Dick Tiger rated 33 in a list of best fighters in the last 50 years 1996

Is your point that Tiger should have been rated higher or lower? I dont have a problem with this ranking. In fact I could see it being lower. Tiger was a great fighter and fun to watch but he was pretty darn one dimensional. It was a heck of a dimension but if you didnt go to him he had problems. I could see an absolute TON of guys from WW to LHW beating him. Far more than 33. He could sneak by some of those based on his accomplishments in an all time ratings list but I still think 33 is pretty high for him. He was a three time champion but consider that he was only a two time MW champion because he lost his title to and rewon it from a very ringworn Giardello who only had four more fights in him going 2-2. His third title was the light heavyweight title he won from Jose Torres, a natural middleweight who only held it for Tiger to take because he won a robbery over 40 year old Eddie Cotton and still only missed retaking the title from Tiger by a whisker in a very controversial decision that set off a riot in the Garden. Tigers only successful defense of the light heavyweight title was against Roger Rouse who despite fighting 22 more times over the next five years only managed to win two of those contests. So even despite the initial glitz of being called a three time champion his accomplishments still pale to many others when you look at the circumstances surrounding them.

 

Much as I love Tiger, this ranking is probably a bit high. He had a few good wins and was a hellish infighter in a strong era, but this ranking smells a bit of romanticism.

 

A prime Giardello was a much better fighter than Tiger.

 

Yes I believe Roy Jones could have.