Who is the greatest WEIGHT-JUMPER of the past 30 years?

To me this is an absolute no brainer, the one and only Roberto 'Hands of Stone' Duran. The guy fought Marvin Hagler at middleweight, on the inside, exchanged with him, and even tried to rough him up. Duran was a BORN fighter, weight was irrelevant.

 

Seriously, irespective of what you may think of him, why is James 'Lights Out' Toney not on the list?? Yes, the man has not achieved half of what some of these guys on this list have. HOWEVER, for a 5ft'9, fat, out of shape, former middleweight to fight CONSISTANTLY at heavyweight, never get seriously hurt, standing INFRONT of his larger opponents and still hang with them is incredable.

 

From the list, I have to say that Hoya and Pacquiao were the greatest weight jumper.

Hoya who fought the best in his division and Pacquiao from flyweight to welterweight.
:rofl I'd like to see him fight Valuev

 

:rofl You just made my day! :good

 

LOL My bad.

 

This is really quite tough. Pretty close for me and quite difficult comparing things like best single feat (RJ MW to HW champ) against people who went up and dominated a few divisons and/or fought the best at each weight.

In the end I went with Hearns mainly i think because he carried his punching power up with him all the way from welter to crusier and I am a sucker for KO artists!

Pac prob got a decent shout too to be honest, particularly if he beats Cotto, though I rarely tend to pick still active fighters on these kind of things, possibly a case of looking back through the old rose tinted specs. He has fought tough comp at each weight except maybe lightweight tho he still picked up a title. Ok he has/had only 1 fight at light welter but against the ring rated no.1 in the division and despite what people say now many fancied Hatton before the fight.

 

I'd say Manny Pacquiao - Because he seems to be getting better everytime he moves up instead of struggling.

Honorable mentions: Evander Holyfield, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Pernell Whitaker

 

The one the moved up and fought the VERY BEST is the best weight jumper.

 

Roy Jones was great at moving up weight but he had a tough time coming back down after his heavyweight debut. In fact he was never the same after. Or maybe he was just too old. But if we are talking about jumping weights up and DOWN then I don't think he is the best chose. I do think Paul Williams will be included in this type of list in the near future.

 

In the past thirty years it would have to be Duran, lightweight, welterweight, junior middleweight, middleweight.

 

On the other hand, De La Hoya received some close decisions that many feel he didn't deserve.

 

Evander Holyfield, and his resume proves this

 

Duran or Pacquiao.

 

Theirs two categories i believe, ones who naturally move up (pac) or someone who forced their body to gain weight (RJJ). Ones who naturally move up, will obviously improve if they are near their prime. However ones who forcefully move up, will give up alot to gain weight.

 

I misread the question and voted for anyone else as i was thinkin Henry Amrstrong but of course it's the last 30yearsatsch.

I love Duran but it's got to be Manny especially if he beats Cotto ( i don't think he will ), flyweight to welter would be incredible.