Is Rigo the best pure boxer in the last 25 years?

[IronDanHamza]

All except for Whitaker and Lopez have been lured into brawls and forced to adapt to their opponents style. That speaks well on being more versatile, well rounded fighters but the thread is asking strictly from a pure boxing perspective. Correct me if I'm wrong but I always thought of a pure boxer as an outfighter that controls distance extremely well, relying on his jab and footwork. To me, the best pure boxer is a guy that is able to stick with it and force his opponent, no matter their style to adjust to him.

But as far as the thread goes, the problem with placing Rigo in this category right now is that he hasn't really faced a fighter that has the ability to threaten him to adapt. Whitaker fought everyone ranging from Ramirez, Azumah, Chavez and De La Hoya to McGirt, Paez and Pendelton and they all adapted to his style. He used his angles, footwork, upper body movement, managed distance and outboxed them. He wasn't forced to adjust to what they brought to the table, he relied on his skills and they adjusted to him. Hurtado had him off balance for a while but he was as awkward as they come. ****, Erislandy Lara has faced a more diverse range of styles than Rigo thus far in his career.

That's why there is no way in hell you can rate Rigo in 14 fights over guys Pernell Whitaker. His best win is Donaire but Donaire is a counter puncher himself. So although that was an incredible win and performance for his resume, the style matchup favored him. Lets see him in the ring with a Julio Cesar Chavez or an Azumah Nelson or even a Miguel Cotto type and see if he's able to still easily out box them on the outside of if he gets lured in to a brawl and is forced to them. There aren't a lot of elite pressure fighters in today's boxing landscape but I think Mares and Santa Cruz would be solid measuring sticks.

Or Kiko Martinez

That's the fight I wanted to see.

[Doctor_Tenma]

Best ever!

Dan, I'd be a fan of his if he fought like this. I still appreciate what he does though.

[RichCCFC]

People like to ignore the fact he's been put on his ass on more than one occasion. Im not even a Floyd fan but considering defence is a big part of boxing, you'd have to say his is far far superior to Rigo. After 46 fights and against some big punchers, we've yet to see him put down in the same fashion we have with Rigo.

Rigo is super talented but i think to say he's the best in the past 25 years is going a little too far

He was down vs Judah, a flash KD.. the same as Rigondeaux's 2 kds.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Best ever!

Rigo is a beast in that fight..his handspeed and two handed power are marvelous


But he still isn't the best of past 25 years

[dan_cov]

He does sometimes seem a bit flat, I'd say more disinterested than anything and looks bored. The problem is he is just so far ahead of everyone.

What he needs IMHO is for Kiko Martinez to beat Frampton and grow some balls. I have no doubt that is the fight that would silence the critics and bring the very best out of Rigondeaux, providing Kiko doesn't shell up which is always possible. Forget LSC, Kiko is a much better pressure fighter than him and hits twice as hard!

Its a real pity the Poonsawatt fight fell through. That is another guy, a very underrated one that could of made Rigo show his real potential.

Even in the Donaire fight, I genuinely don't even think Rigo got to show half his true talent.

[-PBP-]

He does sometimes seem a bit flat, I'd say more disinterested than anything and looks bored. The problem is he is just so far ahead of everyone.

What he needs IMHO is for Kiko Martinez to beat Frampton and grow some balls. I have no doubt that is the fight that would silence the critics and bring the very best out of Rigondeaux, providing Kiko doesn't shell up which is always possible. Forget LSC, Kiko is a much better pressure fighter than him and hits twice as hard!

Its a real pity the Poonsawatt fight fell through. That is another guy, a very underrated one that could of made Rigo show his real potential.

Even in the Donaire fight, I genuinely don't even think Rigo got to show half his true talent.

I don't think Kiko beats Frampton. The problem with Frampton and Quigg is they will sit back and let Rigo get comfortable. The jury is sill out on Santa Cruz. After watching him fight that Puerto Rican kid who was a southpaw with somewhat decent skills, I'm not so sure he would bring the pressure like a lot of people expect him too. The Puerto Rican kid was a 118 fighter so his power didn't really carry up with him but he gave Santa Cruz all he could handle, had him thinking and off balance for most of the fight. You could tell he didn't like dealing with that movement.

I would say go up to featherweight but Rigo was 121 on fight night yesterday. That's a huge weight disadvantage going against those over sized featherweights who starve themselves to get down in weight.

[Godsfly]

I'm not oblivious to that at all, I don't think anyone is but when Mayweather, Hopkins or Whitaker stick and move, they show far more versatility in that approach than Rigondeaux. Hence, absolutely no way Rigondeaux is the best pure boxer.

how? hopkins is a tricky fighter who switch hits with a **** load of tricks up his sleeve. (he also smothers opponents) mayweather fights according to the style that he's facing (he's been known to get into brawls here and there) and whitaker uses his reflexes and awkwardness to make opponents miss. (but thats not a straight up and down pure boxing style) how are these guys fighting in a "pure boxing" style? rigo is the entire definition of what a pure boxer is...........and nether of these guys are greater "pure boxers" then rigo.


you guys are taking the resumes and you're flipping that into something that has nothing to do with the topic. no way no how are the those 3 guys better "pure" boxers.

[!! Shawn]

I don't think Kiko beats Frampton. The problem with Frampton and Quigg is they will sit back and let Rigo get comfortable. The jury is sill out on Santa Cruz. After watching him fight that Puerto Rican kid who was a southpaw with somewhat decent skills, I'm not so sure he would bring the pressure like a lot of people expect him too. The Puerto Rican kid was a 118 fighter so his power didn't really carry up with him but he gave Santa Cruz all he could handle, had him thinking and off balance for most of the fight. You could tell he didn't like dealing with that movement.

I would say go up to featherweight but Rigo was 121 on fight night yesterday. That's a huge weight disadvantage going against those over sized featherweights who starve themselves to get down in weight.

I don't think its even that, he is just smart enough to know that the only bargaining chip he has, that can get people in the ring with him are his titles, if he moves up and gives those away, he has nothing, no leverage.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Boxing is very similar to pro wrestling in that you have to brand yourself and be a bit of a character.. I never understood why arum would publicly bash rigo... Arum should have been hyping him to the moon after the donaire fight..

(Paul heyman voice) "rigo is the best fighter on the planet, bar none, he has demolished doanire, schooled agebako, destroyed young champion Ramos,, the man is a monster, and does things not even Floyd mayweather can do.. Rigo can stand in the middle of the ring and shutdown anyone, I mean anyone,, rigo is the counter punching machine, the boxing ninja, the most homicidal, suicidal, genocidal fighter in the planet today.. We are calling out all fighters, chemito, Santa Cruz, Martinez, mares, anyone of the uk boys... Step to rigo if you dare"

[-PBP-]

how? hopkins is a tricky fighter who switch hits with a **** load of tricks up his sleeve. (he also smothers opponents) mayweather fights according to the style that he's facing (he's been known to get into brawls here and there) and whitaker uses his reflexes and awkwardness to make opponents miss. (but thats not a straight up and down pure boxing style) how are these guys fighting in a "pure boxing" style? rigo is the entire definition of what a pure boxer is...........and nether of these guys are greater "pure boxers" then rigo.


you guys are taking the resumes and you're flipping that into something that has nothing to do with the topic. no way no how are the those 3 guys better "pure" boxers.

Agree with most of this except for the comment on Whitaker. For one, you need to have great reflexes to do what Rigo does too. And a lot of the hands down and "hot dogging" Whitaker did was just for show. His style wasn't totally based on that. All in all he was very much a pure boxer.