How Often have the 2 best fighters in the world fought each other in boxing?

[1SILVA]

Good topic question..

unofficially

Joe Gans vs Joe Walcott
Willie Pep vs Sandy Saddler
Ray Robinson vs Kid Gavilan
Jim Corbett vs Peter Jackson

When Pep fought Saddler, wasn't Sugar Ray considered number one? Robinson-Gavilan is an excellent possibility

[Calilloyd]

With the Mayweather-Pacquaio fight being potentially the two best fighters in the world at the present time facing each other, how often has that occurred in the history of boxing?

Leonard-Duran I&II(1980)
Leonard-Hearns I(1981)
Hagler-Hearns (1985)
Frazier-Foster(1970)
Ali-Frazier I(1971)
Whitaker-Chavez(1993)

These are some possibilities. Any others?

Roy Jones Jr and James Toney were ranked high on the pound fopr pound list when they fought.

[1SILVA]

Roy Jones Jr and James Toney were ranked high on the pound fopr pound list when they fought.

Yes they were. Toney might have been number one, but I think Sweat Pea was number 2

[project xxx1]

Roy Jones was rated as number 1 p4p in the first 2 fights you mentioned. Hopkins was an unknown at the time he fought Jones. The top 2 fighters at the time were Whitaker and Chavez, who fought a month later

ok dude didnt know that

[1SILVA]

As selected by The Ring magazine in the April 1994 issue.
Pound For Pound

1. Pernell Whitaker
2. Julio Cesar Chavez
3. James Toney
4. Michael Carbajal
5. Orlando Canizales
6. Evander Holyfield
7. Ricardo Lopez
8. Roy Jones Jr.
9. Kennedy McKinney
10. Yuri Arbachakov

[mickey malone]

When Pep fought Saddler, wasn't Sugar Ray considered number one? Robinson-Gavilan is an excellent possibility

That did cross my mind, but as it was unofficial, many may well have considered Pep & Saddler as somewhere in the top 2 at various times during their careers..

[Tin Man]

batman vs the joker

LOL

[Calilloyd]

As selected by The Ring magazine in the April 1994 issue.
Pound For Pound

1. Pernell Whitaker
2. Julio Cesar Chavez
3. James Toney
4. Michael Carbajal
5. Orlando Canizales
6. Evander Holyfield
7. Ricardo Lopez
8. Roy Jones Jr.
9. Kennedy McKinney
10. Yuri Arbachakov

Great stuff there. I had forgotten that Canizales was rated that high at one time.

[wpink1]

January 1981 KO Magazine Pound for Pound Ratings
From Boxrec Boxing Encyclopaedia

1 - Thomas Hearns
2 - Sugar Ray Leonard
3 - Marvin Hagler
4 - Larry Holmes
5 - Alexis Arguello
6 - Wilfredo Gomez
7 - Eddie Mustafa Muhammad
8 - Matt Saad Muhammmad
9 - Wilfred Benitez
10 - Roberto Duran
10 - Aaron Pryor

Good post. I knew the ring magazine did not have a pound per pound yet. I believve I have this magazine somewhere. but this proves my point that I said, Hearns was ranked #1 then ray..

[JAB5239]

When most people want official P4P rankings, they look at Ring Magazine. If not, that's fine.

But do you really think that Ali and Frazier were rated as the top two P4P fighters in the world? Seems unlikely.

I was just thinking about that and could imagine both Eder Jofre and Carlos Monzon being rated higher at that time. I have no proof though as it was only a thought.