P4p in his prime, maybe
I liked Leonard, his speed and combinations we're legendary. Robinson was a bad motherfucker too
I think you could argue Floyd being the best defensive boxer of all time. If his hands weren't fucked I think he'd be a lot further up the list overall
As we don't have enough video evidence of SRR and other old timers, I like to rate fighters i have seen with video evidence!
If Hearns had a better I.Q and perhaps chin, he would be one of the greatest I have ever seen
I think from the neck down, he was a more formidable fighter than Ray Leonard
However, Ray Leonard had one of the greatest boxing minds (barring his first Duran fight)
If we are talking fighters in their absolute prime, who do I think is the best? Roy Jones jr hands down! His agility and sheer athleticism is something I have never seen before. and will likely never see in a ring again. He really was superman! He didn't always fight top guys, but he was levels above the good guys he fought and he took a very skilled, defensive wizard Toney to school (though Toney was somewhat drained in that fight)
As Max Kellerman says, Floyd was basically in his prime, while Roy was top of the game.
Absolutely nobody put Floyd ahead of Roy at that time.
But if you consider level of competition and longevity, then Floyd has a case for being the best p4p in the modern era. His ring generalship and I.Q sets him apart from many of the All time greats and that's why he was able to have the longevity he had. Floyd will be more appreciated as the years pass by.
I can't mention Floyd, without mentioning Pacman. Many will have Manny as higher, as he fought in more divisions and he wasn't afraid to step in with anyone. The knockout he suffered from Marquez was brutal and would of ruined many a fighter. But similar to Duran when he got destroyed by Hearns, he was able to rise above it and go back to beating top guys straight after. That is GOAT level mindset and will to be the best!
Lennox Lewis is another that is only getting the appreciation now. When he was still an active fighter, many claimed he was just beating shot fighters in Tyson and Holyfield. Many were fans of these guys and could not look at Lewis career objectively.
My post is long winded, but picking a GOAT is impossible and it comes down to nostalgia and personal preference.
I do think that Manny and Floyd will rank up there long after they retire. These guys were true greats and what Manny is still doing in his 40's is truly remarkable. Ray Leonard was losing to lesser fighters in his 30's, as was Ali and many other greats. Floyd and Manny were/are schooling fighters well into their 30's and 40's!
I think Ray Leonard and Floyd were greater fighters than Duran and Pacquiao, but the latter have arguably greater legacies.
I haven't even mentioned old time fighters, as I think it's easier to debate with what we have seen, rather than what we have read.
Boxing is so steep in history, that you could easily have 50 fighters in your top 10.
MMA will be similar in another 100 years!
