Who's The Best

[GaMo]

[Primo Carnera]

Me.

[mikeeod]

I picked Sugar Ray but it really depends on how we are grading them as "best". If you are saying who, in my opinion, should be ranked the highest historically, then I stand by Ray. If you are asking who played the game the best (factoring in self promotion, risk vs. reward...etc.), then it becomes a Ray vs. Mayweather debate in my mind. If you are asking who was the most physically gifted and impressive of the three, then that would be Roy in my opinion. Either way, all three are/were great fighters and accomplished more than the vast majority could ever dream of.

[Batman]

Paul kevin

[GaMo]

I'm talking about the whole package. Career and talent
Who accomplished the most and who looked the best (at their best)

Ray won gold, Roy silver and Floyd bronze
So I guess who'd say Ray had the better amateur career.

Floyd won the most titles, Ray beat the bigger names
But Roy cleaned out and dominated his division.

[Batman]

I'm talking about the whole package. Career and talent
Who accomplished the most and who looked the best (at their best)

Paul Kevin

[mikeeod]

I'm talking about the whole package. Career and talent
Who accomplished the most and who looked the best (at their best)

Ray won gold, Roy silver and Floyd bronze
So I guess who'd say Ray had the better amateur career.

Floyd won the most titles, Ray beat the bigger names
But Roy cleaned out and dominated his division.

Honestly, I don't recall Roy ever cleaning out a division he was in, where both Ray and Floyd cleaned out divisions. If we are talking the whole package then I rank them in this order:

1. Ray
2. Floyd
3. Roy

I think Ray has both hands down on quality of opposition and special performances. Difficult to top the Duran and Hearns wins, and then throw in Benitez and the fight vs. Hagler (thought Ray lost but he got the win and performed MUCH better than I anticipated) and it is tough to match that level of competition. Roy has both on the "eye test", where he just looked so much more superior than everyone else, especially during his dominant performances against Ruiz, Montell, Toney...etc. Floyd is a balance between the two to me, where he beat slightly less impressive competition than Ray, but never had some of the "wow" performances of Roy. If you take Ray out and throw Manny, Hopkins, and Evander in there it will be a much more difficult debate in my opinion.

[powerpuncher]

Sugar ray Leonard was amazing. As good as Mayweather was, Leonard was better IMO. His physical attributes were superior to Mayweather. Mayweather beats him in defense for sure and ring IQ. Jones was just a freak of nature. So in order I would probably say

Leonard
Jones
Mayweather

Leonard is a solid #1 and the other two could be switched.

[Master]

I picked Ray Leonard, and I am not a fan of his as I only ever saw the boxer that beat Hagler onwards. He was the original Floyd, hand picking his fighters, weights and titles which were manufactured for him. I was so happy when he miscalculated and fought Terry Norris who battered him and then Macho Man.

However at welterweight he was a true great and was the total package. Leonard fought the best fighters and proved to be a truly great fighter from his come from behind win to beat another great fighter in Tommy Hearns. Leonard proved his heart, chin and punch power.

Roy Jones was awesome but p4p Leonard would beat Jones.

Floyd Mayweather is a complete and utter wanker in comparison.

[mikeeod]

I can't think of many 147 pounders in the history of the sport who could've beaten Hearns the night Leonard came from behind for the stoppage. Maybe Robinson would've beaten Hearns, but I honestly can't think of one other welter in HISTORY who could've won that night. So, Ray beat one of the greatest lightweights (Duran), Welterweights (Hearns), and Middleweights (Hagler) in the history of the sport. Floyd's win over Chico Corrales and Hatton were his two best in my opinion, but he beat some solid competition during his career (more solid wins than Ray or Roy in my opinion). Roy looked unbeatable vs. Montell Griffin and James Toney, but didn't have as big a single win as the other two in my opinion.

[GaMo]

Honestly, I don't recall Roy ever cleaning out a division

He held just about every belt available at 175
He held the WBC, WBA, IBF, IBO, IBF, WBF, IBA
And Ring Magazine titles at Light-Heavyweight
The WBO and WBU are the only belts he didn't own
But he was quite clearly the man at 175.

[mikeeod]

Honestly, I don't recall Roy ever cleaning out a division

He held just about every belt available at 175
He held the WBC, WBA, IBF, IBO, IBF, WBF, IBA
And Ring Magazine titles at Light-Heavyweight
The WBO and WBU are the only belts he didn't own
But he was quite clearly the man at 175.

Darius was the lineal champ and they shared the division and Roy never beat him. Do I think Roy would have beaten him? Yes. But that doesn't change the fact that he didn't clean the division out. Hagler, Hopkins, JCC, Duran, Joe Louis, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis...etc., all cleaned their divisions out.

[GaMo]

Honestly, I don't recall Roy ever cleaning out a division

He held just about every belt available at 175
He held the WBC, WBA, IBF, IBO, IBF, WBF, IBA
And Ring Magazine titles at Light-Heavyweight
The WBO and WBU are the only belts he didn't own
But he was quite clearly the man at 175.

Darius was the lineal champ and they shared the division and Roy never beat him. Do I think Roy would have beaten him? Yes. But that doesn't change the fact that he didn't clean the division out. Hagler, Hopkins, JCC, Duran, Joe Louis, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis...etc., all cleaned their divisions out.

Michalczewski never fought outside of Europe
And Boxing in Germany during the 90s was so corrupt
Just look at Sven Ottke's career and you'll see it
Biased refereeing and blind judges.

I'm sure Roy would've welcomed him in America
But after the Olympics Roy wasn't keen on traveling
And Germany was the last place you'd want to go back then.

[Master]

I can't think of many 147 pounders in the history of the sport who could've beaten Hearns the night Leonard came from behind for the stoppage. Maybe Robinson would've beaten Hearns, but I honestly can't think of one other welter in HISTORY who could've won that night. So, Ray beat one of the greatest lightweights (Duran), Welterweights (Hearns), and Middleweights (Hagler) in the history of the sport. Floyd's win over Chico Corrales and Hatton were his two best in my opinion, but he beat some solid competition during his career (more solid wins than Ray or Roy in my opinion). Roy looked unbeatable vs. Montell Griffin and James Toney, but didn't have as big a single win as the other two in my opinion.

Leonard was amazing the night he beat Hearns and Jones and Floyd do not have that name on their record. Jones did beat Toney and Hopkins but they are not as great as Hearns was that night. Leonard had to dig deep to win and probably ended his career with the eye damage caused.

[mikeeod]

Honestly, I don't recall Roy ever cleaning out a division

He held just about every belt available at 175
He held the WBC, WBA, IBF, IBO, IBF, WBF, IBA
And Ring Magazine titles at Light-Heavyweight
The WBO and WBU are the only belts he didn't own
But he was quite clearly the man at 175.

Darius was the lineal champ and they shared the division and Roy never beat him. Do I think Roy would have beaten him? Yes. But that doesn't change the fact that he didn't clean the division out. Hagler, Hopkins, JCC, Duran, Joe Louis, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis...etc., all cleaned their divisions out.

Michalczewski never fought outside of Europe
And Boxing in Germany during the 90s was so corrupt
Just look at Sven Ottke's career and you'll see it
Biased refereeing and blind judges.

I'm sure Roy would've welcomed him in America
But after the Olympics Roy wasn't keen on traveling
And Germany was the last place you'd want to go back then.

Not saying you are wrong on your points, but fact still remains that he never cleaned out the division. Was the same thing at 160 and 168 as well. I thought Roy was clearly the best, but you still have to beat the other top fighters in your division to prove it. I thought GMan was by far the better fighter than Nigel Benn, and look how that turned out. Same with Tyson vs. Douglas. Just because you are favored or are perceived to be the guaranteed winner doesn't mean that it is a foregone conclusion.