Your Favourite Boxer is Overrated

Good to see you Cincinnati! Same situation as always. London half the year, Chicago and Miami the other half!

Referring back to the philosophy, people here are making excellent points, and I agree. There are certain things some people can do that most others cannot do. That's talent, and the philosophy allows for talent. But greatness is a step beyond that, and this philosophy dictates that greatness is more the product of chance and circumstance than being fundamentally "better".

As examples - If Michael Jordan were drafted by the Atlanta Hawks instead of the Chicago Bulls, would he have still been seen as the GOAT? He might not have won many, or any, championships, and he would be squarely in the Dominique Wilkins category shared by many. If Tracy McGrady were drafted by the Lakers, would we be talking about him as one of the ATGs now?

If Ali were born in 1978 instead of 1942, he would have found himself in a shallow pool of heavyweights, with a smaller audience, and a far less volatile time. Would he be recognized as great at all, much less one of the two GOAT heavyweights?

If Vitali were born in 1942, and defected from the USSR, and caused a thaw in relations in the 1970s by being something of a joint ambassador, would he be seen as GOAT because of both his skill and what he represented outside of the ring?

Is greatness really just someone being better than everybody else? Or are we imagining it?