Who was the best boxer p4p of the 90s? Only take their performances from 1990-1999. This has been done before but I’m curious about a updated version.
Calzaghe was one of the few fighters in the 90`s that didn`t rely on athleticism alone. Roy Jones is one but RJJ could Do all the moves, but didnt have the rhyme or reason. Tyson is another but got beat by Holy. There are lots of 70's and 80's fighters i'm introduced to constantly that also have incredible technique. I would say to focus away from contemporary fighters and look to past generations for more complete fighters, with larger tool kits available to them. But my favorite is the Greatest, Sugar Ray Robinson he would have beaten any fighter that fought in the 90`s.
Picking a "Best of the Decade" in any field is partially influenced by timing. Best boxer of the 1990s is no exception. Many of the great 1980s fighters were shot or close to shot midway through the decade. That would include guys like Julio Cesar Chavez and Pernell Whitaker. Others, such as Oscar De la Hoya, got started late. In some decades, if no one has been truly dominant, it may not matter. In this case it does. Ricardo Lopez, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones Jr, Felix Trinidad and Michael Carbajal were basically near the top for the whole ten years. I eliminate Carbajal and Holyfield for too many losses, albeit against top competition. That leaves the three undefeateds (Barring Jones' disqualification). I eliminate Lopez due to a lesser quality of opposition. That leaves Tito and RJJ, both truly great fighters If you want to go with Trinidad I won't fight you on it but, for me, Jones Jr, was a little more dominant in the 1990s and he is my fighter of the decade.
Lennox Lewis. He entered his prime between 1996-1999 after his 30. But, what a prime... He was like a wine.
This says it all. I also go with Roy Jr. His first 1990s fight was his fifth as a pro and by the time 1999 ended he was champion of his third division with the only flaw on his record (DQ loss for hitting Montell Griffin when he was down) was resoundingly avenged with a one-round KO. Quite a few nice scalps on that resume, not to mention that it seems probable that he could have won a junior middle title if he had wanted to make an early-career stop there to pick up a belt and then drop it to move up to 160.
