if these fighters retired today which ones if any would make the hall of fame

[Dave Rado]

Not really. The majority of 3 weight world champions have or will be in the HOF eventually.

However that doesn't mean if you do become a 3 weight world champion you automatically should be in the HOF.

Paper champions are not world champions. By definition it is impossible for there to be more than one world champion in any division at any given time. That champion is the lineal champion.

Name one multi-weight paper champion in the HoF who has never been a lineal champion and who has only been ranked #1 in any division for one fight. I am pretty certain there isn't one.

[Dave Rado]

im a fan of barry so i don't want to sound like im knocking him but they are inducting people on achievements in boxing then,barry is in so should cotto,just my opinion

As people keep explaining, McGuigan did not get in because of his boxing achievements. He got in because whenever he fought, Catholics and Protestants in Ireland stopped fighting each other; and because he single-handedly revived the sport of boxing in the UK as a whole - more than 20 million people in Britain watched each of his title fights on TV.

Plus McGuigan was at least a lineal champion, which Cotto never was. I'm pretty certain there are no boxers in the HoF who have never been a lineal champion, and any who have only ever been ranked #1 in any division for a single fight.

[IronDanHamza]

Paper champions are not world champions. By definition it is impossible for there to be more than one world champion in any division at any given time. That champion is the lineal champion.

Name one multi-weight paper champion in the HoF who has never been a lineal champion and who has only been ranked #1 in any division for one fight. I am pretty certain there isn't one.

Paper Champions are world Champions. They aren't THE champion, but there still considered world champions.

James Toney is a multiweight champion thats never been the Lineal Champion. Who will be a HOF'er.

Duke Mckenzie is a multiweight world champion and never been Lineal or considered #1 in any of the 3 divisions. Unlikely he becomes a HOF'er though.

Anyway, like I said I don't think Cotto has done enough to be a HOF'er yet.

[jrosales13]

Paper Champions are world Champions. They aren't THE champion, but there still considered world champions.

James Toney is a multiweight champion thats never been the Lineal Champion. Who will be a HOF'er.

Duke Mckenzie is a multiweight world champion and never been Lineal or considered #1 in any of the 3 divisions. Unlikely he becomes a HOF'er though.

Anyway, like I said I don't think Cotto has done enough to be a HOF'er yet.

Nice...Great examples.

[Sweet Jesus]

Marg should not be allowed at all. Cotto & Zab have the best chance. Not a big fan of Pavlik. He's all hype.

Pavlik would literally kill you in a street fight.

[Steak]

there are better and/or more important fighters than Cotto that arent in the HOF.

the IBHOF picks a certain amount of fighters each year to go into the HOF. Unless the next few years are very stale, then I dont see Cotto getting into the HOF soon, if ever.

Seriously. go over the last few years...DLH, Trinidad, Morales, Barrera, Marquez, Pacquiao, Hopkins, Mosley, Roy Jones, James Toney, Evander Holyfield, Hector Camacho, Naseem Hamed, Terry Norris, Mark Johnson, Wladimir Klitschko and even Thomas Hearns arent in the HOF yet.

you really think Cotto will be voted in before all those guys? and I didnt even name them all probably.
by the time that list is done, Cotto will be forgotten, and new HOF candidates will start to rise.

[IronDanHamza]

there are better and/or more important fighters than Cotto that arent in the HOF.

the IBHOF picks a certain amount of fighters each year to go into the HOF. Unless the next few years are very stale, then I dont see Cotto getting into the HOF soon, if ever.

Seriously. go over the last few years...DLH, Trinidad, Morales, Barrera, Marquez, Pacquiao, Hopkins, Mosley, Roy Jones, James Toney, Evander Holyfield, Hector Camacho, Naseem Hamed, Terry Norris, Mark Johnson, Wladimir Klitschko and even Thomas Hearns arent in the HOF yet.

you really think Cotto will be voted in before all those guys? and I didnt even name them all probably.
by the time that list is done, Cotto will be forgotten, and new HOF candidates will start to rise.

Terry has been inducted into the HOF.

You would think that they would but then Brian Mitchell gets inducted last year before any of them.

You really never know to be honest.

[Dave Rado]

Paper Champions are world Champions. They aren't THE champion, but there still considered world champions.

The alphabet organisations want you to believe that, and some of the media go along with their pretence, unfortunately, but it's a gross corruption of the English language. By definition it's impossible for more than one person to be the champion of the world at any given time. You may as well say that there are two people who are simultaneously the fastest man in the world. That's impossible by definition. The alphabet titlist are champions of their alphabet organisation, not of the world.

Boxing historians don't ever refer to alphabet titlists as world champions, only as the [XYZ] titlist. They only refer to lineal champions as world champions. Only media cheerleaders go along with that pretence that you can have more than one person at a time who is the champion of the world.

James Toney is a multiweight champion thats never been the Lineal Champion. Who will be a HOF'er.

Toney became the lineal Middleweight champion when he beat Nunn and had 6 defences. (See here if you don't believe me). And the quality of his competition at Middleweight alone was much better than Cotto's total competition.

Although he wasn't the lineal champion at Super Middleweight or Cruiserweight, Toney was recognised as the clear #1 ranked fighter at both those weights as well. Which Cotto never was at any weight.

Toney isn't just a Hall of Famer, he's an All Time Great.

Anyway, like I said I don't think Cotto has done enough to be a HOF'er yet.

Agreed.

[Kagami Taiga]

cotto's closest. hes borderline, but hes wasting a lot of time with pointless fights. i mean i understand the margs fight but that fight doesnt put him in the hall. he needs to beat a martinez or at least some of the young blood at 154.

[Steak]

Terry has been inducted into the HOF.

You would think that they would but then Brian Mitchell gets inducted last year before any of them.

You really never know to be honest.

whoops, must be behind on the times.


honestly, I dont see why Cotto should get in when Roger Mayweather, Johnny Tapia, or Iran Barkley probably wont, even though like you said sometimes their choices are unusual.