The validity of "P4P"...

[Butterball]

you are delving into the philosophical and conceptual frailties of the pound-for-pound ranking system a mite too deeply my friend

I am, but when you get 17-year-old Fanboys on here talking about it as if it's more important than anything achieved in the ring it gets ridiculous.

[Madvillain]

Of course it can be wrong. But at least The Ring gives you a good idea of who the real class of each division is. It's a lot better than just having absolutely no ranking system at all. Or even worse: The Sanctioning Bodies telling us who the best are.

[The_Visitation]

What this says is that by definition the top ten P4P ratings were incorrect before that time because a fighter was out there that should have been on it, we just didn't know it then.

I see your point, I think, but you summed it up yourself when you said p4p was just an opinion piece. As opinion, they can never be 'correct' or 'incorrect'.

I do disagree in that I think that beating a p4p-er is an important achievement in itself if only because, while we may disagree with pundits and ourselves as to who ranks where, anyone on any p4p list taken remotely seriously is a very fine fighter indeed. Weights don't matter; sure an average heavyweight would KO an excellent welterweight, but in practice such bouts don't occur. Where there is a difference in natural weight it's a risk the lighter man chooses to take, and sometimes it works (Pacquiao) and sometimes it doesn't (Pavlik).

[Kris Silver]

In the past year p4p has increasingly become popular and ever more referred to by boxers aswell, as if it's a solid ranking system.

Ricky Hatton is obsessed with beating a p4p #1 guy always racking on about it immediately making him the best fighter in the world. It was to his demise the first time and probably will be again.

Osca De La Hoya is the same, he chose a midget p4p #1 guy over guys also on the p4p list in and around his weight whom he spoke of fighting. He thought it was a short cut to becoming the best fighter in the world.

It's becoming to the demise of the sport at times imo, because the fundamental way of fighters becoming the best and them being ranked, is by they're weight class. It's bad enough we can only rely on say Ring ratings not the abc organisations weight division rankings. But to put ever more weight on a mythical all weight ranking system is frankly as meaningless and un reliable at times.

[Butterball]

In the past year p4p has increasingly become popular and ever more referred to by boxers aswell, as if it's a solid ranking system.

Ricky Hatton is obsessed with beating a p4p #1 guy always racking on about it immediatel making him the best fighter in the world. It was to his demise the first time and probably will be again.

Osca De La Hoya is the same, he chose a midget p4p #1 guy over guys also on the p4p list in and around his weight whom he spoke of fighting. He thought it was a short cut to becoming the best fighter in the world.

It's becoming to the demise of the sport at times imo, because the fundamental way of fighters becoming the best and them being ranked, is by they're weight class. It's bad enough we can only rely on say Ring ratings not the abc organisations weight division rankings. But to put ever more weight on a mythical all weight ranking system is frankly as meaningless and un reliable at times.

See... now THIS is a good post. This is a guy who gets it.

The Paler's obsession with thinking that he's P4P No.1 if he beats the person that holds that title is also deeply flawed. You don't get to be the man by beating the man.

[squealpiggy]

HOW CAN RIKY HATEN BE TEH P$P he ONLY WENT UP IN TEH WEIT ONCE AND GOT SKOOLED BY FLOYD COLLAZOWEATHER JUNIER WITRTER LAMO!

[MANGLER]

It ain't as important as cats make it out to be, but it has some prestige. Mostly cuz it connotates respect in the world rankings overall, not just your own division.