The Pound for Pound list, does it need to be revised?

[Banderivets]

I dont believe in the concept all together.

It is not logical. You cant fight like Mayweather if you are 240lb, jabbing and right hands dont make sense at 120lb either (Wlads style).

If anything p4p should imply top fighters who win belts in multiple divisions, and proved their ability to adapt to different weight classes.....and Im not talking about a single jump from 140 to 147 either.

"If he was 200 he'd dominate there too".....its silly, if he could he would.

[Technical_Skill]

You see, boxing in itself in lower devisions is very different sport from the higher devision.s And it all comes from a very simple entity called punch power. Let me just put it this way, the power increase goes exponentually with the weight but the strength of the chin does not. Why am I talking about this? Simply because it is easier to look like an excellent fighter in the lower devisions because the chance of getting knocked the **** out with just one punch is substantially lower. That's why you see so many more fierce wars at the lower weights(which, ironically, lead to more knockouts) rather then higher. But the higher the weight devision goes, the harder it is to actually to box(more body weight=less maneuver margin for all the tricky moves and combos and higher chance to get knocked out with one punch).
That's why I only agree with your initial argument only to extent. These guys are great fighters, but they are in a much more beneficial surroundings to make them look great. IMO, the p4p was created for the 135 to 175 weight margine.

Good point, but the guys at the lower weights have to be more evasive to aviod being hit as obviously the guys there are alot faster, so it evens out no?

They are less powerful, but alot faster.

[kayjay]

Co-sign Brooko's entire post.

I think a lot of hardcore boxing fans who study the niceties of the sport forget HOW to watch fights between big punchers. They don't see all the skills on display as regularly but overlook the reason for that. For me the possibility of one mistake bringing about destruction makes for more entertainment than a hundred shoulder rolls or sneaky counters.

[BmoreBrawler]

Pound 4 pound is mythical of course, but surely the ring magazine and other boxing en****** need to revised the way they select the top 10 pound for pound fighters in the world. The reason i say this is because the top 10 p4p isnt the 10 best fighters in the world regardless of weight which is what i think it is supposed to be.

Last week i sat down and watched Rafeal Marquez, now clearly he is one of the best boxers in the world and deserves to be shortlisted as one of the best fighters in the world, Joel Casamayor, who alot of people say never lost a fight (he got robbed several times according to some) and a guy who has been the best fighter at 135 for some time now is clearly one of the best boxers in the world.

Now the point im making is, how does casamayor not get on the list but miguel cotto, hatton and calzaghe, can? It doesnt make sense, Casaymayor has been in with better fighters than these guys and is a better boxers than these guys. Its nothing to do with bias, but if you look at the p4p it seems to be fuled more by hype as well as boxing credentials.

What did winky wright ever do to be considered the 3rd best fighter in the world, be honest, he was off the radar till he beat a blown up mosley and their 2nd fight was real close, is Manny Pacquaio really the 2nd best fighter in the world?

What about fighters at the lower weights? it seems they often get neglected in favor of the welterwight and middleweight guys.

I think Pound for pound lists should be revised and a list made of the 10 best fighters in the world( which of course is indiviual opinion) rather than deciding on who moves up weight or who makes the most defences, if anything, i think those should be secondary factors.

you're 100% right. It is a list based more off of fetishes for certain fighting styles than legitimate accomplishments, with a little bit of low-weight representation here and there.

Remove Winky, replace with Hatton(lower spot, of course).

[SkillspayBills]

That's why they don't judge it strictly on skill.Quality opponents, wins, and popularity all come into account. If it was only one category, say popularity Mike Tyson would still be on the pound for pound list.

[BrooklynBomber]

Good point, but the guys at the lower weights have to be more evasive to aviod being hit as obviously the guys there are alot faster, so it evens out no?

They are less powerful, but alot faster.

See, you are proving my point, their small size helps them being more evasive, put on 40 pounds on them and let me see'em dodge a few.

And the speed difference there is much more illusionary. Yeah, a guy from feather looks MUCH faster then a guy from Heavy, but he does not look to be that much faster then a guy from welter and the weight difference is a whooping 22 pounds.

But what really voids their evasiveness advantage is their workrate(which again is helped by a very light weight).

[SkillspayBills]

Co-sign Brooko's entire post.

I think a lot of hardcore boxing fans who study the niceties of the sport forget HOW to watch fights between big punchers. They don't see all the skills on display as regularly but overlook the reason for that. For me the possibility of one mistake bringing about destruction makes for more entertainment than a hundred shoulder rolls or sneaky counters.

Interesting how you agree with what he said even though the premise of what he was saying had to do more with brawling than with boxing. Also he said one punch knockout power isn't the case with the lighter fighters. So the back and forth action iss very exciting to watch.

[Technical_Skill]

See, you are proving my point, their small size helps them being more evasive, put on 40 pounds on them and let me see'em dodge a few.

And the speed difference there is much more illusionary. Yeah, a guy from feather looks MUCH faster then a guy from Heavy, but he does not look to be that much faster then a guy from welter and the weight difference is a whooping 22 pounds.

But what really voids their evasiveness advantage is their workrate(which again is helped by a very light weight).

I didnt say it 'Helps them' be more evasive,

I said they have to be more evasive,

The handspeed varies according to weight sometimes, but the the rate/speed at which you see the punch doesnt.

[BrooklynBomber]

Interesting how you agree with what he said even though the premise of what he was saying had to do more with brawling than with boxing. Also he said one punch knockout power isn't the case with the lighter fighters. So the back and forth action iss very exciting to watch.

It is also much easier to "box"(hit and not be hit) at the lighter weights, because these light guys are just much lighter(pun intended) on their feet.

The big guys on the other hand are usually not WHILE they are keeping most of the handspeed(saying that the handspeed(especially one punch) of a heavier guys is not much different from the lighter guys) while the footwork/body work(which are important for defence) is much slower at the higher weights.

That's why you see many heavies using the "defenseive" clinch. instead of fance head movement, shoulder rolls and footwork.

[Banderivets]

All I can say is that I moved from a ripped 180 to a ripped 210 and I cant move anything like I could at 180 or lower......but I am exponentialy stronger.