Golovkin in 80s-90s.

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Originally Posted by VG_Addict

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fenster

He could have beat all of them.

This is "era bias" on our part. We think the fighters from the 80/90s are much better than current ones (me too mostly) but it's probably not the case. Just like the fossils think all these great 80/90s fighters were pansies that wouldn't live with the dinosaurs from their time.

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No, I think the 80s-90s MW division was MUCH stronger than the current one.

Compare

Toney
Nunn
McCallum
Jones
Hopkins

to

Cotto
Golovkin
Geale
Murray
Lee

I'm not saying it was the strongest MW division ever, but it was Murderer's Row compared to the current MW division.

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Agree. But you've picked guys that established themselves as great fighters over a long period of time in several weight-classes.

It took Hopkins 10 years to be considered a top fighter, then almost another 10 to be a legend.

There are other factors as well - the supermiddle division being much stronger now than back in the day.

As much as I like GGG, I don't think I could fathom those matchups yet, as we haven't been able to see if he has more than one gear. It remains to be seen whether he is just a Tank that eventually rolls over everything in his path, snuffing them out with hard punches or if he can add finesse to his game and win by design, rather than attrition. I have seen him adapt somewhat during a fight to see punches he's already been hit with but a lot of his ko's have either come while trading or walking down an opponent. The hunter has to become the hunted to reveal his guile.

At this point its theoretical style and toughness match ups. He could match up well with any raging bull types, where his chin gives him opportunities to trade and target, but with evasive, speedy combo counter punchers like jones, he could track and stalk and get cut to ribbons for his trouble without landing something flush and meaningful the whole fight. The only fight there's maybe an inkling for to me is a toney fight, if we liken GGG to a faster, better conditioned jirov who mixed up body and head punches a little better. Toney still out slicks him, but based on effective aggression and GGG chin so far and toneys reluctance to use his legs, it could go to a decision closer than maybe some think.

Against hopkins, i just see him popping the kazaks head back when hes moving straight back and tying him up, i wouldn't put it past this fight to end in some kind of controversy where the frustration winds up with hopkins thrown to the floor or rabbit punched and trying to make an easy night of it.

Given time GGG could be ranked up there with the best especially if he continues to wipe out the opposition so comprehensively. GGG is a special fighter and we should appreciate his time which we will look back in awe.