I think any time you beat the true champion it elevates your status. Is he an ATG? Im not sure. But it certainly improves his legacy in my opinion.
Why? The bottom line to assessing a legacy is the quality of the fighter beaten at the time, I have stated facts as to why Martinez isn't top quality anymore, his status as the true champion doesn't change those facts. Beating Billy Backus in 71 or Ali in 78 wouldn't elevate a fighters status despite being the true champions, they simply were not good at the time.
Why do people keep stating that he's the lineal champion, all you need to do is look at the quality of the fighter, Martinez is not the same anymore, he will be 39, has been riddled with injury, should've lost his last fight against a fighter who wasn't very good, he won't have fought for over a year if they do fight and the fight will most likely be at a catch weight. Sorry that's just not a great a certainly not one that would catapult Cotto to ATG status. Cotto's best win is against a still good but nonetheless past-it Mosley, and even that win is levels above the rest of his wins, a win over Martinez wouldn't justify it, in fact, it wouldn't make it much better. Cotto is not an ATG and never will be.
I think any time you beat the true champion it elevates your status. Is he an ATG? Im not sure. But it certainly improves his legacy in my opinion.
Neither cotto or Serg are ATGs,, They are hall of famers for sure, and great fighters of their era, but in historic terms they pale in comparison to true ATGs like monzon, hearns, benitez, gomez, etc
Why do people keep stating that he's the lineal champion, all you need to do is look at the quality of the fighter, Martinez is not the same anymore, he will be 39, has been riddled with injury, should've lost his last fight against a fighter who wasn't very good, he won't have fought for over a year if they do fight and the fight will most likely be at a catch weight. Sorry that's just not a great a certainly not one that would catapult Cotto to ATG status. Cotto's best win is against a still good but nonetheless past-it Mosley, and even that win is levels above the rest of his wins, a win over Martinez wouldn't justify it, in fact, it wouldn't make it much better. Cotto is not an ATG and never will be.
That's a decent win and the way I see it he's suppose to beat Martinez, suppose to. Martinez looked like hot garbage against Murray, it doesn't matter that you may have had Sergio winning because Murray himself ain't that good. Cotto has the boxing ability (good enough) to box circles around a guy who can't even move well anymore.
There certainly wouldn't be a doubt that he's an ATG, I don't think. Martinez may be faded, but Cotto's just as faded.
Hell no, a win over Martinez wouldn't make him an ATG, not even close.
I think this is a respectable list (Apr. 2009), you can draw your own conclusions:
1. Sugar Ray Robinson
2. Henry Armstrong
3. Muhammad Ali
4. Sam Langford
5. Harry Greb
6. Joe Louis
7. Ezzard Charles
8. Willie Pep
9. Roberto Duran
10. Archie Moore
11. Benny Leonard
12. Ray Leonard
13. Pernell Whitaker
14. Bob Fitzsimmons
15. Joe Gans
16. Carlos Monzon
17. Barney Ross
18. Jack Johnson
19. Marvin Hagler
20. Jimmy Wilde
21. Mickey Walker
22. Sandy Saddler
23. Manny Pacquiao
24. Julio Cesar Chavez
25. Alexis Arguello
26. Rocky Marciano
27. Gene Tunney
28. Roy Jones Jr
29. Lennox Lewis
30. Evander Holyfield
31. Bernard Hopkins
32. Barbados Joe Walcott
33. Eder Jofre
34. Tony Canzoneri
35. Emile Griffith
36. Jack Dempsey
37. Charley Burley
38. Kid Gavilan
39. Salvador Sanchez
40. Ike Williams
41. Larry Holmes
42. Floyd Mayweather Jr
43. Thomas Hearns
44. Jimmy McLarnin
45. Stanley Ketchel
46. Tommy Loughran
47. Michael Spinks
48. Ruben Olivares
49. Jose Napoles
50. Fighting Harada
51. Wilfredo Gomez
52. Carlos Ortiz
53. Dick Tiger
54. Panama Al Brown
55. Tiger Flowers
56. Kid Chocolate
57. Bob Foster
58. Billy Conn
59. George Foreman
60. Joe Frazier
61. Aaron Pryor
62. Jake LaMotta
63. Abe Attel
64. Carmen Basilio
65. Manuel Ortiz
66. Terry McGovern
67. Tommy Ryan
68. Ricardo Lopez
69. Jim Jeffries
70. Jack Britton
71. Ted Kid Lewis
72. Carlos Zarate
73. Wilfred Benitez
74. Oscar De La Hoya
75. Felix Trinidad
76. Shane Mosley
77. Luis Manuel Rodriguez
78. Pancho Villa
79. Azumah Nelson
80. Erik Morales
81. Juan Manuel Marquez
82. Mike Tyson
83. Pascual Perez
84. Marco Antonio Barrera
85. Joe Brown
86. Joe Calzaghe
87. Harry Wills
88. Miguel Canto
89. Marcel Cerdan
90. Flash Elorde
91. Holman Williams
92. John Dundee
93. Mike McCallum
94. Antonio Cervantes
95. Nicolino Locche
96. George Dixon
97. Sonny Liston
98. Packey McFarland
99. Khaosai Galaxy
100. Benny Lynch
101. Freddie Welsh
102. Jimmy Bivins
103. Harold Johnson
104. Bob Montgomery
105. Vicente Saldivar
106. Beau Jack
107. Maxie Rosenbloom
108. Gene Fullmer
109. Eusebio Pedroza
110. Lloyd Marshall
111. Lou Ambers
112. Battling Nelson
113. James Toney
114. Jim Driscoll
115. Jeff Fenech
116. Johnny Kilbane
117. Pete Herman
118. Kosta Tszyu
119. Freddie Miller
120. Nino Benvenuti
121. Georges Carpentier
122. Ken Buchanan
123. Duilio Loi
124. Winky Wright
125. Tommy Gibbons
126. Philidelphia Jack O'Brien
127. Jack Kid Berg
128. Non Pareil Jack Dempsey
129. Jack Blackburn
130. Johnny Tapia
Whose list is that?
Well is somethig not too many fighters that started their careers below 147 have done.
Fighters that started @140 or below that becames midleweight champions
Roberto Duran
Oscar De La Hoya
Sugar Ray Robinson
I am not sure if I am missing anyone else but thats it. If he wins he is top 100 for sure.
This is a cherry pick. Martinez has looked like sht shouldnt be the champ is coming of surgery and a long layoff. And to top it off their will probably be a catchweight. If cotto cant beat this version of martinez he sucks
Hes the lineal middleweight champion. Not his best, but neither is Cotto.
Umm.... Oscar lost that fight. Matter of fact the idiot gave that fight away. On the scorecards and in the ring.
I bet you anything, Oscar's "loss" propelled him higher than it did for Tito's "win".
Yep. Nothing Cotto does can even touch Oscar's win over a prime WW Tito. NOTHING.
Umm.... Oscar lost that fight. Matter of fact the idiot gave that fight away. On the scorecards and in the ring.
He'll finally get the recognition as an ATG and at least a top 100 fighter. Lineal MW champ at his age at his size off the hard losses he's had? That's what legends are made of. I vote top 100 because I believe that's where he'll be ranked. Personally I think he's going to end up higher than that when all is said and done doe.
I think this is a respectable list (Apr. 2009), you can draw your own conclusions:
1. Sugar Ray Robinson
2. Henry Armstrong
3. Muhammad Ali
4. Sam Langford
5. Harry Greb
6. Joe Louis
7. Ezzard Charles
8. Willie Pep
9. Roberto Duran
10. Archie Moore
11. Benny Leonard
12. Ray Leonard
13. Pernell Whitaker
14. Bob Fitzsimmons
15. Joe Gans
16. Carlos Monzon
17. Barney Ross
18. Jack Johnson
19. Marvin Hagler
20. Jimmy Wilde
21. Mickey Walker
22. Sandy Saddler
23. Manny Pacquiao
24. Julio Cesar Chavez
25. Alexis Arguello
26. Rocky Marciano
27. Gene Tunney
28. Roy Jones Jr
29. Lennox Lewis
30. Evander Holyfield
31. Bernard Hopkins
32. Barbados Joe Walcott
33. Eder Jofre
34. Tony Canzoneri
35. Emile Griffith
36. Jack Dempsey
37. Charley Burley
38. Kid Gavilan
39. Salvador Sanchez
40. Ike Williams
41. Larry Holmes
42. Floyd Mayweather Jr
43. Thomas Hearns
44. Jimmy McLarnin
45. Stanley Ketchel
46. Tommy Loughran
47. Michael Spinks
48. Ruben Olivares
49. Jose Napoles
50. Fighting Harada
51. Wilfredo Gomez
52. Carlos Ortiz
53. Dick Tiger
54. Panama Al Brown
55. Tiger Flowers
56. Kid Chocolate
57. Bob Foster
58. Billy Conn
59. George Foreman
60. Joe Frazier
61. Aaron Pryor
62. Jake LaMotta
63. Abe Attel
64. Carmen Basilio
65. Manuel Ortiz
66. Terry McGovern
67. Tommy Ryan
68. Ricardo Lopez
69. Jim Jeffries
70. Jack Britton
71. Ted Kid Lewis
72. Carlos Zarate
73. Wilfred Benitez
74. Oscar De La Hoya
75. Felix Trinidad
76. Shane Mosley
77. Luis Manuel Rodriguez
78. Pancho Villa
79. Azumah Nelson
80. Erik Morales
81. Juan Manuel Marquez
82. Mike Tyson
83. Pascual Perez
84. Marco Antonio Barrera
85. Joe Brown
86. Joe Calzaghe
87. Harry Wills
88. Miguel Canto
89. Marcel Cerdan
90. Flash Elorde
91. Holman Williams
92. John Dundee
93. Mike McCallum
94. Antonio Cervantes
95. Nicolino Locche
96. George Dixon
97. Sonny Liston
98. Packey McFarland
99. Khaosai Galaxy
100. Benny Lynch
101. Freddie Welsh
102. Jimmy Bivins
103. Harold Johnson
104. Bob Montgomery
105. Vicente Saldivar
106. Beau Jack
107. Maxie Rosenbloom
108. Gene Fullmer
109. Eusebio Pedroza
110. Lloyd Marshall
111. Lou Ambers
112. Battling Nelson
113. James Toney
114. Jim Driscoll
115. Jeff Fenech
116. Johnny Kilbane
117. Pete Herman
118. Kosta Tszyu
119. Freddie Miller
120. Nino Benvenuti
121. Georges Carpentier
122. Ken Buchanan
123. Duilio Loi
124. Winky Wright
125. Tommy Gibbons
126. Philidelphia Jack O'Brien
127. Jack Kid Berg
128. Non Pareil Jack Dempsey
129. Jack Blackburn
130. Johnny Tapia
Awesome list! WOW!
I think this is a respectable list (Apr. 2009), you can draw your own conclusions:
1. Sugar Ray Robinson
2. Henry Armstrong
3. Muhammad Ali
4. Sam Langford
5. Harry Greb
6. Joe Louis
7. Ezzard Charles
8. Willie Pep
9. Roberto Duran
10. Archie Moore
11. Benny Leonard
12. Ray Leonard
13. Pernell Whitaker
14. Bob Fitzsimmons
15. Joe Gans
16. Carlos Monzon
17. Barney Ross
18. Jack Johnson
19. Marvin Hagler
20. Jimmy Wilde
21. Mickey Walker
22. Sandy Saddler
23. Manny Pacquiao
24. Julio Cesar Chavez
25. Alexis Arguello
26. Rocky Marciano
27. Gene Tunney
28. Roy Jones Jr
29. Lennox Lewis
30. Evander Holyfield
31. Bernard Hopkins
32. Barbados Joe Walcott
33. Eder Jofre
34. Tony Canzoneri
35. Emile Griffith
36. Jack Dempsey
37. Charley Burley
38. Kid Gavilan
39. Salvador Sanchez
40. Ike Williams
41. Larry Holmes
42. Floyd Mayweather Jr
43. Thomas Hearns
44. Jimmy McLarnin
45. Stanley Ketchel
46. Tommy Loughran
47. Michael Spinks
48. Ruben Olivares
49. Jose Napoles
50. Fighting Harada
51. Wilfredo Gomez
52. Carlos Ortiz
53. Dick Tiger
54. Panama Al Brown
55. Tiger Flowers
56. Kid Chocolate
57. Bob Foster
58. Billy Conn
59. George Foreman
60. Joe Frazier
61. Aaron Pryor
62. Jake LaMotta
63. Abe Attel
64. Carmen Basilio
65. Manuel Ortiz
66. Terry McGovern
67. Tommy Ryan
68. Ricardo Lopez
69. Jim Jeffries
70. Jack Britton
71. Ted Kid Lewis
72. Carlos Zarate
73. Wilfred Benitez
74. Oscar De La Hoya
75. Felix Trinidad
76. Shane Mosley
77. Luis Manuel Rodriguez
78. Pancho Villa
79. Azumah Nelson
80. Erik Morales
81. Juan Manuel Marquez
82. Mike Tyson
83. Pascual Perez
84. Marco Antonio Barrera
85. Joe Brown
86. Joe Calzaghe
87. Harry Wills
88. Miguel Canto
89. Marcel Cerdan
90. Flash Elorde
91. Holman Williams
92. John Dundee
93. Mike McCallum
94. Antonio Cervantes
95. Nicolino Locche
96. George Dixon
97. Sonny Liston
98. Packey McFarland
99. Khaosai Galaxy
100. Benny Lynch
101. Freddie Welsh
102. Jimmy Bivins
103. Harold Johnson
104. Bob Montgomery
105. Vicente Saldivar
106. Beau Jack
107. Maxie Rosenbloom
108. Gene Fullmer
109. Eusebio Pedroza
110. Lloyd Marshall
111. Lou Ambers
112. Battling Nelson
113. James Toney
114. Jim Driscoll
115. Jeff Fenech
116. Johnny Kilbane
117. Pete Herman
118. Kosta Tszyu
119. Freddie Miller
120. Nino Benvenuti
121. Georges Carpentier
122. Ken Buchanan
123. Duilio Loi
124. Winky Wright
125. Tommy Gibbons
126. Philidelphia Jack O'Brien
127. Jack Kid Berg
128. Non Pareil Jack Dempsey
129. Jack Blackburn
130. Johnny Tapia
This is a very difficult question because NOBODY has a top 150 ATG list and it's difficult to compare modern greats w/old greats...
A better question would be 'Where would Cotto rank among the ATG P.R. fighters if he beat Martinez for the lineal 160 title?'
Carlos Ortiz, Wilfred Benitez, Felix Trinidad, Wilfredo Gomez, Hector Camacho, Edwin Rosario, Wilfredo Vazquez, Jose Torres, Esteban DeJesus, Samuel Serrano, Juan LaPorte, Edwin Rosario, Ivan Calderon, etc.
I actually like your question better. For me he'd only be behind Gomez, Ortiz, Trinidad and possibly DeJesus.
I think he's a good ways behind Oscar. Probably outside the top 100 in my opinion or just inside of it. Thats no slight on him, but there have been a lot of great fighters in history.
Yep. Nothing Cotto does can even touch Oscar's win over a prime WW Tito. NOTHING.
I only said 1-2 spots, because I really don't know how the rankings work.
In my mind, a Martinez win is huge for Cotto, but then what? I'd have to know who he's behind, in order to properly rank him.
What if he's right behind a guy like Oscar (Ex.)? Does a Martinez win really put him past Oscar?
I think he's a good ways behind Oscar. Probably outside the top 100 in my opinion or just inside of it. Thats no slight on him, but there have been a lot of great fighters in history.
12y ago
where will Cooto rank ifbhe beats Martinez? | BoxingScene Community