To be the best you got to beat the best. Can be said this Is the first rule that moves who wants to achieve the glory in boxing. In your opinion which fighters beat the best opponents in their career?
He has impressive wins but I don't think he beat Hagler (as in, I watched the fight and disagreed with the judges). The original Sugar Ray took losses to his rivals too but also had victories that left no doubt who would usually win. To be fair, I don't know enough about the 50s to know if there were any boogeymen that he never faced. He did face so many ATGs I'm not sure it makes a difference.
Robinson did miss quite a few guys in the 40s, but he wasn't losing during that period. Before 1960 - he turned 39 that year - he beat every man he ever fought bar two; those being Ralph Jones (a sort of gatekeeper who he fought three weeks after a six rounder, which was his first fight bike after a three year lay off) and LHW great Joey Maxim.
Surprised no one has mentioned Pacquiao. De La Hoya Barrera Morales Cotto Hatton Margarito, Undefeated Thurman… the list goes on and on not to mention wars with JMM. Wins across eight divisions and four decades (the ‘90’s, ‘00’s, ‘10’s, ‘20’s) as a champion. (Won his first title in ‘98, was a champion in 2020 after Thurman)
Marciano, none of them were in their primes, but he could fight whoever was available (and Nino Valdez lost his title shot after losing to archie moore in their second fight), but still, it should be said he whupped them all!
Lennox Lewis. The big fight that got away was the Bowe one but wasn't his fault. Also, not fighting some fighters during their prime (Tyson, Holyfield), also not his fault. Always remember him fighting Gary Mason when he was up and coming and that was a real potential tough fight for him but he came through it. Mason at the time was a big, tough dangerous lump who could punch. Shame he suffered a career-ending detached retina and only had 2 more fights, both of which he won. Avenged his 2 losses and got past a prime Vitaly, although never gave him a rematch. Maybe he thought he never needed to.
To many holes imo De La hoya was a walking zombie, Cotto was recently coming from a brutal assault and fought in a catch weight Hatton was just knocked out by feather fists Mayweather Margarito was trashed without his cement gloves and the catch weight didn't help him Mosley put on a better performance Marquez was robbed 3 times
Basically thats a GOAT conversation. Robinson, Louis, Ali, etc. up at the top. Going division by division and eras/decades at a time can make for more specific shout outs.
