P4P: How do you rank Pernell Whitaker, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roy Jones Jr or Floyd?

His legacy already been damaged by not taking the Pacquiao fight right away.

But even if Floyd beats Manny (and most likely he can do it) today it's still will be a massive victory for him.

Martinez fight is very unlikely to happen.

 

Well, we agree on the likelihood of Martinez not happening and that Pac would still be a big win. I don't agree that his legacy has been damaged by the fight not happening, thus far. For reasons like A. I assume people will always argue about culpability between the camps, like they do now and B. Mayweather has been a part-time fighter anyway, and not making a fight like that during what's likely your twilight isn't really going to have the same kind of stigma as, say, if there were an outstanding guy like that buzzing around during his super featherweight days, when he was much younger, and it would later be regarded as his best weight class by most.

 

Not arguing.

You're probably right to some extent.

Especially considering the fight will likely happen in the future.

Though that's because Floyd was smart enough not to blatantly "pull a Bowe"

Good point.

I'd say Floyd was more willing to take risks when he was younger.

 

1. Leonard
2. Whitaker
3. Jones Jr.
4. Mayweather Jr.

 

I don't believe so. He looked soft and pudgy against Vasquez at 154, and clearly wasn't suited to fighting at the weight (even though he won handily). Since then he seemed to have clearly lost a step to me, even though he dropped back down to Welter immediately after.

 

:deal

 

Can you elaborate because I don't see how Floyd is more technical then a Pernell Whitaker or Ray Leonard..:think

Do you mean tactically more technical? Or punching technique? Or the technique of his movement in general?

 

I'd go

Leonard
Mayweather
Whitaker
RJJ

 

Leonard Whitaker

Gavilan


Hopkins Napoles


Jones





Mayweather

 

roy jones was the greatest athlete boxing has seen in a while so much so he got away with his tec flaws an still won
sugar ray leonard most complete of bunch
floyd most accurate puncher great timeing an counter puncher real repsponsiable defensively
sweet pea was best defensive fighter of the bunch an one of best def fighters of all time who made you miss an possed enough pop to make them pay
all four great in there own right there places are subjective

 

Whitaker and Leonard were more unconventional. Floyd, while admittedly using an unorthodox style (the Philly shell) for the most part, is more of a consistently rigid, confined mover and puncher than either. He's more confined to his set style than either, which isn't necessarily a good thing comparatively speaking, but it does make them easy to separate from a stylistic perspective.

Notice I didn't say he was more skilled.

 

Leonard
Whitaker
Mayweather
Jones

 

I was guessed straight away after I'd asked it what your reply was going to be like and I can't really argue with it. I'd probably have him above Leonard had I seen Whitaker being undefeated until Tito. I've yet to score the Rivera fights for a final time but I know they're going to be mighty close. I don't have him losing a fight until those two and if I score them in his favour until de la Hoya.

I think I have a tough time splitting then at times but I'm eventually bowled over by the names on Leonard's resume and the significance of his return and end up edging him as the better fighter. I have a tough time splitting Whitaker and Spinks personally. Some real talent appears around that period that its almost crazy.

Good post though, a very good justification for having one incredible fighter over another incredible fighter who gets praised a lot more.

 

I see what you mean with more technical now. I agree with it.
And I did notice you didn't say/imply more skilled. Because with that I'd obviously disagree

 

SRL
RJJ
Whitaker
FM