An if thread doesn't mean you can begin to associate anyone with tags like GOAT and ATG, what has paulie malignaggi or pavlik done to warrant that? By your logic I could start shouting out all sorts of names, Audley Harrison etc
Donald Curry looked like he had serious ATG abilities before it all fell apart. Amazing fighter at his best. Other than him, Salvador Sanchez and Charley Burley, though those two are already stone-cold ATGs anyway. Harry Wills is a good shout. If Dempsey hadn't drawn the colour line and ducked him, Wills could've been one of the best heavyweight world champions of all-time.
He had the fastest hands in the galaxy :bbb and speed kills. He gave the great JCC his first unofficial loss and that by itself speaks volumes. Trust me, there was a reason why Sweat Pea ducked Meldrick :deal
TYSON BAD LUCK BAD MANAGMENT AND A HOST OF PERSONAL MISTAKES AMONG OTHER THINGS DESTROYED HIS CHANCES AT A GOAT STATUS THAT BASED ON SHEAR TALLENT ALONE HE HAD ON LOCK. BIGGIST WAS OF TALENT/POTETIOAL IV EVER SEEN IN BOXING:verysad
I dont know about GOAT but ATG for sure: When he turned pro he was an olympic gold medal winner and that in impressive fashion and with a style that looked as if it would carry him very VERY far. He also had all the physical measurements to be a freak. After the olympics in LA he turned pro with an AM-record of 110-1. Mark Breland.
Whitaker and Taylor were in the same promotional stable. And Pea and TNT were fighting in different divisions. Unlikely that fight was about to happen. Taylor was short and stocky for WW, had modest punching power, was brawl-happy, and the early to mid 90s was a strong division for WW. Espana was a nightmare matchup for him stylstically with his height & dimensions. Taylor was too ****ing brawl-happy, small, and flawed defensively for guys like Tito and Ike, who were about to make noise at 147. And his team wasn't going to protect Taylor, those assholes shamelessly cashed out on him versus Norris. I've never heard a strong argument on how Taylor's career would have been so different if he had never faced Chavez. Was he suddenly going to get taller and have longer arms? Have better defense? Have more power? Become more disciplined with his gameplans in fights? He had his weaknesses and it was likely to catch up to him in the end. An excellent fighter for a short period of time, but unlikely to have real longevity, since the era was good.
Donald Curry looked like the greatest thing in the world against Milton McCory. He looked like he would replace Emile Griffith as the best pole-smoking fighter that night. He also beat Marlon Starling. His fall with swift. But I can watch that left hook he dropped Milton with any day.
Riddick Bowe for sure comes to mind. Hasim Rahman Naseem Hamed Jameel McCline...okay now i'm getting carried away...