One of the surest paths to ATG status, and the fastest, is to match up in COMPETITIVE bouts, with other prime or just past prime ATGs, and win! Let's look at the career of one of the sports acknowledged and unquestionable ATG fighters, Sugar Ray Leonard. After winning Gold Gloves championships in 1973-74, Ray went on to win Gold in the 1975 Pan-American tournament, and Gold again in the 1976 Olympics. In the Olympics SRL SHUTOUT boxers from Russia, German, Poland, Cuba, and Britain. After turning Pro, SRL went on to face and defeat Welterweight champion, Wilfred Benitez, ATG Welterweight champion, Roberto Durant, ATG Welterweight champion Thomas "Hit man" Hearns, and ATG Middleweight champion "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler, and Light HW champion, Donny Ladonde. Sugar Ray Leonard. The highest quality example, of an All Time Great prize fighter. :yep [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8INHy35zWg&feature=related[/ame]
agreed. Pac gets a lot of credit for his wins over WWs as a small fighter and he should but his true path to greatness went through some of the greatest mexican fighters of all time in Barrera, Morales, and Marquez. wins over Oscar, Hatton, and Cotto were just cherries on the sundae
Agreed. There are many paths, but the most reliable and unquestionable path is to follow the tried and true path of the old school ATGs, beat quality and competitive opponents. :good
I like SRL as a fighter & he is an undoubted ATG but winning the lightheavyweight title in a fight that took place at 168 lbs is one of the most shitty title victories ever. As a rule, I don't mind catchweights too much if it is only a few pounds, I can even take a belt being on the line if it just just 1 or 2 lbs maximum but 7 lbs off the limit is really taking the ****, that is a whole division worth of weight away.
LaDonde won the title at 171. His opponent came in at 170. I agree that SRL's winning of the LHW title can probably be listed as one of his least impressive fights, although it was still icing on the cake of a very impressive career. Especially considering that today, very few so-called great fighters even attempt skipping from welter to LHW.
Great example of new gen. ATGs taking the path of the old school Gs. Both Floyd and Pac are Gs ! :yep:good
pac fought past it, shot fighters. give me a break, all time great. he hasnt fought anybody who would give him a serious threat since jmm
As already stated, there are many paths. The above scenario seems to have worked for Calzaghe, and will likely work as well for the Klit sisters.
At least 171 is technically a LHW fight though (anything over 168 is LHW) but that is just a Super-Middleweight fight with an extra belt attahed. I do give him credit for beating a naturally bigger man though. I'd have little problem with the fight if that belt wasn't attached.