ESPN Classic Matchup (Fantasy fights)

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Robinson vs. Mayweather : Part 1

It's the ultimate boxing "What if?" question. Who would win if, in a parallel universe, Fighter A from the 1950s or '60s fought Fighter B from the 1990s or 2000s? Who would win between Joe Louis and Lennox Lewis, between Muhammad Ali and Vitali Klitschko, or between Willie Pep and Pernell Whitaker?

Today, we consider possibly the most intriguing, permanently hypothetical matchup of all. What would happen if Sugar Ray Robinson, whom most observers regard as the greatest of all time, squared off against Floyd Mayweather Jr., who considers himself to be the greatest of all time and is certainly the best boxer of his generation? Specifically, who would emerge victorious in a clash between a prime welterweight Robinson and the Mayweather who has been at 147 pounds (or higher) since 2006, recently dominated Robert Guerrero and is currently preparing to clash with Canelo Alvarez on Sept. 14?

There is, of course, no definitive determination, no right or wrong answer. But there is plenty of fodder for disagreement and discussion. Below, we provide scouting reports for both men, and our panel of ESPN.com experts picks a winner in this classic matchup.

Sugar Ray Robinson
Tall and rangy for a welterweight, he used his physical gifts to his advantage. Excellent footwork allowed him to position himself to launch two-fisted attacks from multiple angles. His stiff jab frequently morphed into a lead left hook that was delivered with exceptional torque. His overhand right, although often launched from distance, covered that distance rapidly and frequently with concussive impact. Threw blistering combinations with bad intentions and deployed a legendary repertoire of punches that he threw with almost balletic fluidity. Won his first 40 fights and lost just one of his first 123. His two-fisted power combinations enabled him to score 108 career knockouts.

Floyd Mayweather Jr.
A defensive master, he has perfected the art of the shoulder roll, which enables him to deflect opponents' blows or dodge them entirely with a subtle shift of his upper body. A study in economy of movement, he boxes with a beautiful compactness and is almost never caught off balance or out of position. Exceptionally smart in the ring, he often takes two or three rounds to assess his foe and time his punches before establishing dominance. Fast hands and feet allow him to shift into position, fire a punch and move before his opponent can respond. Skilled at luring his opponents into counterpunches. Undefeated in 44 professional outings.

Analysis
Power: Mayweather can hit harder than he is often given credit for, but as a welterweight he has just two stoppages to his credit -- one of them highly controversial. Robinson had enough power to stop middleweights like Jake LaMotta, Rocky Graziano and Gene Fullmer. Advantage: Robinson

Speed: Mayweather's punches travel short distances and arrive at their destination rapidly. But in his welterweight guise, he rarely throws combinations and sits down more on his punches than he used to. Robinson delivered combinations from all angles in the form of concussive fusillades and gets the nod because of his ability to land multiple blows in short order. Advantage: Robinson

Defense: Robinson's footwork and body movement enabled him to slip punches, but often his defense was an overwhelming offense. Defensively, Mayweather might be without contemporary peer. Advantage: Mayweather

Chin: Robinson was stopped just once in his career, and that was the result of heat exhaustion in a light heavyweight bout. But he was dropped by several opponents -- mostly by middleweights but also in a challenge for the welterweight title. Mayweather has been buzzed but never decked: He touched his glove to the canvas against Zab Judah, but the knockdown wasn't called. Advantage: Mayweather

Ring IQ: Robinson fought with an intuitive rhythm and commented that, "You don't think. It's all instinct." Mayweather supplements his natural skills and work rate with a cerebral approach to his craft, studying his opponents in the ring and making adjustments on the fly to neutralize their strengths. Advantage: Mayweather

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Robinson Vs Mayweather : Part 2

Expert's Picks

Dan Rafael: Robinson knockout
Floyd Mayweather Jr. is great, but Sugar Ray Robinson is the greatest ever and would beat Mayweather if we could somehow make the fight happen. Robinson wasn't as fast as Mayweather and didn't have his kind of defense, but he was the total package. He could take a shot and he had power in both hands, while Mayweather isn't a big puncher with either hand. He would easily match Mayweather skillwise. Remember, Robinson was undefeated as an amateur, and, at one point as a pro, he was 128-4 and had a 91-fight unbeaten stretch.
Plus, he didn't cherry-pick opponents. He fought the best of the best when they were on top of their games, unlike Mayweather, who has mostly feasted on older or smaller guys since he became a welterweight. The supremely talented Robinson would press forward and make Mayweather's night hell. Eventually, he would put together his combinations, stiffen Mayweather's legs and get him out of there in about 10 rounds.

Teddy Atlas: Robinson decision
Robinson was a bigger man and, in my estimation, the greatest welterweight of all time. Mayweather is a fine fighter, but he's not quite in that rarefied air, and his experience pales in comparison. You talk about the speed of Floyd, but Robinson could meet that speed -- and Mayweather isn't as consistent a combination puncher. Sure, Robinson wasn't the hardest guy in the world to hit, but he had one of the greatest chins of all time. Floyd is a better defensive fighter, and he would have to use his legs more than he does now to keep Robinson off balance. But, at the end of the day, Robinson is too strong, consistent and steady.

Kieran Mulvaney: Robinson decision
We can only infer how good Ray Robinson was as a welterweight, because of the lack of tape of him at 147 pounds. But to watch footage of some of his middleweight contests is to marvel at the fluid combinations, violently torqued punches and effortless footwork he was still exhibiting even when he was past his peak. One thing that's evident is how well Robinson matches up physically with these nominally bigger men; he would have had sizable physical advantages against Mayweather, and he would have used them effectively.

I picture Robinson launching violent left hooks and overhand rights in constant combination, throwing punches from all angles from distance and forcing Mayweather to cover up. Mayweather's defense would have enabled him to slip some of those blows and survive the barrage, but he would be stuck in defensive mode all night, never able to launch any offense beyond occasional scoring counter right hands. I see a wide unanimous decision for Robinson.

Nigel Collins: Robinson decision
Sugar Ray Robinson was everything that Floyd Mayweather Jr. is, and much more. But that doesn't mean this fight would be a walkover. "Money" is a marvelous fighter who has the skills to give any welterweight in history an uncomfortable night.

I see the bout unfolding along the lines of Robinson's 1946 match with Tommy Bell for the vacant welterweight title. Bell was a skillful boxer with a good punch, and Robinson had to come off the deck to win a competitive but unanimous 15-round decision. I don't see Mayweather knocking down Ray, but he'd land enough to make it interesting.

Robinson's chief advantages would be his punching power and aggression. You have to take a risk to land a big punch, and putting himself anywhere near harm's way is usually the last thing on Mayweather's mind. Sugar Ray, on the other hand, was always willing to go after the other guy. Call it Robinson via unanimous decision.

Eric Raskin: Robinson decision
This is frankly unfair to Floyd, to pair him against the most perfect fighter who ever lived. When you look at the 147-pound version of Robinson, you're looking at a fighter who could do everything Mayweather does just as well as Mayweather does it -- but who also had elite punching power. Additionally, Robinson's opposition over the course of his career allowed him to build up a bank of experience that would serve him well in any difficult moments against Mayweather. For Mayweather, on the other hand, although it's a testament to his magnificent skill that he remains somewhat untested after 44 pro fights, against Robinson he would find himself dealing with adversity he has never dealt with before.

In the end, the greatest sign of respect I can show Mayweather is to predict that he lasts the distance -- something not many opponents did against a prime, welterweight Robinson. Both guys make brilliant adjustments throughout the fight, but Sugar Ray is generally a half-step ahead and doing much more damage with his punches en route to a decisive points win.

Michael Woods: Draw
My respect for Floyd Mayweather's talent has grown in the past several years. I see no one from 140 pounds up to 160 taking his "0" from him. But the original Sugar Ray comes from a different time, when boxers fought with insane frequency, and I think his talent and the intangibles he'd bring to the table would give him a better chance at besmirching Floyd's record than any man campaigning today.

For the sake of brevity, shall we put the SRR who beat Jake LaMotta in their second fight, on Feb. 26, 1943 -- three weeks after their first tangle -- in against Floyd in our mythical matchup? That Robinson was 40-0 and outweighed LaMotta by 16 pounds. But he got the unanimous decision in 10 rounds, and maybe he'd get the decision against Floyd … but maybe not. I'm not sure how it would play out stylistically. Who would be the aggressor? One tangible edge I see Robinson having: His power would bother Floyd more than Floyd's would bother Robinson. Then again, I think Floyd's athleticism and effectiveness slipping punches would make him hard to handle for Sugar. Verdict? A draw. And by all means, let's book the rematch while we bust on Woods for fence-sitting.

Brian Campbell: Robinson knockout
Mayweather has established himself as a historically great defensive fighter and elite counterpuncher. But there's a reason Robinson, who at his peak carried a gaudy record of 128-1-2 with 84 KOs, is considered the best of the best. He had the total package of speed, size, defense and technique. But what would have separated him from Mayweather was his power. Bert Sugar once said Robinson could "deliver a knockout blow while moving backward." And although I'm not implying that Robinson stops Mayweather with one punch, as Floyd's chin is his most underrated strength, I believe Robinson would have caught up to "Money" with the frightening combinations that became his calling card.

With Mayweather's exceptional ring IQ and ability to adjust to any style, it has been nearly impossible for anyone to hurt him late in fights. That's why Robinson would have to do damage early, when Mayweather has shown vulnerability, en route to a fourth-round TKO.

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Chavez vs. Alvarez

If we can't get Canelo Alvarez versus Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in a battle of Mexico's two most popular young fighters, we can instead have some fun with this pure fantasy pairing: Canelo against Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., the most beloved -- and probably the best -- Mexican warrior to lace on gloves.

Weight is an issue here, unfortunately, as the prime of "J.C. Superstar" came at 130-140 pounds, and Alvarez is currently a junior middleweight. Complicating things further, we haven't necessarily seen Canelo's prime yet. But here are the stipulations for the matchup: It's current Canelo against 140-pound Chavez circa 1990, meeting at a catchweight of 150 pounds. So as not to spoil the fun, we're assuming Alvarez can make 150 without killing himself and Chavez can use modern training and dieting techniques to put a few more productive pounds on his frame.

Julio Cesar Chavez Sr.
Chavez created a new prototype for intelligent pressure fighting, using exceptional instincts for spacing and cutting off the ring, a legendary chin and a relentless offensive attack to make it through his first 90 fights -- yes, 90 -- undefeated. His best weapon was the classic left hook to the liver, but if that punch didn't get the opponent out of there, it lowered the arms enough to make the head an easy target. Aggressive style produced 86 knockouts among 107 wins, both extraordinary marks for the modern age, no matter how many "Tijuana taxi cab drivers" were among his early victims. Perhaps the most amazing stat: Chavez wasn't knocked down until his 91st fight, at age 31

Canelo Alvarez
Although much of Canelo's marketability stems from his handsome face and the shrieking women who suddenly care about boxing because of it, there's a genuine tough guy lurking beneath the red hair and freckles. He can slug and hook to the body in accordance with the Mexican stereotype but also can box effectively at distance, using good reflexes, instincts and the occasional concussive right hand to make up for a slight deficiency in hand speed. Also is a better defensive fighter than some give him credit for. Without that ability to slip punches, he wouldn't have been able to put together his own Chavez Lite unbeaten streak, having made it through his first 43 fights without tasting defeat.

Analysis

Power: Chavez was a tremendous puncher for a little guy but not in comparison to a full-fledged junior middleweight with enough pop to blast out former world champ Carlos Baldomir with a single punch, as Canelo did in his first statement fight. Advantage: Alvarez

Speed: If the bigger man has an automatic edge in power, the smaller man has a similar leg up in speed. Although Alvarez seems to be improving in his ability to deliver shots quickly, he would be hard-pressed to beat Chavez to the punch. Even old, out-of-shape welterweight Chavez might have had faster hands than Alvarez does. Advantage: Chavez

Defense: This is the toughest call on the board. Alvarez rolls with punches well and often eludes big shots by the slimmest of margins. Did you notice how unmarked he was at the end of the Austin Trout fight? That was no accident. But neither was Chavez's incredible record of staying on his feet. To an extent, his offense was his best defense, but his ability to block, parry and smother punches was better than many fans give him credit for. Advantage: Chavez

Chin: To be fair to Alvarez, he's had only one shaky moment so far in his career in terms of punch resistance, against Jose Miguel Cotto in a near-disastrous first round that he weathered. So his chin might just be made of sturdy material. But Chavez's chin was nearly indestructible. Not too many fighters in history win the chin comparison against "The Lion of Culiacan." Advantage: Chavez

Ring IQ: This is closer than some might think, as Alvarez has displayed some real versatility, changing his game to suit the opponent. But prime Chavez was a true master of angles, distance and pace, and unless your name was Pernell Whitaker, you weren't likely to outmaneuver him. Advantage: Chavez

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Chavez Vs Alvarez : Part 2

Dan Rafael: Chavez decision
Chavez is widely considered the greatest Mexican fighter. He won world titles in three divisions, including unifying belts at junior lightweight and junior welterweight. He faced numerous top opponents, engaged in many exciting fights and was a relentless body puncher. He started his career 87-0 and was a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Alvarez, Mexico's most popular active fighter, has established himself as a top junior middleweight champion, but at this point he can only dream of Chavez's accomplishments.

Although Chavez didn't have success fighting above 140, his experience, toughness and relentlessness would trump Alvarez's youth and size. Alvarez isn't busy enough to deal with Chavez, who would set a brutal pace and eat him up going to the body. If Alvarez seemed gassed late in his April coming-of-age fight against Austin Trout, just imagine if Chavez was in there with his foot on the gas. Alvarez might have some early success picking his shots, but by the end he'd be looking for cover, protecting the body and leaving his head open.

Kieran Mulvaney: Chavez decision
The problem with this matchup is that we don't yet know how good Alvarez will be. Is he already in his prime, or is he still adding refinements and improvements to his game? I reckon the latter, but we can't say how high his ceiling will be. We do know, however, how good Chavez was in his pomp, and for all the uncertainties about the accuracy of his record and the legitimacy of some of his early victims, the man could fight.

The kind of opponents who gave him fits were men such as Meldrick Taylor and Pernell Whitaker, who possessed faster hands and slicker skills than Alvarez. Canelo's habit of being conservative, but accurate and punishing, with his punches would work against him in a fight with Chavez, who would be a comparative whirlwind of punches, increasing the pressure as the fight evolved, attacking Canelo's body, wearing him down and never letting him in the fight. Alvarez stays on his feet but loses a wide decision.

Nigel Collins: Chavez decision
Whether intentionally or subliminally, several generations of Mexican fighters have patterned themselves after Chavez, with varying degrees of success. None, however, has come close to duplicating the original. Even so, Canelo's style shares enough similarities with Chavez's that parallels can be drawn.

Both employ relentless pressure and a grinding attack -- featuring that left hook to the liver -- and both know how to finish an opponent when the time is right. They also are better boxers than one might think at first glance, adeptly cutting off the ring and picking off incoming blows with gloves and arms, and avoiding others with subtle shifts and upper-body movement.

Alvarez has a sturdy chin and Chavez isn't a one-punch knockout artist, so I don't see Canelo getting starched. Even so, Chavez would prove just a little better in every department: He's a tad faster and smarter and has a bit more snap on his punches. Canelo never stops trying, but after 12 absorbing rounds, Chavez prevails by a unanimous decision, winning eight rounds to four.

Eric Raskin: Chavez knockout
I'm less of a believer than most in the importance of being bigger and stronger. Better trumps bigger most of the time. Giving away a few pounds didn't hurt Manny Pacquiao against lesser, slower welterweights and junior middleweights, and it won't hurt Chavez here.

There are some stylistic similarities between Chavez and Canelo, and it's possible that either one could take control of the fight with a perfectly placed body shot at any time. But the prime Chavez was so relentless, such a machine, whereas Alvarez showed, even in his career-best win against Austin Trout, that he can be inconsistent from round to round and that he sometimes can give ground in an unproductive way. Chavez's combination of skill and tenacity assures that he'll take advantage if and when Alvarez shows weakness, so I like the Hall of Famer to wear down the rising star and take him out in about eight or nine rounds

Brian Campbell: Chavez decision
It's somewhat unfair to mythically match a promising young fighter such as Alvarez with a Hall of Fame predator like Chavez. Canelo has the potential to be a star for the next decade, regardless of what happens in his fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. But from the little we do know, could we possibly expect him to be competitive at barely 23 years old against the greatest Mexican fighter in history?

My answer is a firm yes. Alvarez would be a physical factor, with advantages in power, size and reach against his straight-ahead opponent. And just as he showed in his victory over Trout -- when he proved able to patiently slip punches and counter with heavy fire in return -- Canelo has more up his sleeves than originally thought. Yes, to paraphrase Mayweather, "This ain't Trout." But Canelo appears to have the intangibles necessary to avoid suffocating amid Chavez's signature pressure. That doesn't mean JCC's advances would prove unsuccessful, however. With a gas tank that dwarfs the stamina Alvarez has shown (not to mention that of just about any other fighter), Chavez would leave a mark with his relentless body work and slowly wear Alvarez down. Despite having his moments, Canelo would face defeat for the first time in a competitive unanimous decision loss.

Salvador Rodriguez: Chavez decision
Given what we've seen so far from Canelo, and even taking into account that he likely hasn't yet shown us his best -- or hasn't had the chance to grow into all that he could become, at least -- I still like Chavez in this matchup.

The great stamina of Chavez, who would be prepared to go 15 rounds, would allow him to steadily pressure for 12 rounds and eventually suffocate Canelo. Another important factor is Chavez's chin. It was tested by so many challengers and always proved sturdy, while Canelo sometimes gets hit big and seemingly has been fazed at times. I'd still expect Canelo to end the fight on his feet, but the win would go to Chavez.

It will be interesting to see what Alvarez shows us over time, though. Maybe if we revisit this debate a few years from now, he'll change some minds.

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Marquez vs. Hamed

In this particular hypothetical matchup, we're actually examining two fighters from the very same era (even if one's career extended well into the next era) who should have faced each other, but never did. Juan Manuel Marquez was a mandatory challenger to Prince Naseem Hamed right around the turn of the millennium, but Hamed's interpretation of the word "mandatory" was as creative as his fighting style. So Naz versus JMM for featherweight supremacy never happened.

And that means it's up to us to figure out what would have happened. For this fantasy fight, we're matching the best featherweight versions of both fighters. For Hamed, that means we're talking about his absolute prime, circa roughly 1997. For Marquez, it's debatable what year and what weight represent his true prime, but at 126, his best run came from 2002 to 2005, after he had taken a couple of controversial losses and accrued valuable experience.

Juan Manuel Marquez
Perhaps the best counterpuncher of his era, perhaps the most technically sound boxer-puncher of his era, and quite possibly the most underappreciated fighter of his era until his first fight with Manny Pacquiao thrust him into the greater boxing consciousness. Has transformed stylistically into more of a crowd-pleaser as his career has worn on, but at featherweight, placed a premium on defense and precision punching. Was a few months shy of his 30th birthday by the time he finally won a major title, at which point his prime was just beginning. Boasting a rare blend of physical and cerebral talents, has proved as adept as any modern fighter at figuring out opponents and making adjustments

Prince Naseem Hamed
Unlike anything we had seen before or have seen since, combining showmanship, an egomaniacal persona, a ridiculously unorthodox style and freakish power to forever alter the pay scale for featherweights. Won his first 35 fights in a row, including 31 by knockout, and along the way cleaned out the 126-pound division even if alphabet politics prevented him from collecting all the belts. Was technically a southpaw, but really defied conventional labels, switching stances routinely and punching from bizarre angles. If you wanted to see a fighter dip down, pivot to the side, launch an uppercut from four feet away, and not only connect with it but knock the other guy out with it, then Naz was your man.

Power: Today's bulked-up Marquez is a scary puncher, but at featherweight, his power was nothing special. The Prince could end a fight at any moment, with either hand. His streak of 18 KOs in a row from '94 to '98, mostly against world-class opposition, says a lot. Advantage: Hamed

Speed: This is a close call. As great as Marquez's reflexes are, his punches couldn't catch opponents off guard the way Hamed's leather missiles often did. Advantage: Hamed

Defense: Against a slower opponent, Naz was almost unhittable, especially with more than one punch at a time. But elite opponents with decent speed tended to find his chin. Marquez was just so much more technically sound -- and, for what it's worth, used his defense to set up his offense more effectively than Hamed. Advantage: Marquez

Chin: Both could be dropped, and although neither ever got knocked out, it was Hamed who seemed to go down more easily. To be fair, that was mostly due to atrocious balance. Still, knockdowns are knockdowns, and Hamed suffered them against mediocrities like Daniel Alicea. Advantage: Marquez

Ring IQ: No contest here. If you figured out Hamed's unorthodox style, he was done (or he shifted into Hector Camacho-style stinker mode). Marquez is the kind of guy who does the figuring out. Advantage: Marquez

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Marquez Vs Hamed : Part 2

Dan Rafael: Hamed by KO
Hamed's only loss, to Marco Antonio Barrera, clouds the opinion many have of the Prince. But for the second half of the 1990s, Hamed was the featherweight king who should have (if not for those politics) had all four alphabet belts. He was a pound-for-pound ranked fighter and one of the most devastating punchers who has ever been seen in the smaller weight classes. He was arrogant and rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, but that has nothing to do with his ability, unorthodox as his style was. During the late 1990s, Marquez, still unproven and largely unknown, was Hamed's mandatory and wanted the fight badly. There is no doubt that Hamed ducked him because Marquez was a dangerous opponent and the risk outweighed the reward.

However, had they fought when they were supposed to, it's my feeling that Hamed would have knocked out the late-'90s version of Marquez. If Manny Pacquiao could drop Marquez as many times as he did in their rivalry, just imagine fellow southpaw Hamed landing one of his straight left hands. Marquez got better in the ensuing years, but at the time they would have met, Hamed would have feasted on him.

Kieran Mulvaney: Hamed by decision
If we're comparing career versus career or prime versus prime, I'll take Marquez all the way. At his counterpunching best, he would have lured Hamed into too many traps. He would have taken ruthless advantage of the way in which the Brit was perpetually off balance, and would have used his opponent's momentum against him.

The modern, post-130-pound Marquez would have just beaten the snot out of Hamed. But when this matchup was supposed to happen, when Hamed was at his lightning-fast freak-of-nature peak and Marquez was still a little robotic, I would pick the Prince to frustrate, dazzle and hurt Marquez over 12 increasingly one-sided rounds.

Nigel Collins: Hamed by decision
Marquez was a far more conservative boxer during his featherweight years than the current version is. His two losses at 126 pounds (via decision to Freddie Norwood and Chris John) were both close and would probably have gone Marquez's way if he had fought more aggressively.

At Hamed's best, before he began to cut corners while training, his highly unorthodox style, blazing speed and knockout punch in each hand combined to make him both exceptionally elusive and extremely dangerous.

The match would probably have turned out to be rather tedious, with Marquez boxing defensively and looking to counter, and Hamed bouncing around the ring, seeking angles from which to launch sneak attacks. Marquez's chin has never been his best attribute, so I see Naz scoring a flash knockdown, which ultimately turns out to be the difference-maker and carries the brash Englishman to a narrow decision victory.

Eric Raskin: Marquez by decision
When one fighter blatantly ducks another, there's usually a reason, but in this case, the threat Marquez posed to Hamed was only half of it. The other half was that financially, at the time, Marquez brought nothing to the table. So from a risk-reward perspective, Hamed's disinclination to fight Marquez made perfect sense. If you can make bigger paydays elsewhere, why lose your perfect record against a guy who's going to beat you?

And make no mistake, Hamed would have lost his perfect record against Marquez. The Prince's only hope would have been the early-round blitz that Pacquiao nearly pulled off in his first fight with the Mexican icon. If Marquez survives Hamed's power early, he ties Naz in knots and counterpunches him until Hamed stops punching and starts watching the clock. This looks an awful lot like Naz's eventual loss to Marco Antonio Barrera, with Marquez winning comfortably on points.

Brian Campbell: Hamed by decision
When you're comparing them in their featherweight primes, you're looking at a version of Marquez who was dangerous enough to be avoided by Hamed, but far from the well-rounded machine he became at 130 and 135 pounds. Marquez at 126 pounds was still not as dangerous as a featherweight Marco Antonio Barrera, who ultimately solved the Prince's puzzle and ended his run. But Marquez would have hung in there to make it a fight against the dynamic, unorthodox Hamed in a pairing between natural counterpunchers, one that would have played out more like calculated chess than a free-for-all.

Hamed would have tested Marquez's passivity by pot-shotting with hard punches from awkward angles, doing his best to get Marquez off his game with taunts and in-ring flair. But ultimately we're looking at a 12-round fight, and the judges would favor the heavier puncher -- who in this case was almost unparalleled in selling not only himself but also each punch he landed.

Bernardo Pilatti: Marquez by KO
Juan Manuel Marquez's style at featherweight didn't differ much from his current style, although he was faster and answered in greater volume, which made his counterpunching more dangerous back then. Because of his unorthodox style, Hamed was actually tailor-made for Marquez. Maybe that's why the Prince never fulfilled his mandatory. A hypothetical fight between Hamed and Marquez wouldn't unfold much differently than Hamed-Barrera, which yielded the Brit's only career defeat.

Hamed was famous for jittering around the ring with his arms hanging low, challenging his opponent to throw punches from unexpected angles. Marquez would take the center of the ring, following Hamed with his guard closed, pacing his punches and waiting for his chance. Just like Barrera, he would be able to shake the Prince in the first few rounds. But unlike his countryman, Marquez would indeed knock out Hamed. Marquez would draw him in, pounce on a lapse in his concentration and, after a solid counterattack, send Hamed to the canvas for the full count.

Salvador Rodriguez: Hamed by decision
One of the things that has always worried Juan Manuel Marquez's corner is the speed of his challengers, and Hamed has his number there. Hamed was one of the fastest fighters of his time. He was elusive, a great counterpuncher and a guy who could knock out an opponent with one punch. That would have tested Marquez more than once in a hypothetical fight, and as we know, the Mexican icon's chin -- although not bad -- isn't his best asset.

And although many point to Hamed's loss to Barrera as evidence that Marquez would have the advantage in a fight with Hamed, a featherweight Marquez's punching wouldn't have had the same effect that Barrera's did. Marquez in his prime -- the lightweight and welterweight version -- would have the strength and ability to make adjustments to give himself a chance to knock out Hamed. But match up the two fighters at 126 pounds, and I believe the Prince gets the best of him.

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Hopkins vs. Hagler

In this particular case, Fighter A and Fighter B are in certain ways interchangeable -- two hardened, no-nonsense, chip-on-their-shoulder pugilistic craftsmen who dominated the middleweight division for extended periods a generation or so apart.

Marvelous Marvin Hagler was the middleweight champion -- the only middleweight champion, it is important to note -- from 1980 to '87, making 12 defenses, 11 by knockout. Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins became a middleweight alphabet titlist in 1995, had unified all the belts by 2001 and reigned as the true champ until 2005, making a division-record 20 consecutive defenses over a division-record 10-year reign. Both Hagler and Hopkins are regarded as all-time great middleweights, ranked by most experts among the five finest 160-pound champions ever. Yet they're the sort of men who will always feel at least a little bit undervalued and disrespected, no matter how highly we regard them.

Though Hopkins went on to great success at light heavyweight as well (and is still among the best in the world at age 48!), for this fantasy fight, we're taking the time machine back to match prime middleweight Hopkins against prime Hagler.

Bernard Hopkins
A late start in boxing led to relatively late blooming, not to mention a style that evolved from power-punching knockout artist to wily master craftsman. He followed a loss in his pro debut with 22 straight wins, then two failed title tries before he claimed a belt at age 30. Kept improving as champion and eventually fought on boxing's biggest stages at an age by which most fighters are shot, knocking out both Felix Trinidad and Oscar De La Hoya as his 40s approached. As he became less reliant on raw strength and power, developed a remarkable boxing IQ and emerged as one of the sport's very best with exceptional defensive skills, dirty tactics, mental toughness and unsurpassed between-fights discipline.

Marvin Hagler
Perhaps the most famous switch-hitter in boxing history, but was naturally a southpaw, which, combined with his elite ability, made him one of the most avoided fighters of the '70s. Came up the hard way and suffered a couple of early decision losses, but avenged them both by knockout en route to an overdue title shot. Got screwed via draw against Vito Antuofermo in that first championship try, but got over the hump against Alan Minter 10 months later and developed into one of boxing's biggest stars and its pound-for-pound king in the mid-'80s. Boasted intimidation, versatility, skill, power and a great chin -- a fighter with almost no holes in his game until age started to creep in, at which point he promptly retired before he could become a typical cautionary tale.

Analysis :

Power: It's hard to argue with Hagler's 11 KOs in 12 title defenses or 52 total KOs among 62 wins, though B-Hop does boast the quickest knockout in middleweight title history. Still, by the time Hopkins reached his true prime, he wasn't a great puncher anymore. Advantage: Hagler

Speed: Speed wasn't the No. 1 asset for either man, but that doesn't mean they weren't both well above average in this category. If we have to make a pick, we'll remember that Hagler struggled mightily with the smaller, faster Roberto Duran, whereas Hopkins took care of business against the smaller, faster Oscar De La Hoya. Advantage: Hopkins

Defense: Again, it's a tough call. Hagler was an excellent defensive fighter who got hit more by the end. Hopkins started out with defensive holes but never took two clean punches in a row once his prime arrived. Advantage: Hopkins

Chin: In 130 combined fights, they have zero knockout losses between them. Still, Hagler suffered one official knockdown his whole career, and it was a questionable ruling by the ref. B-Hop touched down just often enough to finish in second place here. Advantage: Hagler

Ring IQ: Hagler was a smart, well-rounded fighter, but clever boxers could trouble him. Hopkins is quite probably the smartest fighter of his generation. It's another close call, but you pretty much never pick against "The Executioner" in a ring intelligence contest. Advantage: Hopkins

[Chrismart]

Hopkins vs. Hagler : Part 2

Dan Rafael: Hopkins by decision
Hopkins and Hagler -- blue-collar grinders and late bloomers who came up the hard way, both with shaved skulls and a menacing presence -- have so much in common. Hopkins is from Philadelphia; Hagler made his bones there. Hagler is also one of Hopkins' boxing idols, and Hagler has told me about how much respect he has for Hopkins. It's as if these all-time great middleweight champions are kindred spirits. They fought everyone in their respective eras, but if they fought each other at their best? Very tough call.

First off, it would definitely be a close fight. Both could take a punch, both were fearless and both had good boxing skills, although neither was a speed demon. Although Hagler was the bigger puncher, Hopkins had the superior defense. The way I see it unfolding, Hagler would try to press the action while Hopkins would hang back and try to slip shots and counter. That could prove frustrating for Hagler, who was taken out of his game by Sugar Ray Leonard in their famous fight. Hopkins' focus is unbreakable. Hagler's was not. In a fight that shapes up so close, I think Hopkins' mental strength would give him the edge. I think he would eke out a close decision by sticking to his plan and frustrating Hagler just enough to win seven rounds.

Kieran Mulvaney: Hagler by decision
We've become so accustomed to the Bernard Hopkins of the past decade, who at times in contests has been something of a spoiler and a fighter-in-spurts, that it is easy to forget that earlier in his career -- say, for example, when he was "only" in his early-to-mid 30s -- he truly could be an executioner. Video from Hopkins' earlier middleweight reign reveals some familiar sights -- notably the "head down, chin tucked, start to fake a left then throw an overhand lead right" routine -- but also portrays a fighter who, although still working behind a tight defense, is more aggressive than the 48-year-old we see now.

Even on his worst day, that Hopkins would have been a handful against just about any middleweight in history, but in a prime Hagler he would come up against a foe with the same indomitable spirit, the same granite chin, the same ring intelligence, a harder punch and better footwork and head movement. Hopkins might well have frustrated Hagler in the early going, but eventually "The Marvelous One" would start to time him, to cut off the ring and to force him into retreat with his relentless aggression. It would be skillful, it would be enthralling and it would be by no means one-sided, but in the end Hagler would win a clear decision.

Nigel Collins: Hopkins by decision
The single word on the cap Hagler sported at the news conference following his knockout of Thomas Hearns told you all you needed to know about the man wearing it. The word was "war," and that's exactly how Marvin felt about his profession.

On the other hand, the executioner's mask Hopkins wore throughout much of his career was something of a red herring. Sure, Bernard knocked out plenty of opponents during his middleweight years, but, as he said from time to time, his nickname was more about "executing" his craft than lobbing off heads.

Hopkins wouldn't have stood and traded with Hagler the way Hearns did. He would have boxed, created angles, set traps and made Hagler pay for his mistakes. I saw Willie "The Worm" Monroe do likewise in his first fight with Hagler, and Monroe wasn't half the fighter Hopkins was at 160 pounds.

It would be a bitterly contested match, with Hagler applying relentless pressure and landing withering blows whenever the opportunity presented itself. Hopkins, whose punches carried far more sting at middleweight than at light heavy, would counter back with enough authority to keep Marvelous Marvin from overwhelming him.

Both men have great chins, so despite some bristling exchanges, there wouldn't be any knockdowns. In the end, however, Hopkins' more diverse skill set would give him the edge he needed to take a narrow decision.

Eric Raskin: Hopkins by decision
In a battle between two evenly matched, dominant champions who have found a way to chalk up nearly every loss or draw on their ledgers to bad judging, how can you predict anything other than a close, controversial decision here? Hagler would be the more offensive-minded of the two, but that tends to play into Hopkins' hands, as he's at his best against opponents who pursue him. Hagler, of course, has many more dimensions than such famous Hopkins victims as Trinidad and Kelly Pavlik, but still, his desire to score a knockout could at times work in Hopkins' favor.

In the end, it comes down to what a judge likes -- Hopkins' cleaner punching and ability to visibly frustrate Hagler in spots, or the Marvelous One's busier attack and forward motion. Call it a split decision for Hopkins, with the winner's postfight interview drowned out by boos.

Brian Campbell: Hagler by decision
This is about as close a hypothetical matchup as one could produce, matching the defense and intelligence of Hopkins with the power and toughness of Hagler. But there are many layers to this matchup. Would a prime Hopkins confuse and frustrate a slugger of Hagler's class while getting off enough offensively to win over the judges? And could the hard-punching and relentless Hagler consistently catch Hopkins enough to hurt the historically durable fighter?

What you would ultimately have is a tactical bout in the early going, with Hopkins unafraid to give away the early rounds in order to scout his opponent. But things would heat up in the second half, with Hagler amping up the pressure and landing the heavier blows. I don't believe Hopkins has ever faced a challenger of this class with the same combination of toughness and determination. Hagler clearly has. In the end, the fight would go the distance, with Hagler winning in the 115-112 range.

Salvador Rodriguez: Hagler by KO
Maybe Bernard Hopkins really is an alien (his latest ring character, perhaps only a brief departure from his Executioner persona). At any rate, we have seen no one fighting between middleweight and light heavyweight like him in the past 15 years. Still, I don't think Hopkins' boxing would be enough to stave off the massive attack and devastating power of Hagler, one of the greatest middleweights of all time.

I strongly believe that Hagler's abilities and ferocious instincts would give him a chance to hurt Hopkins and, with his wilting pressure, maybe allow him to finish the fight late. Hopkins would throw only a few times per round by the end, and the hungrier Hagler would make him suffer for it.

Carlos Narvaez: Hagler by KO
Marvelous Marvin Hagler is without a doubt one of the best counterpunchers in boxing history. His ability to cut off the ring and avoid his opponent's offense, combined with his southpaw stance, made him one of the great figures in the fight game. He shined in a golden age, when there were twice the number of stars than currently shine in the sport today.

Even a young Bernard Hopkins would have very limited options against Hagler, who would pressure him from the opening bell. Hopkins likely would follow a plan, a la Sugar Ray Leonard, of keeping his distance and, if necessary, getting on his bike to try to frustrate his opponent. But Hagler's patience would force "The Executioner" into a fatal defensive mistake midway through the bout, creating the opening for a furious flurry of right hands that would stop the action.

[Chrismart]

Pacquiao vs. Pryor

For this particular "what if?" question, we know the answer: the fans. It is hard to conceive of a more fan-friendly fantasy matchup involving any two fighters from any era than Manny Pacquiao versus Aaron Pryor.

For these "Classic Matchups," we try to go prime versus prime whenever possible, and identifying Pryor's prime is rather straight-forward: his dominant reign as junior welterweight champion from 1980 until his first retirement in '83, which included his two famous victories over Alexis Arguello.

For Pacquiao, it's a little trickier, considering he's held belts all the way from 112 to 154 pounds and beat Hall of Fame-caliber opponents in many of those divisions.

But for the purposes of this comparison, we'll make Pacquiao a junior welterweight also. Yes, he technically fought only once in the division. But that one performance was the most devastating he ever delivered (KO 2 Ricky Hatton in 2009), and in his surrounding major fights that most observers identify as his absolute apex, against Oscar De La Hoya and Miguel Cotto, he was a 140-pounder shoveling carbs into his mouth nonstop to tip the scales at 142 or 143.

At their best, both Pacquiao and Pryor were offense-oriented machines, dazzling audiences with blurs of leather and sensational knockout finishes. Their primes came 25 years apart, making it a fight of pure fantasy, but it's one that is well worth dreaming about. Below, we provide scouting reports for both men, and our panel of ESPN experts picks a winner in this Classic Matchup.

Manny Pacquiao
Arguably the greatest Asian fighter ever, arguably the greatest southpaw ever, arguably the greatest ever at climbing through a multitude of weight classes. Won titles at 112, 122, 126, 130, 135, 140, 147 and 154 pounds, including lineal championships in four of those divisions, while also claiming three Fighter of the Year awards. Hallmark in early days was an explosive straight left hand, but trainer Freddie Roach turned him into a two-handed fighter with improved footwork and defense, enabling "Pac-Man" to ascend to the No. 1 spot on many pound-for-pound lists for a couple of years.

Aaron Pryor
The ultimate pressure fighter with power, accumulating a record of 34-0 with 32 knockouts -- including 26 early endings in a row -- as of his first retirement from boxing in 1983. Just missed making the '76 Olympic team and came up the hard way as a result, but eventually earned pro stardom with title win over Antonio Cervantes and legendary first bout with Arguello. Overwhelmed opponents with relentless volume (regularly threw more than 100 punches a round), and had a tremendous chin and enough technical skill to emerge as one of the mostly celebrated fighters of the talent-rich early '80s.

Analysis :

Power: Yes, what Pacquiao did to Hatton was jaw-dropping. But he didn't produce that sort of power-punching display consistently. "The Hawk" did. Pryor's first nine title fights all ended in KOs. His career knockout percentage is 26 points higher than Pac-Man's, making this a fairly easy call. Advantage: Pryor

Speed: This is an easy call too, and it goes the other way. When Pacquiao did knock elite foes down or out, it was usually because they had no time to brace for the punch. The Filipino's straight left will go down as one of the fastest money punches in history. Advantage: Pacquiao

Defense: Neither fighter was a defensive master, and if either made it through a fight untouched, it was usually because his offense handcuffed the opponent. It's splitting hairs, but Pacquiao's balance and positioning have been just bad enough over the years to convince us he's the more flawed defensive fighter. Advantage: Pryor

Chin: Go to YouTube and watch the bombs Pryor walked through in the first Arguello fight. Whatever was in that special water bottle, it worked; The Hawk could not be grounded. Pacquiao's chin is well above average, but it's not on the Mount Rushmore of boxing beards. Pryor's might be. Advantage: Pryor

Ring IQ: We're going to cheat a little here, because this is a tough category to call, and penalize Pryor for his outside-the-ring IQ. Drug problems shortened his career, and getting shot by his wife spoiled a big fight he had planned with Saoul Mamby. Pacquiao had his distractions too, but never that bad. Toss in coach Roach's game plans too, and it becomes a little easier to give one fighter the edge. Advantage: Pacquiao

[Chrismart]

Pacquiao vs. Pryor : Part 2

Dan Rafael: Pacquiao by knockout
Future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao and Aaron Pryor, already a HOFer, personify the term "action fighter," but they also are skillful. Had they met at their best at 140 pounds what a tremendous fight it would have been, one waged at the highest level.

Pryor was as relentless as they come and was undefeated (11-0 with nine knockouts) in world title fights, all at junior welterweight. Pacquiao, equally relentless, fought only once at junior welterweight during his race up the scales to become boxing's only eight-division titleholder, but what a memorable stop it was as he laid waste to lineal champion Ricky Hatton with a monstrous second-round knockout.

Pacquiao would have the speed edge over Pryor, but Pryor perhaps would have the slight power edge. One thing about Pryor was that he got knocked down, but he always came back to win until suffering his only defeat near the end of his career.

In my view, Pacquiao faced the better caliber of opponents overall. Pryor, of course, is best known for his epic 14th-round knockout of all-time great Alexis Arguello. But with Pacquiao's experience, speed, power and ability to finish, I can see him unleashing right hooks, dropping Pryor early and eventually stopping him late in a great fight.

Kieran Mulvaney: Pacquiao by decision
Of all the mythical matchups we've looked at so far, this is the one that, more than any other, I wish we could have seen.

What a fight this would be: two outstanding offensive fighters, renowned for their high punch output, their aggressiveness and their skill set.

Pryor was a true great, and probably my own personal all-time favorite boxer; but the Pacquiao who passed briefly through Pryor's 140-pound weight class was on one of the most spectacular runs of any modern fighter.

Neither man would give any quarter, and each man would relish the other's aggressive approach; if they fought 10 times, it would be easy to see each man winning five. But if pushed to make a pick, I think Pacquiao's angles, hard-to-time offense and slightly superior one-punch power would carry the day. He might drop Pryor en route to a points decision that Pryor would reverse in a rematch.

Nigel Collins: Pacquiao by decision
If only one dream fight could come true, this match would get my vote. In their primes, Pryor and Pacquiao were arguably the two most exciting fighters I've covered in more than four decades on the boxing beat -- two offensive whirlwinds who went for the gusto every time they fought.

One or the other might try to box on the outside for a while, but such a tactic goes against their natures, so a riotous punchfest would be virtually guaranteed. How wild would it be? Well, there's a good chance that CompuBox's punch-counters would eventually throw in the towel in favor of just watching slack-jawed as the pair tore into each other with feverish intensity.

Although Pryor's knockout percentage was higher, Pacquiao's punches had a bit more snap, and his chin was a tad more reliable. Yes, Manny was twice stopped early in his career (during his flyweight days) and was iced by Juan Manuel Marquez in his most recent bout, but at or around junior welterweight, his chin held up remarkably well against outstanding opponents.

Pryor, on the other hand, was knocked down in three of his junior welter title fights, before roaring back to stop his adversaries. Therefore, I think Pacquiao would score a knockdown at some point, which would be the difference in an extremely close and incredibly thrilling fight.

Eric Raskin: Pryor by knockout
I'm hesitant to pick Pryor because we didn't get to see him fight at this level much. He missed out on fighting Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran, so we're left with Cervantes (who was almost 35 when they fought) and Arguello as his only Hall of Fame-level opponents. Meanwhile, Pacquiao fought De La Hoya, Cotto, Juan Manuel Marquez (four times), Marco Antonio Barrera (twice), Erik Morales (three times), etc. If you're picking Pryor, it's based on the eye test more than hard proof.

But I think the eye test is good enough. Pryor was sturdier than Pacquiao, wouldn't ease up on his punch output in the face of Pac-Man's storm, and had good enough speed to compete (unlike the slower welters Pacquiao feasted on for a few years). Pacquiao probably builds an early lead, and might even score a flash knockdown, but eventually, Pryor gets to him. Call it a TKO, with Roach running into the ring to save his brave fighter while he's still on his feet.

Brian Campbell: Pacquiao by knockout
You really couldn't conjure up a more eye-pleasing matchup than these two relentless, straight-ahead punchers with devastating power.

While it's debatable as to who would have the edge in most of the intangibles in question, the single trait that separates them is Pacquiao's sublime speed.

Pryor was no stranger to taking big shots and coming back, even if he needed to get up off the canvas first before finishing someone off. But his fearlessness would play against him in this fight, bringing out the absolute best of a prime Pacquiao who feasted on pressure fighters and separated them from their senses with punches they never saw coming.

Pryor, a true Hall of Fame legend in his own right, would certainly have his moments, but the Pacquiao of 2009 was a special force to be reckoned with. His ability to throw combinations from multiple angles would be the difference.

Salvador Rodriguez: Pryor by decision
I have no doubt that Pacquiao has been one of boxing's biggest stars over the past 10 years, but I also think that he has had trouble throughout his career with fighters who throw multiple combinations, and that, along with Pryor's power, could have put him in trouble more than once. While one of Pacquiao's most spectacular victories was at junior welterweight against Ricky Hatton, I also believe that Pryor's defense at 140 pounds would frustrate Pacquiao enough for Pryor to take a very close decision victory.