Over Rated: Ray Leonard. IMO was Over Rated as a 'sweet science' Boxer. Why? He got outboxed by a puncher in Hearns, outboxed by Lalonde, even with Benitez to get the belt he had to turn it into a slugfest. ALL these fights Ray had to win by stopping them. Not the characteristics of a great boxer. Under Rated: Tim Bradley. He took flack no matter what he did. @ the Time Kendal Holt was being pumped -following his Torres fights & prospect Demetrious Hopkins Bradley ended that run. @The Time undefeated Juan DIaz called out Pac, no response. Nate Campbell took him on & won. After defending & gaining another belt over Ali Funeka, he took on Desert Storm. Bradley ended that run. Took on 3 undefeated fighters in a row: Peterson 27-0, Abregu 29-0, Alexander 21-0. After Lineal Champ Casamyor lost to JMM, Bradley took on yet another top rated fighter. Bradley ended his career as he retired. Pacqiuao, Provodnikov, Juan Marquez, Pac again. How does a man not get respect with a resume like this? Disputed Draw he snatches yet another '0' this time from Jesse Vargas. His only other loss was to Pac. Rios is stopped & ends his career with another decisive loss to Pac. Unbelievable to me, that he carries no big punch to match his muscles, but his ring IQ was on point. Stamina, chin & heart makes him one of the most Under Rated Champs in this era.
I disagree with Bradley, because who had him seriously beating Pac in that fight?! And Provodnikov got screwed against him too... Not a knockdown?! He couldn't even make it back to his feet! He could have been counted out right there and then. He showed big heart in both fights, but won due to his nationality.
If I were to limit his entire career down to Pac, I would agree. But I am looking at his whole career, that is why he makes my pick for bneing under rated. Win, lose or draw he did no haggling for fights or $$ Healthy or injured he never complained, even when injuring his foot vs Pac. Didn't mention it till weeks after.
That's cool. When a fighter takes on that many greats, we see very few people giving him props. Or at least I don't see it, Usually i hear what was stated: he got gift against Pac & Provod...nothing else about him. So, who would be an under rated fighter in your view?
One guy that was underrated in my view was Cleverly... and before you start to laugh, hear me out. He got mauled by Kova as I predicted would happen, he eventually lost the Bellew rematch at cruiser as I predicted too, but he wasn't bad at all. He beat a number of pretty good fighters and is now seen as just another Kova victim. He wasn't great at all, but not as bad as depicted now either. He could have done pretty well in the previous (weaker) 175 era.
Overrated Wilder Ortiz T.Fury (post drug/ food binge) Kownacki Charlo brothers Underrated Bivol D. Jacobs L. Smith Okolie Hunter Povetkin Whyte Parker
I think Jacobs gets a bad rap too. He's taking on the baddest, not always able to come out on top. But he is the kind of fighter IMO that makes great fighters into ATG's...if they beat his kind!
