If Beterbiev were to retire immediately; how ATG LHW would rank?

Thank you for saying that , it’s true you can look at every sport and they are soft as f;()@

 

The Beterbiev that fought Bivol is clearly past prime. He had a long amateur career and has been avoided in the pros. He would have stopped Bivol a few years ago, as Bivol was hanging on for dear life in 11 and 12.

Beterbiev is top 3 P4P with Inoue and Usyk. One demographic will argue like a Trump supporter that Crawford is better, but his performance against Madrimov is evidence "he ain't all that".

Ezzard Charles, Moore and Foster would have to be ranked higher. Then it comes down to how much you rate the amateur career and a theoretical head to head. I see Beterbiev's heavy hands getting to the likes of Spinks and RJJ. I also rank Artur higher than anyone in recent history.

Maybe this is all recency bias but anywhere from 5 to 15 is reasonable. He would be a tough matchup for any LHW in history.

 

I mean, some of these people don't understand how storied this division is. With a thin resume and dodgy best win, he's got to compete against Ezzard Charles, Archie Moore, Michael Spinks, Billy Conn, Joey Maxim, Tommy Loughran, Bob Fitzsimmons, Harold Johnson, Jimmy Bivins, Maxie Rosenbloom, Willie Pastrano, Roy Jones, Dwight Muhammed Qawi, Matthew Saad Muhammed, Eddie Mustafa Muhammed, Bob Foster, Virgil Hill, Fritzie Zivic, Gus Lesnevich, Philidehphia Jack O'Brien...and on and on.

Not saying that he's not better than some of these names, but it is a very thick division.

 

Spinks would KO Beterbiev he was 6'2 with genuine KO power in either hand Beterbiev has never come close to meeting anyone at the level of Spinks with his kind of power or unique style.

 

Top 15 I reckon.

 

On the flip side, we all saw how terrified Spinks was against Mike Tyson so perhaps mental strength plays a big part too.

 

A 220 pound prime Mike Tyson is far more intimidating than 175 pound Artur Beterbiev and its not like Beterbiev would do much better vs a prime Tyson at Heavyweight.

Spinks also fought tough guys like Dwight Muhammad Qawi, Marvin Johnson, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, at Light Heavyweight and didn't show any lack of confidence vs them at Light Heavyweight.

Qawi especially was an intimidating guy he'd been in prison and was a real tough guy who had been destroying opponents for 2 or 3 years when he fought Spinks.

 

Considering factors like what a fast starter Iron Mike was, how hard he hit, how fast his heavyweight handspeed was, and the fact he had a hard chin himself, I seriously doubt any 175 pounder in the history of the sport gets out of the 1st round against prime Mike Tyson.

 

Great post, DP!

 

That's not what I am saying at all....

My point was that Michael Spinks did not have the toughest of mental strength and resolve and folded like an origami butterfly against Tyson.

He didn't even bother to rebuild and make a come back either ....

So while I consider Spinks to be a favourite against Beterbiev, we can only speculate what could have happened if they ever fought at LHW.

I wouldn't necessarily be rushing to put all of my money on the guy who wasn't the mentally toughest guy out there .....

 

I disagree Spinks overcome tough fights vs Qawi, Muhammad, Lopez, and even against the much bigger Holmes it's not like he folded anytime he was put under pressure.

The reason Spinks didn't make a comeback is because he was already at the end of his career and had bad knees. Even if in a alternative universe he pulls off a major upset vs Tyson he wouldn’t of carried on too much longer anyway with his bad knees and probably would've retired anyway.

 

I agree with you many consider Mike as the GOAT at 175 that Tyson fight was a cash out nothing more to read into it.