Best Fighters to start their career past 1990

Past 1990?

I'll try make two top ten lists, one based on just their abilities and how unbeatable I feel they were in their day, the other based on their achievements in the ring

Based on Talent/H2H Ability

1. Roy Jones Jr

Unbeatable on his day at any weight between 154-168 in his "top talent" days, had the fastest hands, the fastest feet and some of the biggest power ever for a middleweight boxer.


2. Floyd Mayweather Jr

Polished in almost every aspect, perhaps the best technically defensive fighter ever, accurate and precise punching and always in great shape.


3. Pernell Whittaker

Super fast, lightning reflexes, hard to hit and in his day at 140, was also quite a powerful puncher who was underrated offensively.

4. Wladimir Klitschko

The first bit of tall timber (with his brother) who has reigned for almost a decade. Huge power in either hand, very good technical fighter, always in great condition and is one of the first three to utilise height (6'6+) with skills better than those smaller (Lennox and Vitali being the other two)


5. Joe Calzaghe

Greatest workrate of any fighter in this list, outstanding chin, great at adapting mid fight and turning losing performances into winning performances, underrated footwork which gave him the ability to fight the way he did, power in his day and one of the largest ring IQ's.

6. Vitali Klitschko

Potentially the most powerful heavyweight ever, could have been ranked higher without injuries and would be the only guy I favour to beat his brother

7. Bernard Hopkins

What can you say about a guy that fights into his 40s at the very top level and can compete with anyone. The most cagiest craftiest dirtiest fighter in the list.

8. Shane Mosley

Fast, explosive power, a good chin. Had he stayed at 135-140, he may never have been beaten.


9. Manny Pacquaio

Awkward rangey fighter, could definitely be ranked higher in the list although his losses against Morales and arguably JMM show that he can be out-boxed by better technicians. His weight gain and performance is supreme.


10. Tito/Oscar =

Hard to seperate these two, Oscar due to his ability to go through so many weight classes and perform at the level he did, Tito for the fact that he got some great wins and did 147,154 and 160 with ease until finding Hopkins (and the Oscar fight itself)




Achievements, taking into account wins/losses, opposition, weight classes they got titles in, title reign etc

1. Floyd Mayweather Jr
2. Pernell Whittaker
3. Jones Jr
4. Oscar De La Hoya
5. Manny Pacquaio
6. Erik Morales
7. Joe Calzaghe
8. Bernard Hopkins
9. Wladimir Klitschko
10. Shane Mosley

 

I could swear Sweet Pea was around in '89

 

Sweet pea started his career in the 80s

 

Aside from the fact Whitaker had better ability than Jones or Mayweather, one of the best years of his career was 1989, where he won his 1st world title, so technically he shouldn't be included, based on the TS's criteria.

Technically,

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don't make it in then, since their careers all started in the late 80s. Fancy changing your thread to:

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???

If that is the question, then my list is:

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Honourable Mentions:

Felix Trinidad
Ricardo Lopez (career began in '85 but didn't win world title till '90)
Winky Wright
Shane Mosley
Terry Norris (fought for a world title before '90, but didn't win one till '90)
Kostya Tszyu
Joe Calzaghe

 

2nd post of this thread is already fail

Whitaker didnt start his career past 1990

 

True that - swap Pea out, it's more so that he dominated the 90s that I put him there.

in the H2H, you can probably bring in a guy like JMM or Morales

In achievements, you probably look at JMM

 

Pacquiao
Mayweather
Roy Jones Jr.
Oscar De La Hoya
Hopkins

...just to name a few

 

as noted, taking out sweet pea and it's a pretty good list:good

 

Any list that has Joe Calzaghe 4 places above Manny Pacquiao is an utter disgrace to the sport.

 

Any person who forgets how vulnerable to technical fighters Manny Pacquaio has been in his career is an utter disgrace to the sport, you'll note I said Manny has better achievements than Joe, but he's not more talented.

 

Laughable. Not even worth getting into. An absolute joke.

 

It is an absolute joke. Pacquaio has balls to do what he does and no one can take away his achievements, he's definitely been the second best fighter of the 2000-2010 period behind Floyd in my view, in terms of achievements.

But.

His problems with fighters like JMM, Morales and other good counter punching technical boxers show you that he's got some flaws that can be exploited. Therefore he has achieved above and beyond his faults - rather than the usual (like Floyd and Calzaghe) of achieving below their abilities. That deserves respect.

But...

He'd still lose to Calzaghe if they were both an equal weight with their equal tangible assets scaled to meet that weight.

 

JC #4?

WTF. If the list was all Euro - yes (Lewis, both Klits and Hatton) he would be. But the world? WTF!!!!
His best wins are Kessler and Lacey. KESSLER and LACEY!

Seriously. WTF!! Pay more refs please. I heard he needs more "stoppage".

1. Manny
2. Roy
3. Lewis
4. PBF
5. MAB
6. BHop
7. EM
8. Wlad
9. Oscar
10. Vitali

60% resume
30% skill/talent
10% intangible (mainstream popularity, excitement/style, etc)

 

atschoops missed that