Why have modern fighters not evolved to be better than SRR

[Humean]

Robinson was excellent and had a career that would be hard for any subsequent fighter to better but the notion that there hasn't been a superior fighter in the many decades since is pretty outlandish.

[McGoorty]

Robinson was excellent and had a career that would be hard for any subsequent fighter to better but the notion that there hasn't been a superior fighter in the many decades since is pretty outlandish.

So Robinson isn't your pick for GOAT then.

[Anthony342]

Hey McGoorty. How have you been? Haven't seen you around here much lately.

And my answer to this would be because nobody has matched his skill set completely yet, while at the same time having a great resume to go with those skills. And most fighters that are great at one thing usually mostly focus on that while Robinson was great at everything.

[Sugarj]

Hey McGoorty. How have you been? Haven't seen you around here much lately.

And my answer to this would be because nobody has matched his skill set completely yet, while at the same time having a great resume to go with those skills. And most fighters that are great at one thing usually mostly focus on that while Robinson was great at everything.

Agreed, we might have had more elusive guys (Whitaker, Benitez, Mayweather) or have had slightly heavier handed fighters (Julian Jackson, Gerald McClellan). By a smidge we might even have had finer combination punchers (Meldrick Taylor, Jones Jnr).

But you would be hard pressed to find a guy with all the combined attributes above in addition to Robinson's skill set, chin, heart, workrate and distance stamina. The stars aligned a little too well in Robinson's case; he was a fighter who could do everything well. Add to that his activity and resume!

I'm not sure that if someone did come along today of that calibre of physical attributes, that they'd be able to get to a comparable skill level because world title fights are very infrequent these days. There is no real substitute for genuine ring experience.....

[sonnyboyx2]

Agreed, we might have had more elusive guys (Whitaker, Benitez, Mayweather) or have had slightly heavier handed fighters (Julian Jackson, Gerald McClellan). By a smidge we might even have had finer combination punchers (Meldrick Taylor, Jones Jnr).

But you would be hard pressed to find a guy with all the combined attributes above in addition to Robinson's skill set, chin, heart, workrate and distance stamina. The stars aligned a little too well in Robinson's case; he was a fighter who could do everything well. Add to that his activity and resume!

I'm not sure that if someone did come along today of that calibre of physical attributes, that they'd be able to get to a comparable skill level because world title fights are very infrequent these days. There is no real substitute for genuine ring experience.....

Can i just add to what you said Sugarj, by saying Robinson was so good that he won his first 40 fights before dropping a decision to Jake LaMotta with LaMotta weighing 15lbs heavier than Robinson. Robinson avenged the defeat 2 weeks later and went on to win his next 83 fights, with his record standing at 133-1 before he suffered a points defeat to Randy Turpin avenging it 8 weeks later..The Greatest who EVER lived.

[Humean]

So Robinson isn't your pick for GOAT then.

If I consider his abilities along with the quality of his career then he probably is but I don't think he is the best fighter who ever lived. I think there is a number of fighters form 147-160 who might have got the better of him.

[ShoulderRoll]

If I consider his abilities along with the quality of his career then he probably is but I don't think he is the best fighter who ever lived. I think there is a number of fighters form 147-160 who might have got the better of him.

Such as who?

[Humean]

Such as who?

To name but seven at 147 then:

Jose Napoles
Sugar Ray Leonard
Wilfred Benitez
Tommy Hearns
Roberto Duran
Pernell Whitaker
Floyd Mayweather

[Hype job]

Inb4 Elroy1

[Hype job]

I actually made it before Elroy1

Wait till ole Elroy1 sees this!