Whos the greatest fighter of all time?

[cple]

i think anybody who calls a boxer who fought in the 50s and 60s the greatest of all time is pretty pathetic..fighters are much better today...roy jones is the greatest of all time..he went about 12 13 years barely loseing a round..their was or is nobody who will ever dominate like that again

Today's fighters are better? Based on what? If anything, the fighters back then were better. They didn't have the luxuries of the pampered fighters of today. They fought more than two times a year, there were only 8 weight classes, and there was only one champion in each division. The road to glory was significantly tougher. Now, i'm not saying the fighters of yesteryear were better. I think if you're great in a particular era, you could compete in any other era.

Regarding Roy Jones Jr., though i view him as an all-time great, but he isn't even close to being the greatest. His opposition is better than people make it out to be, but it isn't that impressive either. And that's what brings him down in my book.

[oldgringo]

Today's fighters are better? Based on what? If anything, the fighters back then were better. They didn't have the luxuries of the pampered fighters of today. They fought more than two times a year, there were only 8 weight classes, and there was only one champion in each division. The road to glory was significantly tougher. Now, i'm not saying the fighters of yesteryear were better. I think if you're great in a particular era, you could compete in any other era.

Regarding Roy Jones Jr., though i view him as an all-time great, but he isn't even close to being the greatest. His opposition is better than people make it out to be, but it isn't that impressive either. And that's what brings him down in my book.

Cple...I always enjoy reading your opinions...always on point and level headed. I couldn't agree more.

[Silencio]

Duran is the Greatest

IMO Roberto Duran is the greatest of all time pound for pound. a killer knock out artist (Hands of Stone) and a supreme boxer who was underrated in that department. Lightweight champ really undisputed for 7 YEARS! That was back in the 70s when belts meant a little more than they do today. He was ferocous and feared, a legend. At the age of 30 he stepped up to welterweight to fight a prime Ray Leonard, using him as a heavy bag for 15 rounds while winning the Welterweight crown!

He fell from grace as most human beings do when he surrendered in the Leonard rematch, but what happened afterwards cements his legendary status. He moves up in weight again at 32, and as a heavy underdog hammered Jr Middle champ Davy Moore for that title. THEN.. he steps up to middleweight, giving the feared Marven Hagler all he could handle for 15 rounds, only losing by a point or 2.

After almost getting his head knocked off by Tommy Hearns, he comes back again at 37, engaging in one of the greatest ring wars ever against Middleweight Champ Iran Barkley who had KOd Hearns! Duran won the Middleweight Belt.

The Duran who beat Barkley would have done the same to Hopkins, believe me. Duran would have killed Oscar.

It's a shame that younger fans today only remember Duran if they remember him at all as the old guy fighting Camacho and Paz. Look at his record, his opponents, his longevity, and importantly his ability to come back after being down (listen up Roy Jones) and a great case for Roberto being the greatest can be made. Facts are stubborn things!

I look foreward to hearing an opposing view, it's great we have this forum to exchange facts..er.. opinions.

[Hurlex]

i so disagree with the comment of each era had been better then the nest...dude hell no..especially the HW division...take lenoz lewis for example..he donminated a era of old holyfields-shot tyson and small good boxers...in the 70's with ali-forman-shavers-norton-frazier or even 80's-holmes etc..i dont think he would have even made a dent...the 70's HW divison may have been one of the best....and in other weight also...past fighters have been way better then any of those today...a J.C. Chavez in his prime would clear the lightweight-welter divison today with great exciting fight to say the least..so sometimes i think it doesnt get better with year (a divison)...and in somecases it has (featherweight)

best of all time???

ali-greatest HW of all time no doubt
Sugar ray robinson-p4p boxer of all time

[LuKahnLi]

Sugar Ray Robinson. ARguably Henry Armstrong. Nobody else comes close.

Theres Robinson and ARmstrong on one tier.....everyone else is a tier below. Nobody comes close to these two.

[SonnyG8R]

Sugar Ray Robinson. ARguably Henry Armstrong. Nobody else comes close.

Theres Robinson and ARmstrong on one tier.....everyone else is a tier below. Nobody comes close to these two.

That's just p4p though. The term "greatest" can be defined in different ways.

[SonnyG8R]

Roy is one of my favorite fighters of all time, but you cant compare the fighters Jones faced like Garbagemen, Cops, and Postal workers to some of the fighters of the 50's and 60's who faced top level opponents sometimes 4 to 5 times back to back, guys who fought 10 fights a year, not 1-3 like we these days. It's easy too look good for most of these guys when they average 2 fights per year, there were guys in the 50s and 60s that had two fights a month.

Rick knows boxing baby!

[LuKahnLi]

Sonny

What is the difference between Greatness & P4P?

[SonnyG8R]

Well, greatest could mean who is the best head-2-head. I mean if we could have a tournament of all boxers through time, who would come out on top. Of course that stacks the odds in the heavyweights corner, but their is something to be said for being the biggest and the strongest.

I think Ali could take any other boxer of all time head-2-head in the ring. Therefore he is my "greatest".

[cple]

Actually, if anything, p4p would be a head to head matchup between two fighters. But not a straight up match. P4P, is sort of a mythical idea, where all fighters are in one weight class, but maintain their physical attributes and talents respective to their actual real-life division. So in a p4p fight between Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali, Sugar would have the edge in power, even though in reality Ali probably hit significantly harder. It is a difficult idea to put into words, but it is generally understood.

However, I think a fighter's greatness should be determined by his level of opposition, dominance, longevity, and overall accomplishments. I think winning a head to head matchup is secondary to the aforementioned categories.