Comments Thread For: Sorry, Terence Crawford, but this is boxing?s Mt. Rushmore

[PBR Streetgang]

Carl "The Truth" Williams gotta be in the conversation....

[Brittney1229]

I really like Bud and wish him the best. He's good enough to be ahead by the time Clenelo gets going. I believe that Clenelo wins by late stoppage or his paid for judges give him a close decision.

[Willow The Wisp]

A big weight-rise win over long-term champion Alvarez would do his legacy wonders; but boxing is an very old very global sport, and the art itself is unchanged over the past century - Plus.
So right now, I would think it's more reasonable to rank him among only the Welterweights!

1. Sugar Ray Robinson
2. Mickey Walker
3. Barbados Joe Walcott
4. Sugar Ray Leonard
5. Jose Napoles
6. Thomas Hearns
7. Henry Armstrong
8. Roberto Duran
9. Tommy Ryan
10.Barney Ross
11.Kid Gavilan
12.Emile Griffith
13.Jimmy McLarnin
14.Floyd Mayweather
15.Jack Britton
16.Manny Pacquiao
17.Ted "Kid" Lewis
18.Tony Canzoneri
19.Carmen Basilio
20.Oscar De La Hoya
21.Luis Rodriguez
22.Felix Trinidad
23.Charley Burley
24.Wilfred Benitez
25.Terence Crawford
26.Pernell Whitaker
27.Fritzie Zivic
28.Lou Brouillard
29.Shane Mosley
30.Aaron Dixie Kid Brown
31.Marty Servo
32.Donald Curry
33.Miguel Cotto
34.Curtis Cokes
35.Young Corbett III
36.Jackie Fields
37.Pipino Cuevas
38.Rube Fearns
39.Honey Melody
40.Marlon Starling
41.Mike Twin Sullivan
42.Carlos Palomino
43.Young Peter Jackson
44.Harry Lewis
45.Tony DeMarco
46.Cocoa Kid
47.Mysterious Billy Smith
48.Dave Shade
49.Joe Dundee
50.Billy Graham

[brankobugarski]

I am going to offer an unpopular opinion here.

As much as I liked Ali, both Sugars and Roy Jones Jr - they all had multiple losses. In fact, virtually everybody in that article has had one or more losses other than Mayweather and Crawford (I am sure boxing historians will pick up a mistake or two in my post). Now, I did not like Floyd's style or his persona. I was never a fan and I always wanted him to loose, but undefeated record against who is who across multiple weight divisions speaks for itself. Bud's resume is not as impressive as Floyd's but once again he is undefeated across multiple weight divisions and has unified twice already and if he beats Canelo it will be a third one. Something nobody has ever done. So for my money these two are on Mt Rushmore. I am not sure who else is but if Usyk retires undefeated he should be the third one.

In boxing forums it is always popular to talk about greatness of old time boxers from 50 or 100 years ago and to find great fighters nobody has ever heard of. Once again, I am going to offer and unpopular opinion. Just because something is old or obscure does not mean it is good. I do not like old cars, old women or boxers of the yesteryear ... just because. There you go.

[SteveM]

I’d go Robinson, Ali, Leonard, Jones Jr.

If you’re talking about star power and recognisability I think you’d have to put Mike on there in place of Ray or Roy. If you ask the average man on the street to name a boxer, good chance they’d say Tyson.

which street? Its probably a generational thing - my 22 yr old son would actually say Inoue - he loves watching his fights, someone 30 year old likely says Tyson or Mayweather - but I feel some ight say Pac and 60 and above it'll be Ali

[HandsofIron]

Mt. Rushmore of boxing you say?

Roberto Duran, Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Julio Cesar Chavez Sr.

Piece of cake.

Oh and Magic Johnson is the NBA GOAT.

[SteveM]

I am going to offer an unpopular opinion here.

As much as I liked Ali and both Sugars - they all had multiple losses. In fact, virtually everybody in that article has had one or more losses other than Mayweather and Crawford (I am sure boxing historians will pick up a mistake or two in my post). Now, I did not like Floyd's style or his persona. I was never a fan and I always wanted him to loose, but undefeated record against who is who across multiple weight divisions speaks for itself. Bud's resume is not as impressive as Floyd's but once again he is undefeated across multiple weight divisions and has unified twice already and if he beats Canelo it will be a third one. Something nobody has ever done. So for my money these two are on Mt Rushmore. I am not sure who else is but if Usyk retires undefeated he should be the third one.

In boxing forums it is always popular to talk about greatness of old time boxers from 50 or 100 years ago and to find great fighters nobody has ever heard of. Once again, I am going to offer and unpopular opinion. Just because something is old or obscure does not mean it is good. I do not like old cars, old women or boxers of the yesteryear ... just because. There you go.

a great resume with a 2/3 losses is superior to a good resume and being unbeaten.

[DeeMoney]

I am going to offer an unpopular opinion here.

As much as I liked Ali and both Sugars - they all had multiple losses. In fact, virtually everybody in that article has had one or more losses other than Mayweather and Crawford (I am sure boxing historians will pick up a mistake or two in my post). Now, I did not like Floyd's style or his persona. I was never a fan and I always wanted him to loose, but undefeated record against who is who across multiple weight divisions speaks for itself. Bud's resume is not as impressive as Floyd's but once again he is undefeated across multiple weight divisions and has unified twice already and if he beats Canelo it will be a third one. Something nobody has ever done. So for my money these two are on Mt Rushmore. I am not sure who else is but if Usyk retires undefeated he should be the third one.

In boxing forums it is always popular to talk about greatness of old time boxers from 50 or 100 years ago and to find great fighters nobody has ever heard of. Once again, I am going to offer and unpopular opinion. Just because something is old or obscure does not mean it is good. I do not like old cars, old women or boxers of the yesteryear ... just because. There you go.

You know who never lost a pro fight either....Me. Now I doubt that '0' gets me on to your Mt Rushmore, but it goes to show my point- simply avoiding a loss doesnt make you great.

Now you know that, and have listed some positives that Floyd has accomplished- which is fair. But your main contention is that undefeatedness earns him the nod. Thats as foolish as the opposite, ignoring losses as a whole (which you somewhat imply as being the opposite end of your argument).

Truth is, you should take the value of your successes less the weaknesses of your failures. In that case, though he was great, I dont feel Floyd cracks the all time top 4. But then again thats not really what this list is.

[DeeMoney]

A slick way to spark debate, go with whats established as a 'top 4' all time list; but then fudge the criteria a bit and be real vague about it. Then get lots of posts complaining about it.

As is, it seems your Mt Rushmore isn't a list of the top 4 fighters in the ring, as it is a survey of greatness intending to span all the eras- good thing is most people wont read the thought process and just bicker away.

As is, to keep true with your general premise you probably shouldve went with Manny over Floyd. Not writing one is better than the other (though I wonder if people will ignore that), but Manny allows you to have at least one non-American fighter, which accomplishes your apparent goal of spreading out the selections (ie not taking multiple fighters from the same era).

[brankobugarski]

You know who never lost a pro fight either....Me. Now I doubt that '0' gets me on to your Mt Rushmore, but it goes to show my point- simply avoiding a loss doesnt make you great.

Now you know that, and have listed some positives that Floyd has accomplished- which is fair. But your main contention is that undefeatedness earns him the nod. Thats as foolish as the opposite, ignoring losses as a whole (which you somewhat imply as being the opposite end of your argument).

Truth is, you should take the value of your successes less the weaknesses of your failures. In that case, though he was great, I dont feel Floyd cracks the all time top 4. But then again thats not really what this list is.

Who said that simply avoiding a loss makes you great? I did not include Andre Ward or Joe Calzaghe (two great fighters) on the list. People talk about Roberto Duran, Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Julio Cesar Chavez Sr, Roy Jones Jr but I am 66 years old and I still remember all those guys losing badly to one or more fighters. I mean really bad, embarrassing losses. Once seen, it cannot be unseen. You can say they were past their prime or several weight divisions above their natural weight, but why did they all fight past their expiry date? Surely having some brains should count as a criterion in all time greatness.