How other pros compare to Pretty Boy in first 9˝ years

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Great ESPN article...

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=2406011

Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Current Record: 36-0

The Elite: Genaro Hernandez (38-1-1), Diego Corrales (33-0), and Jose Luis Castillo (45-4-1)
The Strong: Zab Judah (34-3), Jesus Chavez (36-1), Arturo Gatti (39-6), Sharmba Mitchell (56-4), Carlos Hernandez (33-2-1), DeMarcus Corley (28-2-1), Goyo Vargas (41-5-1), and Angel Manfredy (25-2-1)

Analysis: Mayweather has earned a lot points for winning his first title (after only 17 pro bouts) vs. a respected champ such as Hernandez, whose only previous loss was to De La Hoya, and then defending the WBC 130-pound title eight times, which includes the likes of Manfredy and Vargas (both of whom were riding very good win streaks), "Famoso" Hernandez and Chavez (both of whom went on to win world titles) and Corrales. Mayweather absolutely dominated Hernandez (who had made 12 title defenses over two reigns) and Corrales (who had begun to crack some top 10 pound-for-pound lists when they fought). Castillo was not viewed as a top 10 pound-for-pound fighter when Mayweather fought him, but the Mexican national had gained respect as the best 135-pounder in the world by narrowly beating Steve Johnston for the WBC strap. Mayweather doesn't lose points for struggling with Castillo in their first fight (honestly, it should have been expected in only his second lightweight bout). Mayweather also gets points for dominating all of his "strong" opponents points, including Corley (there's a little extra credit for facing Chop Chop in his first bout at 140 pounds, but not as much as he would have earned had the former WBO belt holder not just come off a loss), Gatti and Judah (which earned him belts but not recognition as "the man" in either the 140- or 147-pound divisions). (More points are obviously given for Mayweather's "strong" opposition at 130 pounds than at 140 and 147, where he did what he should have done vs. aging and somewhat flawed opposition.)

Now let's look at some other fighters, starting with those whom Arum has compared to Mayweather in recent interviews:

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Muhammad Ali
Record after 9˝ years: 29-0

The Elite: Sonny Liston (35-1), Floyd Patterson (43-4), and Archie Moore (185-22-11)
The Strong: Ernie Terrell (38-4), Zora Folley (74-7-4), Doug Jones (21-3-1), Karl Mildenberger (49-2-3), George Chuvalo (34-11-2), Brian London (35-13), Cleveland Williams (65-5-1), and Henry Cooper (27-8-1/33-11-1)

Analysis: Because of his three-year exile from the sport over his religious and political differences with U.S. government's draft, the G.O.A.T can be evaluated over only 7˝ years, but the 1960 Olympic gold medalist accomplished a lot during that time period. Apart from a tough 10-rounder with Jones (selected as Ring's "Fight of the Year" for '63) and a few scary seconds at the end of the fourth round vs. Cooper, Ali generally dominated his "strong" opponents (most notable are Terrell and Folley). However, most of his points come from his two dominant victories over Liston, who almost all of the press and many fight fans believed was unbeatable and would go on to be the most dominant heavyweight champ since Joe Louis. Ali doesn't get any extra points for blasting out the truly ancient Moore (last bout for the Old Mongoose) or for torturing the undersized Patterson (although the former two-time champ was still dangerous when they fought), but he does get extra points for defending the title nine times in less than 3˝ years.

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Sugar Ray Leonard
Record after 9˝ years: 33-1

The Elite: Roberto Duran (71-1), Wilfred Benitez (38-0-1) and Thomas Hearns (32-0)

The Strong: Ayub Kalule (36-0), Pete Ranzany (45-3-1), Randy Shields (31-4-1), Armando Muniz (4-13-1), Dave "Boy" Green (33-2), and Andy Price (27-5-3)

Analysis: Leonard did the bulk of his hall-of-fame work during a two-year stretch ('80 through '81) in only his fourth and fifth years as a pro. The '76 Olympic gold medalist gets major points for making Duran (regarded as the greatest lightweight ever, and a terror at 147 pounds) quit just months after losing a close 15-round decision to "Manos de Piedra", and for scoring late stoppages of defensive wizard Benitez and offensive nightmare Hearns. It really doesn't get any higher than those victories which solidified his claim as "the man" at 147 pounds, but Sugar Ray gets added points for winning a 154-pound title vs. the undefeated and difficult Kalule and for generally dominating everyone he fought up until he fought for his first title (Benitez).

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Recent pound-for-pound kings

Bernard Hopkins
Record after 9˝ years: 33-2-1

The Elite: Roy Jones (21-0)

The Strong: Glen Johnson (32-0), John David Jackson (35-2), Simon Brown (47-6), Lupe Aquino (46-6), and Segundo Mercado (18-2) and Joe Lipsey (25-0)

Analysis: Hard 'Nard gets points for defending his IBF middleweight title seven times, but he loses more for soundly losing to the only elite fighter he fought in the first 9˝ years of his career (Jones) and for facing mainly mediocre opposition. Of the second-tier group that B-Hop has fought, Johnson and Lipsey were strong, young and undefeated but also unproven at the time. Brown and Aquino were naturally smaller fighters, plus aging and faded. Jackson was coming off a loss to a journeyman. Hopkins also loses points for struggling with Mercado in his first bout (in-which he was dropped twice by the limited Ecuadorian).

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Roy Jones Jr.
Record after 9˝ years: 38-1

The Elite: James Toney (44-0-2), Bernard Hopkins (22-1), Mike McCallum (49-3-1), and Virgil Hill (43-2)

The Strong: Montell Griffin (27-0), Lou Del Valle (27-1), Jorge Castro (70-3-2), Sugar Boy Malinga (35-8), Eric Lucas (19-2-2), and Thomas Tate (29-2)

Analysis: Jones gets major points for dominating an unbeaten and battle-tested Toney at a time when Lights Out was considered to be a top 5 pound-for-pound player (No. 2 by Ring); more points for winning world titles in three weight classes (160, 168 and 175 pounds), and extra credit for unifying two of the three major belts at light heavyweight (WBA and WBC). He also gets points for absolutely dominating all of the "strong" fighters he faced. However, he doesn't get much added credit for besting the untested Hopkins (still green in '93), a very old version of McCallum (who was fighting over his prime weights), or Hill, who was coming off a loss and inactivity. Jones does get some extra points for making five defenses of his IBF 168-pound title, but loses a few for losing his cool and getting himself DQ'd in the first Griffin bout.

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Felix Trinidad
Record after 9˝ years: 35-0

The Elite: Pernell Whitaker (40-2-1), Oscar De La Hoya (31-0), and Hector Camacho (44-2)

The Strong: Yory Boy Campas (56-0), Oba Carr (32-0), Maurice Blocker (34-3) and Jake Rodriguez (16-1-2)

Analysis: Tito gets points for being the first fighter to win a clear decision over Whitaker even though Sweet Pea had been inactive going into that bout and was getting long in the tooth. Being the first to defeat De La Hoya gives him some added credit but not as much if he had won clearly and not looked so average. The win over Camacho wasn't that big of a deal, but the Macho Man was still a serviceable veteran in early '94. Tito's most impressive performances came versus "the strong", particularly young and then-undefeated guns likes Campas and Carr. He also gets extra points for defending his IBF 147-pound belt 15 times (over the longest uninterrupted welterweight title reign in history) and for partially unifying the welterweight title (WBC and IBF).

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Shane Mosley
Record after 9˝ years: 38-2

The Elite: Oscar De La Hoya (32-1)

The Strong: John-John Molina (45-4), Jesse James Leija (37-3-2), Vernon Forrest (33-0), Philip Holiday (31-0), Wilfredo Rivera (30-3-1) and Antonio Diaz (35-2)

Analysis: Mosley gets points for being the first man to decisively beat the Golden Boy, as well as for jumping from 135 pounds (where he defended his IBF lightweight title eight times -- all by KO) directly to the 147-pound division, but his standing is hurt by the fact that De La Hoya was the only elite fighter he faced in the first 9˝ years of his career. Also, his record vs. "strong" fighters is somewhat spotty. Although he took care of business vs. still serviceable veterans such as Molina and Leija, he was dominated by Forrest in their first bout and he struggled with both Holiday and Rivera. His stoppage of Diaz in his first welterweight title defense was impressive but it's also what he should have done with the game-but-limited young slugger, so no extra points for that win.

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Oscar De La Hoya
Record after 9˝ years: 33-2

The Elite: Pernell Whitaker (40-1-1), Julio Cesar Chavez (97-1-1), Felix Trinidad (35-0), Hector Camacho (64-3-1), and Shane Mosley (34-0)

The Strong: Ike Quartey (34-0-1), James Leija (30-1-2), Genaro Hernandez (32-0-1), Miguel Angel Gonzalez (41-0), Rafael Ruelas (43-1), John-John Molina (36-3), Javier Castillejo (51-4), Oba Carr (48-2-1), and Jorge Paez (53-6-4)

Analysis: Goldie gets a lot of points for not only winning world titles in four weight classes (five if you count the WBO 130-pound strap he took from Jimmi Bredahl), but for partially unifying the lightweight division (the WBO and IBF) during his pit stop there in the mid-'90s. His welterweight title win over Whitaker was far from dominant (some believe it was controversial) but still impressive considering that Sweet Pea was the reigning champ and had been active (eight defenses) coming into the bout. The bloody beatdown of Chavez for the WBC 140-pound title was less special considering that the Mexican icon had begun to show signs of wearing down in his bouts leading into the big showdown; likewise for Camacho. His performances vs. Mosley and Trinidad are somewhat neutral -- he was bold but one-dimensional vs. Sugar Shane in an entertaining fight, versatile but overcautious vs. Tito in a major disappointment; still he held his own with the undefeated champs (both of whom were in their prime). Versus the second-tier champs and contenders, De La Hoya generally took care of business aside from his close points wins over Quartey and Molina (only his 17th pro bout). His blowouts of Leija and Ruelas at 135 pounds are especially impressive. The records of his many rivals and challengers when he fought them speak volumes.

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Pernell Whitaker
Record after 9˝ years: 32-1-1

The Elite: Julio Cesar Chavez (88-0), Azumah Nelson (32-1), and Jose Luis Ramirez (100-6)

The Strong: James McGirt (59-2-1), Roger Mayweather (26-4), Greg Haugen (23-1), Rafael Pineda (28-1), Jorge Paez (38-3-4), Juan Nazario (22-2), and Freddie Pendleton (24-16-3)

Analysis: Sweet Pea gets major points for winning three world titles in three divisions (135, 140 and 147 pounds), particularly for winning all three major belts at lightweight and for defending his WBC welterweight title eight times, which includes the pound-for-pound king at the time (Chavez). Whitaker dominated two fighters who will likely go down as all-time greats, Nelson (who's already in the hall of fame) and Chavez (who will be); pay no attention to the draw verdict vs. JC Superstar, Whitaker controlled the entire bout, as he did in both fights with underrated two-time titlists Ramirez and McGirt. He pretty much owned everyone he fought in the first 9˝ years of his career, except when he got bored vs. the likes of Mayweather (who dropped him), Pendleton and Paez (both of whom managed to win a few rounds).

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Julio Cesar Chavez
Record after 9˝ years: 64-0

The Elite: Edwin Rosario (31-2) and Jose Luis Ramirez (101-6)

The Strong: Juan LaPorte (27-6), Rocky Lockridge (38-4), Roger Mayweather (21-2/34-5), Mario Martinez (33-1-2) and Ruben Castillo (63-4-2)

Analysis: Mexico's grand champ gets points for winning titles in three divisions, but even more so for the high caliber of his opposition. Although there are no all-time greats on his résumé all the top fighters he faced in this time period were at or just a little bit past their primes. Rosario is the only hall of famer (elected posthumously for this year's induction), but Ramirez eventually will get in, and there's a chance that two among his "strong" opponents -- LaPorte and Lockridge (both of whom gave him tough fights at 130 pounds) -- could one day make it to Canastota. Chavez's stoppages of Rosario, Mayweather (both at 130 and 140) and Martinez are especially impressive. He wins extra points for partially unifying 135-pounds belts (WBA and WBC) and his exceptional activity. Like his future rival Whitaker, there isn't a whole lot that can be detracted from Chavez at this point in his career.