The best fighter of the last 30 years?

[bigragu]

Who would everyone say is the best fighter of the last 30 years? Duran, Leonard, Hearns, Hagler, Whitaker, ODLH, Chavez, Hopkins, RJJ all have to be up there!

where's Tyson.....and AAron Pryor? What about "Boom Boom" Mancini? Prince Charles Williams? "Buster" Douglas? CC if you can tell me what all these fighters have in common.

They all failed to live up to there potential

I was thinking of fighters from Ohio (Tyson moved here awhile ago).....but you are on to something with some of them.....damn it...walked into that one didn't I? begrudgingly I give the promised CC...

[DaxxKahn]

big h who is galaxy ??

http://boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=4059

Awesome Super Flyweight from the 80s

Yeah he was!!!!

[ClydeB]

Hard to say.

Different criteria. There have been many fighters with the physical talent, but lacked the mental strength, intelligence and/or luck. Luck plays a major part, as does marketability.

You look at a fighter like Ronald Wright and see just how hard it has been for him to find success. Then you look at a fighter like Oscar and he was virtually groomed for success, promoters cutting through the red tape for him, so to speak.

On reflection, there must be so many fighters out there, some undoubtedly P4P material, over the years who we never had the pleasure of witnessing.

All that aside, the main 4 that come to mind are SRL, MAB, Hagler and Morales. I'm not sure whethet that's bias on my part or not. I can't say a fighter like RJJ, as his chin let him down and he failed to properly bounce back from the one major setback in his career.

Meldrick Taylor had the potential. Whitaker had the talent and the success, but something lacked in him. He often flattered to deceive. He had the potential to achieve so much more if he adopted a more business-liked approach. His fight with DLH was a massive missed opportunity. He had the beating of a prime DLH, even while past his own prime, but he chose to clown and barely throw a punch.

Hearns' chin let him down. Duran was inconsistent and, quite frankly, dirty as hell.

I could go on.

[BIG H]

Hard to say.

Different criteria. There have been many fighters with the physical talent, but lacked the mental strength, intelligence and/or luck. Luck plays a major part, as does marketability.

You look at a fighter like Ronald Wright and see just how hard it has been for him to find success. Then you look at a fighter like Oscar and he was virtually groomed for success, promoters cutting through the red tape for him, so to speak.

On reflection, there must be so many fighters out there, some undoubtedly P4P material, over the years who we never had the pleasure of witnessing.

All that aside, the main 4 that come to mind are SRL, MAB, Hagler and Morales. I'm not sure whethet that's bias on my part or not. I can't say a fighter like RJJ, as his chin let him down and he failed to properly bounce back from the one major setback in his career.

Meldrick Taylor had the potential. Whitaker had the talent and the success, but something lacked in him. He often flattered to deceive. He had the potential to achieve so much more if he adopted a more business-liked approach. His fight with DLH was a massive missed opportunity. He had the beating of a prime DLH, even while past his own prime, but he chose to clown and barely throw a punch.

Hearns' chin let him down. Duran was inconsistent and, quite frankly, dirty as hell.

I could go on.

Who are you ??

[X]

hey, everyone has forgotten John Ruiz.

[ClydeB]

Hard to say.

Different criteria. There have been many fighters with the physical talent, but lacked the mental strength, intelligence and/or luck. Luck plays a major part, as does marketability.

You look at a fighter like Ronald Wright and see just how hard it has been for him to find success. Then you look at a fighter like Oscar and he was virtually groomed for success, promoters cutting through the red tape for him, so to speak.

On reflection, there must be so many fighters out there, some undoubtedly P4P material, over the years who we never had the pleasure of witnessing.

All that aside, the main 4 that come to mind are SRL, MAB, Hagler and Morales. I'm not sure whethet that's bias on my part or not. I can't say a fighter like RJJ, as his chin let him down and he failed to properly bounce back from the one major setback in his career.

Meldrick Taylor had the potential. Whitaker had the talent and the success, but something lacked in him. He often flattered to deceive. He had the potential to achieve so much more if he adopted a more business-liked approach. His fight with DLH was a massive missed opportunity. He had the beating of a prime DLH, even while past his own prime, but he chose to clown and barely throw a punch.

Hearns' chin let him down. Duran was inconsistent and, quite frankly, dirty as hell.

I could go on.

Who are you ??

Just some bloke who wandered in off the streets

[pacfan]

Sugar Ray Leonard. I'm not sure if I can call him the greatest but I think he was the greatest or the biggest puncher, p4p. Though I never liked him coz I never liked boxers who fool around too much on the ring and taunt his opponents; nevertheless, I couldn't help being amazed at his punching power. I think he could've knocked out just about anyone he wanted, even Marvin Hagler, if he just let loose those punches, but sometimes he just seemed to be tentative and just couldn't let it out, I think it's a question of his heart. You'll see his full power when you see him knocking out this Canadian (what's his name?) fighter.

[X]

Donny LaLonde?

[pacfan]

Thanx, you've got it! Those were killer punches he unleashed on the poor fellow.

[SimonH]

On the principal that all fighters listed must of turned pro in 1976 or later, here is my Top 30:


30 James Toney
29 Ronald ‘Winky’ Wright
28 Orlando Canizales
27 Mike Tyson
26 Sot Chitalada
25 Jeff Chandler
24 Lennox Lewis
23 Floyd Mayweather Jr
22 Aaron Pryor
21 Myung Woo Yuh
20 Jung Koo Chang
19 Kostya Tszyu
18 Brian Mitchell
17 Jeff Fenech
16 Salvador Sanchez
15 Marco Antonio Barrera
14 Mike McCallum
13 Felix Trinidad
12 Evander Holyfield
11 Khoasio Galaxy
10 Michael Spinks
9 Azumah Nelson
8 Bernard Hopkins
7 Ricardo Lopez
6 Roy Jones
5 Thomas Hearns
4 Pernell Whitaker
3 Oscar de la Hoya
2 Julio Cesar Chavez
1 Ray Leonard

[Bookkeeper]

On the principal that all fighters listed must of turned pro in 1976 or later, here is my Top 30:


30 James Toney
29 Ronald ‘Winky’ Wright
28 Orlando Canizales
27 Mike Tyson
26 Sot Chitalada
25 Jeff Chandler
24 Lennox Lewis
23 Floyd Mayweather Jr
22 Aaron Pryor
21 Myung Woo Yuh
20 Jung Koo Chang
19 Kostya Tszyu
18 Brian Mitchell
17 Jeff Fenech
16 Salvador Sanchez
15 Marco Antonio Barrera
14 Mike McCallum
13 Felix Trinidad
12 Evander Holyfield
11 Khoasio Galaxy
10 Michael Spinks
9 Azumah Nelson
8 Bernard Hopkins
7 Ricardo Lopez
6 Roy Jones
5 Thomas Hearns
4 Pernell Whitaker
3 Oscar de la Hoya
2 Julio Cesar Chavez
1 Ray Leonard

I have asked you this question before and I will ask you again because you never seem to give a good answer, how do you have Chavez above Whitaker. Besides look at the ODH fight, Whitaker landed 50 more punches including knocking Oscar down and dipped and dogged all his hard punches all night long, it was a clear victory. Compare that with the way ODH fought Chavez when Chavez was beyond his prime and you can see the greatness. Pernell get's my vote. He outclassed 2 out of the three boxers ahead of him in their primes.

[SimonH]

I have asked you this question before and I will ask you again because you never seem to give a good answer, how do you have Chavez above Whitaker. Besides look at the ODH fight, Whitaker landed 50 more punches including knocking Oscar down and dipped and dogged all his hard punches all night long, it was a clear victory. Compare that with the way ODH fought Chavez when Chavez was beyond his prime and you can see the greatness. Pernell get's my vote. He outclassed 2 out of the three boxers ahead of him in their primes.

I think we have been down this path before:

IMO, Whitaker lacks the names and resume Chavez had.

And it is unfair to rate their performances against each other or against Oscar, when you think Chavez turned pro in 1980 (Whitaker 84) and Chavez peaked 84 though to 88; Whitaker 87 though to 91... Whitaker was always a step behind

But the two common opponents each met in their prime were Ramirez; Chavez beat him easily in 11; Whitaker won the rematch comfortable after losing a disputed decision first time round; and Roger Mayweather; Chavez annihilated Mayweather in 2; Whitaker was decked before winning a decision...

[B@rr3r@]

Oscar De La Hoya

(VanChilds CC)

[Lords Gym]

So many to name, but some fighters I admire that might not be obvious mentions

Azumah Nelson- top notch guy . Nelson celebrated is birthday in San Antonio several years back , and everyone at the Marriott riverwalk stood up and cheered. he walked around and shook everyone’s hand that was in attendance. He called San Antonio his second home. Ben Tackie, James Leija, Louis Espinoza, and many other were in attendance that night. Azumah's wars with Leija were classics ! The Mexican community really embraced Azumah Nelson for the warrior mentality .

James Leija- top notch guy always fought hard and trained hard !

Evander Holyfield- Class act, always brought the best out in his opponents.

George Foreman- reinventing himself.. was a fun journey for the fight fan

Kostya Tszyu- Always a gentleman in and out of the ring, never retaliated a cheap shot when opponents fouled out of frustration ( Chavez- Gonzalas) for example. Very likable fighter, with great power in both hands and skills.

[cockey cockney]

On the principal that all fighters listed must of turned pro in 1976 or later, here is my Top 30:


30 James Toney
29 Ronald ‘Winky’ Wright
28 Orlando Canizales
27 Mike Tyson
26 Sot Chitalada
25 Jeff Chandler
24 Lennox Lewis
23 Floyd Mayweather Jr
22 Aaron Pryor
21 Myung Woo Yuh
20 Jung Koo Chang
19 Kostya Tszyu
18 Brian Mitchell
17 Jeff Fenech
16 Salvador Sanchez
15 Marco Antonio Barrera
14 Mike McCallum
13 Felix Trinidad
12 Evander Holyfield
11 Khoasio Galaxy
10 Michael Spinks
9 Azumah Nelson
8 Bernard Hopkins
7 Ricardo Lopez
6 Roy Jones
5 Thomas Hearns
4 Pernell Whitaker
3 Oscar de la Hoya
2 Julio Cesar Chavez
1 Ray Leonard

Very nice list Britkid, dont get me wrong i aint disputing ya list becuase i completely agree with SRL no 1 but what are your reasons for him being top!?
However, apologies if i missed it but where is Marvellous Marvin!