Why is Cotto ranked No.1 at Middleweight?

[gmc_rfc_06]

Boxing "historians" have a geek-ish attachment to lineal titles.

You have a situation at 175 where Sergey Kovalev holds 3 of the 4 titles and defending against top guys while Adonis Stevenson is ranked above for beating Chad Dawson who was coming off a damaging loss to Andre Ward.

Are we gonna pretend like Kovalev wouldn't have took Dawson's head off?

Yes we are apparently according to the various flawed rankings systems just like we're going to pretend a guy with one MW fight who has never fought at 160lbs is better than all the other MWs.

Indeed, it's a ridiculous system.

Stevenson can keep fighting bums while avoiding Kovalev, yet he'll hold his position as #1. Miguel could probably get away with several fights at a catchweight and still be called #1 at MW, despite never fighting at the weight.

[greeh]

It still makes a hell of a lot more sense than the various ABC organizations.

[soul_survivor]

Indeed, it's a ridiculous system.

Stevenson can keep fighting bums while avoiding Kovalev, yet he'll hold his position as #1. Miguel could probably get away with several fights at a catchweight and still be called #1 at MW, despite never fighting at the weight.

There's a better argument for GGG > Cotto than Kovalev > Stevenson.

Stevenson since moving up to LHW has beaten:
Boone
Dawson LHW Lineal Champ having beaten Hopkins
Cloud former champ
Bellew worthy mandatory
Fonfara top 10 guy
Suhotsky

Kovalev:
Cleverly for WBO title
Sillakh hadn't recovered from his previous KO loss and the hype was dead
Agnew
Caparello
Hopkins already beaten by Dawson to lose HIS lineal title but had a decent come back

It's pretty much even stevens in all honesty. If Kovalev can build on it by having a better 2015, with better opponents in more emphatic wins and the two still don't fight, then there may be a changing in the rankings but otherwise no.

[gmc_rfc_06]

There's a better argument for GGG > Cotto than Kovalev > Stevenson.

Stevenson since moving up to LHW has beaten:
Boone
Dawson LHW Lineal Champ having beaten Hopkins
Cloud former champ
Bellew worthy mandatory
Fonfara top 10 guy
Suhotsky

Kovalev:
Cleverly for WBO title
Sillakh hadn't recovered from his previous KO loss and the hype was dead
Agnew
Caparello
Hopkins already beaten by Dawson to lose HIS lineal title but had a decent come back

It's pretty much even stevens in all honesty. If Kovalev can build on it by having a better 2015, with better opponents in more emphatic wins and the two still don't fight, then there may be a changing in the rankings but otherwise no.

Golovkin should be #1 for sure, but so should Kovalev IMO.

If we're talking about the versions of fighters that guys beat then Dawson goes to the bottom of the list. He was completely shot after that weight-drained beatdown from Ward. Cloud was also very average. Their resumes aren;t too far apart, but Kovalev#s is clearly better; then he beat Hopkins, holds 3 belts and wants Stevenson, while Stevenson avoids.

[b00g13man]

RIGHT! like Floyd fans rewarding Floyd of Marquez knock-out of Pac

Everything just has to be about Floyd for you, doesn't it?

[Weebler I]

There's a better argument for GGG > Cotto than Kovalev > Stevenson.

Stevenson since moving up to LHW has beaten:
Boone
Dawson LHW Lineal Champ having beaten Hopkins
Cloud former champ
Bellew worthy mandatory
Fonfara top 10 guy
Suhotsky

Kovalev:
Cleverly for WBO title
Sillakh hadn't recovered from his previous KO loss and the hype was dead
Agnew
Caparello
Hopkins already beaten by Dawson to lose HIS lineal title but had a decent come back

It's pretty much even stevens in all honesty. If Kovalev can build on it by having a better 2015, with better opponents in more emphatic wins and the two still don't fight, then there may be a changing in the rankings but otherwise no.

How are going to include Boone, a guy Kovalev beat twice and not include Campillo?

Rankings are supposed to reflect the present. Stevenson is really where he is for beating Dawson in early 2013, it's 2015 already. His contribution this year is a laboured win over a lower top 10 guy in Fonfara, and a no-mark in Sukhotsky.

The point, however, is Stevenson could fight any bum he wanted under this rankings system and STILL retain the #1 position while Kovalev KO'd the entire top 10. It's a ridiculous system as gmc said.

I do agree though, that Golovkin has a stronger argument.

[Robbie Barrett]

RIGHT! like Floyd fans rewarding Floyd of Marquez knock-out of Pac

Laughing at Pacquiao snoring on the mat isn't passing credit to Mayweather.

[285Kid]

160 is an overrated division right now , the top guy Martinez when out with a bad knee , You have guys past their primes as champions in Cotto, Taylor , and Lee, a kid that just cameback already holding a belt in Jacobs..

GGG need to work on getting all those belts in 2015 so in 2016 he can move to 168

[Shinkyokushin92]

160 is an overrated division right now , the top guy Martinez when out with a bad knee , You have guys past their primes as champions in Cotto, Taylor , and Lee, a kid that just cameback already holding a belt in Jacobs..

GGG need to work on getting all those belts in 2015 so in 2016 he can move to 168

I understand the concept of lineal champion but it still doesn't seem right.

Name one fighter in middleweight who you believe would beat Golovkin at the moment. I know people say he hasn't fought anyone good but he has.

Geale, Macklin, Stevens, Rubio, Rosada are all good tough opponents. They are not elite but still Golovkin was able to DESTROY them without even breaking a sweat. Imagine what he would do to a smaller Cotto who is really a small junior middleweight.

[Rath]

Everything just has to be about Floyd for you, doesn't it?

Yes! oh wait No! oh geezz Maybe!