Can usyk be considered the top dog at heavyweight without beating a top 5 fighter?

[Madison Boxing]

I mean isn't that what's happened with Crawford at welterweight who also had all the belts in the division he moved up from? Is he number 1 and the man to beat based on 'eye test' if he impresses against a few fighters around the 10/20 World ranking mark or unlike Crawford does he actually have to prove he's the best?

[Thraxox]

Well Jeff Horn technically got into the top 5 when he beat Pacquiao. I think he was no. 5 Behind Thurman, Spence, Porter, Pacquiao.

[aboutfkntime]

I mean isn't that what's happened with Crawford at welterweight who also had all the belts in the division he moved up from? Is he number 1 and the man to beat based on 'eye test' if he impresses against a few fighters around the 10/20 World ranking mark or unlike Crawford does he actually have to prove he's the best?

I am trying to find some logic here

firstly, Crawford is not the top dog at welter, no idea where you got that idea... Errol Spence is

Crawford is probably the best fighter at 147, and he will probably beat Spence when they fight... but that is not the same thing

Crawford needs to get past Spence to win that honor

Usyk is being horribly over-rated... case-in-point, your post

excellent fighter, and GREAT guy... not surprised at all that he is winning a lot of fans... but he is not on Crawford's level

the guy has like 3 top fights under his belt, 2 against unproven opposition... he has not KO'd anyone notable at cruiser, let alone at heavyweight... he went life-n-death with Briedis, who admittedly is very good... and he was getting undressed a little by Bellew, who should not have been in the conversation at that point

sorry bro, but the eye-test does count if you know what you are looking at... P4P is based on style/skills/form, NOT on resume... and a large part of that is the eye-test... which is why casual-fans need not apply for most sensible P4P discussions

intangibles = gut-checks, chin-checks, etc, aside... the fighter in question does not need to have faced all possible adversity... he needs to have faced enough adversity to enable you to tick all of the boxes

I feel that Crawford has ticked those boxes, some may disagree... but Usyk (at Heavyweight) has not ticked ANY of those boxes... he will be facing MUCH bigger guys than Crawford will comparatively... so would need to be that much better... I agree that his speed/acumen will serve him well, just not sure if it will serve him well enough

1) the jury is out on Usyk
2) most can clearly see that Spence/Crawford will determine the best fighter at 147, and will also confirm the winner as one of the very best fighters on the planet today