Do You Distinguish Between Elite Fighters and A Level Fighters?

Some fighters that are considered A level fighters are really B level fighters. There is a lot of wannabe A level fighters, but none of them really have the skills to be considered A level. And some elite fighters are usually just A level fighters overrated and flat out boring to watch. Elite fighters are complete fighters and fight consistently in a high rate such as Wladmir, Calzaghe, Mayweather, Mosley etc. Some fighters that are considered elite but are really A level fighters are guys like Marquez and Hopkins. Jermain Taylor isn't an A level fighter, he's a B level fighter inconsistint and just fights ugly, along with Zah Judah. Kelly Pavlik I consider A level along with Chad Dawson. There are other B level fighters such Lucian Bute, Casamayor, Roy Jones, Morales, either too old or not skilled enough to be considered A level.

 

It's really tough to distinguish between anything from B+ to elite until after a fighter retires. Then you can look back over his career and see what he did and did not do in the ring. There are a few exceptions. I mean there are guys who are still fighting that can clearly be called Elite level fighters, but there are also others who are B+ to A+ that are still young. Look at Pavlik; he's probably a B+ or A- right now, but he's only 25 years of age. If at the end of his career you can look at the record of a guy who dominated 3 divisions, I'd call him elite. On the other end; what if Mosely completely disinigrates against Cotto, I'd still call him an elite who eventually caved in under the pressure of Father-Time's relentless march forward.

Clazaghe is another example of a good fighter who has the potential to go down in history as an elite. He needs to beat a couple great fighters in their prime. He has not done that yet, and fighting a 43 year old Hopkins is not going to seal the deal for him. Going after the guy who knocked out the man who beat BHop twice would show a serious set of balls on the man, and if he won I'd have to stop critisizing him.

What if SRL stayed retired after the Hearns fight. He'd be remembered as one of the greatest welterweights ever, but he probably would not be remembered as an elite fighter. It was the amazing stuff he did after 5 years out of the ring that put him in the elite class.

To me there is more involved than skills. It's guts, heart, the ability to lose and come back, and there is also the consideration of career defining fights: Is a fighter willing to walk through hell with gasoline on his pants in order to win. I'm thinking of fights like Arguello vs Pryor I. Pryor fought like a man who would rather die than lose.

Then you have other fighters who are hard to classify. Here's one example. Everybody loved Danny "Little Red" Lopez. He held the WBC 126 pound title for 4 years, and 10 title defenses. He was one of the most entertaining and beloved champions ever. However, he won fights on workrate, cast iron balls the size of canteloupes, and the sheer will to win, not extraordinary skill.

It's a fascinating subject.

Boo

 

OK...Calzaghe IS Elite...

...there is Club Champion, National Champion, World Champion/World Class, Elite, Great, All Time Great...

Great and ATG you become only after you retire...not all elites do...

 

I see your point. That does make sense.

Boo