on Mayweather's record (Pacquiao's first win over Barrera certainly is) and I stand by that. I'm not a fan of catchweight fights at all (there's more than enough weight divisions now for them to be done away with), and I like them even less when a title is involved, but let's be frank - Pacquiao was always going to brutalize Cotto that night, be it at 145 lb or 147 lb.

Naturally, the more of a phenomenon Pacquiao becomes, the more exaggerations, myths and bending of the truth we'll see regarding his career. It's not dissimilar to the way in which we hear how Judah 'schooled' Mayweather for four rounds and 'would have definitely won' had it not been for his stamina issues, or how Cortez apparently 'helped' him get past Hatton.

Here here 88Chris!

manos de piedra wrote:Is there really much evidence that Cotto was weight drained for the fight with Pacquiao? He seldom ever weighed in on the limit for his welterweight fights. I think he was only a pound lighter than when he fought Clottey just a few months prior to that. Outside the issue of of the title being on the line, I never quite what the fuss about it was. It was just a catchweight fight. I dont even think Cotto blamed the weight for the loss to any real degree? I think his move to light middle was largely because there were more opportunities there and there wasnt much left for him at welterweight.

Couldn't agree more, for me the win is fantastic, how long ago before this was he beating up Judah at 140?

Its also worth considering the circumstances at the time where Pacquiao was moving up after a fight with Hatton at light welter where I dont think he even made the limit there, and only a year before had been down at lightweight. The catchweight in the circumstances was not exactly outrageous. I always viewed it as more a case of two fighters almost two weights apart meeting in the middle to some extent, much like Pacquiao and Margarito. If Cotto was badly drained then it might have taken the gloss off it - I dont particularly rate the de la Hoya win as all that significant in the circumstances for example. But there wasnt any discernable difference and Cotto still enjoyed a sizeable weight advantage on fight night.

yes a fantastic win. I have never argued otherwise. But the asterix still remains because if the stip wasn't designed to be detrimental to Cotto, why ask for it? Its not as though Manny couldn't fight legit 147lbers. He fought Clottey without stips. It seems the greater the challenge, the more the weight stips come into play.

azania wrote:yes a fantastic win. I have never argued otherwise. But the asterix still remains because if the stip wasn't designed to be detrimental to Cotto, why ask for it? Its not as though Manny couldn't fight legit 147lbers. He fought Clottey without stips. It seems the greater the challenge, the more the weight stips come into play.

An asterix in terms of what? I could maybe understand with regards to Pacquiaos divisional record at welter weight. But not in anything else. It was an agreed weight. Not every fight has to take place at a fixed weight limit. The stipulation was in place because Cotto was much bigger than Pacquiao. Thats pretty much it. At the time Pacquiaos only welterweight fight had been beating a zombie like de la Hoya. The stipulations are to account for him givng away size.

manos de piedra wrote:

azania wrote:yes a fantastic win. I have never argued otherwise. But the asterix still remains because if the stip wasn't designed to be detrimental to Cotto, why ask for it? Its not as though Manny couldn't fight legit 147lbers. He fought Clottey without stips. It seems the greater the challenge, the more the weight stips come into play.

An asterix in terms of what? I could maybe understand with regards to Pacquiaos divisional record at welter weight. But not in anything else. It was an agreed weight. Not every fight has to take place at a fixed weight limit. The stipulation was in place because Cotto was much bigger than Pacquiao. Thats pretty much it. At the time Pacquiaos only welterweight fight had been beating a zombie like de la Hoya. The stipulations are to account for him givng away size.

He fought Clottey without stips......due to Clottey not being a big a threat as Cotto. The stip was to weaken Cotto and not to equalize size other wise he would have included the stip against Clottey. Moreover the financial penalties included was there to ensure cotto came in at the certain agreed weight. Great performance and fight, but what would have happened if Cotto was allowed to defend his title at 147 witout penalties.

azania wrote:what would have happened if Cotto was allowed to defend his title at 147 witout penalties.

The exact same thing, I'd imagine. And this is coming from someone who isn't a fan of catchweights at all, as I've already said.

If the 1 lb difference between Cotto's weight for that fight and his weight for his previous two made any difference at all, it was by a margin so small it could never have threatened to change the outcome of that bout had it been reversed. I think we need to concentrate on the positives here - Pacquiao's performance in that fight was superb.

azania wrote:

manos de piedra wrote:

azania wrote:yes a fantastic win. I have never argued otherwise. But the asterix still remains because if the stip wasn't designed to be detrimental to Cotto, why ask for it? Its not as though Manny couldn't fight legit 147lbers. He fought Clottey without stips. It seems the greater the challenge, the more the weight stips come into play.

An asterix in terms of what? I could maybe understand with regards to Pacquiaos divisional record at welter weight. But not in anything else. It was an agreed weight. Not every fight has to take place at a fixed weight limit. The stipulation was in place because Cotto was much bigger than Pacquiao. Thats pretty much it. At the time Pacquiaos only welterweight fight had been beating a zombie like de la Hoya. The stipulations are to account for him givng away size.

He fought Clottey without stips......due to Clottey not being a big a threat as Cotto. The stip was to weaken Cotto and not to equalize size other wise he would have included the stip against Clottey. Moreover the financial penalties included was there to ensure cotto came in at the certain agreed weight. Great performance and fight, but what would have happened if Cotto was allowed to defend his title at 147 witout penalties.

Probably the same difference that would have happened if Mayweather had stuck to his catchweight agreement with Marquez. None at all.

We could also asterix Pacquiaos last fight against Marquez on the basis that Marquez was operating at a catchweight? Who knows what would have happened if Pacquiao could have weighed in an extra pound or two heavier like he did against Mosely and Margarito.

Have to say I agree with AZ on this one. The reason the fight was at 145 was to favour Manny, to suggest otherwise doesnt make sense.

We'll never know how much of a difference those couple of pounds made (for the record I dont think they mean a great deal) but the fight will always have a question mark next to it because Manny (or his team) wanted the extra 2lb off....

Add the the whole situation where Freddie says they wont fight a pre mayweather Mosely at 147 because he is too big, and the fact he fought Clottey at 147 it certainly does make one think.

manos de piedra wrote:

azania wrote:

manos de piedra wrote:

azania wrote:yes a fantastic win. I have never argued otherwise. But the asterix still remains because if the stip wasn't designed to be detrimental to Cotto, why ask for it? Its not as though Manny couldn't fight legit 147lbers. He fought Clottey without stips. It seems the greater the challenge, the more the weight stips come into play.

An asterix in terms of what? I could maybe understand with regards to Pacquiaos divisional record at welter weight. But not in anything else. It was an agreed weight. Not every fight has to take place at a fixed weight limit. The stipulation was in place because Cotto was much bigger than Pacquiao. Thats pretty much it. At the time Pacquiaos only welterweight fight had been beating a zombie like de la Hoya. The stipulations are to account for him givng away size.

He fought Clottey without stips......due to Clottey not being a big a threat as Cotto. The stip was to weaken Cotto and not to equalize size other wise he would have included the stip against Clottey. Moreover the financial penalties included was there to ensure cotto came in at the certain agreed weight. Great performance and fight, but what would have happened if Cotto was allowed to defend his title at 147 witout penalties.

Probably the same difference that would have happened if Mayweather had stuck to his catchweight agreement with Marquez. None at all.

We could also asterix Pacquiaos last fight against Marquez on the basis that Marquez was operating at a catchweight? Who knows what would have happened if Pacquiao could have weighed in an extra pound or two heavier like he did against Mosely and Margarito.

It probably did mean nothing, but then again those 2 pound might have killed Floyd, we just dont know.

And Manny chose those stips so silly argument really.

johnson2 wrote:

manos de piedra wrote:

azania wrote:

manos de piedra wrote:

azania wrote:yes a fantastic win. I have never argued otherwise. But the asterix still remains because if the stip wasn't designed to be detrimental to Cotto, why ask for it? Its not as though Manny couldn't fight legit 147lbers. He fought Clottey without stips. It seems the greater the challenge, the more the weight stips come into play.

An asterix in terms of what? I could maybe understand with regards to Pacquiaos divisional record at welter weight. But not in anything else. It was an agreed weight. Not every fight has to take place at a fixed weight limit. The stipulation was in place because Cotto was much bigger than Pacquiao. Thats pretty much it. At the time Pacquiaos only welterweight fight had been beating a zombie like de la Hoya. The stipulations are to account for him givng away size.

He fought Clottey without stips......due to Clottey not being a big a threat as Cotto. The stip was to weaken Cotto and not to equalize size other wise he would have included the stip against Clottey. Moreover the financial penalties included was there to ensure cotto came in at the certain agreed weight. Great performance and fight, but what would have happened if Cotto was allowed to defend his title at 147 witout penalties.

Probably the same difference that would have happened if Mayweather had stuck to his catchweight agreement with Marquez. None at all.

We could also asterix Pacquiaos last fight against Marquez on the basis that Marquez was operating at a catchweight? Who knows what would have happened if Pacquiao could have weighed in an extra pound or two heavier like he did against Mosely and Margarito.

It probably did mean nothing, but then again those 2 pound might have killed Floyd, we just dont know.

And Manny chose those stips so silly argument really.

Its not a silly argument. I see it as a common sense appraoch. Pacquaio may have have chosen the stipulations against Marquez but they were designed to favour Marquez in order to make the fight more appealing.

Nobody cries foul that Marquez moved up to fight at catchweights and devalue his performance on that basis because its pretty obvious the catchweight did nothing. Likewise I think its fairly illogical for anyone to insinuate that Cotto weighing in a mere pound lighter than he did in his previous fight could have a drastic impact. The catchweight was designed to favour Pacquiao, but with valid reason. He was a smaller fighter that had only had one rather meaningless fight at welterweight before that.