The problem with not fighting the 2nd best fighter of your era is that it really puts a big question mark over a variety of criteria in judging your ATG standings.
Your resume, your record, and of course your title defenses.
I will highlight 3 cases. One of which is very very unique(klitschkos)
1- K2
First off I like to say that it is 100% understandable why they DO NOT fight. They are brothers and it is impossible. They just have the bad luck (speaking from a boxing sense) to be related. The issue is this:
If Vitali was not related to Wladimir, they would have fought 2-3 times already. Vitali would have at least been a 50-50 if not outright favorite against Wladimir. This really does distorts his title defense numbers and his reign of dominance. He shared his reign with a fighter who is his equal or nearly so. He shared his dominance with a fighter who have a very real chance of beating him and ending his title defense streak. This is troubling because there are a number of ATG'S who would have had better reigns, better records and better defenses than they had, if they never fought the clear #1 challenger to their throne.
2- Roy Jones Jr and Dariusz michalczewski.
Based on what we seen of 175 Roy, we will have to make Roy the favorite against Dariusz. The issue remains that Dariusz had the biggest chance out of anybody to beat Roy. As amazing as Roy is, you can not truly say he was the best LHW of his era because he never fought the 2nd best LHW of his era. We just don't know what would have happened.
3- The obvious one.
Pacquaio-Mayweather.
Neither man can say they were the 'fighter of his generation' they have to share the reign. The best version of Pacquaio would still have been a under dog against Floyd,but the fact remain: Pacquaio had the biggest chance out of anybody to beat Floyd.
Once again, if you never fought the 2nd best fighter of your era (For whatever reasons, excusable or not excusable) it does put a dent in your resume,title defenses, and overall standings.
Your resume, your record, and of course your title defenses.
I will highlight 3 cases. One of which is very very unique(klitschkos)
1- K2
First off I like to say that it is 100% understandable why they DO NOT fight. They are brothers and it is impossible. They just have the bad luck (speaking from a boxing sense) to be related. The issue is this:
If Vitali was not related to Wladimir, they would have fought 2-3 times already. Vitali would have at least been a 50-50 if not outright favorite against Wladimir. This really does distorts his title defense numbers and his reign of dominance. He shared his reign with a fighter who is his equal or nearly so. He shared his dominance with a fighter who have a very real chance of beating him and ending his title defense streak. This is troubling because there are a number of ATG'S who would have had better reigns, better records and better defenses than they had, if they never fought the clear #1 challenger to their throne.
2- Roy Jones Jr and Dariusz michalczewski.
Based on what we seen of 175 Roy, we will have to make Roy the favorite against Dariusz. The issue remains that Dariusz had the biggest chance out of anybody to beat Roy. As amazing as Roy is, you can not truly say he was the best LHW of his era because he never fought the 2nd best LHW of his era. We just don't know what would have happened.
3- The obvious one.
Pacquaio-Mayweather.
Neither man can say they were the 'fighter of his generation' they have to share the reign. The best version of Pacquaio would still have been a under dog against Floyd,but the fact remain: Pacquaio had the biggest chance out of anybody to beat Floyd.
Once again, if you never fought the 2nd best fighter of your era (For whatever reasons, excusable or not excusable) it does put a dent in your resume,title defenses, and overall standings.
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