Can a fighter become a GREAT if he NEVER beats one prime HOF-class opponent?

Great yes, but never top 10, or even top 20 ATG.

 

A fighter can only beat his contemporaries - HOF'er or not. If he beats the bests of his time with no BS then he is great in my book.

There's no way to conclusively compare two fighters from different generations. In boxing styles makes fights and anything can happen. Just beat the best of your time. Simple as.

 

i agree,but what will you call a boxer goes on temporary retirement / vacation or doesn't have the urge to fight other available fighters of his time?

 

It depends and varies, but one has to fight or challenge himself to a great fighter before his career ends.

 

I was reading thorugh to see if anyone posted this. Good work.

cant belive it took so damned long.

They obviously had to beat enough oipponents to be considered this way which is why i do not understand this smarmy ignorant **** of a thread starter.

 

Neither Haglar nor Hopkins ruled over a particulalry strong middleweight division. What they did is win, win, win, and then win some more.

The guy in my avatar was 2-2 against fighters I'd call great, but he snagged a few zeros, dropped guys like ya shot 'em in the head, and fought anybody, anyplace, anytime.

Not everybody can be an Arguello, a Robinson, or an Ali, but there is more than one way to define greatness.

 

I like your answer.

 

Hall of famers true but none of them were in their prime.

 

I was waiting for some desperate Calzaghe haters to try and discredit the best SMW ever, but you fail because Joe beat Hopkins, the then Ring #3 P4P fighter who was Ring LHW champ inbetween his biggest wins of Tarver, Wright & Pavlik, and clearly.
Calzaghe also beat Jones when he was still a Ring top 10 LHW and beat Eubank.

But yes a fighter can become a great without a HOFer on the record.
Hopkins did it by beating smaller fighters past their peaks.

Sven Ottke did it by beating alot of solid opposition in 22 title fights.

Often you have 2 top level fighters who dont have a HOFer on either of their records but get the status by fighting each other (For the winner)

 

You didn't just list Mike McCallum. :yep

 

he asked a valid question and was provided an answer. you don't have to like that answer but considering how terrible and biased a poster you are i won't be offended :rasta

 

Hehe indeed but it's not that the bros didn't fight greats, they are scrapping the floor for what's left of the decent HW in today's division

 

Yes. There are a number of ATGs who never beat anyone great, mostly because they just weren't available under the circumstances. Jofre, Loi, Galaxy, Lopez, etc. If they're able to dominate good to decent competition over a long period of time, they can still get there.

Besides, how many guys who HAVE beaten ATGs have only beaten them when they were either way past prime or way above their best weight or both? I mean, Bernard Hopkins comes to mind there.