There should be a thread that introduces a universal template, or rule set when ranking fighters alphabetically. There's too much ambiguity in the midst when trying to properly allocate fighters into their respective ranks.
Thanks. I understand what you're saying. And I agree, Lopez, Karass, Rios are in my eyes C fighters. B would be the Broner's and Khan's of the world, as well as Malignaggi. ( at his peak) with the A's being the very elites. Pac, May, Dinamita, Ward etc.
A levels HW- Wlad, Haye, Potvetkin, Stiverne, Pulev CW- Huck, Ledbedev, Hernandez, LHW- Kovalev, BHop, Stevenson, Pascal, SMW-Ward, Froch, GGG, Groves, Kessler MW- GGG, Martinez, Sturm, Quillin, Geale LMW- Floyd, Lara, Canelo, Cotto, Andrade WW- Pac, Floyd, Bradley, Khan, Thurman LWW- Garcia, Mathysee, Marquez, Provo, Peterson Others.....Rigo, Donaire, Mares, MGarcia, Loma, Vasquez
I think the A club needs more exclusivity then that. In my opinion, there should be anymore than 3 maybe 4 per division.
Rios, and Alvarado were both former world champions. By my light they are both B fighters. Nothing to be ashamed of when you get schooled by an ATG like Manny Pacquiao.
But what could be said about the former champions who are better than them? Surely you dont put Cotto and Rios on the same level? Thats what makes your angle a bit tricky. I think there are plenty of C level fighters who have been world champions. It's not a complete insult to put a former champ as a C on a world level, is it?
As far as right now, based on qualities of each individual fighter, I think the only one who could pass for an A fighter at heavyweight would be Wlad. He is truly the elite in that division, and no one else even comes close.
Cotto right now is a B+ fighter. You could argue that Rios is a B- fighter, but then again both were schooled handidly by Pac in their respective primes.
Okay agreed. When you factor in the +/- to go into detail about where they rank, then it makes things clearer. I was thinking more just letters, no +/-. Like If Cotto is a B, then Rios would have to be a C. But B+/B- is all fair AND I think Cotto had more success against Pac then Rios did, Pac took some damage in that fight as well. Where as Rios, it was a complete shut out
A - Rigondeaux, Mayweather, Ward, Pacquiao, Klitschko B - Maidana, Malignaggi, Judah, Guerrero, Sturm C - Rosado, Angulo, Tapia, Woodhouse, Purdy D - that guy Ishe Smith just fought, every name on Gary Russell Jr.'s resume
A- pacquiao, ward, mayweather, klitschko B- khan, Bradley, Marquez, rigo, froch, c- cotto, maidana, Guerrero, groves, Martinez , GGG, Jersey shore Garcia, Mattyse, Thurman, porter
This list is one I can agree with barring Zab Judah. To me he ranks in as a very high C+ plus fighter who can no longer win against world class opposition. The Malignaggi that got beat by Broner, and Porter still boxed circles around him for 12 rounds. I think he can be a very solid gatekeeper for all the up and coming prospects making their entry into the spotlight. But his time as a world class operator are all but finished unfortunately. :verysad
Cotto had much more success, and at that time you could have argued that he belonged in the upper echelon boxing rankings. Back in '09 he probably fit in the A- category, falling behind the greats of this era. For the fits that Cotto gave Mayweather, and Pacquiao, I wouldn't say it's far fetched to call him an A- fighter demoted down to a B+ fighter. His destruction of C level (in my opinion) contender Delvin RodrÃguez holds as proof that he is still a top notch world level contender. I don't necessarily think you have to be a world champion to be a B level fighter (Keith Thurman), but it sure does help.