What situation makes the better champion?

[Ringo]

Just an opinion question for all of you out there who have been following the PBF/Baldy storyline (as if anyone hasn't) and seen other belt-holders do this; What do you think makes the better champion for the history books, a guy who holds multiple titles in ONE weight class for an extended period of time and successfully defends them time and time again, or a guy who dominates a weight class for a short period of time, but then vacates to another class to win there?

Personally (and this is an opinion, save the burning crosses) I think someone who sticks to ONE weight class (with rare big-fight exception) and dominates new-comers, current names, and other migratory fighters is more impressive. Only feel this way because it seems like the tendency for mid-weight (Not middleweight) fighters is to slide along the weightclass spectrum looking for opportunities. One guy who stays in one place and has the "they can come to me" attitude I think would look better on paper when his career is over.

Thoughts?

[Chups]

Somebody who stuck to one class and reigns on it for a long time is my vote.

[BuddyChacon]

I think Hagler and Hopkins dominating Middle looks better than DLH's resume. If Oscar would have stayed at 140 a long time it would have helped his legacy. Just examples of a few. Another one that comes to mind if Jeff Fenech, he had the ability to be an all time great if he would have stayed at 122 or 126 instead of weight jumping for titles.

[Katz]

who cleans the whole division. then moves up then cleans again.

in short 2 division undisputed champ.

[cortdawg25]

I like people who fight in different weight classes, (but move up not down) once they conquered a lower weight class. I think this defines their greatness more because they prove to everyone that their skills are great and can pull them thru even against naturally bigger and stronger fighters. It really puts the mythology of P4P into perspective, P4P then becomes a reality.

[Katz]

i never heard a champ ruled a division then moves down to reign again.

[cortdawg25]

i never heard a champ ruled a division then moves down to reign again.

Well, just recently, Shane Mosley. he was champ at 147, held it down for sometime before losing to Forrest

[grayfist]

Eusebio Pedroza holds the record of most number of title defenses (19 wins and 1 draw) at Featherweight, reigning some 7 years. Impressive. But there are those who validly point out that Pedroza never met any of his WBC counterparts at the time, save Juan La Porte. And even the La Porte meeting was not a unification contest; La Porte was not champ at the time of the meeting.

The other WBC champs at the time (1978-'85) when Pedroza was WBA Feather king were: Danny "Little Red" Lopez, Salvador Sanchez and Azumah Nelson. Sanchez beat both Lopez (2X) and Nelson (in a classic encounter).

Politics is blamed by many for the failure of champions from both organizations to come together for once-and-for-all contests.

Pedroza (inducted '99), Sanchez (1991) and Nelson (2004) are all in Canastota's Hall.

Both Pedroz and Sanchez failed in campaigns at the lower weights:

Pedroza was KO'd in the 2nd round by Alfonso Zamora in his first and solitary bid for a world title (Bantam) prior to holding the WBA Featherweight crown.After losing his Feather title, he tried the Lightweights, but did not do much good.

Sanchez's first and only loss was registered by Antonio Becerra; it was for the vacant Mexican Bantamweight title. Sanchez died in a car crash soon after the Nelson fight. Who knows what he could have done in the heavier categories?

Nelson was a two-division champ: Featherweight (post-Sanchez) with 6 successful title defenses and Jr. Light with about a dozen successful title defenses (including a couple of draws in which he retained the title, in accordance with the rules.) Nelson's Jr. Light reign was interrupted by a loss to Jesse James Leija, but he soon regained the throne from Gabe Ruelas who had taken the title from Leija in an exciting match that featured three KD's (two-Leija, 1-Ruelas). Nelson never held a WBA title. And, he failed to win any kind of Lightweight crown (lost to Whitaker and Leija in two attempts)

In spite of falling short of the criterion of "ruling a division" (which to me means, "undisputed"), the records of the three look pretty good and stack up well against most. Can anyone say without fear of contradiction that they're not P4P listers?

[Nacho_Analstain]

i think the best champion is some 1 who is able to dominate his weight division but moves around from time to time showin he can go into other ppls territory and conquer,i think alot of ppl feel more connection with fighters who come from low and get to high,or comeback alot in theyre fights from beatings,but in my opinion hopkins represents a very good champ

[+= El Jefe=+]

i never heard a champ ruled a division then moves down to reign again.

because they start at their optimum weight the biggest reason they move is because it gets harder to stay at a weigth, so very few can actually move down to begin with