5 Titles in 5 Divisions or 20 Straight Title Defenses?

[-Antonio-]

It all depends on competition. Its easy to beat a paper champ and grab a belt. Its also easy to beat a bunch of average opponents on your way to 20 defenses.

Gatti was not the champ at 140, and Oscar is not the champ at 154. Same with Oscar and the Middleweight division. That WBO belt he picked up means ****, and the fight was controversial anyway.

[kayjay]

If he didn't fight the best, then who are these best? And calzaghe hasn't fought the best in ANY division, so what are you saying?

This is ******. Look at who he's fought. ****!!! At 140 there were KT and Hatton, at 147 Margarito, Cotto, Mosely. Don't talk about who ducked whom, whether he would have won all those easily, b/c all that's beside the point. He didn't fight anyone good above 135 until this fight with Oscar.

To the other guy: yeah he is rigghtful division king at 147, but he needs to beat the real top dogs at that weight class, not Baldomir and Judah.

[Guest]

If the threadstarter is comparing pbf's career with jc (are you?), its pbf hands down

No, I'm not comparing any fighters per se. Look at it this way: if you were a fighter and you could either stick to one division your whole career and take on all comers or grab titles by moving up to different weight classes, which would you do to establish your legacy?

And frankly, Calzaghe's career is a joke compared to Mayweather's...

[-Antonio-]

Eventhough Oscar may not have won the main belts at 130 and 135, he still beat the best fighters. Hernandez, Ruales, Leija, etc. Mayweather beat Corley and Gatti and hit the road.

[Deeznuts]

Going up in weight and fighting is harder than staying at your natural weight. Especially if you're constantly changing weight because it's hard to tell how your body will react to it on fight night.

[Hydro]

Eventhough Oscar may not have won the main belts at 130 and 135, he still beat the best fighters. Hernandez, Ruales, Leija, etc. Mayweather beat Corley and Gatti and hit the road.

Oscar didn't beat the best fighters when he was there. At 130, he fought just two times. He beat the best 130 lb fighters when he was at 135 lbs. He fought one world-class 135 lb fighter in Rafael Ruelas during his time at 135.

[kayjay]

No, I'm not comparing any fighters per se. Look at it this way: if you were a fighter and you could either stick to one division your whole career and take on all comers or grab titles by moving up to different weight classes, which would you do to establish your legacy?

And frankly, Calzaghe's career is a joke compared to Mayweather's...

Their careers are the same, they've both dominated inferior opposition, with the exception of a few early opponents.

[cortdawg25]

This is ******. Look at who he's fought. ****!!! At 140 there were KT and Hatton, at 147 Margarito, Cotto, Mosely. Don't talk about who ducked whom, whether he would have won all those easily, b/c all that's beside the point. He didn't fight anyone good above 135 until this fight with Oscar.

To the other guy: yeah he is rigghtful division king at 147, but he needs to beat the real top dogs at that weight class, not Baldomir and Judah.

Kay jay that is ridiculous. Hatton beat Kostya and didn't want to fight, U know this! margarito is nothing at 147 but another titleholder Cotto wasn't even at 147 then and he fought and won a title eliminator. what makes him a top dog at 147, hell what made him one at 140. Again Mosley wasn't at 147 and he ain't at the top at 154 or 147. That logic you talking is ****** Kayjay!!!

[Guest]

Their careers are the same, they've both dominated inferior opposition, with the exception of a few early opponents.

You have to be joking. Judah alone is a better win than Lacy...

[Gareth Ivanovic]

At first I thought that 5 titles in 5 Weight Classes was definitely the toughest, but some good points were brought up about moving up in weight and gaining a weak belt and not really being the champ at that weight.

20 title defenses is tough because you basically have to not lose a fight for close to ten years, but by staying at one weight you can rack up a lot of defenses against opponents that are not at the level of the champion. They maybe are good, but not champion quality.

When you look at it, there can be easy victories in both. In the end though I would have to say that winning titles in 5 different weight classes would be the toughest because of dealing with weight. Fighters that move up might lose some of their power moving up in weight, especially if they have move up 3 to 5 weight classes.