Roy Jones Jr. Vasyl Lomachenko Floyd Mayweather Jr. Which fights do you think represent these men at their absolute apex. What defines 'best performance' is obviously a little subjectibe, but the only parameter I'll set is that they have to represent them at their best in terms of the version of them you'd pick in fantasy fights. They don't have to have won every round if the level of opportunity doesn't allow it, nor do they have to score a knockout, or vice versa - it doesn't have to be their best win; I'd actually prefer it if it wasn't. So which fights are you picking? Keep in mind where their best weights were too, that has to effect things IMO.
Montell Griffin II Richard Hall John Ruiz Nicolas Walters Rocky Martinez Jorge Linares Diego Corrales Saul Alvarez Philiph Ndou
Roy at 168: Toney Pazienza Brannon Loma at 130: Walters Martinez Marriaga Mayweather at 130: Corrales Gerena Chavez I only picked performances from the weight division where i think they were at their best.
Jones Jr: Hopkins, Toney, Griffin 2. The Jones from those 3 fights can be reasonably argued against anyone from MW - LHW and with the level of performance shown its fair to say he was prime for all 3 victories. Lomachenko: Walters, Sosa, Rigondeaux. That run of making people quit is why he was considered the number 1 SFW in the world, and why some argued his case as the best SFW fighter ever. Mayweather is so difficult to do. So so difficult. But I'd probably go Hernandez, Corrales and Gatti. The Floyd that was better at everything than everyone he fought, including both defence and offence including strength and subtlety.
Roy - Glen Johnson, Tarver II and Lebedev Loma - GRJ, Walters, and probably Rigo. I don't care if Loma is bigger he absolutely toyed with Rigo, as he did with GRJ and Walters, and effortlessly made him look like a clueless rank novice even though he's an elite level fellow magician and special talent. Floyd - I'd agree with Hernandez, Corrales and Gatti
I like Jones' work at 168 - although I have included a fight at 175. I'd also say that I pretty much think Jones' peak stretched from his late days at 160, to the early 2000s. Almost any performance barring the first Griffin fight could feasibly be picked. However, I went with his twelve round shut-out over James Toney; his six round torturing of one Vinny Paz; and his clinic and brutal knockout of Virgil Hill. Across these three performances, you can see Jones' speed, ring generalship and trap setting. You see how he adapts his style to suit these three opponents in different ways; using his right hand more to take away Hill's jab (and you see how he devoured jab centred fighters); how he switched to primarily left handed vs Toney, as he gave James no opportunities to counter his right; and how he pieced apart Paz with a sharp, lengthy jab which he often underused. In that last one you can see his insane athleticsm and technique in full flow as he finishes Vinny with multiple uppercuts thrown in combination. Very unique knockout. For Loma, I think it's his short tenure at super-feather; specifically his fights with Jason Sosa, Miguel Marriaga and Roman Martinez. His fight with Guillermo Rigondeaux almost made the cut, but I feel that he didn't show quite as many layers to his game in that as he did in the Martinez fight - primarily because Rigondeaux was far too negative to let Lomachenko show off his entire arsenal. Either way, I wanted to mention that fight because it was a complete undressing of an incredibly skilled fighter and the number seven pound-for-pound. Not to mention it's the only one vs a fellow southpaw. The fights with Sosa, Martinez and Marriaga show Loma's work on the front-foot, all of his 'tricks', the mental pressure he's known for enforcing and his defensive work both on the front, and back foot. He literally won every single round across all three fights and sent one into quitting, one into oblivion and the other to a corner stoppage. I've always thought Mayweather's peak was below 147. No specific weight as I think he was equally potent at all three. So I went with one from each - Gatti; Corrales; N'dou. The Gatti fight was a complete and utter thrashing. Don't get me wrong, any elite fighter would do that to that verison - or any version - of Gatti. Mayweather just looked absolutely stunning in dissection of Arturo. The Corrales fight needs no explanation, it's the go-to for great Mayweather performances. And the N'dou fight is an absolute annihilation of a hard hitting, tough, gutsy guy. Floyd just countered and turned, and countered and turned. He added more and more shots off the end of those counters, and it got ugly shortly thereafter.
Floyd: Hatton, Corrales Gatti Lomachenko: Walters, Russell, Nakatani (maybe some recent bias) Jones Jr: Griffin 2, Glen Kelly, James Toney
I like your Philip Ndou pick, I would also include that fight, Floyd got a bit nasty in there that night and it's his best ever finish in my opinion, you got to see all facets of his game in that fight. Corrales and Canelo the other two, those two wins will stand 'the test of time'. Jones v Hopkins, Toney and Hill and for Loma, it's Walters, Martinez and Rigo.
Jones Jr : Toney, Hopkins , Griffin 2 Floyd Mayweather : Hernandez, Corrales , Cinnamon. Lomachenko : GRJ, Walters, Martinez .
Mayweather 1. Canelo 2. Corales 3. Mosley Loma 1. Linares 2. Martinez 3. Russell Roy Jones 1. Vinney 2. Montel #1 3. Virgil
As far as how impressed I were of their abilities? Loma 1. Rigo 2. Walters 3. Russel Jr. Jones Jr !. Brannon 2. Vinny 3. Toney Mayweather 1. Gatti 2. Jesus Chavez 3. Cotto
Floyd: 1) pacman, shut down the best offensive fighter in the sport. 2) Sharmba Mitchell, walked him down and Kayode him while people were chanting whoop that trick! 3) Henry Brusseles, they threw him in there instead of poor Cotto. Mayweather put up a masterful performance. At one point merchant said" alright Floyd is putting in a virtuoso type performance."