Thread: Middleweight to Super-Middleweight Transition

Has there ever been a fighter who was dominant like GGG at middleweight and then moved up to super middle and was a huge success? I cant think of any? Abraham comes to mind but he wasnt great at SMW. I can think of loads in the lower weights but the higher weights where the jump is a bit more there are not so many?

Not really Silkey unless you include Leonards little run. Pretty young division.

However Hopkins being a natural middle (showing up at fight night at 160 or below) and then jumping to 175 and dominating Tarver and then Pavlik at a catch just above at his age is a little staggering.

Benn and Eubank?

Both fought and beat better opposition at middle than Golovkin has.

Originally Posted by ross

Benn and Eubank?

Both fought and beat better opposition at middle than Golovkin has.

No I dont buy that. Geale is better then that Barkley Benn fought. Also, apart from Benn Eubanks opposition at middle are poor. In either case neither were dominant at middleweight.

I think one would have to go back to the Traditional 8 days to find people like Greb for instance that routinely fought at that weight and was still as dominant albeit not being recognized as a division.

Was Roy long enough at 160 to be considered? Had he stayed at 160 longer there is no reason to believe he would not have been as dominant as when he left.

Roy Jones Jr.

James Toney.

Nigel Benn.

I was beaten to it, but I agree with Roy and Toney. Roy was more dominant at both weights, but I don't feel he fought as tough if competition as James did. Benn, in my opinion, was much more effective as a 168 pounder. I don't really consider him a dominant middleweight.

Originally Posted by Silkeyjoe

Has there ever been a fighter who was dominant like GGG at middleweight and then moved up to super middle and was a huge success? I cant think of any? Abraham comes to mind but he wasnt great at SMW. I can think of loads in the lower weights but the higher weights where the jump is a bit more there are not so many?

Abraham was tough but fighting in Germany, he took some beating GGG going up in weight
well I don't see Cotto , Canelo, etc , shouting him out.
GGG moves up the only big money fight would be Froch, Ward does not generate PPV's and
really this game is about money.
I wonder at this stage in his career would Froch, want such a tough fight I think not, and how
much money would a Ward fight make, as Ward is not to ever ones taste.

Originally Posted by Dia bando

Originally Posted by Silkeyjoe

Has there ever been a fighter who was dominant like GGG at middleweight and then moved up to super middle and was a huge success? I cant think of any? Abraham comes to mind but he wasnt great at SMW. I can think of loads in the lower weights but the higher weights where the jump is a bit more there are not so many?

Abraham was tough but fighting in Germany, he took some beating GGG going up in weight
well I don't see Cotto , Canelo, etc , shouting him out.
GGG moves up the only big money fight would be Froch, Ward does not generate PPV's and
really this game is about money.
I wonder at this stage in his career would Froch, want such a tough fight I think not, and how
much money would a Ward fight make, as Ward is not to ever ones taste.

I think I read Ward gets between 1-1.5Mil for a fight but he demands the lions share of the purse. Obviously a fight with GGG with get more but I dont think he could demand the lions share in that fight as I would think GGG is the bigger draw.

Originally Posted by Silkeyjoe

Originally Posted by Dia bando

Originally Posted by Silkeyjoe

Has there ever been a fighter who was dominant like GGG at middleweight and then moved up to super middle and was a huge success? I cant think of any? Abraham comes to mind but he wasnt great at SMW. I can think of loads in the lower weights but the higher weights where the jump is a bit more there are not so many?

Abraham was tough but fighting in Germany, he took some beating GGG going up in weight
well I don't see Cotto , Canelo, etc , shouting him out.
GGG moves up the only big money fight would be Froch, Ward does not generate PPV's and
really this game is about money.
I wonder at this stage in his career would Froch, want such a tough fight I think not, and how
much money would a Ward fight make, as Ward is not to ever ones taste.

I think I read Ward gets between 1-1.5Mil for a fight but he demands the lions share of the purse. Obviously a fight with GGG with get more but I dont think he could demand the lions share in that fight as I would think GGG is the bigger draw.

If the moneys right they will fight, but as you no it's boxing pity but that's why we never get the fights we as fans would love to see.
Theses guy don't fight for nothing, a lot of people don't seem to understand boxing is a business
it always has been, it's a tough jobs getting seven bells knocked out of you so you can't blame
theses guy wanting as much money as they can.

Originally Posted by Silkeyjoe

Has there ever been a fighter who was dominant like GGG at middleweight and then moved up to super middle and was a huge success? I cant think of any? Abraham comes to mind but he wasnt great at SMW. I can think of loads in the lower weights but the higher weights where the jump is a bit more there are not so many?

MW today is a lot weaker than the other divisions.

WW's can move to 154
LW's can move to 140 and 147

Because they've been against real fighters and in real fights.

It's all about the level of comp.

Hopkins moved up successfully from 160 because he was used to fighting mofos.
GG aint ready for nobody at 168.

That's why his camp stopped popping off about 154 to 168...

If Adama and Geale can catch him CLEAN I'm sure Willie the Janitor at 168 will catch him too.

no shame getting hit a little by Rosado....he's quick and sneaky...he's gonna hit you.

But

Adama....hahahaha

That TRASH has no business TOUCHING a top fighter.
He was actually setting GG up and walking him right into his slow-motion punches.

Watch the fight...it's on Youtube.

Kelly Pavlik didn't even let mofos like that touch him.

You have to consider the level of comp before you call GG dominant.
Broner could have stayed at 135 and became "dominant"

Originally Posted by cyclone

Originally Posted by Silkeyjoe

Has there ever been a fighter who was dominant like GGG at middleweight and then moved up to super middle and was a huge success? I cant think of any? Abraham comes to mind but he wasnt great at SMW. I can think of loads in the lower weights but the higher weights where the jump is a bit more there are not so many?

MW today is a lot weaker than the other divisions.

WW's can move to 154
LW's can move to 140 and 147

Because they've been against real fighters and in real fights.

It's all about the level of comp.

Hopkins moved up successfully from 160 because he was used to fighting mofos.
GG aint ready for nobody at 168.

That's why his camp stopped popping off about 154 to 168...

If Adama and Geale can catch him CLEAN I'm sure Willie the Janitor at 168 will catch him too.

no shame getting hit a little by Rosado....he's quick and sneaky...he's gonna hit you.

But

Adama....hahahaha

That TRASH has no business TOUCHING a top fighter.
He was actually setting GG up and walking him right into his slow-motion punches.

Watch the fight...it's on Youtube.

Kelly Pavlik didn't even let mofos like that touch him.

You have to consider the level of comp before you call GG dominant.
Broner could have stayed at 135 and became "dominant"

You don't seem to no much about GGG, for a start he was a outstanding amateur, and he has
beaten all his opponents as a pro, why because he's not American is that why , your very narrow minded, you do seem to like trash talking fighters don't you love the BS.
Remember there ARE good fighters, out side the USA and GGG just happens to be one of them
weather you like it or not.

Originally Posted by cyclone

Originally Posted by Silkeyjoe

Has there ever been a fighter who was dominant like GGG at middleweight and then moved up to super middle and was a huge success? I cant think of any? Abraham comes to mind but he wasnt great at SMW. I can think of loads in the lower weights but the higher weights where the jump is a bit more there are not so many?

MW today is a lot weaker than the other divisions.

WW's can move to 154
LW's can move to 140 and 147

Because they've been against real fighters and in real fights.

It's all about the level of comp.

Hopkins moved up successfully from 160 because he was used to fighting mofos.
GG aint ready for nobody at 168.

That's why his camp stopped popping off about 154 to 168...

If Adama and Geale can catch him CLEAN I'm sure Willie the Janitor at 168 will catch him too.

no shame getting hit a little by Rosado....he's quick and sneaky...he's gonna hit you.

But

Adama....hahahaha

That TRASH has no business TOUCHING a top fighter.
He was actually setting GG up and walking him right into his slow-motion punches.

Watch the fight...it's on Youtube.

Kelly Pavlik didn't even let mofos like that touch him.

You have to consider the level of comp before you call GG dominant.
Broner could have stayed at 135 and became "dominant"

No he couldnt. He couldnt make weight. Even if he could Crawford or Vazquez would box the ears off him. Heck if he had to make weight and not weigh in over the limit both Beltran and Figueroa would have chances against him. And that division certainly isnt stacked.

Well now Cyclones on holiday, we may having some sensible posts who ever GGG fights
I will tune in as I enjoy watching him fight.
We got some good debates, on this subject lets carry on with it.