Their best night

[The Surgeon]

Here's how I look at the Margarito fight. Margarito is a very mental fighter. Not in the same way as a Floyd or a Benitez, but he has a very specific mindset he needs to be in to fight. If you've ever read the Art of War, Sun Tzu refers to the concept of "Death Ground" where an army (or in this case, a fighter) cannot retreat so they can only go forward and fight doubly as hard. Now there's nothing physically barring Margarito from retreating, but his pride won't let him stand down. That's how he keeps himself in the fight during those first few rounds while he's really working up that frenzy that he fights with in the later rounds. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to stay in the fight long enough to get the point where he can throw 130 - yes 130 - punches in a round. When Naazim found those plaster wraps, he really humiliated Margarito. That compromised his pride quite a bit. He never really whipped up that berserker-rage that he showed in the Cotto fight or, to a lesser extent, the Pacquiao fight. He even took a couple of steps backwards, not to get space like he did when he had Cotto on the ropes, but a visible retreat. That shows me exactly how compromised Margarito's mental state really was.

Now, none of this is Shane's fault, but he didn't beat the same Margarito that walked down Cotto.

Ive never read that book but its one im gonna have to ive heard so much about it and it seems so relevant to alot of stuff even today.

Yeah id say theres truth to that but Mosley should get credit for stifling Margs attack and more importantly his rythem and momentum with the clinching just as Antonio wanted to mount an attack. I think that played a big part and Cotto would be wise to tie Tony up when he has to in their rematch tho i doubt he will.

[RubenSonny]

Do you really think so? Because he got caught with a couple of punches? Nobody's perfect...I agree that he's coming up on the end of his prime, but he was very, very good.

P.S. Tyson I was my first pick for Holy, too. Really shows how underrated that wins is.

Hes been on decline since the Baldi fight, his reflexes and handspeed have slowed the Mayweather of a few years ago would have never been hit with them same shots from Mosley nor the shots from Marquez.

[The Surgeon]

Hes been on decline since the Baldi fight, his reflexes and handspeed have slowed the Mayweather of a few years ago would have never been hit with them same shots from Mosley nor the shots from Marquez.

I dont know man, i know alot of people think he's slippin but for me he was nothing short of Magestic against Marquez, the natural size difference was obvious and it told but i think talent did too

And with Shane he wanted to press the action and back Shane up, which he did, but when u fight that type of fight u increase the likelyhood of getting tagged. I thought he did really well, exceptional in fact to get hit as little as he did and the shot Shane rocked him with was a great shot, near perfect. Floyd actually went UP in my estimations after that, he showed he has balls and he had Mosley backing up by the end of that same round

[mickey malone]

Shane Mosley - Antonio Magarito - Put the cheat in is place..

Roberto Duran - Davey Moore - My personal choice, but the wins against Leonard and Barkley were not to be sniffed at..

Pernell Whitaker - Julio Cesar Chavez - Totally dominated the Mexican but was given a diabolical draw..

Larry Holmes - Gerry Cooney - Holmes took a lot of abuse in the build up to this fight but silenced the critics with a polished performance..

Manny Pacquiao - Miguel Cotto - Cotto's a very strong welterweight, and for Pac to stop him was quite exceptional..

Ray Robinson - Gene Fullmer II - Imo, the greatest KO of all time

Muhammad Ali - George Foreman - When you think what Foreman did to Frazier and Norton, this fight totally confirmed Ali's greatness..

Thomas Hearns - Roberto Duran - How can anyone forget Duran falling face first into a state of unconciousness..

Evander Holyfield - Tyson I - I imagine most people will go for Bowe II, but i consider that pretty tame in comparison to the way he ripped into Tyson..

Floyd Mayweather Jr - Arturo Gatti - Ok, you can say Gatti wasn't the greatest technician but this fight was like his head was a magnet and Floyd's hands were made of highly sprung steel..

Roy Jones Jr - Virgil Hill - Easy ko against a very slick and elusive champion..

Ray Leonard - Marvin Hagler - Almost had Hagler hitting himself..

[GJC]

Duran in the De Jesus rubber deserves a mention and also his defeat of Palamino. Think both De Jesus and Palamino get overlooked a fair bit these days

[Scott9945]

What in your own opinion was these boxers best night (use your own criteria to explain)

Shane Mosley
Roberto Duran
Pernell Whitaker
Larry Holmes
Manny Pacquiao
Ray Robinson
Muhammad Ali
Thomas Hearns
Evander Holyfield
Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Roy Jones Jr.
Ray Leonard

Mosley - DLH 1 - great stretch rally makes his career

Duran - DeJesus 3 - Palomino or Leonard would be close

Whitaker - Ramirez 2 - totally shut out a guy he was just robbed against

Holmes - Cooney - stellar performance in his highest profile fight

Pacquiao - Barrera 1 - absolutely dominated a great fighter in his prime

Robinson - Graziano - it's quite possible that I've never seen Robinson's best

Ali - Williams - it wasn't who he beat but how damn good he looked

Hearns - Cuevas - he looked like a monster against a dominant welter

Holyfield - Tyson 1 - the fight that made him a legend

Mayweather - Corrales - easily took apart a highly regarded champion

Jones - Tate - same comment for Ali

Leonard - Green - frightening speed and power against a solid opponent


Good topic Sonny.

[Wild Blue Yonda]

It's hard to know whether to go with a fighter at their most unbeatable-looking, or when they were in their highest-profile fight & looked great as well, but not quite so perfect (example, Whitaker's biggest stage was against Chavez, but he was stronger as a LW than as a WW, IMO).

[bojangles1987]

What in your own opinion was these boxers best night (use your own criteria to explain)

Shane Mosley
Roberto Duran
Pernell Whitaker
Larry Holmes
Manny Pacquiao
Ray Robinson
Muhammad Ali
Thomas Hearns
Evander Holyfield
Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Roy Jones Jr.
Ray Leonard

Mosley: The Oscar fight. He was fast, he was strong, he could box, he was at his perfect best.

Duran: Leonard 1. Not his most dominating performance, but the ring smarts he displayed that night were off the charts. If that Duran could beat that Leonard, he could probably beat any welterweight.

Whitaker: Chavez fight. He's been personally better, but he outclassed Chavez so badly and outpunched Chavez to the body, which no one would have predicted.

Larry Holmes: Don't know. Holmes was always his solid self. I'll say the Norton fight.

Pacquiao: Cotto fight. Perfection. He could never look better than he did offensively, defensively, and mentally.

Ali: Again, he wasn't his best personally like Whitaker but I'll say the Foreman fight. THE example for all time of a fighter mentally dominating someone else.

Hearns: Duran fight. At 154, Hearns may be unbeatable.

Holyfield: Tyson 1. All the problems he had physically and after three wars with Bowe, I remember being amazed at how he tore Tyson down in that fight.

Mayweather Jr.: Gatti fight. He was at his physical best IMO. That night you would pick Mayweather to beat anyone.

Jones: Toney all the way. Toney fans can make all the excuses they want, but Jones was unstoppable.

Leonard: Hearns 1. He was at his physical best, and mentally showed exactly what kind of fighter he was.

[BennyST]

Nice thread.

Shane Mosley: Gotta be Oscar. Everything worked for Mosley against a great opponent in his prime. Speed, combinations, power, stamina and determination. Great display.

Roberto Duran: De Jesus III. Brown and Arcel had truly transformed him from wildman to a slick, counter punching, aggressive psychopath who could box and fight equally well. He was brutal in his precision and skill and showed an arsenal of offensive and defensive brilliance that will never again be equalled in such a combination against a champion who in any other era would have dominated.

Pernell Whitaker: Chavez, while past his best, was still undefeated and the force and name in boxing and it was an amazing show of skill. However, I am going to say Nelson. Azumah Nelson had only lost to Sanchez very early on and was in his prime and no one in his career was able to beat him like that before or after. Underrated win in an underrated performance against the Professor but it was Whitaker was in session that night.

Larry Holmes: Ken Norton. If anyone had ever, or ever will question Holmes' heart, determination, fighting spirit and pride they only need to watch this fight. He showed skill, will, chin, power and an unquestionable determination against a great champion early in his career in his first championship fight in the type of fight that you only dream about these days. Magnificent stuff and the fifteenth round showed the champion he was and would become.

I'll get to the rest soon. Tired. Going to sleep.

[Sam Donald]

[QUOTE=sonnyboyx2;9935510]What in your own opinion was these boxers best night (use your own criteria to explain)

Shane Mosley vs ODLH 1

Roberto Duran - Leonard 1

Pernell Whitaker - Rameriz

Larry Holmes vs Cooney

Manny Pacquiao vs Cotto

Ray Robinson - A lot ! lol.. not sure

Muhammad Ali vs Williams in 66' WOW

Thomas Hearns - not too sure

Evander Holyfield - not too sure

Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs justin jukko

Roy Jones Jr. vs ruiz

Ray Leonard vs hearns 1