Today's fighters who can reach All-time top 15 rankings

[FromWithin]

Who do you guys think, presently can reach the top 15 - All time pound-for-pound rankings and what they would need to do (realistically) ?

[McGrain]

Jones winning a title against a reasonable opponent might do it. If he'd beaten Calzaghe he would have possibly made mine.

Hopkins beating Dawson and Calzaghe at his time of life might get him in there. One or the other plus a win at HW would do it for sure.

Pacquiao needs a few years of dominance plus Marquez, before I'd consider him. He's not a million miles away, but he is further than these two.

[Mendoza]

Who do you guys think, presently can reach the top 15 - All time pound-for-pound rankings and what they would need to do (realistically) ?


I think Pacquaio, Mayweather, Jones, Hopkins, and Calzaghe should be viewed as top 15 fighters in their natural weight classes. Top 15 p4p is another story!

Only Pacquaio is young enough to be at his peak for the next few years. If Pacquaio keeps winning, I think he can end up that high, but he might need to win a title at welter or jr middle.

[Russell]

Top 15 all time? Eh, that's an extremely tall order.

As Mendoza rightly said, more then a few guys fighting today are likely top 15 in their optimal weight classes, but all time...?

[djm]

Were Paq to beat Hatton (no real need to defend at 140, Hatton is clearly currently 'the man'), then bump up and beat Margaritto and defend against Williams and Cotto it would be pretty damned incredible.

There's also the possibility, of course, of defeating Floyd. Were he to take out Hatton/Floyd/Margaritto, it would also of tremendous historical significance. The bonuses of Williams/Cotto could almost be skipped at that point (i.e. retire on top).

[WhataRock]

It would take a fighter who would do something quite drastic and who defies modern day trends.

It would basically be near impossible simply because of the way fighters are shielded away from taking risks.

Top 15 is a big ask...If Pac was to become the undisputed man at 140 and 147..beating guys like Mayweather, Marga, Cotto, Marquez and Hatton, we can maybe talk.
Hopkins would have to do pretty much what McGrain said.
If Calderon were to beat Solis, step up to 115 and beat Vic and Montiel..then beat whoever was top of the heap at 122, with a dominant reign to follow that could propel him way up there. Thats how crazy it have to be for a bloke in his position to get even considered.

I just dont see it happening to be honest.

[Marciano Frazier]

I think Pacquiao might do it if he were to, say, thoroughly dominate both 140 and 147 over the next few years, and Hopkins could have a shot with a few more thrashings of younger championship-caliber types, especially if he won a Calzaghe rematch.

[ripcity]

David Haye (has the potitional to be a two division champion and at 28 should have much of his career a head of him.)
Joe Calzaghe (Beat Chad Dawson*, and/or win rematch with Bernard Hopkins )
Bernard Hopkins (Beat Chad Dawson*, and/or win rematch with Joe Calzaghe )
* Who ever fights and beats Chad Dawson first will get more credit.
Chad Dawson (Can be 3 division champion/tittelist)
Jermain Taylor (Ended Bernard Hopkins's run as middleweight champion. Should also be super middleweight in the fetture as well.)
Kelly Pavlik (He could be the best at 160 for a long time Arthur Abraham might be his only real thret)
Arthur Abraham (He could be the best at 160 for a long time Kelly Pavlik might be his only real thret.)
Paul Williams (beat the man who beat the man who was said to be the man with the best chance to beat the man. A rematch victory over Antonio Margarito could gain him the curent#1 p4p spot.)
Manny Pacquiao ( Beat Ricky Hatton at 140, beat Floyd Mayweather Jr. at 147. beat Juan Manuel Marquez in rematch.)
Antonio Margarito ( beat the man who was said to be the man with the best chance to beat the man. A rematch victory over Paul Williams could gain him the curent#1 p4p spot.)
Miguel Angel Cotto ( was the man who was said to have the best chance to beat the man. Needs to win rematch with Antonio Margarito/Shane Mosley winner.)
Juan Manuel Marquez (unify 135 beat, Manny Pacquiao in rematch)
Juan Diaz (still young at 25 but allready has 45 fights. Unify at 135)
Celestino Caballero (allready unified tittlest at super bantamweight)
Juan Manuel Lopez ( if he keeps getting one round ko's)

[jc]

Manny Pac is the most obvious candidate;

WBC flyweight champion;

IBF Super Bantamweight champion, with a good win over Ledwaba.

Linear Featherweight champ demolishing ATG Marco Antonio Barrera, holding another ATG JMM to a draw.

Linear super featherweight champ losing to ATG Morales and beating him twice, beating MAB again and getting a win over ATG JMM...although I thought he lost.

WBC lightweight champion, demolishing overmatched David Diaz

Demolishes ATG Oscar De La Hoya at 147lbs.

The thing about Pac is he has the talent around him to go on to be much greater, if he beat Ricky Hatton which looks certainly possible he would become linear champion at 140lbs, thats a good 7 weight divisions above flyweight where he won his first world title. We have a great lightweight division also and another fight with JMM, Campbell, Valero, Guzman, Diaz will only do his cv good.

[GPater11093]

i think pac probably can

but i want to say a young fighter just now

juan manuel lopez this guy has huge power and brilliant boxing skills i can see a star in the future

[Sizzle]

Top15?

Mayweather and Hopkins are the only ones for me. But neither are top15.

I thought Marquez beat Pacquiao in their most recent bout, and the best version of Morales beat him too, although his wins against Barrera and De La Hoya are admirable but I don't want to get carried away, especially with his win against a faded De La Hoya. As it stands Pac is not top50 material IMO. I also think he's relatively weak H2H at the elite level, i.e., against fighters like Pep, Saddler, Kid Chocolate, etc.

Roy Jones I think is held back by his questionable chin (making him vulnerable in all H2H matchups against punchers) and the absence of stern competition at his best weight (lightheavyweight). I think an argument can be made for Jones in the top50, but he's probably just outside of mine. I think too much is made of his victory against the plodding fraud John Ruiz.

Joe Calzaghe may fall short of my top50 - He was absolutely dominant at 168lbs, and fought another very capable fighter who wiped out the division (in Kessler) and defeated him in a fight which showcased his qualities. The Hopkins win is massive for his legacy. Although I think the Jones win actually dropped his standing in my mind.

De La Hoya is a funny one. I haven't made up my mind. But I did give him the win against Trinidad, and Mosley in their rematch, which makes me think that at the end of the day he was better suited to boxing than pressurizing as he was forced to do against the quicker Mayweather and Pacquiao.