Let's go Modern - who was the best fighter in each of the 9 modern divisions?

I've commented on it a few times Popkins, in the general also. I'll find my post now, but first i just want to say that while i may very well ultimately favour Jones, Calzaghe has more body of work there. What's the criteria here?

 

How many fights did Jones have at 168 again?
Calzaghe is the clear best at the weight.

 

Obviously.

I believe I made my caveats in the original post.

I thought you mentioned earlier that you were only considering H to H.

If so, record of achievement would be less important than hypothetical face-to-face matchup.

IMO, Leonard at 154 in 1981 would definitely be a realistic contender at 154.

In Mayweather's case, again, I am using your criteria.

How do I feel they would stack up h to h ?

If you change the criteria, then Calzaghe moves ahead of Jones based on what he actually DID at 168, despite us agreeing that Roy would be the clear favourite, H2H.



(Almost forgot. I would perhaps consider Hatton very slightly better than Gatti, perhaps not. He certainly wasn't CONSIDERABLY better, especially the version that faced Pac.)

 

I'm not high on Jones as you are. Jones was a great fighter and looked definitly unbeatable but I don't think he was. I don't think Jones was faster than Joe C. and if not by much. Yep, Jones hit harder than anyone Calzaghe fought during his reign. But Jones never fought one like Calzaghe although. I think Calzaghe's own speed, workrate and awkwardness would pose a big problem to Jones.

What I mean is that Winky's very good defense and him throwing around or over 1,000 punches might win him a decision over Hearns.

The division was abolished and restarted. That's right. I disagree however that we can just ignore half of the divisions history.

I think there is the misunderstanding. Not every contender was able to become champ. Likewise here. Not everyone that deserves a mention can be champ. You mentioned Chavez, I'd pick Cervantes over him.

Would be a great fight. Likewise I don't see Chavez or Mayweather beating Arguello and still they deserve beeing mentioned as contenders. As does Nelson.

 

Here's what i said last time it came up Popkins

'My opinion is that it's more difficult than people think. On the contrary to the opinion of the masses i think that Jones' best shot is to win by ko. Calzaghe dictates the pace of fights so well, hundred miles an hour and has that multi directional mobility from his feet. He's a fast working ring general. Only one man ever dictated the pace against Calzaghe, and slowed it down, that was a master boxer named Bernard Hopkins. As great a fighter and as much a force of nature Jones is, he doesn't fight like Hopkins one bit. Jones is so fast and has one shot power, i don't think he could outbox an enigma that is Calzaghe, but i reckon he could blast him out of the blue and follow it up.

It's really difficult for me to say. '

But if you're simply of the opinion that styles don't play a part and that Jones is just better then i do actually see where that opinion comes from, but i don't fully agree.

 

The greatest, not necessarily the best. Jones may very well be the best.

 

Fair enough.

i took you to mean who would have prevailed over all others in the division on a h2h basis.

 

All's fine.

That you're still up at this hour of the night, must indicate that you're going to watch the fight live ?

 

Well Jones was so much of a physical monster in his prime that him playing the part of superman against Calzaghe is not a stretch of the imagination. I don't know if it would happen myself though. I rate Calzaghe head to head personally, he's hardly perfect but he is adaptable and while his punching form is far from textbook, stylistically he is somewhat of a technician. Jones was never technical, that's why once the legs have deteriorated he has incurred losses that could never happen in his younger days. In hindsight whn you analyze his performances it's all physical, he won due to speed, power etc. Now when i look at Calzaghe who had quality circular movement type footwork, i can see that to beat him is to slow his pace of operation. I never thought someone could do that until Hopkins did it. Now Jones is never the boxer to do that, which is why when i really sit and ponder the match up i can't see Jones outboxing him. Calzaghe is a fast operator in terms of actually boxing. Jones is just fast. I think Jones could knock him out with a right hand though and he very well might, Calzaghe was hurt by the better caliber of hitter in his career.

 

Of course man, England is alive tonight.

 

Cruiserweight: Evander Holyfield
Super Middleweight: Roy Jones Jr
Light Middleweight: Emile Griffith
Light Welterweight: Wilfred Benitez
Super Featherweight: Alexis Arguello
Super Bantamweight: Wilfredo Gomez
Super Flyweight: Jiro Watanabe
Light Flyweight: Jung Koo Chang
Minimumweight: Ricardo Lopez

 

Under this criteria Watanabe is a clear front runner amongst some others at 115, easily.