In boxing, there are three types of champions.
The first type of champion is the guy that wants to fight the best. He isn't interested in titles or rankings as much as he is challenging himself.
An example of this type of champion is Shane Mosley.
Not only is Mosley actively calling out Manny Pacquiao, he is willing to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr., and has even mentioned boxing's boogieman, Paul Williams.
The second type of champion is the guy who fights whoever his promoter puts in front of him.
He trains hard to put on a good show for the fans. He leaves the matchmaking to his manager and promoter.
An example of this type of fighter is Vic Darchinyan. Now Darchinyan has been known to call out a guy or two, but for the most part he fights whoever Gary Shaw puts in front of him.
The third type of champion is the guy that follows the path of least risk/highest reward.
This type of fighter is concerned with making the most money against the fighter that poses him the least threat. Floyd Mayweather Jr. falls into this category. While a successful strategy for the fighter's wallet, it leaves many fans disappointed in both the choice of opponents and in ring performance.
The first and second type of champion I have described are the type of guys that have given us this revival of sorts that boxing has experienced in the last year or so. Thanks in large part to the success of MMA and the UFC, boxing's superstars have been forced to give up being the type of guy that follows the path of least resistance.
Guys like Winky Wright, Vernon Forrest, Roy Jones, and others are learning this lesson. The days of fighting anybody and making millions are to a large extent, gone. Name recognition no longer guarantees a guy a million dollar payday everytime out.
While this shift in the boxing paradigm has hurt aging fighters, it has helped the sport and its fans by creating compelling matchups.
Winky Wright was forced to comeback and face a young lion in Paul Williams. Paul Williams wasn't Wright's first choice, but Wright wanted a big payday. Vernon Forrest is on the verge of no longer being relevant, having recently being stripped of his title for refusing to fight Sergio Martinez.
Roy Jones in recent years has shown heart and a willingness to take on guys he should have fought in his prime.
With Mayweather's return to boxing, the low risk/high reward strategy is back in full effect. Mayweather and his advisers chose the guy they believed poses the smallest threat to beating Mayweather while creating the type of payday Mayweather is accustomed to.
This is not to discount Juan Manuel Marquez as an opponent, but there were actual welterweight opponents available. Shane Mosley is the champion at welterweight, yet Mayweather looked past him.
Mosley doesn't fit into Mayweather's formula yet, because he poses a great deal of threat to Mayweather. While Marquez can certainly beat Mayweather, odds are he would have to do so on points. Mosley not only could outpoint Mayweather, he has the power to place him flat on his back as well.
Since stepping up to welterweight, Mayweather has yet to face an opponent he didn't feel 100 percent he was going to beat. Now every fighter should believe they are going to win every fight, but Mayweather doesn't even consider fights he could possibly lose.
So in my opinion, now reading what you have read in this article, wouldn't you like to see Mayweather lose? So he can not dictate his next fights? Your opinion?
The first type of champion is the guy that wants to fight the best. He isn't interested in titles or rankings as much as he is challenging himself.
An example of this type of champion is Shane Mosley.
Not only is Mosley actively calling out Manny Pacquiao, he is willing to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr., and has even mentioned boxing's boogieman, Paul Williams.
The second type of champion is the guy who fights whoever his promoter puts in front of him.
He trains hard to put on a good show for the fans. He leaves the matchmaking to his manager and promoter.
An example of this type of fighter is Vic Darchinyan. Now Darchinyan has been known to call out a guy or two, but for the most part he fights whoever Gary Shaw puts in front of him.
The third type of champion is the guy that follows the path of least risk/highest reward.
This type of fighter is concerned with making the most money against the fighter that poses him the least threat. Floyd Mayweather Jr. falls into this category. While a successful strategy for the fighter's wallet, it leaves many fans disappointed in both the choice of opponents and in ring performance.
The first and second type of champion I have described are the type of guys that have given us this revival of sorts that boxing has experienced in the last year or so. Thanks in large part to the success of MMA and the UFC, boxing's superstars have been forced to give up being the type of guy that follows the path of least resistance.
Guys like Winky Wright, Vernon Forrest, Roy Jones, and others are learning this lesson. The days of fighting anybody and making millions are to a large extent, gone. Name recognition no longer guarantees a guy a million dollar payday everytime out.
While this shift in the boxing paradigm has hurt aging fighters, it has helped the sport and its fans by creating compelling matchups.
Winky Wright was forced to comeback and face a young lion in Paul Williams. Paul Williams wasn't Wright's first choice, but Wright wanted a big payday. Vernon Forrest is on the verge of no longer being relevant, having recently being stripped of his title for refusing to fight Sergio Martinez.
Roy Jones in recent years has shown heart and a willingness to take on guys he should have fought in his prime.
With Mayweather's return to boxing, the low risk/high reward strategy is back in full effect. Mayweather and his advisers chose the guy they believed poses the smallest threat to beating Mayweather while creating the type of payday Mayweather is accustomed to.
This is not to discount Juan Manuel Marquez as an opponent, but there were actual welterweight opponents available. Shane Mosley is the champion at welterweight, yet Mayweather looked past him.
Mosley doesn't fit into Mayweather's formula yet, because he poses a great deal of threat to Mayweather. While Marquez can certainly beat Mayweather, odds are he would have to do so on points. Mosley not only could outpoint Mayweather, he has the power to place him flat on his back as well.
Since stepping up to welterweight, Mayweather has yet to face an opponent he didn't feel 100 percent he was going to beat. Now every fighter should believe they are going to win every fight, but Mayweather doesn't even consider fights he could possibly lose.
So in my opinion, now reading what you have read in this article, wouldn't you like to see Mayweather lose? So he can not dictate his next fights? Your opinion?
