The 20 Greatest Fighters Since 1985

[Jim Jeffries]

Tyson was the biggest name in the 80's yet he get's number 12? what are you a hater?

I suppose you would have him first right?

[them_apples]

I suppose you would have him first right?

no Lennox Lewis would be first, if he counts..then it's a tie between holyfield and Tyson.., tyson being the bigger name..so i'd prob put him at number 2..

[Jim Jeffries]

no Lennox Lewis would be first, if he counts..then it's a tie between holyfield and Tyson.., tyson being the bigger name..so i'd prob put him at number 2..

Perhaps if the list was only about heavyweights, but Holyfield had a bigger and better career than Tyson.

[them_apples]

Holyfield had a better career, but I'd still pick Tyson if the fight had happened in the 80's.

Hell, If Tyson wasn't ****** i'd pick him in the second fight to, but he had to go bite Holyfields ear.

[Jim Jeffries]

Holyfield had a better career, but I'd still pick Tyson if the fight had happened in the 80's.

Hell, If Tyson wasn't ****** i'd pick him in the second fight to, but he had to go bite Holyfields ear.

I thought this was about greatest fighters since 1985, not "who could beat who?"

[BennyST]

Bennyst....Your synopsis of the 2nd fight is false, garbage and just like a Duran nuthugger. I never like to call names but since you want act childish then so be it.

The first fight hmmmm you say that it it irrational to think that Leonard won. Hmmmmm Lets see the judges in a pro duran crowd scored it 1 point win for duran, 1 point win for duran, 2 point win for duran. Hmmmm If you know the fight, you know that all scored the 1st the first round for Duran. had they scored it for leonard a round in which duran did not land one single punch to the head, Leonard wins this fight...that you say is unconcievable that he wins. I suggest you get your facts straight. You may be of the opinion Duran, won, and I am of a different opininion, however the judges had it as close as you could have it..1 single round reversed.....Get your facts straight.

As for Duran being weak and whatever the 2nd fight. That is a bunch of escuses that durans fans always make. Duran simply had to fight a diffeent style. He tried to rush in. etc...but this time Ray moved and boxed. You want to make it like Duran was a god. He quit when he realized that Leonard was simply able to outbox him. The ONLY reason he won the 1st time was because leonard lost the mental part of the fight and fought durans fight. Get your facts straight. He knew when the fight was scheduled he was just as strong, etc...Only thing is he faced a better ray, who was stronger. If you want to look at size, you will see in the 1st fight ray was much smaller. Get the Autobiography of Duran he says in there he was in top shape...In his own autobiography. I said before the fight he was in the best shape of his life an was going to Leonard. I know this is all hype, but the fact is when ray boxed him he could not adapt.


The names you said I forget...I mentioned and said they were good names ...but not Hearns, Hagler, etc..... get yoru facts straight.

Pink son....What do the judges scoring have to do with anything? You believe the judges are right in every fight? So you have the second Leonard Hearns fight a draw just like the judges did? We all know in boxing, judges scores often mean less than nothing and very often don't reflect accurately the actual fight they saw.

Hey I'm not pretending that Duran was ever going to win the second fight (whether it was the Duran from Montreal or not) but if you can't see it was not the same Duran that was in the first fight then you are blinded. If a fighter comes in looking ripped and toned he did some work in the gym. If that same fighter comes in at the same weight but looking softer and rounder he didn't do the right work. It's simple. If you can see that Ray was bigger but can't see that Duran was softer...double standards. Ray is your god like you seem to think Duran is mine.

Get your facts straight, get your facts straight...thanks pink. I will. Duran won the first fight, Leonard won the second. The fact is you're just as blind as you make me out to be. You say Leonard would of won had he boxed, I say Duran would of won had he come in, in shape. Neither did and the rest is history. This argument is utterly pointless. We could go back and forth with this rubbish for years as people before us have already done.

[wpink1]

BennyST I am going by Durans own autobioagraphy where he stats that there where a lot of myths about him and he set the record straight. It is common knowledge that Duran Partied hard the 1st month or so after winning the first fight...However Duran fans try to act as if he is the only one who does this. Duran always ballonned between fights, that is one of the reasons why Ray leonard and his camp pushed for an immediate fight, however what you dont hear from Duran fanz is that Duran He trained hard for this fight too got in shape down to 147, and my friend was saying before the fight he was in the best shape ever, in BETTER than in montreal because this time he wanted to ko Leonard. Here a couple of facts that you a Duran supporter should know when debating..These are Durans own admissions listed in THE HANDS OF STONE...his autobiagraphy.

1. First fight he started training on 4/13 for a June 6 fight. Had several situations with training camp that caused the fight almost to be called on. One he had irregular heart beats, and had to suspend training for this several times. Pages 184-185
2. Had to lose about 33 pounds in the 7 week period, this was normal for him as it was more of a struggle to get down to 135, thus it was muc easier.
3. Duran gets as big as a house between all of his fights Page 185.
4. After seeing Duran against boxers, Arcel was very focused on which referee that was going to be chosen.. "The one thing I fear is that the referee will not let Duran fight on the inside, if that happens there is no way my man can beat Leonard as Duran will not be able to fight his fight and he can not outbox Ray",,the big question is Ray's stamina and endurance after the 6th and 7th rounds. Page 186-187

Leonard as was confirmed by Dundee and reported by the new york times, may have to cancel the fight as he has been bedridden with the flu roughly one week for he is to leave to land in Canada. Durans camp rejoiced once they got word that Ray intended to go ahead with the fight as, they knew he would be somewhat weaker and that stamina would definatly play a much larger role in this fight.

I listed this to show you How Duran was before the 1st fight and how issues with other fighters, never seem to be mentioned as an excuse. You never hear Leonard using this fact at all, he simply says he lost the mind game, Duran beat him before the fight when they had several verbal and 1 reported physical altercation (pg 177) that got inside Rays head and he wanted to knock duran out,not a decision. He wanted to beat Duran at his own game.

Fight 2. Durans own admissions.....

Duran started Training and had to lose from 185 down to 147..He looked pudgy on 10/2 for the Larry Holmes-Ali fight.....Duran had to go through Hell to lose weight. However as usual he made weight!

3 Weeks before the fight, duran and his camp were claiming this is a training camp to end clowns...Duran will knock him out..but that Ray is a lovable guy and he would rather his son grow up to be just like him....to evoke laughter at the press conference in New York.

There was a awful lot of partying even danced with 2 young girls from Leonards camp..however Duran always did this, as he was known for partying hard in any town he visited. Duran in essence was a town favorite, people loved it when he came to town, vs a more cautios Leonard, that is why the Canadian fans loved him, Durans was in Montreal a week before Ray partying with the fans winning them over. This completly blindsided Ray and his camp as they THOUGHT that ray would be the overwhelming favorite, coming back to a place where he won the gold. The fans for the first time in Ray's career were more for his opponent.

Duran quit not because he had cramps, or unconditioned et...He quit because in his own words...and from Eleta "Loenard was dancing around and making fun of him,mocking him. NO, he just said he wasn't going to fight with this clown anymore". Leonard did not want to fight, and he didnt want to chase him.

In all fairness there were some pages that also claimed that duran partyied a bit harder than before and that he was not conditioned as well as he should have been, and that no he didnt have cramps but he ate a big breakfast as a reward for him getting down in shape. But again, he always did that. Nothing new.

So I merely ask why the excuses for Duran. Leonard did not make em. Duran was the same fighter, went through the same challenges in training, he simply COULD NOT DEAL WITH RAY LEONARD STYLE.. This was even his camps own adimission before the 1st fight, and realized that they would have to make it a inside fight. If Ray boxes he wins.. Plain and simple.

[Naps]

haha the guy who dogs fight after fight and should have had his belt taken away atleast a year ago! Haha and sorry Lewis was horrible, the guy couldnt fight had a bum chin and his only advatage was his size. You have Hearns on there but where's Gatti a great fight non the less should have been ahead of Mayorga atleast!

You don't watch mush boxing do you?

He was very skilled technically, and had a very very good chin.

[The Iron Man]

I think tyson is way to low aswell, Lewis should be higher - both should be top 5. Holyfield doesnt deserve the number one spot either.

[wpink1]

Bets fighters since 1985

In order....

Jones,
Whitacker,
Mayweather,
chavez
Tyson
Lewis
Holyfield
Pacquio
Mosley
Trinidad
DLH
Hopkins
Toney
Joe C