Sweat Pea in his prime could have played with Floyd like a toy.

campbecc

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He clowned Oscar. almost a decade before Floyd edged a close decision
 
I thought he beat Oscar, but the fight was razor close. He clowned him at times, but he didn't muster much offense. Whitaker could win, sure, but it sure as hell wouldn't be emphatic.
 
It's hard to figure Floyd being clowned, as it was never remotely close to happening.

Floyd has reach and size over him. Late WW Whitaker lacks volume. Early LW Whitaker is an outstanding boxer, but then again he never faced anyone as skilled, quick and hard-punching (Floyd wasn't pillow-fisted back then) at the same time.

Whitaker can win this, no doubt. There's no chance he utterly dominates Floyd.
 
I thought he beat Oscar, but the fight was razor close. He clowned him at times, but he didn't muster much offense. Whitaker could win, sure, but it sure as hell wouldn't be emphatic.
Whitaker was past his prime by then. I thought the only way Oscar could have been given the decision is by counting his workrate without taking effectiveness into account.
 
Whitaker was past his prime by then. I thought the only way Oscar could have been given the decision is by counting his workrate without taking effectiveness into account.

He definitely was on the downslide of his career, I just think it's misleading to talk about that fight as if it were a domination by Whitaker, because it really wasn't. It was a fight where he almost completely nullified Oscar's offense, but didn't really muster much offense himself. It's still a fight I give to Whitaker (although the way I judge fights tends to be more sympathetic to someone with Whitaker's style) and a very impressive performance given the context, but it was very close.
 
It's hard to figure Floyd being clowned, as it was never remotely close to happening.

Floyd has reach and size over him. Late WW Whitaker lacks volume. Early LW Whitaker is an outstanding boxer, but then again he never faced anyone as skilled, quick and hard-punching (Floyd wasn't pillow-fisted back then) at the same time.

Whitaker can win this, no doubt. There's no chance he utterly dominates Floyd.

Likely the best style comparison to Mayweather on Whitaker's resume would be Buddy McGirt (some might say Roger, but that fight happened at a lower weight and early in both men's careers and Roger was never a particularly good defensive fighter) and Whitaker didn't have an easy time with McGirt their first time out (Whitaker looked much better in the rematch). It's not a fight where I see either man looking particularly dominant at any point.
 
He definitely was on the downslide of his career, I just think it's misleading to talk about that fight as if it were a domination by Whitaker, because it really wasn't. It was a fight where he almost completely nullified Oscar's offense, but didn't really muster much offense himself. It's still a fight I give to Whitaker (although the way I judge fights tends to be more sympathetic to someone with Whitaker's style) and a very impressive performance given the context, but it was very close.
I agree. I thought Whitaker won clearly but Oscar was the young guy coming up. He went on to prove himself in other fights especially against Quartey that established him as a true PFPer.
 
He clowned Oscar. almost a decade before Floyd edged a close decision
I don't think Whitaker had the offense to beat Floyd. Its a weird fight, for sure, but I picture a dull fight with Floyd basically outpointing Whitaker from the outside.
 
Nah I love Sweetpea as much as anyone, but he's not beating Floyd, let alone dominating him in some fashion. He'd give Floyd a lot of problems but he'd lose a UD.
 
Actually, this becomes a fun fight, but is at lightweight is where I think Pernell did his best work. At ww is where mayweather has established himself more. I think that Pernell being so quick defensively will pull Mayweather out of his comfort zone when he fought more defensively but that was later in his career. Early Mayweather was way more bold and aggressive. I think Mayweather wins. Sweat Pea just never has the output and Mayweather knows how to pick up rounds.
 
I actually think people underrate Whitaker's workrate. He had a very active jab, especially when he was at 135. People forget he threw more than 100 more punches than Chavez (790). Obviously he wouldn't be throwing anywhere near that amount against Floyd, but I'd say on average his workrate was a fair bit higher than Floyd's.
 
It's hard to figure Floyd being clowned, as it was never remotely close to happening.

Floyd has reach and size over him. Late WW Whitaker lacks volume. Early LW Whitaker is an outstanding boxer, but then again he never faced anyone as skilled, quick and hard-punching (Floyd wasn't pillow-fisted back then) at the same time.

Whitaker can win this, no doubt. There's no chance he utterly dominates Floyd.
True. Early pea was untouchable. I think after he one-shotted lomeli, something totally out of character for him, he started sitting down more on his punches and got hit a bit more than he was used to.
 
I actually think people underrate Whitaker's workrate. He had a very active jab, especially when he was at 135. People forget he threw more than 100 more punches than Chavez (790). Obviously he wouldn't be throwing anywhere near that amount against Floyd, but I'd say on average his workrate was a fair bit higher than Floyd's.
He was inconsistent with his offense. He was a guy who judges saw getting outworked when he tried to go into full boxing mode. Not to mention he really didn't have the most talented roster of fighters on his resume in his prime. The only guys he fought I'd pick to hang with Floyd beat him.
 
He was inconsistent with his offense. He was a guy who judges saw getting outworked when he tried to go into full boxing mode. Not to mention he really didn't have the most talented roster of fighters on his resume in his prime. The only guys he fought I'd pick to hang with Floyd beat him.

Chavez could hang with Floyd and Whitaker clearly beat him. Honestly, no one beat Whitaker in his prime (Ramirez was a collosal robbery). Even slightly past his prime, the only loss was prime Oscar, and most think he won that fight. After that we have a way passed it Whitaker going the distance with prime Tito and then completely shot Whitaker losing to Bojourez.
 
Floyd wasn't making pernell take crack.
 
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