Post your all time top 10 Super Middleweights

and i'm not doubting anyone's ranking, and i'm not saying it's fair that fighters need to come to the states to have the leverage to make their defining fights - but thats the way it is

and i'm also not denying that staying at home generates big $$ - what i am saying is that fighters who do this who arent in the US arent going to get the recognition and leverage to make big fights
they will only be remembered by fans who grew up watching them fight

the bottom line is that fighters who want to find out how good they are consciously - consciously - go and make it happen

there are a graveyard of european fighters who were good enough to fight on the big stage, sacrificed that for hometown recognition and wealth - and you cant go blaming fighters who fight on a bigger stage for not wanting to give them a free pass if they arent willing to chase it themselves

 

i'm not doubting joe's accomplishments at 168 at all

 

I think Joe beats Ward but Ward looks like he's only getting better and better.......

 

no it doesnt
if you're the best ball player in the world (pick any code, it doesnt matter) and you played your whole career in your home country of the Congo, is anybody outside your country going to remember you?

no of course not

you can relate this to any sport - because any sportsman who doesnt play at the highest level against the best opposition, but is good enough to do so, wont be recognised

the big difference with boxing - which sets it apart from any other sport - is that all these paper titles are gold for a boxing promoter, who has the perfect tool to do what he does best - sell fights to unsuspecting fans who dont realise the legitimacy of the fighter they are following isnt what it seems

i hear danny green becomes a '4 time world champion' if he wins his next fight - do you understand what i'm saying?

it doesnt matter if you think the best were in europe at that time - hell it doesnt matter if EVERY top fighter was in europe at that time - because its the US networks and PPV that generate the biggest $$ in fights, and with their worldwide coverage fighters also gain notoriety

guys like pac and floyd dont even need belts anymore because of this

 

when was the last time a strawweight sold PPV.so the rules are a bit different for lower weight fighters
and yeah, it isnt fair ward gets hometown fights - but hes beaten a whos who at SMW and fought the best available in a short space of time - and hes gotten those fights because of the stage he fought on

 

1. Calzaghe
2. Ward
3. Kessler
4. Froch
5. Eubank
6. Benn
7. Collins
8. Ottke (got some 'free' wins, but also did win many fights at SMW. I personally hate his style and the way his career was managed, but he probably belongs in here anyway)
9. Beyer
10. Malinga

RJJ and Toney stayed too briefly at the weight to really accomplish a lot at 168.

 

you were complaining the other day that there arent enough posters on here who debate boxing
i'm throwing down the gauntlet and a good ol' challenge to you :good

 

I agree. And of course it hurts the legacy for not travelling to the best challengers.

On the other hand though, the division (being rather new) was in its infancy and the international competition was not like it is today. Today all countries are in the race. Back then it in many ways was a UK championship. In the US it was seen at something to skip (or just take a few fights at) between MW and LHW. While the UK fans enjoyed being 'kings of the world' at 168... and it certainly looked shiny...it was against very limited international competition. Still, Benn, Eubank, and Collins were very good fighters who would have been top fighters even if more countries had taken part I think.

 

well said
agree with both your posts