At the risk of boxing blasphemy

[killersheep]

Believe me I do, Calzaghe isn't one of my greatest ever either.

And its hardly a holier than thou rant, I openly admited I don't know anything about him, just wondered what it is exactly that makes almost everyone pick him automatically as one of the best ever.

Like who? You just have to throw in blanket statements on everything.
This is a completely pointless thread anyway, because are not willing to make an effort to watch him fight after clearly explained to you by those on this thread it was his SKILL and not his competition that made him great.

How is this a pointless thread? It's a valid question, I didn't say Lopezs was overated, I said from the very outset that I knew nothing about him and was asking the question.

For some reason this is a very tetchy subject for you which frankly is pretty bizarre because ANY and EVERY fighter fighting today can be and IS criticised constantly on here. Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquaio receive tons of criticism, so did Joe in his day, so does Wlad, so does Haye, Pavlik, Dawson, Cotto etc and I'm sure you've said criticised at least one of these on here before yourself.

Yet merely asking a question about Ricardo Lopez prompts you to say I'm holier than thou, on a rant, posting pointlessly etc?

Let me ask you, do you think if he was fighting right now, on Showtime regularly for example and was maybe fighting the likes of Calderon, Cazares etc do you reckon everyone would think he was the complete package and one of the best ever still, or do you think the fact that he's retired, and most of us, if we are honest, don't know a great deal about him means he's rated higher than he actually was?

Don't spit out your dummy, it's just a question is all.

I can't help but think of Christian Mijares, who was put into the p4p by the Ring, earmarked for greatness by many on this forum, but who was found out by a crude, unorthadox, ugly fighter with a big punch, and then lost again to a part timer who had been a pro for barely four years.

I'm just wondering whether if he'd have faced better competition Lopez may not have been equally found out, maybe against Carbajal maybe against somebody else.

It's just a thought, not an opinion, I don't know the answer, just daring to ask the question

It's pointless, because even though your question has been answered by many of us on here that have seen many of his full fights (not on youtube mind you, on terrestrial television) and have explained you should go watch his fights to understand, you refuse to do so.