MIKE TYSON'S HIGHEST POUND FOR POUND RANKING?

Mike Tyson @ his PEAK; Pre-Douglas, 37-0, 33 KO's, Undisputed Heavyweight Champion, 9-10 Successful Title Defenses...

1. Was Mike Tyson Worthy of Pound for Pound Recognition @ This Time? Historically, it's Been Difficult for Heavyweights to Register in this Regard...

2. if, If, IF Mike was of Pound for Pound Ilk Back Then, Where was he Ranked???...Was he Ever "The Best Fighter in the World" or Merely the Best HEAVYWEIGHT in the World???...




REED

 

It was well deserved, especially in 88 - Mike was the most dominant fighter on the planet, in any division.

In retrospect, was he actually the best fighter at that time? No, Whitaker and Chavez were historically better/greater fighters, so objectively, Mike was the third best fighter in the world. But that's only in retrospect.

But him being ranked P4P #1 at the time was valid, because he had cleaned out the division and unified, and neither Chavez nor Whitaker had done that at the time.

 

Ring Magazine had him ranked #1 quite a few times.

 

While this isn't exact, this kind of how the P4P order went since the 70s.

Duran was considered P4P #1 through much of the 70s, but in the late 70s, Gomez in the eyes of many had that distinction, especially after he destroyed Zarate, because a lot of people considered Zarate P4P #1.

After Gomez lost to Sanchez, about a month later Leonard beat Hearns, so Leonard officially took over as P4p #1.

After Leonard retired, Hagler took over as the P4P king, and Hagler held the title until Leonard upset him in 87, at which point it went to Mike.

After Mike lost to Douglas, it became very close - as some considered Chavez P4P #1 and others considered Whitaker #1, but after Pea embarrassed Chavez, he was the undisputed P4P #1 for a few years, until it went to Roy.

 

Then, as I recall, at some point after Tarver I, Mayweather, Mosely, Hopkins and De La Hoya were the front runners.

Wasn't Mosley considered #1 by Ring after he beat De La Hoya? Sure I've seen that somewhere.

 

After Tarver KO'd Roy, Hopkins was considered by the vast majority of the boxing world as P4P #1.

It wasn't until 05, when Floyd destroyed Gatti and Hopkins lost to Taylor, THEN the title finally went to Floyd.

 

Well before Tarver 1, Oscar and Roy were often swapped at #1 although Jones was at the top more consistently. When Tito beat Oscar and went on a run at 154 and 160 many had him at the top too. (then he lost to Hopkins)

 

As for Mosley, yes. Matter of fact, on the old Second's Out forum (where many of us here came from), there were HUGE debates as to who was the true P4P between Mosley, Trinidad, and Roy.

The forum skewed heavily Trinidad at the time, so I think he was winning the argument in the eyes of the boxing forum world, but we all know the truth looking back... Roy was a different level fighter than Tito and Shane.

 

You're gettin old, Whiskey . Oscar was not in the P4P discussion circa 03.

Pre-Tarver, Hopkins was generally considered #2 behind Roy. I think Floyd, Tszyu, and Barrera were considered 3, 4, and 5.

 

I didn't say 03, i said well before, as in when there was still debate about it.

 

True indeed.

 

Yep...

From Around the Time DeLa "Beat" Pernell in '97, BORED Boxing Writers Occasionally Substituted Him for Roy @ the Top of Their Lb for Lb Lists...Likewise, from the Time Tito "Beat" DeLa in '99, Many of Those Same BORED Boxing Writers Substituted Him for Roy Until BHop KO'ed Him in 2001...

Sugar Shane Even Got a Little Bit of that SAME Love for his Win Over DeLa in 2000, Until Losing to Forrest in 2002...

All the While, the CONSTANT Was Roy Jones...

Roy was Arguably the Top Dog from the Time he Beat Toney in '94, and was Universally Recognized in '95, After Pernell Struggled w/JC Vasquez...Literally, Roy Jones was AT or NEAR the Very Top of Lb for Lb Lists from '94-'03...




REED

 

Whittaker-Chavez is One of The RAREST Of Instances Where THE TOP Spot in Boxing Was Literally @ Stake...

Sure, the #1 Fighter Lb for Lb LOSES a Fight and Subsequently His Spot...Sure, the # 3 Guy May Face the # 10 Guy and Lb for Lb POSITIONING Is Up for Grabs...

Whittaker-Chavez was a Case Where Only 2 Combatants Had a Claim to #1 Lb for Lb, and Here They Were VYING For It...




REED

 

Shane was ranked #1 at the end of 2000 and 2001. Pretty sure it was all the way thru from the DLH win up to the Forrest loss.

https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/The_Ring_Magazine's_Annual_Ratings:_Pound_For_Pound--2000s

 

Toney-jones?

 

I think Toney was ranked #2 behind Whitaker going in. Roy was generally in the middle/lower half of the top 10.

It was obvious that he was extremely gifted physically, but he was also relatively untested at the time. People didn’t think much of Hopkins back then.

 

Regarding the early 80s, someone who followed the sport at that time please tell me, who was considered higher P4P in 81 - Sanchez after he beat Gomez or Leonard after he beat Hearns?

Because Gomez was held in higher regard P4P than Tommy at that time, so was Sanchez considered above Ray?

 

I didn't follow the sport at the time (obviously) but I reckon not. Tommy night not have been rated above Gomez, but Duran, Kalule and Benitez were absolutely seen collectively as better than Laporte, Castillo and Lopez.

I also distinctly remember talk about from commentators on how good Sanchez was, and that he'd be up there with Leonard if he kept on turning up like he did for that particular fight. Pretty sure it was Garcia or Nelson. It was definitely after Gomez, and it wasn't Cowdell, since I watched the British version of that the only time I ever saw it.

 

Good point. I figured it was Leonard, but second guessed myself for a second.

Either way, its safe to say that Leonard, Hagler and Sanchez were the top 3 P4P in 81.

 

Leonard probably would've beaten Sanchez, but I can see Sanchez countering the shit outta Hagler. Maybe even stopping him late.

Shame they never fought.

 

Is that your impersonation of a ESB general forum poster? Lol.

 

I take it I did a good job

 

Whittaker was the Consensus #1, Toney had a Stranglehold on #2...

Roy was Bottom 5-10 Lb for Lb Range at the Time...




REED

 

KO Magazine had Tyson #1 and Spinks #2 going into the match I think in my mind

So by that logic Mike Tyson became super undisputed P4P #1 after khtfko Spinks in one round

 

REED Was 10-11 Years of Age @ the Time, But in PURE BOXING Terms, Sanchez's AURA Seemed Bigger Afterwards, If Only Slightly...

Leonard was Waaaaaaaaaaaaaay More FAMOUS, Obviously, But He'd Also LOST to Duran By Then and was Actually LOSING the Hearns Fight @ the Time of the Stoppage...Yes, Sanchez Had a Loss/Draw Himself, But Those Blemishes were EARLIER In His Career...

American Audiences Hadn't SEEN Sanchez Take an L Or Require a Come from Behind KO to Win...And He Wiped His Ass w/Gomez, Who Was ALSO a Known Commodity in the States, w/30 Wins - 30 KO's or Whatever it was...

The Sequence of Events was VERY Close Also; Sanchez-Gomez 8/81, Leonard-Hearns 9/81...Leonard Briefly Retired After Finch 2/82 and Sanchez's Final Fight was Azumah 7/82...

REED Doesn't Have RING Magazine Rankings to Clarify One Way or the Other, But It WASN'T Unreasonable @ All to Have Sanchez AHEAD of Leonard Lb for Lb @ That Time...






REED

 

Obviously such lists are extremely subjective but so many people treat them the same as "power rankings" like you see in team sports and jiggle around the names constantly based upon the result of what happened most recently.

 

For the record, I consider Michael Spinks a better fighter than Sal Sanchez - but I'm sure NO ONE thought that in 81, and Sal had a deeper resume at the time.

 

I agree. Although I find Sanchez overrated. Always have.

I do need to go back and rewatch Gomez though. Never saw him on a level with the Fab 4. Maybe I'm missing something.

 

Sal is a funny case. He was extremely overrated at one point - when I was new to the sport I thought he was better than Duran. Boy oh boy did I have a lot to learn.

But he gets shit on now so much by hardcores that I actually think he's become underrated.

Sal was a GREAT GREAT fighter - I just think Spinks was better.

 

As for Gomez, I certainly don't view him as good as Duran, Leonard, and Hagler P4P.

But what's very factual is that he was as dominant at 122 as any fighter has ever been at a weight class.