http://sports.yahoo.com/news/where-...-all-time-boxing-greats-062113734-boxing.html Those polled were HBO broadcasters Jim Lampley and Max Kellerman; Showtime's Al Bernstein and Steve Farhood; freelance broadcaster and Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame founder Rich Marotta; promoter Lou DiBella; matchmaker Chris Middendorf; Associated Press national columnist Tim Dahlberg; retired AP boxing writer Ed Schuyler Jr.; boxing historian and writer Cliff Rold. The link is what the boxing announcers believe the rankings were before the fight began. The top 25 are as follows: 1. SRR 2.Henry Armstong 3. Ali 4. Greb 5.Duran T-6 Louis T-6 Willie Peg 8 SRL 9 Benny Leonard 10 Sam Langford 11 Archie Moore 12 Ezzard Charles 13 Joe Gans 14 Barney Ross 15 Jack Johnson 16 Pernell Whitaker 17 Gene Tunney 18 Jack Dempsey 19 Floyd T-20 Hagler T-20 Tony Canzoneri T-22 Pac T-22 Charley Burley T24 JCC T24 Sanchez So with this in mind, I gotta think that Floyd's probably somewhere around the Whitaker - Barney Ross range.
I don't get how people put Duran ahead of Sugar Ray Leonard truth be told. Give it ten to fifteen years, then get people to make this list. I guarantee you Floyd will be in the Top 10 in almost everyones estimation. Just too many achievements not to be and the fact that he ended up beating another guy most rank op 20 says it all.
So are we really going to put Floyd ahead of Pacquiao??? Pacquiao has vcitories of prime versions of Barrera, Marquez, Hatton, Cotto, Sasukul, Ledwaba, Margarito, etc. Floyd has victories over prime versions of Corrales, Hatton, Canelo (arguable), Maidana. Something doesn't add up there.
Duran's body of work is why he's ranked ahead of SRL. If SRL had fought maybe 20-25 more fights and won 90% of them, I'd have no problem ranking him ahead of Duran. And Duran beat someone ranked 8th and nearly beat someone ranked 20th who was one of the best middle weights ever and in fact in today's era of 12 rounds he would have actually won. (not that I would have agreed with the decision) So if beating someone ranked 20 says it all, how about someone ranked 8th, that says even more.
For one Duran was the smaller man and went up a full weight class to beat the bigger man. That's boss. Like Damn.
The only ones I can see above Mayweather: Robinson, Armstrong, Greb, Duran, Charles, Ali, SRL, Benny Leonard, Langford. Of course you could argue he ranks above some of those fighters.
I do agree that he's not far off from making that elusive top 10 list, not sure if he'll get there, but it could be close. If he goes undefeated and beats GGG at 154 I think he'd crack that list, maybe even make it to the 7-8th spot.
floyd has actually regressed after a tainted victory. juiced up floyd vs. non-juiced up pacman, who got his blood drained non stop, still won 8-4 in my book. made floyd his ***** and had the ***** running for 12 rds. 50pct pacman vs. 200pct floyd. 7th div vs. 4th div. pac proved he is levels above floyd. not debatable now. pac is prolly craking top 5 now.
Something like this is what I believe also. He really doesn't have much left to prove except maybe win a title at MW which he could easily do by beating Cotto or GGG. If he beats GGG then it is without doubt he's not only in the top 3 but in the top 2 with people comparing him to SRR because he would also be undefeated.