Floyd vs "Soviet style" fighters

[pugilistico]

One of the dumbest criticisms of Inoue from casuals used to be that he hasn't fought any black fighters. This is before he destroyed Fulton of course. I guess this comes from the misconception that black fighters have a particular slick style. Ignoring the obviously idiotic assumption that your race dictates your fighting style, this criticism has a point in that until Fulton, Inoue hasn't fought any particularly "slick" opponents. But it also made me think he hasn't fought any Russian/Eastern Bloc fighters. A lot of those guys seem to have a certain style due to Soviet era training doctrines.

That was a long winded way of getting to my main point that I don't think Floyd has fought any opponent from that part of the world. Maybe he did in his amateur days but I don't know the details of his amateur career. I think the closest he got when they were talking about him facing Golovkin. When I look back at Floyd's career now, he seemed to have fought mostly guys of a certain style with a few exceptions like Marquez, Judah, Pacquiao. I wonder how he would have done or looked against Eastern Bloc fighters. Or even Cubans. Although I can't think of a post Mayweather-Pac era fighter at 147 who could give him trouble except for Crawford, and he's American. It would be really interesting how Floyd with deal with a Bivol or Lomachenko if they were his size.

 

[prikoke]

The first time he faced a half-decent Eastern bloc fighter in Todorov, he lost.

Just kidding, there just weren't many such fighters that were both very good and very popular back in Floyd’s time. There still aren't. Bivols and Lomachenkos are still quite rare.

 

[SandisLL]

Race doesn't dictate fighting style.
Training and sparring does....
Also as soviet (?) boxer usually is assumed point scoring amateur rules boxer...
When they had emphasis on activities easier to get noticed by judges, am gloves and tournament format with short time before next bout.
Soviet
Boxing from 50 ies was different...
Then it was more close to british& french pro boxing from this era....or before WW2.

Later when rules changed and had been noticed what stuff judges more often will see, training had been changed....

 

[Seano]

The first time he faced a half-decent Eastern bloc fighter in Todorov, he lost.

Just kidding, there just weren't many such fighters that were both very good and very popular back in Floyd’s time. There still aren't. Bivols and Lomachenkos are still quite rare.

He lost like Roy Jones lost in the Olympics.

 

[prikoke]

He lost like Roy Jones lost in the Olympics.

I know, hence the "just kidding".

 

[SandisLL]

I know, hence the "just kidding".

He is heavily biased to support U.S origin boxers and find them to be better in any case.
While styles even for so called Black boxers or cubans too are different, depends from training and boxer.

 

[MayweatherisTBE]

I don't think Floyd vs Lomachenko would be that interesting. Floyd was too big and too skilled at 135. He'd have destroyed Loma.

 

[Captain Insano]

I don't think it's crazy that race influences style.

So what if he didn't fight them, there was no one there to make that fight anyways.

 

[ryun253]

Would've looked like Bud vs Victor Postol

 

[borntoloseNOT]

Floyd would have beat soviets/eastern bloc fighters like confused blindfolded children. Just the era he was in. Color ain’t slick. Boxing styles and the art of boxing as adopted and perfected by some gyms is what’s slick, and some of those gyms happen to be in places where talented black Americans with potetial happen to learn the game.

 

[froggyluv]

 

[MC Paul Barman]

He lost like Roy Jones lost in the Olympics.

Seano "Grrrrr... not another FUCKING white boxer"

 

[SandisLL]

Floyd would have beat soviets/eastern bloc fighters like confused blindfolded children. Just the era he was in. Color ain’t slick. Boxing styles and the art of boxing as adopted and perfected by some gyms is what’s slick, and some of those gyms happen to be in places where talented black Americans with potetial happen to learn the game.

No, Floyd fan.
Americans usually are thinking that eastern euro are jumping kids touching oppenents in order to score points on cards. While in reality they had base from french and british pro boxing ...later tailored according to rules and scoring criteria.
It is nothing about ideology, it is business and nothing personal here.
Is easier to get for your fighter to get score with long range jab rather than when he will land close distance punch to core etc...
Imagine prime shape ( not uncle ) Beterbiev or Lazlo Papp in prime shape vs your idol Floyd? Combat sport fans are tribal and nationalistic...without proper reason.
While I agrree that Floyd is great.

 

[SandisLL]

Floyd is great cos he actually isn't bad person despite ofc mistakes and cocky attitude and even had managed to move up in weight class despite damaged hands.
Lazlo was great cos he managed to be 3 rd time Olympic Champ despite damaged hands and later as over the hill ...uncle undefeated in pro ranks.
Greatness isn't easy.

 

[pugilistico]

Floyd would have beat soviets/eastern bloc fighters like confused blindfolded children. Just the era he was in. Color ain’t slick. Boxing styles and the art of boxing as adopted and perfected by some gyms is what’s slick, and some of those gyms happen to be in places where talented black Americans with potetial happen to learn the game.

I forgot if it was Floyd himself or Sr talking about how Floyd could go up to middleweight and beat GGG, but I thought that's crazy talk. Especially with the size difference.