were the 80s middleweights the best?

Yeah I think by the time toney had moved up, jackson had overtaken him as the best mw but his performance against barkley was so punch perfect it had people believing in his talent.

Unfortunately i'm gonna have to disagree with you regarding jones' talent at lhw.

 

Not dead, just significantly drained to the point he won't have the stamina to keep away down the stretch.

 

By that time Hopkins finally challenges Jones for a rematch and Jones drops all his belts to avoid much improved Hopkins

 

I'm not sure if i agree.

By 1992 Jackson himself was on the decline and had very a tough fights vs Tate and Ron Collins (?).

And Jackson's competition was clearly inferior to Toney's.

 

I had toney losing to tiberi.

 

Many had

That was a good premonition of things to come in the future.

 

Yeah so considering his loss to tiberi I see no reason to rank him above julian at the point he moved up.

 

Rumour has it Mike was going to move up earlier, but saw the Leicester Olivares demolish Collins and then the savagery of his fight with the giant Don Lee and thought better of it.