Any reason a champ with 23 title defenses, 9 yr reign not be considered an ATG?

When you are the champion for 6 almost 7 years you will have to defend against some guys who aren't level.

Edwin Viruet was a solid, championship level fighter, DeJesus ain't getting put away quick by anyone if a prime Duran could not do it. He was that tough and that great. He would have been the unified champion forever if not for Duran. Ernesto Marcel was a solid featherweight and retired a champion. Duran fought and beat by TKO in only his 17th pro fight. Don't forget about Ken Buchanan who Duran beat the tar out of.

On top of that in almost 7 years only 10 men went the distance with him out 72 fights. What was he, like 71-1-61 KO's. That is almost Robinson like numbers.


Monzon.

Two wins great, great over Bennie Briscoe, Two Kayo's over Nino Benvenuti, two over Griffith one KO, Napoles quit, and two solid wins over Valdez who was a lion in those fights. Didn't lose a fight from '64 to '77 winning something like 60 in a row. Ruled the World middleweight division for 7 years KO'ing almost all comers. That is the epitome of a champion. Where the heck are those guys today?

 

he should go in the HOF for his accomplishments and he has some decent names (hall, hill, griffin) on his record. really, he would be spoken of MUCH higher and his legacy re-evaluate if he fought and beat jones. but since he didn't, he will always always be defined as "the other guy" at 175

 

Because he isn't Known by the American public who have a full monopoly on ATG rankings in general.

 

He was a good fighter, but he never fought RJJ in the 90's. Also, it would've looked better too if he'd not lost his last 2 fights. Based purely on pro record alone, 48-0 with 38 KOs would've made for a decent argument and at least left reasonable question marks.

 

Tell me I didn't just read about Dariusz' reign being compared to Monzon's?

 

If Roy is nr1, it's ok to be nr2.

 

Rocky might've been better than all three of those guys, without any doubt Hall.

 

he did but that doesn't have to be the be all and end all. Naz and Martinez got railroaded but maintained their place at the top of the division because noone else ever did better than they did.

In the case of DM he chose the wbo over the wba which was a stupid move. He also made no attempt to face guthries for the ibf belt. He was content returning to obscurity whilst Jones cleaned house.

It isn't entirely DM's fault, it's a nature of the times. In the past he'd have been the one true champ and the onus would have been on Jones to face him. But as it was the converse became true.

It was one of the reasons linearity and it's prestige died.

 

Didn't defend against the best names in the division until later, and still dodged the best guy in the division.

Guys like him and Calzaghe run into that problem; Long reigns, not many good fighters. Calzaghe pulled his 168 lb legacy together at the very end by all but cleaning the division out. Dariusz never quite decided to do that, and then ended his career with an absolute whimper.