The Best 21st Century 160lb Fighters

[ColdBlooded]

he dropped off a hell of a lot for the murray fight though. Chavez may well have been his last great performance.

That's what an unhealed knee injury does to you. Watching the Murray fight, it is clear that Martinez's mobility was badly impaired. That's why Martinez has taken so much time off to recover this time.

[Citizen Koba]

That's what an unhealed knee injury does to you. Watching the Murray fight, it is clear that Martinez's mobility was badly impaired. That's why Martinez has taken so much time off to recover this time.

Watching Murray in his last fight (against Khomitsky - where frankly he was lucky to get away with a win, IMO a draw mighta been the best he could expect without a little home preference) it's hard not to concude that Sergio was very badly underperforming when they fought - the main hope is that Maravilla can show something close to old form in his last few fights.

Murray received a lotta praise for the Maravilla performance (including my own), but personally I now need to see him fight again at high level before I'm convinced.

[ColdBlooded]

Martinez fought rather unintelligently in that fight. He kept dropping his hands to his waist to get Murray to leave an opening, rather than creating his own openings. When Murray attacked, rather than counter and take advantage, Martinez would take a few shots and then run. What Martinez needed to do was stand his ground, be a bit aggressive, and throw combinations. He did just that in the last two rounds, which saved the fight for him. Is there any question that the Martinez of the Chavez fight knocks Murray out with ease?

[bojangles1987]

Watching Murray in his last fight (against Khomitsky - where frankly he was lucky to get away with a win, IMO a draw mighta been the best he could expect without a little home preference) it's hard not to concude that Sergio was very badly underperforming when they fought - the main hope is that Maravilla can show something close to old form in his last few fights.

Murray received a lotta praise for the Maravilla performance (including my own), but personally I now need to see him fight again at high level before I'm convinced.

You can watch Sturm/Murray and see that Murray isn't as good as the Martinez fight suggested.

[soul_survivor]

Principally outta curiousity (and genuine interest) I ran the names through boxrec - I'm as aware as anyone how poor it is as a ratings system, being most use as just a general reference, just to see what came out.

I'm not attempting to say these are how they should be judged, nor diffrentiating between title reigns and the rest of their fights, more doing an exercise just for the sake of it.

I noted the peak scores of each fighter (during thir MW runs) and their scores at the time they either retired or moved permanently up to another division. The occasional fight above or below I've not bothered to correct for so long as they were consistantly fighting at 160, and I've also not bother to differentiate betweeen the career MWs and those who started lower.

1. Taylor 1308 708
2. Wright 1267 1227
3. Pavlik 1165 604
4. Martinez 1094 current
5. Golovkin 836 current
6. Abraham 792 792 (829 if Taylor at 168 is included)
7. Sturm 719 current
8. Geale 711 521 currently
9. JCC Jr 699 486 (assuming no return to 160)
10. Sylvester 513 227

(First time I've tried using 'list' sorry it's a little messy - first number is peak score, second score at leaving the division, at retirement or currently)

Curiously many of the points accrued by the top placed guys come directly or indirectly by way of BHop, via, Taylor then Pavlik to Maravilla.

Once again this doesn't necessarily represent my actual thought out judgement on the criteria you provided, but ain't miles away either.

Glad you took the time out to do this. TBH the boxrec ratings aren't all that different from mine but noway can I justify Wright that high and above both Pavlik and Martinez. Any idea how the boxrec ratings system works??

he was definitely pretty much 100% when he fought Chavez, he was on fire that night. He got caught in the 12th sure enough, but doesn't change the fact that he was awesome that night.

he dropped off a hell of a lot for the murray fight though. Chavez may well have been his last great performance.

I will always hold the Pavlik and Williams (2) fights as his greatest performances. One was against the best mw of his time and the other against a guy who had competed at world and elite level from 147-160 and he knocked Williams out cold. I still remember the sound that punch made. And Pwill will always be one of my fav ever fighters.

You can watch Sturm/Murray and see that Murray isn't as good as the Martinez fight suggested.

Murray is a good fighter but he fails to press the advantage in the second half of fights. He's done that several times before the Martinez fight. Sturm was probably his greatest performance but let's be honest, Sturm is way past his best.

The only reason the Martinez was even close is not only because Martinez was barely functioning but because Martinez didn't press hard till the later rounds and Murray no longer seemed to have the stomach for the fight when Martinez did eventually step up. Murray said so himself, he lost the fight cos he didn't go at it hard enough in the championship rounds.

I still find it weird when people claim Murray somehow won.

[SERVILEV]

Sergio wasn't in his prime at that point of his career

Geez do me a favor and tell me how old he was when marg beat him them! What u mean was his second prime started when the peds kicked in.

[ColdBlooded]

Martinez was only 3 years into his pro career and had fewer than twenty fights. He hadn't yet met the Sarmientos. He didn't reach big time success until his mid 30s. And quit with the PED nonsense. To claim Margarito and Martinez fought in Martinez's prime is either ignorance or trolling.

[SERVILEV]

Martinez was only 3 years into his pro career and had fewer than twenty fights. He hadn't yet met the Sarmientos. He didn't reach big time success until his mid 30s. And quit with the PED nonsense. To claim Margarito and Martinez fought in Martinez's prime is either ignorance or trolling.

So by your logic fighters like Guillermo Rigondeaux and Erislandy Lara aren't in there primes then?? They both around 30 with low pro records. Sergio was just about 25 when marg happened . So your saying his prime didn't start for another 30 fights? Fighting a bunch of nobody's. Having a draw against cintron. Lossing to Pwill. (Which I personally thought he won) then finally pavlik and Pwill again! There's a reason his defected trainer Gabriel Sarmiento couldn't come to the USA. Since then he beat subpar opposition and hasn't looked so dynamic in his last 5 fights. And Jr has no defense. He was a overrated punching bag.

[Dagomba]

geez do me a favor and tell me how old he was when marg beat him them! What u mean was his second prime started when the peds kicked in.

so by your logic fighters like guillermo rigondeaux and erislandy lara aren't in there primes then?? They both around 30 with low pro records. Sergio was just about 25 when marg happened . So your saying his prime didn't start for another 30 fights? Fighting a bunch of nobody's. Having a draw against cintron. Lossing to pwill. (which i personally thought he won) then finally pavlik and pwill again! There's a reason his defected trainer gabriel sarmiento couldn't come to the usa. Since then he beat subpar opposition and hasn't looked so dynamic in his last 5 fights. And jr has no defense. He was a overrated punching bag.

ydksab....