Where does Kostya Tszyu fit in?

I thought Zoo was a great boxer, but after he fought Judah he fought once a year and lived on his name forever unril he met Hatton. I'd hear so many gym tales about him from 1999 on but after Judah I swear he just phoned it in. That's kind of a sore spot with me. he wasnt just phoning it in, he was just constantly injured and wasnt being stripped because of it, they basically allowed him to keep and defend his titles due to that default, but him not being AS active definately hurt him, and the sanctioning bodies basically letting him sit around didnt help. however now that i think about it, maybe he did just kind of mail it in.

May I ask why? He beat EVERYONE of his time and era in the 140 division. I just asked where he fits in in everyone's list. Anyone, he unified the belts and was avoided by quite a few fighters. He was injured by why didn't anyone try and fight him? He didnt duck nobody and has a solid record but i just dont think he was that great. Im a fan by the way

natural skills and ability 1. pryor 2. taylor 3. chavez 4. tszyu resume and legacy 1. chavez 2. pryor 3. tszyu 4. taylor Right on the money! Also the dude who said Tszyu 'phoned it in' after Judah. totally... If he had been more active, he would have slayed Ricky Hatton with a devestating right at some point in that clinchfest.

Zoo gets way too much love here, he falls short of great IMO May I ask why? He beat EVERYONE of his time and era in the 140 division. I just asked where he fits in in everyone's list. Anyone, he unified the belts and was avoided by quite a few fighters. He was injured by why didn't anyone try and fight him?

Zoo gets way too much love here, he falls short of great IMO

I would have liked to Kosta make a "monster " comeback after he lost to Hatton. Sometimes you can't tell if a boxer is Hall Of Fame material until they gain back thier title or redeem a major lost. In Kosta's case, I believe she should be ranked in the top 7 or 8 of all time in the 140 lb division, but not in the top 3.

I would put him in the top five easily, without a doubt. Unfortunately, he did lose in his prime due to, as Silencers said, him getting caught up in his own hype and believing he could get anyone out of there within five or six rounds. When he didn't, he tired too much and couldn't keep going with the same speed, power and defense. If he had avenged that loss then that would make up for it but he never did unfortunately. The Hatton loss doesn't hurt him nearly as much as the Phillips loss. He should never have lost to Phillips in the first place. Even if he couldn't get him out, he should have been able to out-box him without a second thought. Of course, he had stopped training properly though and it really hurt him.

He's def a atg at 140.Probably the hardest puncher ever in that division That is hard to say Pryor and Chavez were both beasts. I think it is tru but it is very argumentative.

I remember watching both the Tszyu and Wise matches, I was hurt seeing JCC look like that. It's always painful to see such a magnificent fighter not being able to do what he can do anymore.

He's def a atg at 140.Probably the hardest puncher ever in that division

Yeah, that was a horrible set up from the WBC when Chavez had just lost to Willy Wise in his last fight and actually got hurt by Wise in the fight. I remember watching both the Tszyu and Wise matches, I was hurt seeing JCC look like that.

You're right, the Tszyu-JCC means no more about that matchup then Holmes-Ali did about that one. It was just set up to give the old guy one last big paycheck. Yeah, that was a horrible set up from the WBC when Chavez had just lost to Willy Wise in his last fight and actually got hurt by Wise in the fight.

Yeah for sures, he is a stud. I think KT could but not necessarily would beat anyone on a given night. Tszyu-JCC would be a hell of a match(obviously prime). I know they fought but I mean a prime JCC that would have been a war. Tszyu is prolly one of the few that could(not necessarily would but he hits like a safe) hurt any 140 pounder out there past or present. I remember some fighter trained with a 154 pounder and 160 pounder to prepare for the power of KT and KT KO'd him. You're right, the Tszyu-JCC means no more about that matchup then Holmes-Ali did about that one. It was just set up to give the old guy one last big paycheck.

To be fair KT was plagued by injuries late in his career. I would only rate Pryor and JCC ahead of him at 140, and his resume stands up well next to theirs. Yeah for sures, he is a stud. I think KT could but not necessarily would beat anyone on a given night. Tszyu-JCC would be a hell of a match(obviously prime). I know they fought but I mean a prime JCC that would have been a war. Tszyu is prolly one of the few that could(not necessarily would but he hits like a safe) hurt any 140 pounder out there past or present. I remember some fighter trained with a 154 pounder and 160 pounder to prepare for the power of KT and KT KO'd him.

I thought Zoo was a great boxer, but after he fought Judah he fought once a year and lived on his name forever unril he met Hatton. I'd hear so many gym tales about him from 1999 on but after Judah I swear he just phoned it in. That's kind of a sore spot with me. To be fair KT was plagued by injuries late in his career. I would only rate Pryor and JCC ahead of him at 140, and his resume stands up well next to theirs.

Hes in my top 5 in the weight ever, people were saying he was the best 140lb'er before the Hatton loss. Hatton had the perfect style to beat Tszyu he basically did what Phillips did to him earlier. Its a shame Tszyu never avenged that loss, but for me he was the anti-slick boxer he would make them look silly just like he did Zab. A prime Tszyu would be favourite for me over Mayweather if they ever met. green k for you sir. i'm also of the belief that a prime kostya vs. prime floyd at 140 could possibly end in floyd getting koed. kostya would've been quite competitive with anyone at 140. i would've given anything to see a prime kostya vs. prime pryor.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vqLhPutAl6Y&feature=related

Fair enough. In my eyes it is just the continuation of the double standards that exist between old and current/recent fighters. I am not singling you out or saying that it is specific to you but I just think that older fighters get away with a lot more than recent ones purely on the basis that they had a lot more fights, which is something that I do not agree with. As I said, I rank Tszyu in the top 10 at 140.

He shouldn't have overlooked him and should have trained like he was supposed to, when people look back at his resume, a loss to Vince Phillips will always be there, a loss he never avenged, I don't think he even wanted to avenge it because if I remember correctly Phillips was always willing to give him a rematch but Tszyu never took up the offer. Fair enough. In my eyes it is just the continuation of the double standards that exist between old and current/recent fighters. I am not singling you out or saying that it is specific to you but I just think that older fighters get away with a lot more than recent ones purely on the basis that they had a lot more fights, which is something that I do not agree with.

He had a terrible night, overlooked a guy and got beat when he shouldn't have. I just don't think that should cause too much damage to his overall standing. For mine he is easily top 5 140 pounder. He shouldn't have overlooked him and should have trained like he was supposed to, when people look back at his resume, a loss to Vince Phillips will always be there, a loss he never avenged, I don't think he even wanted to avenge it because if I remember correctly Phillips was always willing to give him a rematch but Tszyu never took up the offer.