By Duke Pahulu: Kevin Iole of Yahoo just release his list of the top 25 best fighters of the past 25 years. I have a big problem with the top ten in particular. Old timers such as Duran, Holmes, Foreman and Hearns were all time greats but clearly did their best work prior to 1987.
I wouldn’t have a problem with their presence if the list goes back another ten years but Iole clearly has no respect for fighters who prime years were somewhere within the past 25 years. So if you take out the old timers I noted earlier, that would leave Jones at one, Whitaker at two, Holyfield at three, Chavez at four, Floyd at five and Ricardo Lopez at six. I like fighters in the top six but I would have changed the order and added another fighter.
My order would have been 1. Pernell Whitaker 2. Floyd Mayweather Jr. 3. Evander Holyfield 4. Bernard Hopkins 5. Roy Jones Jr 6. Julio Cesar Chavez. 7. Ricardo Lopez.
Allow me to defend my list. Whitaker is the best defensive fighter since Pep and hardly lost rounds in his prime. I know he had a handful of eye-popping knockouts but for the most part, he had to win rounds in a fashion every other fighter couldn’t. He threw backing up. A dying art in the sport nowadays. Floyd did something that Whitaker couldn’t. He was a defensive fighter that became a superstar.
For all the skills Whitaker had, he couldn’t get passed being a strong B-side for the likes of Chavez, De la Hoya, and Trinidad. And Floyd didn’t fall ill to the nightlife that Whitaker did and has the otherwordly work ethic that has kept his undefeated for the past 16 years. You may knock him for not fighting the best since his move up to 140 but like most fighters, his work at his best weight, 130, is where Floyd shine brightest. Victories over Gernaro, Manfredy, Carlos Hernandez, Jesus Chavez and Diego Corrales should not be overlooked.
Just because the general public have recently noticed Floyd doesn’t mean he earned his spot on the list. Holyfield is number three not only because of the great offensive arsenal he displayed during his prime, but also the strength of his opposition. The heavies he faced in his first ten years at the weight were a murderers row for a blown up cruiserweight and the guy never took it easy during those years. He may have lost a few times but that’s what happens when you fight fighters twenty to thirty pounds heavier than you.
Hopkins should have been higher on Iole’s list for many reasons. Twenty title defenses at middleweight. His recent run at light heavy in his 40’s no less. The guy is a marvel and an all time great. Like the saying goes, you play to win, and that’s what Hopkins did more than most. Roy had three great wins during his prime. Bernard Hopkins, James Toney and John Ruiz at Heavy. Too bad he fought a bunch of soft touches in-between. What a fall of grace since his first real defeat.
I don’t remember a great fighter losing so much after being knocked out. But for all the copy-cats this man produced, my favorite win of his was the last prior to being knocked out. The first Tarver fight where Roy came back in the championship rounds to squeek out a decision was the first time Jones had to show some grit. I know a lot of you are going to berat Chavez at 5 but hear me out. His defining win was a fight he should have lost.
Richard Steele won that fight for Chavez as much at Chavez did. We all knew that Chavez ended Meldrick Taylor but Taylor deserved that win. And don’t get me started with the Whitaker fight. But I’ll give props when props is due. Chavez is clearly the greatest Mexican fighter ever and the chin, body work and wicked right hand was one helluva combination. The man walked through fire to win and that’s still the hardest way to victory. You never had to worry about Chavez stinking up the joint by sticking with his jab. You got your money’s worth.
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