Leonard beating atg brawler in Duran, atg boxer and puncher in Hearns, and atg defensive specialist Benitez at welter in their primes is the most impressive stretch in a weight class ever, imo. You can't trump that by making a bunch of defenses or moving up in weight against lesser fighters, but Leonard did that too with Kalule.
Mayweather has the best combination of W-L ratio, longevity and titles at multiple weights. His quality of opposition is also much better than given credit for and would be looked on more favourably in a decade or so. Ali at Heavyweight is the best resume ever. Lennox and Evander are 2nd and 3rd and Tyson deserves more credit than he gets. Leonard is up there of course when you consider Benitez, Duran, Hearns, Hagler on his list of beaten opposition although I don't personally add as much weight to the Duran win as The only great fighter above lightweight that Duran managed to beat was Leonard himself. Overall I personally respect dominance and longevity over most other criteria....and dominance assumes fighting the best possible opposition of your era....as well as beating all of them and beating most easily. Some people want to give props to guys that faced a lot of tough fighters even though they lost to most of them at one time or another. Dominance tells you more (as long as you fought the best in your era). Pacquiao. Morales, Barrera, Marquez, Ledwaba, Hatton, Cotto, De la Hoya, clottey, Margarito. He needs to be given more credit.
Carl Froch Wladimir Klitschko (I know both guys get a ton of abuse on here but they pretty much fought everyone)
Sly knows nothing about boxing guys. That would should be apparent at this point. He knows only SLIGHLY more than casual fans. Only slightly, but that's about it. And LOL @ Duran never beating a great fighter above lightweight. Carlos Palomino was a better fighter than any welter/junior middle that Floyd beat..
Please. You have seen more fights than me, but I apply my knowledge far better than you. Anyone who picked Lacy to beat Calzaghe is in no position to criticize anyone over what they know about boxing....and that is by no means the only ridiculous blunder on your posting resume. You make a habit of them. You consistently pick guys who you like and find more exciting. I know the game...you just have research knowledge.
Alexis Arguello @ 130 is up there. Didn't fight Brian Mitchell, but fought everyone else.... Bernard Hopkins @160 Ali @ Heavyweight Evander @ Heavyweight
Yeah, you got me there... I can't compete with a guy who believed that Mamadou Thiam could beat Shane Mosley.
The Calzaghe Lacy fight DID actually happen however and we all know how that turned out. You can't compare a mythical fight with an actual one....because in a pre-1990 Mythical Matchup, Tyson wipes out Buster Douglas every day of the week and twice on sundays.