How do you rate Tim Bradley?

Amazing athleticism but not so good boxing skills. I don't think he make the top 10-15 WW, but he's def a great LWW, I think he's done now tho.

 

How did you come to that?

 

You're right. Definitely one of the best welters but #3 is debatable. Hard to say when he hasn't fought most of the current welters. I'd qualify Pac as a welter too but he lost those fights. Provo moved up, Marquez I don't really remember where he's been fighting. All of Bradley's fights have been guys moving up.

I guess what classifies someone's "real" weight class differs from person to person. In MY opinion, someone is in their real weight class when they "settle" into the weight. Take Mayweather, he was prime at 130 lbs but I don't believe he can make that weight anymore. I don't even think he could comfortably make 140. IMO, he's a REAL welterweight. Pacquiao is a small welter that could probably make 140 but he's fighting at welter since 2008, he's a REAL welterweight. Khan looks comfortable at 147.

It makes sense for someone to think their real weight class is where they were prime. I can't argue with that.

I guess what I'm saying is, someone could be a REAL lightweight in 2010, and be a REAL welterweight in 2016. Our bodies change as we age. I don't believe a boxer would continue to fight at a weight class too big or too small simply for the paydays, too much risk.

Just my opinion, feel free to dispute.

 

This is what I meant great point.:good

 

You don't make any sense at all like IB said the only fighters you could say are "real ww" are bandu,brook,porter,thurman so are these guys the best of the welterweights?

 

Did alex just say he qualifies Pac as a real ww? you not making any sense dude.

 

:|

 

What do you think Pacquiao is now? In your opinion.

 

So is Roy Jones a "real cruiserweight"?

He's 46 years old and obviously never making 175lb (forget 168 or 160) again in his life.

...so you'd consider him now 'settled into' cruiser, no?

...but that doesn't change the fact that he is most closely associated with the light heavyweight division (and likely prime there) while his athletic peak came at either MW or SMW.

50 years from now you aren't going to have anybody referring to Jones as "that Cruiser who also happened to have fought at lower weights".

Yes, with age it becomes difficult to make previous weight maximums, but Mayweather and Pacquiao are in their late thirties - neither one too far behind Jones. All three are old men fighting above their prime weight because they can't make lower ones anymore.

I also don't think Mayweather and Pacquiao, once the immediacy of celebrity wears off, are going to be looked upon in hindsight as "welterweights". Right now fans do find it difficult to dissociate either of them from the weight because that is the weight at which both of them became huge crossover PPV stars, and the weight at which this super-fight has always been slated to occur for the entire 5-6 year saga. Boxing historians will probably view Pacquiao in the light of his Mexican peers as part of a great featherweight & super feather era. Likewise the entire decade of Floyd's career that preceded his welterweight debut won't be as overlooked as it currently is.

 

Good points. I guess you could say "prime weights" vs "current weights"? Like I'm currently a middleweight but welterweight was my prime. I'm no longer a welterweight anymore. I just can't consider someone a real lightweight when they can't make that weight anymore.

 

...but to bring it full-circle to your original point, you claim Bradley has only beaten one "real" welterweight in Chaves - but are Marquez and Provodnikov any less credible welterweight scalps going by your criteria?

Marquez has fought at welter in four of his last five contests, and his last three in a row - and five of his last nine contests, meaning a majority of his time in the ring going back six years to early '09. I'd say Marquez's 'current weight' is welterweight no matter how you slice it.

As for Provodnikov, he was always huge at 140lbs. Two of his last four outings were at welter, as has been, FYI, the majority of his career bouts (15 of 27 were fought with both Provodnikov and his opponent weighing in excess of 140 pounds) - and his last appearance was at 147, though his next is at 140.

So while both can still make 140lbs, to say they aren't "real welterweights" but Pacquiao is seems a bit odd.

If the Matthysse fight had not happened to come to fruition and Provodnikov were next facing Johan Perez or Mike Alvarado, that would make 2 consecutive welterweight outings and best 3-of-5 in his latest run - which essentially would make him as much a "current" welterweight as you could be.

 

They are credible scalps, period. But that's like Canelo fighting blown up welters at Jr middleweight then calling him the best Jr middleweight and using those victories as proof. Granted Canelo is probably naturally bigger than those opponents whereas Bradley is not.

I don't believe there's one right answer here. A fighters "real" weight to me is where they can currently go comfortably and be most effective.

Edit: and based on what you brought to me I'll change my opinion on Bradley's welterweight opponents. And I'll keep in mind your points about a fighter's weight.

 

:good