Tweet
Rate my top 5 modern Greats.
1. Floyd Mayweather Jr. - Say what you say about this man, but he might be the greatest fighter of our generation. Started at JLW and won titles there and in 4 other weight classes, maintaining a perfect record. Wins over P4P Puncher Diego Corrales, body snatcher Jose Luis Castillo and rugged Ricky Hatton of the UK are his biggest wins. Lack of risks career-wise will be his only blemish.
2. Bernard Hopkins - Bernard Hopkins is a genius in the ring, plain and simple. He is to boxing what Prince is to pop music or what Fyodor Dostoevsky is to literature. There is no denying this man's talent and legacy. 20 defenses of the Middleweight title, then at age 41, skipped a weight class and fought Light Heavyweight King Antonio Tarver, who was coming off two excellent wins over Roy Jones Jr., giving him a thorough boxing lesson. He followed it up with a win over future hall of famer Winky Wright, then dropped a controversial split decision to Super Middleweight Joe Calzaghe. Bernard defied Father Time once again and schooled the young lion, Middleweight Champion Kelly Pavlik. 'Nard is an ATG without a doubt.
3. James Toney - The most complete fighter IMO. He was an underrated puncher, hands so fast, he'd make Calzaghe blush. Great defense and a granite chin (only down 3 times in 70+ fights). He started his career at Middleweight, then moved up to Super Middleweight where he showed sensational skills. Also won titles at Cruserweight and Heavyweight where he tested positive for steroids. Other than the steroid mess at HW, his only flaw was his lack of discipline. Had he been more dedicated to his training, he probably would have been an undefeated, top 10 P4P all-time-great fighter.
4. Roy Jones Jr. - Superman himself. The P4P King of the 90's. He would make title fights look like sparring sessions. Ruled the Middleweight, Super Middleweight, Light Heavyweight divisions. In 2003, he shocked the sports world when he made the jump to Heavyweight and won the title from John Ruiz. An exciting, unorthodox style with blinding handspeed made me a fan of his. Great fighter.
5. Pernell Whitaker - I am a person that loves and appreciates defense and there wasn't a boxer on Earth that came close to "Sweet Pea" defensively. He would school his opponents with awesome upper-body and head movement and slick combinations. Will go down in history as the first man to defeat Julio Cesar Chavez, although as we all know, he got a bogus Draw instead of a Unanimous Decision that he deserved.
2. Bernard Hopkins - Bernard Hopkins is a genius in the ring, plain and simple. He is to boxing what Prince is to pop music or what Fyodor Dostoevsky is to literature. There is no denying this man's talent and legacy. 20 defenses of the Middleweight title, then at age 41, skipped a weight class and fought Light Heavyweight King Antonio Tarver, who was coming off two excellent wins over Roy Jones Jr., giving him a thorough boxing lesson. He followed it up with a win over future hall of famer Winky Wright, then dropped a controversial split decision to Super Middleweight Joe Calzaghe. Bernard defied Father Time once again and schooled the young lion, Middleweight Champion Kelly Pavlik. 'Nard is an ATG without a doubt.
3. James Toney - The most complete fighter IMO. He was an underrated puncher, hands so fast, he'd make Calzaghe blush. Great defense and a granite chin (only down 3 times in 70+ fights). He started his career at Middleweight, then moved up to Super Middleweight where he showed sensational skills. Also won titles at Cruserweight and Heavyweight where he tested positive for steroids. Other than the steroid mess at HW, his only flaw was his lack of discipline. Had he been more dedicated to his training, he probably would have been an undefeated, top 10 P4P all-time-great fighter.
4. Roy Jones Jr. - Superman himself. The P4P King of the 90's. He would make title fights look like sparring sessions. Ruled the Middleweight, Super Middleweight, Light Heavyweight divisions. In 2003, he shocked the sports world when he made the jump to Heavyweight and won the title from John Ruiz. An exciting, unorthodox style with blinding handspeed made me a fan of his. Great fighter.
5. Pernell Whitaker - I am a person that loves and appreciates defense and there wasn't a boxer on Earth that came close to "Sweet Pea" defensively. He would school his opponents with awesome upper-body and head movement and slick combinations. Will go down in history as the first man to defeat Julio Cesar Chavez, although as we all know, he got a bogus Draw instead of a Unanimous Decision that he deserved.
Comment