Most overrated boxer ever.
- Thread starter Pierce 34
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2004
- Messages
- 9,422
- Reaction score
- 5,579
Tarver gave him hell the first time too.
- Joined
- May 21, 2022
- Messages
- 4,393
- Reaction score
- 7,277
He wasn't in his prime then either. And that was at 175. He was at his peak at 160 and 168. He was 14 years into his pro career when he first fought Tarver and 15 years into it when the rematch happened and he lost by brutal KO. At 160 & 168, I just don't see how anyone can deny his greatness. At the very least he's in the top 10 greatest of all time.
- Joined
- May 12, 2016
- Messages
- 17,814
- Reaction score
- 14,376
Roy was also undisputed champ at 175. It took 25 years for someone else to come along and do the same (which of course was Beterbiev who then lost the titles to Bivol). That's also notable.
- Joined
- May 12, 2016
- Messages
- 17,814
- Reaction score
- 14,376
Roy did more work than people realize. He was undisputed king at light heavyweight with a dozen or more consecutive title defenses in that division alone. Floyd & Pac never became undisputed in any division and yet both were still voted Fighter of the Decade (Pac in the 2000s, Floyd in the 2010s).
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2003
- Messages
- 25,064
- Reaction score
- 9,964
yup, me too, and "experts" and most of all, rivals. Paul Pender claimed Sugar Ray Robinson was overrated, he'd fought him. I think I had a book that said he lost like 20 fights so he maybe he wasn't so great, never mind that almost all of those losses were after he was 30.
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2003
- Messages
- 25,064
- Reaction score
- 9,964
I don't think too many experts ever had him as "The Greatest" but many of them do have him as the greatest heavyweight. Bert Sugar had him in the top 10 pfp in his book, that's fair. My opinion was he was the greatest heavyweight ever but guys like robinson, Hagler, Leonard, Pep, Duran might all rank above him pfp. He's in that league though, just not complete enough to be be "The Greatest". He said many times he knew he wasn't and picked his old idol/buddy, Ray.
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2003
- Messages
- 25,064
- Reaction score
- 9,964
I love Roy to death but I really don't know what to make of both him and Tyson. As longs as I've been watching boxing they leave me mystified, so, I don't know what to do with them.
I'd say Floyd is my pick as most overrated.
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2024
- Messages
- 382
- Reaction score
- 577
Fair point, Ali is before my time and I think older casuals were who I've heard that from, like casuals in my 20's would of said Mayweather. The biggest name, the biggest draw, must be the best. And I don't want to say Ali or Mayweather aren't great, influential, or an icons.
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2003
- Messages
- 25,064
- Reaction score
- 9,964
he absolutely did but I've said it many times, Tarver was the exact type Roy'd been beating like a drum for years, decent, gangly, lightheavyweight with not outstanding qualities. Roy just lost his legs and couldn't take a punch when that happened, in my opinion. He was slowing down and showing signs for me about a year or two earlier that he was losing his legs.
I really don't have a good explanation though, all fighters slow down or lose this or that, no one has fallen so far and so fast in boxing history. If Roy quit and never looked back after Ruiz, we'd still be talking about him as possibly the best ever, he's one guy where we can't ignore what came after like we do with most fighters.
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2024
- Messages
- 382
- Reaction score
- 577
I think I just don't like flashy, cocky fighters personalities, that leads me to maybe underrate them. Most of my favorites fall far short of historically great, but entertained me tremendously.
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2020
- Messages
- 1,122
- Reaction score
- 1,120
Ray Robinson ended his career with a record of 174-19-5 with 109 KO's. That's actually crazy good. And almost all of those losses came late in his career and he won rematches with several of them.
I think he deserves to be #1 all time personally with Henry Armstrong second. Ali still deserves a good spot though.
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2024
- Messages
- 382
- Reaction score
- 577
Isn't the first tarver flight the one when he came in dry and rapping? I think he was underprepared and overconfident
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2003
- Messages
- 25,064
- Reaction score
- 9,964
I can't remember.
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2006
- Messages
- 31,359
- Reaction score
- 11,678
Usyk is pretty overrated recently.. with many claiming him an ATG HW for a bunch of close decisions against past-it hws in a weak-ass era.
All-time I'd have to say Marciano.
All-time I'd have to say Marciano.
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2007
- Messages
- 6,842
- Reaction score
- 7,811
Most of his wins are pretty decisive. Joshua and Dubois were definitely not past it also.
- Joined
- May 12, 2016
- Messages
- 17,814
- Reaction score
- 14,376
Usyk really makes you salty huh?
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2005
- Messages
- 10,427
- Reaction score
- 3,831
I hate threads like this, anyone with the skills and bottle to fight and has a resume to fall back on can't be overrated. People win and people lose. People are generally judged on who they fight and beat, difficult to overate on that premise. Of course fighters might not get where they're expected to get, but generally the media machine and promoters are to blame for their status. Us as fans know what we are seeing, and if we fall for media hype that's on us. There's boxers who never beat anyone notable, and for that reason they're not overrated, generally National or local pride gets people believing hype. The fighters we still speak about years later have resumes that warrant it.
