Greatest fighter by the Largest Margin in a Weight Class

[kg0208]

Who is the greatest fighter by the largest margin in his weight class in H2H terms?

IE, if you say Duran is the best LW, is he that much better than Leonard or Whitaker than say Holyfield is over the 2nd best CW in history?

Had this question last year, just seeing if anything has changed.

[brooklyn1550]

Ricardo Lopez @ 105
Roy Jones, Jr. @ 168
Evander Holyfield @ CW

[Illmatic]

Holyfield at cruiser, Lopez at 105...there are closer calls at every other weight

[kg0208]

How do you some of you guys who picked Lopez at 105 feel about Calderon's chances with him?

[brooklyn1550]

How do you some of you guys who picked Lopez at 105 feel about Calderon's chances with him?

He's obviously has a boxer's chance to win, but I feel Lopez was simply the better fighter. Bigger, stronger, much more powerful, and technically very good as well.

[Robbi]

Whitaker at lightweight.

[brooklyn1550]

Whitaker at lightweight.

How do you think Duran, Leonard, Armstrong, Williams, and Ortiz would do against him at 135?

[kg0208]

Whitaker at lightweight.
Yah, that's too close for me. Too many other great LW might beat him. If I had to bet my life, I wouldn't be comfortable with that pick.

[eze]

Jones at 168

[kg0208]

I am gonna go with Holyfield at CW.

As for Pea at LW, there are too many fighters who might be even money with him H2H. I think Holyfield is better than the next best CW by a much wider margin than Pea is better than the next best LW, if he is even the best LW to begin with.

[Amsterdam]

H2H, Jones at 168, arguably. However, he was still beatable to a point against the right guy, not that there are many.

H2H and resume, Holyfield at cruiser is the best selection and everyone who has posted in this thread is already leaning there.

I wish that stone age fighters would stop being mentioned in a H2H sense, but I will lay off of that for now.

[kg0208]

H2H, Jones at 168, arguably. However, he was still beatable to a point against the right guy, not that there are many.

H2H and resume, Holyfield at cruiser is the best selection and everyone who has posted in this thread is already leaning there.

I wish that stone age fighters would stop being mentioned in a H2H sense, but I will lay off of that for now.

Jones 168 was my pick a year ago.

However, I think that a lucky punch from McClellan or Benn could stop Jones. I don't believe he has a weak chin, but those guys hit hard. On any given night, Calzaghe may beat him, though I would favor Jones.

I don't see anyone beating Holyfield at CW. Even a lucky punch or an off night aren't going to produce a loss for him at this weight IMO. And there isn't anyone who is comparable to him IMO that could beat him on any given night.

[Amsterdam]

Jones 168 was my pick a year ago.

However, I think that a lucky punch from McClellan or Benn could stop Jones. I don't believe he has a weak chin, but those guys hit hard. On any given night, Calzaghe may beat him, though I would favor Jones.

I don't see anyone beating Holyfield at CW. Even a lucky punch or an off night aren't going to produce a loss for him at this weight IMO. And there isn't anyone who is comparable to him IMO that could beat him on any given night.

Believe it or not, David Haye has the right style to beat Holyfield at Cruiser... but he surely hasn't proven to me that his chin would be prepared for it. So Holyfield KO over David Haye as it stands.

Anyway, I agree with what you said about Jones and have never claimed he had a weak chin, but he's also far from truly solid, I'd call it 'average' and that's where most guys are at anyway.

Benn, G-Man both have a good shot at 168 just on that basis, but not as good a shot as Calzaghe, because Calzaghe has the speed to swarm him and land his left hooks, which are precise. The reason that I pick Jones, is because Jones will stop him dead in his tracks with well timed lead right hands(Joe's stylistically always open to this from a master of timing) and Jones would just land and land, so save for a few swing rounds and a few scary spots, I'd take Jones wide and always have.

I have to also say, Arguello at 130 pounds H2H is up there...

[kg0208]

Believe it or not, David Haye has the right style to beat Holyfield at Cruiser... but he surely hasn't proven to me that his chin would be prepared for it. So Holyfield KO over David Haye as it stands.

Anyway, I agree with what you said about Jones and have never claimed he had a weak chin, but he's also far from truly solid, I'd call it 'average' and that's where most guys are at anyway.

Benn, G-Man both have a good shot at 168 just on that basis, but not as good a shot as Calzaghe, because Calzaghe has the speed to swarm him and land his left hooks, which are precise. The reason that I pick Jones, is because Jones will stop him dead in his tracks with well timed lead right hands(Joe's stylistically always open to this from a master of timing) and Jones would just land and land, so save for a few swing rounds and a few scary spots, I'd take Jones wide and always have.

I have to also say, Arguello at 130 pounds H2H is up there...

And I think he and PBF stand head and shoulders over that division. But they are neck and neck for me.

[thewoo]

He's obviously has a boxer's chance to win, but I feel Lopez was simply the better fighter. Bigger, stronger, much more powerful, and technically very good as well.

I wouldn't even give him a boxers chance. Lopez had the best skills a fighter can have. He could outbox the boxer if he wanted to but most likley he would just cut the ring off.

BTW I agree with those of you that picked Lopez as the answer to the original thread question

[kg0208]

Well what about guys that fought at HW back in the day that would be CW's today? Someone like Moore, Charles, Marciano, even Louis, etc I think are all capable of beating him. Not sure about anyone beating Lopez at 105.

They didn't fight at CW though. I mean, I can't count LHW who would have fought a SMW if they had a shot at it.

[kg0208]

Alright, that's what I was asking though, do you count those? If not, then I agree Holy has to be considered.

Nah, not counting them. Marciano could have been a CW. I think sometimes he could have been a LHW.

[Robbi]

Robbi bases his more on head to head I would assume, as I know his feelings about Whitaker at this weight possibly exceed even mine. I would bet on none against Whitaker, but I'd say you could definitely argue a few as even bets.

Based on resume, someone like Benny Leonard has to be considered the best. Ortiz even is above a Whitaker or Duran in the resume sense at LW, but not head to head I wouldn't say, close but no cigar.

The orginal question I find hard to understand. Im basing my awnser on who's the best "pound for pound" fighter for each weight class in boxing history against other opponents in their division.

I'd also say Ali at heavyweight.

[cuchulain]

Who is the greatest fighter by the largest margin in his weight class in H2H terms?

IE, if you say Duran is the best LW, is he that much better than Leonard or Whitaker than say Holyfield is over the 2nd best CW in history?

Had this question last year, just seeing if anything has changed.

Leonard never fought at LW.

To answer your question:

TWO answers and both in the same division.

Roy Jones was the best SMW ever. Miles ahead of second best Joe Calzaghe.

And Joe Calzaghe is/was miles ahead of any other SMW

As CHJ points out, it is IMPOSSIBLE to overrate JC.

[Amsterdam]

Leonard never fought at LW.

To answer your question:

TWO answers and both in the same division.

Roy Jones was the best SMW ever. Miles ahead of second best Joe Calzaghe.

And Joe Calzaghe is/was miles ahead of any other SMW

As CHJ points out, it is IMPOSSIBLE to overrate JC.

No, not miles ahead. H2H against a vast variety of opponents that would either be at 168 or moving up to 168, they're dead even because I'd pick none of them over either of them, with Jones beating Joe and why I rank him over Joe. Roy can move up to 175 and beat guys that Joe would not however, likewise to CW.

KG mentioned that he'd pick Nunn over Jones at 168, I'd pick Nunn to get utterly mauled against JC at 168, mostly due to styles.

[41fever]

Holy CW

Lopez 105

2-Sharp 112

RJJ 168

If BYRD would fight @Cruiser I think he can be close to Evander

[codeman99998]

Jones at SMW and Holyfield at CW are obvious picks (lol, I think like 20 people already said it) but they are flawed picks.

The truth is, while they were clearly by far the most dominant ever in those weight classes, those are also two relatively new weight classes. At SMW and CW there isn't the same history as a lot of the other weight classes.

It seems very likely that the best choices for this question will be in the "jr" weight classes. By that I mean, any of the newer weight classes really. Jones Jr and Holyfield seem to obviously be the right answers now, but I mean, with weight classes less than 20 years old, it seems too easy.

[CASH_718]

Ali at heavyweight.