Who is the man at 147???

[Taeth]

I don't know i don't think theres any one main man in the division anymore, because they've all mostly tasted defeat. And i believe they could beat eachother on any of there best nights so its hard to tell, but ranking wise at the moment its for certain Shane Mosley.

Mosley is the man right now, no doubt.

Dan Rafael said before the fight that the Mosley/Margarito match should have been for The Ring belt, and I agree. Mosley should be the champ, with Cotto the #1 contender. I suppose instead they'll keep it vacant with Shane #1 and Cotto #2.

It doesn't make any sense to worry about where Paul Williams ranks until he decides to fight at welter again.

Why would he be the ring champ, when the guy right up there with him, beat him? I don't think Mosley as cemented his place atop the division until he beats the guy who beat him.

IMO Floyd should leapfrog both of them when he comes back, he is clearly the best fighter in the division when he comes back which might be against Mosley.

[uptoscratch]

Why would he be the ring champ, when the guy right up there with him, beat him? I don't think Mosley as cemented his place atop the division until he beats the guy who beat him.

Two reasons:

1. The relative quality of the wins. Mosley lost a very close decision to Cotto; Cotto was brutally knocked out by Margarito, who was then KTFO by Mosley. That makes Mosley's case the most convincing out of the trio.

2. More importantly, the timeline of the wins also matters. Shane beat the man who beat the man; if you're talking about a title lineage it just doesn't matter that Shane previously lost to Cotto. Like Lampley talking about the heavyweights last night, when Frazier beat Ali, Foreman beat Frazier, and Ali beat Foreman; Ali was the champ.

Before the fight Margarito was number 1; he had just beaten the number 2 man (Cotto), and Mosley was number 3. That would seem to fit The Ring's policy for filling a vacant championship.

Maybe they were trying to avoid the appearance of bias because Shane is a GBP fighter? Otherwise I don't understand the decision.

[leftylee]

Paul Williams.

[GAME]

Paul Williams.

I rate Paul Williams but just compare their fights with Margarito .

[JazMerkin]

Why would he be the ring champ, when the guy right up there with him, beat him? I don't think Mosley as cemented his place atop the division until he beats the guy who beat him.

Two reasons:

1. The relative quality of the wins. Mosley lost a very close decision to Cotto; Cotto was brutally knocked out by Margarito, who was then KTFO by Mosley. That makes Mosley's case the most convincing out of the trio.

2. More importantly, the timeline of the wins also matters. Shane beat the man who beat the man; if you're talking about a title lineage it just doesn't matter that Shane previously lost to Cotto. Like Lampley talking about the heavyweights last night, when Frazier beat Ali, Foreman beat Frazier, and Ali beat Foreman; Ali was the champ.

Before the fight Margarito was number 1; he had just beaten the number 2 man (Cotto), and Mosley was number 3. That would seem to fit The Ring's policy for filling a vacant championship.

Maybe they were trying to avoid the appearance of bias because Shane is a GBP fighter? Otherwise I don't understand the decision.

Although I agree with Mosley bein #1 & that it should have been for the Ring belt, the Heavyweight argument doesn't really work because by the time Ali beat Foreman, he had already beaten Frazier in the rematch, thus indisputably making him the Champ. They actually did an article on The Ring online about why they didn't make the Margarito-Mosley fight for their belt, I'll see if I can find it

[SaltyBacon]

#1 147 fighter shane mosely legit champ naw

[Boom Boom]

Mosley is the man at 147 today. Maybe Clottey or Cotto in the future, but for now, Shane beat the man who beat the man.

[No Contest]

Mosely!!! How is this in question? Cotto lost to Tony, Tony was the man, Shane beat Tony now he's the man. Floyd is out of the picture, f him until he comes out of retirement I don't give a crap about putting him in the picture. Williams is the only other one capable of getting that spot, and he would have to come back down to ww, he just signed a mw fight, so gl with that.

[Andre]

THE MASTER PLASTER The Master Blaster SSM.

[blegit]

There is no clear cut man at welterweight. Cotto has a legitamate claim and Margarito has too much of a cloud. It is a fact he did get caught cheating the investigation is just formal policy. Even though not much will happen. Its ridiculous and lessen the awful crime he committed. It gives no fear for cheaters. But Paul Williams can not be ruled out like he is being. He has said numerous times that he can still make welter and will do so if he can get a mega fight. The welterweight class is so stacked you can almost throw like five names in a hat and just blind draw who the man is. Mosley, Mayweather(he is only out for lunchbreak), Williams, and Cotto all have a good argument. Maybe Pac and Hatton can be thrown in. Heck, look at how the consolation tournament looks Cintron, Clottey, Collazo, Berto, Judah, etc. I

[SweetPea]

For what it's worth, I don't include Williams in the discussion at 147. His last 2 fights have been at 160 and 154, his next fight is at 160, and I don't expect him to ever fight at 147 again, no matter what his handlers say.

Right now Mosley has the right to consider himself the man at 147, although it would help his case to beat Cotto. If Mayweather were to comeback and beat Mosley, then I think he could consider himself the man, since he was the lineal/Ring champ before retiring.

[uptoscratch]

Right now Mosley has the right to consider himself the man at 147, although it would help his case to beat Cotto. If Mayweather were to comeback and beat Mosley, then I think he could consider himself the man, since he was the lineal/Ring champ before retiring.

The situation is kind of funny, actually. Mosley's status now comes from beating Margarito; Margarito's status comes from beating Cotto; and Cotto's status came (mainly) from beating Mosley. But Cotto's next best win was Zab Judah, whose defining win was against Corey Spinks, who made his name by beating Ricardo Mayorga, whose built his career by beating Vernon Forrest, whose most impressive win was over, of course, Shane Mosley.

That's quite a long shadow cast by a guy who's only 5'9".

[Hoggmeister]

where the welterweights are concerned the man to beat was mayweather, then cotto, then margarito, now mosley. am looking forward to seeing how things develope from here on.