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Crawford, Lomachenko or Usyk - it's really subjective selecting between these guys, but I would say they're the top three. No wrong answer whomever you pick out of them.
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There's not rationale there, but I'm not going to talk too much bad about Crawford, because I know you guys have a not so secret agenda...
Why not talk about Golovkin instead? How can you justify him being above Usyk? The guy struggled with every real test he was put against, Usyk just ridicules everyone they put against him... I can count the number of rounds I saw him lose on one hand, and that's against top opposition....Comment
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I don’t think some people understand the concept of P4P.Comment
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Danny Garcia has a better resume than Crawford.Comment
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Well it depends on what you enjoy.... P4P has a lot to do with the eye-test as well as résumé.
Crawford might be a more effective fighter if they were both the same size, more efficient with his punches, Usyk relies on volume and fitness to dominate people.
Both are highly skilled, I think Usyk could fight like Crawford, I don't think Crawford could fight like Usyk.....Comment
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Basically what most are saying here: resume is important but it hast o be coupled with the mythical idea of how a fighter would do, against all other top fighters IF weight was not an issue. On that basis, Crawford simply seems better. He is overall more skilled, has more to his game, moves better, can switch etc etc.Comment
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You have to take the eye test into consideration as well as the record, true. I think Crawford passes the eye test better, he can crack with either hand, box or brawl and boxes out of orthodox and southpaw equally well, his toolkit is just ridiculous. He makes hard opponents look ridiculously easy. That said, I don't think Usyk is that far behind. His footwork and evasion against Gassiev were sublime, and his punch output was not only ridiculous but his work was also accurate and effective. Gassiev was a proven opponent who had to take the same kind of hard route through the WBSS to face Usyk at all, making him the consensus other best fighter in the division, but after a few sort-of close rounds Usyk completely dominated him to the point that Gassiev honestly looked like a broken man by the end. The only thing I think Usyk's really lacking is concussive power, but out of 15 wins so far he still has 11 stoppages so his power can't be all that bad either.
When you do consider the records though, I do think Usyk is clearly better. The WBSS was amazing for him, as it basically took him on a tour of the division that took him through many of the best guys at the weight, and it allowed him to capture an undisputed championship in just his 15th fight - I don't know if anyone else has equaled or bettered that before now, at least not in this era. Crawford has won titles in two divisions having unified one of them, but had to wait a while to break out and got those titles against comparatively weak opposition - in particular the JWW division was really weak when Crawford took it over owing to many of the top fighters moving up to WW. Postol and Indongo were credible opposition but those are still his two best wins - I don't think those match up to Usyk's rapid ascent to power through the path of highest resistance that the WBSS afforded him.
For now I think Usyk is p4p no. 2 with Lomachenko being slightly ahead and Crawford slightly behind. I didn't think Usyk was even top 5 before the Gassiev fight, but it was such a monumental and impressive win that imo he just shot up there. Depending on who Crawford fights next and if he wins impressively, I think he can reassert himself into 2nd place, however.Comment
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You know me, no agenda here. And here's my top 5
1. Vasall Lomachenko
2. Terrance Crawford
3. Oleksandr Usyk
4. Naoya Inoye
5. Gennedy Golovkin
Usyk didn't look himself against Huck for a big, and it was a hell of a close fight against Breidis, but that doesn't mean he isn't top 3. Styles make fights.Comment
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