By Don Colgan

Recently I viewed an ESPN boxing special on Burt Randolph Sugar’s selections for the top ten Heavyweight Champions of all time.  The panel chosen to discuss the selections was composed of Sugar, Teddy Atlas, Larry Holmes and ESPN host Brian Kenny.  Sugar had placed the Easton Assassin, Larry Holmes, at number ten, a selection that predictably offended the great former WBC titleholder.

Larry saw himself at the top of the list.  His rationale, flawed as it was, suggested that since he had stopped Ali, and no one else did, along with the fact that he TKO’d several Ali opponents who went the full 15 rounds with Ali in his much diminished, final years, that he deserved the all time #1 ranking.

The extraordinary breadth of knowledge possessed by Sugar and the razor sharp reasoning of Atlas dissected much of Larry’s argument.  However, Atlas made a telling point about Holmes.  “Astaire had his Rodgers, Martin had his Lewis and Ali had his Frazier." He told Holmes that he never engaged in the powerful rivalry that would have validated his greatness.  Ali had Frazier, Norton and to a less degree Liston.  No matter how much controversy surrounded the outcomes of several of their bouts, they served to elevate Ali to the historical pinnacle of the heavyweight division.

Holmes likes to portray himself as a humble, disrespected champion destined to linger forever in the shadow of Ali.  Larry, however, has more than his share of hubris. Had he given Norton a much deserved return bout following his razor thin verdict, his place among the great champions may have been elevated.  However, Larry didn’t do return matches!

However, there is a parallel between Holmes and Floyd Mayweather.  The WBC Welterweight titleholder continues to raise the bar, exhibiting the kind of utter domination not seen in his weight class since Ray Leonard monopolized the division in the late 1970’s.  Ray had an obstacle to his greatness, a obstacle he had to surmount to certify his claim to pound for pound supremacy.  “Manos De Piedra” stood in the way, and it wasn’t until the night of “No Mas” in New Orleans in November 1980 did Leonard truly stamp his greatness.

Duran had out-foxed and out-slugged Leonard in Montreal, five months earlier, in a bout where Ray mysteriously took his thinking cap off and decided to out-macho Roberto.  Angelo Dundee kept saying in the days before the bout that “Forget about Duran, my guy’s the banger”.  Leonard had enormous self confidence and the mindset that he could stop Duran.  It was a big mistake, for had Leonard used his entire repertoire of ring talents he would have won a clear cut decision and remained unbeaten.  In fact, he may have retired undefeated.

However, Leonard was defined by his short series with Duran.  That is the one element missing in the sparkling resume of Floyd Mayweather.  He needs to be engaged, he needs to face defeat, to feel the beads of sweat dripping down his face after absorbing a volley of crunching left hooks to the body.  We need to see Floyd fight off the canvas, as did Frazier against Bonavena in 1966.  Joe was a very young man with only 11 professional  fights under his belt yet his championship heart was on display on that long ago night at the old Madison Square Garden.  One more decking by Oscar and Joe Frazier may never have smoked.  It never happened!

We are now accustomed to the pure ring domination exhibited by Mayweather as he keeps raising the bar with each increasingly difficult challenge.  De La Hoya was a puzzle at times yet Mayweather certainly prevailed in at least eight of the twelve sessions.  Hatton is a world class battler with durability, punch and heart.  However, he didn’t belong in the same ring as Mayweather. 

Over the horizon looms the challenge that may certify Floyd’s legacy and establish him as a champion for the ages.  A champion  would could take his rightful place at the table with Robinson, Ketchel, Monzon, Griffith, Hagler and  Hopkins.  Miquel Cotto is near his prime and is a dangerous puncher with more tools in his arsenal than Hatton or De La Hoya.  Neither Oscar nor the Briton was perceived as a dire threat to Mayweather’s supremacy.  De La Hoya has made a career out of losing marquee matchups and Floyd’s 10th stoppage of Hatton surprised no one.  Cotto is an entirely different story, the WBA Welterweight Champion has rung up a threatening 31-0 mark and his two big wins in 2007, and 11th round TKO over Zab Judah and his unanimous, though close, verdict over the still title tough Shane Mosley in November moved him to the threshold of a super fight with Mayweather.

Cotto is poised to become Mayweather’s Duran.  He is the only threat to Floyd who will not retreat psychologically.  Both De La Hoya and Hatton talked tough yet there was an undeniable sense that they courted defeat, even before the opening bell.  Hatton claimed to have frightened Floyd at the weigh in.  His acts of exaggerated aggressiveness only revealed his lack of a warrior’s true confidence, the type of “destruct and destroy” mentality Hagler brought with him into the ring with each defense.

Cotto is not without his detractors.  His ability to take a wallop has been legitimately questioned and he seems to lose focus at times, occasionally coasting for a round or two.  Yet his body attack is ferocious and he is fully capable of hurting Mayweather.  His fight plan against Mayweather would seem apparent.  Cut the ring in half, pin Floyd against the ropes or in a corner and attack the body non stop for the first five rounds.  As quick and versatile as Mayweather is he will be hurt by Cotto, much as Leonard was by Duran over the first six rounds of their first encounter.

We have grown accustomed to the mindset that Mayweather is invincible.  Yet the great champions lose, see Moore, Robinson’s, Griffith  or Ali’s record!  Cotto appears to have the heart, desire and ring equipment to be the first foeman of Mayweather’s unblemished career to truly extend him, hurt him, and quite possibly defeat him.

If that comes to pass, Pretty Boy will have the opportunity to validate his greatness, as Louis did against Scheming, as Ali did against Frazier and, of course, the evening the great Duran threw up his hands and walked away, assuring Ray Leonard’s immortality.