I agree, and yes that was after the first KD. It was a look of "wtf was that? I didn't think he could hit this hard".
Wes - it's a risky fight, not a sure thing for Oscar no, but here's a few things to consider.
They both started at 130, but oscar didbn't stay there long and rumour has it he never even made 130. Mayweather I would say is a natural 135 pounder, a lightweight. That's where he seemed most effective. At 140 and 147 he seems to have lost a bit of speed and snap.
Oscar is a natural 147 pounder, this was his main weight, and where he was best.
Oscar is 5'11, floyd is 5'8 max. Floyd and Gatti looked a simialr size in the ring, oscar dwarfed gatti when they fought. Oscar has a significantly bigger frame
Oscar doesn't usually let them weigh him on fight night, but you get bet if they fight at 154 floyd is going to enter the ring at MAXIMUM 154. Versus zab I think he put on no weight after the weigh in.
I wouldn't be surprised if at the official weigh in floyd weighed LESS than 154. 154 could be too much for him, and slow him down.
On fight night I think oscar could outweigh him by 14 pounds at least.
Floyd is in his prime, oscar isn't, but if oscar could put on a show like he did versus mayo, he seemed to enjoy it, he didn't get hurt, I think he's got at least one more great performance left.
And lastly, win lose or draw, one thing I promise you wes, and you can hold me to - mayweather won't hurt oscar. Mayweather has quick, sharp punches but he's never been a devestating puncher. Corrales, castillo and zab all hit a lot harder.
Oscar has a great chin. Tito was a PROPER powerpuncher at 147, he had 1 punch power and oscar took his shots fine. Mosley had power at 147, oscar took his shorts fine, hopkins is a 6'1 middleweight, and oscar too his head shots fine.
The knockdowns oscar has suffered have been flash KD's, like agaisnt whitaker, quartey etc, he hasn't been knocked down in years apart from hops bodyshot, which was BS anyway, it was not even a hard shot, that's open to interpretation.
Oscar has a VERY underrated chin.
Mayweather certainly has a good chin too, there's no doubt about it. But in the first round of the Judah fight, a KD should have been called. Floyd got hit clean, stumbled and his glvoe touched the canvas, that's a KD really.
So they both have good chins but here is what you have to consider wes, Oscar has been hit SIGNIFICANTLY harder than floyd can hit him. Ike Quartey, Tito, Mosley, Hopkins, old Chavez, Mayorga, maybe even Gatti all hit harder than Floyd.
Floyd has such accurate, fast punches that he can hurt people and do damage, but his raw power is nothing special.
What it comes down to is this - Oscar can still fight, and can still punch, but his legs are not what they used to be when he was at 147 and in his 20's. He's incrediblyskilled and talented, but pretty much a stationary fighter.
Mayweather's only way of defeating oscar would be to stick move CONSTANTLY, be in constant motion for 12 rounds, like he did with corrales.
I'm sure you've noticed wes that floyd has been less of a mover at 140 and now 147, he stays in range and counters a lot, and sometimes pushes forward and initiates attacks. That's his new style, not the classic boxing style he had at 130/135.
So I don't know, if he can do that he has a chance to outpoint oscar, but if he stays in the wheelhouse and tries to counter oscar, he's getting blasted out. Oscar still has very fast hands, and can hit as hard as ever, and is still very skilled and can counter well.
As far as the chin and power debate you have to consider - trinidad has obliterated and knocked out MIDDLEWEIGHTS like Joppy, and he could not hurt oscar. I've never seen oscar on "queer street" from a shot to the chin, his chin is very solid.
If floyd fancies his chances in an up close counter shootout - quite simply oscar has been hit significantly harder than floyd hits, floyd has not been hit as hard as oscar can hit.
Floyd would have to be very disciplined and very fast for 12 rounds to beat oscar.
It's certainly possible, but at 154 I'm going with oscar.
