How many times have the 2 recognised best boxers ever fought before?

[J_C]

I know theres a couple of similar threads knocking about at the moment but this question is slightly different.

I dont think anyone could argue against Mayweather and Pac as definitely being the best 2 boxers in the world right now. So in pure boxing match up terms (disregarding political and cultural factors) have the 2 best P4P talents in the world fought before?

Just for some random examples to discuss, do the following fights fit the bill?

Ali Frazier
Ali Foreman
Hagler Hearns
Leonard vs Hagler/Duran/Hearns
Tyson Holyfield

I dont know what the whole boxing scenes were like during the eras. I imagine Ali/Frazier were the 2 best heavyweights but obviously theres tons of other weight classes. At the time of Tyson/Holyfield, was someone like Roy Jones considered a better P4P talent?

[OumaFan]

I know Tyson-Holyfield wasn't, not at all.

As for the others I really don't know what the P4P lists were at the time but

Leonard had come back from a long layoff when he fought Hagler so no.

Doubt it with Hagler and Hearns.

Leonard-Duran seems possible but again I have never looked at P4P lists from the 60's, 70's, early to mid 80's.

Chavez-Whittaker was 1-2 unless I'm totally mistaken.

[Dark Lord Al]

[quote=OumaFan;811864]I know Tyson-Holyfield wasn't, not at all.

As for the others I really don't know what the P4P lists were at the time but

Leonard had come back from a long layoff when he fought Hagler so no.

Doubt it with Hagler and Hearns.

Leonard-Duran seems possible but again I have never looked at P4P lists from the 60's, 70's, early to mid 80's.

Chavez-Whittaker was 1-2 unless I'm totally mistaken.[/quote]
Chavez Whittaker is the only one i can think of , pitting 1and2 p4p.

[rjj tszyu]

Had Jones-Hopkins been 10 years later then that would be one. Shame really that they met so early (both mens first title shot) as it only made a Riddick Bowe undercard. Had it been later when both had made their names it would have been a big spectacle and in some people's eyes 1-2 p4p.

[Howlin Mad Missy]

Morales-Barrera at Superbantam?

[HattonTheHammer]

Morales-Barrera at Superbantam?

They were the best in their own division, not the 2 p4p outright best in the world

In my lifetime the only one that possibly springs to mind would be oscar-tito!

[Howlin Mad Missy]

Morales-Barrera at Superbantam?

They were the best in their own division, not the 2 p4p outright best in the world

In my lifetime the only one that possibly springs to mind would be oscar-tito!

Were Oscar/Tito p4p 1 and 2 when they fought?

I think it's very difficult to do because whose p4p list are you working from? The Ring?

[Fenster]

Roy Jones was P4P no.1 (The Ring) when Tito-Oscar fought.

[Fenster]

I believe Floyd retired just before the second Pac-Marquez fight. That made them 1-2 P4P with The Ring.

[BIG H]

I believe Floyd retired just before the second Pac-Marquez fight. That made them 1-2 P4P with The Ring.

Never thought of that

[SweetPea]

Floyd hadn't officially retired before Pac-Marquez II. That was a #2 vs #3 fight.

Only recent occurance was Chavez-Whitaker. Before that you have to go back to Leonard-Duran.

In other words, this is very rare.

[Dark Lord Al]

Here is one , RJJ v James Toney , both unbeaten they must have been right at the top of the top 10.

[Fenster]

Here is one , RJJ v James Toney , both unbeaten they must have been right at the top of the top 10.

The Ring have Whitaker no.1 for the year 1994.

Toney isn't even in the top 10, which is surely a reaction to his loss. They had him no.3 for 1993.

[jdonaher1]

The last time for sure was when Sweet Pea fought Chavez in 1993.

[JazMerkin]

The only other one in recent times was Whitaker vs Chavez. The Pound For Pound debate only really became official in the 90s, although there's a few other fights you could strongly argue to be between the best 2 fighters in the world.

Leonard-Duran might well have been although I believe there were people who might have argued for Salvador Sanchez or Alexis Arguello being one of the top 2 at that point. Fighting Harada-Eder Jofre is a possibility, but it's hard to say either was acknowledged as the best fighter in the world at the time, that may be retrospect creeping in.

The only other fight that I can say you would have to say was between the best 2 fighters in the world at the time was the Hank Armstrong-Barney Ross fight, who were considered the two best, although this was before anyone really used the term Pound for Pound. A similar argument could be made for the Billy Conn-Joe Louis fight, as Conn was considered the best at that point in time with Louis certainly around the top.

But, with pound for pound being a relatively new phenomena in being ranked, it is hard to judge.