Greats in their prime rarely have the chance to beat other prime greats

Absolutely true. It virtually never happens.

Same with fighters avenging all their losses. That virtually never happens either.

So it's always pretty irritating to hear so often those arguments thrown at a fighter to devalue their wins or champion their losses, because it just doesn't happen much at all.

It'd be like berating a fighter for not defending a HW title ten times.
Well how many guys have done that ever?

 

True in most cases, but it seems in regard to Marciano, it is held to a higher level, when compare to other greats. Ali as said in his prime(The 60's) relly had no one in there prime, but once the 70's role around, a past peak Ali was beating prime Foreman and Frazier ete.

Louis is the same way, the only fighter Louis beat in his prime that is sort of "Great" is perhaps Max Baer, but thats about it. But most of his big wins, Carnea, Sharkey, Schmeling, were all past there primes, Were guys like Conn were jumping weight to face him. When he got to Walcott and Charles, it was Louis that was past his prime.(Walcott perhaps if you determine when his "Prime was".)

Marciano fought Walcott, Charles and Moore. Sure they were not in there 20's, but they were still great fighters beating the best outside of Marciano of couse.

Patterson on the other hand face way too many GREEN guys.
The same can be said of Larry Holmes with his defenses against the mighty 11-'s unbeating guys of his divsion.

Tyson was in his prime, but was beating on past it Larry Holmes, and the like when he ran though the divsion, and past his best, plus prison time when Holyfiled beat him. Holyfiled in turn was not prime when Lewis beat him.
Perhaps on the FEW movements when prime for prime face was Bowe Holyfiled. Perhaps.
Also Holyfiled beat past prime Foreman and Holmes.

Lewis beat Holyfiled and Tyson. Both far from there primes of couse. It hardly EVER happens.

 

Two of the few cases where true ATG:s met when both in their prime was Leonard-Hearns I and Hagler-Hearns. Some of the Robinson-LaMotta and Sadler-Pep fight should more or less qualify as well I guess. But at HW it has never happened. Some would maybe say Marciano-Walcott, but to claim that Walcott was in his prime when nearly 38 feels like stretching it a bit...

 

pep was past his prime when he fought saddler. pep came back from BROKEN BACK and paralysed state for weeks and suffered long term physical damage in plane crash. the very fact he even fought again let alone beat sandy saddler is an amazing achievement

 

Theres been many prime fighters who fought eachother.

 

Sugar Ray Leonard defeated Thomas Hearns when both were in their prime.

 

I knew about the crash, but thought that at least one of the fights might have taken place before. But I retract.

 

Duran-SRL and Duran-DeJesus are good examples of this happening. Some might suggest Joe Louis-Max Baer.

Sal Sanchez took care of Danny Lopez when Little Red was just 27, and seemingly in position to dominate the featherweights for as long as he cared to. Wilfredo Gomez was considered to be the P4P #1 when Sal wiped him out. Gomez did likewise to Zarate and Pintor.

Louis looked dreadfully rusty in the Conn rematch, but appeared to regain his stride with Mauriello. This made the older Walcott's showing all the more surprising.

Hearns really made his name by bombing out a dominant 23 year old Cuevas, ruining Pipino.

Greats in their prime having a chance to compete against other prime greats isn't really all that unusual. It's the conclusive outcomes of many of these contests which frequently alter the perception of one of the participants being on the downslide after the fact.
The loses Marvin Johnson sustained to Matt Franklin, Eddie Gregory, and Mike Spinks occurred when Marvin was at his athletic peak, neatly cutting Pops off from ATG status.

 

One of the rare exceptions was a prime Frazier meeting a near to his prime Ali in the FOTC,but you are entirely correct its a syndrome of The King Is Dead Long Live The King,the young feed on the old.