In this week’s must-read mailbag, coach Stephen Edwards looks back on the big Las Vegas bill topped by the light heavyweight clash between David Benavidez and David Morrell, he compares and contrasts the achievements of heavyweight legends Larry Holmes and Mike Tyson and ponders how Benavidez would do with the cream of the crop at 175lbs
Hi Bread, Hope all is well for you and yours in Philly.
1. Is overthinking a problem for boxers? What is the ideal mental state for boxers during rounds? Should that ideal mental state be devoid of verbal thoughts during rounds? Is it more a case of observing the opponent, looking for openings and acting on that info?
2. I notice no one seems to use the peekaboo style since Mike Tyson. Why do you think that is the case? Is peekaboo a style whose day has come and gone, or are there other reasons it is no longer practiced?
Bread’s Response: Overthinking is a problem for all athletes, especially boxers. The ideal mental state during rounds is to be in the moment and allowing your instincts to flow. Some of the things you asked are too specific and most fighters aren’t thinking in those terms during combat. Their instincts become cultivated through training and experience so during fights those things become activated.
The peekaboo style doesn’t get used much because the teachers of that style aren’t teaching kids it anymore. It’s simple. In order to do the style, someone has to teach it to you.
I don’t want to say no one else will use the peekaboo style anymore but you would need a trainer who has mastered the style to link up with a fighter who has the body style and talent to execute it. People don’t realize how twitchy and talented Mike Tyson was in his prime. There were several fighters up at the Catskills the same time as Tyson but none of them did what he did because they didn’t have his talent.
A teacher is more inclined to teach a talented student and fast learner. Tyson obviously was a fast learner becoming a world champion at 20 yrs old.
Bread, In December of 2006 Antonio Margarito won a lopsided decision over Joshua Clottey. This would mark his 21st victory in 22 fights over a 10-year period. He was apparently ascending into superstardom. Three of his upcoming fights would see him destroy Golden Johnson, Kermit Cintron, and Miguel Cotto, before being caught by Nazim Richardson on that famous night. Sandwiched in between Joshua Clottey and Golden Johnson was a fight with Paul Williams which Margorito lost by unanimous decision. Williams threw over 100 punches per round and bullied the bully. However, Margarito did have success in the second half of the fight. Williams had to take the 12th round on all three scorecards to prevent a majority draw. After getting caught with loaded gloves at the Mosley fight, Margarito proved that he was willing to cross a certain line that most fighters aren’t willing to cross. Based on his performances after that incident, the evidence clearly indicates that he had been doing this for a long period of time. His moral compass likely hadn’t just moved. His gloves seemingly hardened as the Williams fight continued, his punches began to have more of an impact in the later rounds. This seems to be the most obvious evidence against him. My questions are, is there anything more morally bankrupt that a boxer can do than what Margarito got caught doing? Is it possible that there are fighters doing this today? How much more difficult would it be to win against a hard hitting opponent with loaded gloves than a fighter who was not cheating? What does this say about the fact that Paul Williams, unlike Margaritos other opponents, absorbed this punishment and ultimately beat him anyway? Jeremy
Bread’s Response: You know I worked in the gym with Naazim Richardson for many years. And I personally asked him what was the difference between Antonio Margarito’s handwraps and Felix Trinidad’s handwraps. His answer to me was Trinidad didn’t have anything illegal in his wraps. He had too much gauze on his knuckles. Margarito on the other hand had illegal knucklepads in his wraps.
I was very specific with my question and he was very detailed in his answer.
Morally bankrupt is a strong word. But having illegal knucklepads in your wraps is low morally. So if the shoe fits…. Because of what was found in Mararito’s hand wraps, his best career run will be tarnished forever. That’s what happens when you do something illegal. Everyone will wonder if the first time you did it was the first time you got caught.
Personally I feel like any fighter/trainer/team member etc who partakes in any type of glove or hand wrap tampering, giving a fighter a PED and/or knowing about it and turning a blind eye to it, is morally bankrupt.
It’s always possible that fighters are doing it today but so many commission members are available to check the handwraps on fight nights. Therefore it is possible to slip in something illegal. I also want to add that hand-wrapping rules are different though for each state. Some states allow tape on the bare hands. Some don’t. Some allow tape, gauze and more tape as the order to wrap the hands. Some just allow gauze on the bare skin, then tape.
I think boxing needs to fix this problem first and universally agree on how hands should be wrapped. I personally wrap in the order of gauze then tape. So no matter what commission I go in front of, my wrap is perfectly legal. I don’t have to customize my wrap depending on the commission. I also don’t have to cater to a mental edge that my fighters may or may not get depending on the commission we fight in front of.
Ssup Bread, Writing from a different email ID this time. Can’t deny that I streamed Benavidez vs Morrell live on facebook. No other option to watch it live in India. Admittedly, this is the first time I watched either of them fight. I mean, I have seen small snippets but this time I saw the entire fight. Is it just me, cause I really don’t see what the fuss is about. They were both slow, sloppy, had very average head movement and average cardio despite moving up in weight. I have seen fighters taking rounds off but these guys were taking turns hitting each other. It was like Benavidez got his offense going for a minute or two and then got tired and then Morrell got his offense going for some time. Apart from taking breaks within a round, Benavidez even took rounds off. I didn’t score but neither one set himself apart if we score in frames. Morrell came back strong in later rounds and Benavidez appeared dead tired. If I score it as one single fight, Benavidez landed cleaner and harder punches so I am OK with the decision. I honestly think it is a mental block for Canelo after losing to Bivol. Just like Fury has a mental block against punchers. He was winning against Usyk till he got clipped and the fight flipped. Honestly, Benavidez would be food for a very good stick and move guy. Canelo is not that but even fighting the way he does, I still give a slight edge to Canelo. If it was still the Canelo from 2020-21, I would have clearly favored Canelo. Canelo takes rounds off but certainly not more than Benavidez. In fact, even now Canelo has slightly better cardio. Benavidez reminds me of Jirov, only with much worse cardio. A fight between them could look like Toney vs Jirov. What is your take? Regards, Saurabh Kumar
Bread’s Response: I think you’re being too hard on Benavidez. He looked good. Benavidez and Canelo is a great match up. But Canelo didn’t take the fight. I’m not sure what else you guys want me to say. Canelo covets his WBC belts. Benavidez was his mandatory. It would’ve been the biggest all-Mexican showdown in history and Canelo went in another direction. You guys have to live with that and stop asking about a fight that the A-side chose not to make.
Hi Breadman, Thanks so much for your mailbag. I’ve loved it for years. Aside from your incredible boxing knowledge, I also love how respectful you are of fighters and other trainers. There are so many times you are asked to comment on something negatively and you don’t take the bait. It’s impressive. Now on to my questions about ATG chin fights, SSR for HOF, and Benavidez’s upper body physique. ATG chin match ups. I think GGG vs. Canelo is the best match up of two great fighters with great chins I can think of. Maybe James Toney vs. Mike McCallum? Are there others you can think of that stand out? To be clear, I’m thinking about fights where both fighters are Hall of Fame level fighters and both have historically good chins. Is SSR a Hall of Famer? I say he has to be with his wins against Gonzalez and Estrada. I know a lot of people think he didn’t deserve the first win against Gonzalez, but I was there at MSG and his punches had a different thud – I thought he landed the harder shots. (I also thought maybe GGG should have lost to Jacobs that night.) What do you think about SSR’s candidacy for HOF? I don’t see how you keep him out if you think Gonzalez is an ATG. Last, Benavidez’s physique. I’m a huge fan of Benavidez’s skill and style. He’s so talented in an exciting way. But his power hasn’t seemed to hold up at 175. He has a really unusual build for an elite non-heavyweight boxer. His hips look wider than his shoulders, and he has very little upper body muscle mass or definition (compared to other elite boxers). I can’t think of many other great power punchers below heavyweight with such an underwhelming physique – maybe Navarrette currently and to a lesser extent Trinidad in the past? I wouldn’t want Benavidez to lose speed or snap on his punches or his fluidity and athleticism. But it seems like some push ups, explosive lifts, or upper body mass could give him a little more power at 175. So I have two related questions. Are there other elite power punchers or KO fighters you can think of with such underwhelming physiques. And do you think Benavidez could benefit from some lifting or strength work to help carry his 168 power up to 175? Thanks so much!—Ian
Bread’s Response: ATG chin match ups. Canelo vs GGG is a great pick but I don’t know if it’s the greatest. Toney vs McCallum is up there but there are so many more. Ali vs Foreman. Robinson vs Gavilan. Armstrong vs Ross. There have been some huge ATG chin match ups.
Is SSR a HOF. He should be on the ballot but because of his weight divisions and nationality it may be a long shot.
I can’t say what Benavidez does in his training. So I can’t suggest lifting weight when he may in fact lift weights already. However, I’m going to guess that he doesn’t lift too much. Especially with his upper body because he doesn’t want to become stiff or mess up his fluidity, but I don’t know for sure.
He has great conditioning, so I wouldn’t tweak his conditioning routine. The one thing I noticed about him was he doesn’t have large hands, defined forearms or dense wrists. Heavy handed fighters usually have all three or at least two of the three. Maybe Benavidez needs to increase the size and strength in those areas. I can’t think of another elite power puncher built like Benavidez off the top of my head.
I thought David Benavidez was very impressive this past weekend. That being said, he doesn’t seem to have the same punching power at light heavyweight that he had at super middleweight. He also got knocked down, which shows he might not have the same chin either. I think Artur Beterbiev is way too big of a step for Benavidez. Do you agree, or am I discounting Benavidez’s chances too much?
Bread’s Response: I was impressed with David Benavidez. Very impressed. The knockdown that Morrell scored was NOT real. But Benavidez being buzzed with a counter right hook in the fourth round was. But he immediately attacked after he was hurt. He didn’t become gun shy. His chin is fine, everyone gets buzzed.
Benavidez can fight in extreme chaos and that matters because most fighters become fatigued under chaos. Benavidez is not a one punch guy, but he’s a volume beat down type of fighter. There are plenty of fighters throughout history that are like Benavidez. Aaron Pryor was one…
I think his power is fine at 175 it’s just not A+. No one has walked through him. He will just go the distance more. That’s all.
My major concern for Benavidez is him burning out. How long will he hold up while fighting balls to the wall? He looked a little depleted and beat up after the fight and Kamikaze styles don’t usually have longevity, but we shall see. I think he’s in the fight with Beterbiev. His hand speed, punch variety and fighting spirit will be a problem for Beterbiev. I see the fight as only 55/45 for Beterbiev.
Hi Bread, As always,thanks for making Saturday mornings special. Assuming David Benavidez is given a shot at the Beterbiev-Bivol winner,which of the two would he have the best chance with? One column writer suggested that the loser of that rematch should fight Morrell. The two Davids certainly gave the fans their money’s worth. I’m sure other readers are running this same thing by you. All the best, Terry…Warren,Pa.
Bread’s Response: I think Benavidez would have the best chance to beat Bivol. But I give him a shot to beat both. I don’t know if Morrell is ready for them just yet. He may need some more experience. But if Team Morrell goes straight to the loser of Beterbiev vs Bivol then more power to them. He has a puncher’s chance vs anyone.
Breadman, I will admit I was wrong with my Morrell pick over Benavidez. Seeing Gavril, Plant and Andrade have success with DB gave me the impression that Morrell with more pop and size would edge him out. Absolutely solid card and fight. Pitbull vs Fierro was an exciting fight. Cruz took some heavy shots and I think someone with heavier hands might’ve knocked him out. Credit for him not going down. Ramos Jr tried to replicate what Charlo did to Rosario with the body shots. Rosario always goes down awkwardly, almost as if he won’t get back up. Ramos Jr is one of the 154 lb players that is overlooked. Solid skills, defense and pop. Only a matter of time before he’s a champion, if given the right opportunity. Fulton did his thing, when he’s boxing on his toes, he’s a tough outing for anyone. While he bested Figueroa twice now… Figueroa is a world class champion. Only goes to show the greatness of Inoue. Given that Benavidez is done at 168lbs. Where do you rank amongst the greats at that weight class? I’ll put him behind Roy Jones Jr and James Toney. RJJ would be too fast for him. I think he would play right into Toney’s strengths, kind of like the Toney v Jirov fight at cruiserweight. I think his activity, underrated defense and size would overwhelm Andrade and Calzaghe. Blessings on your upcoming fights! Richard K, Oregon.
Bread’s Response: Morrell has elite physicality. But he doesn’t make the adjustments or have the defense to beat David Benavidez just yet. He relied too much on his physicality. While Benavidez relied on his workrate and skill which is better to rely on because you won’t always be bigger and more physical than your opponents.
I think Benavidez was a great super middleweight. I rank Canelo in the top 5 all time at 168 and he denied Benavidez his big shot for a reason. It really sucks for Benavidez’s career that he didn’t get to fight Canelo. I wouldn’t rank him #3 like you, just behind James Toney and Roy Jones. That may be too high. Because Joe Calzaghe and Andre Ward are ATG super middleweights. I follow them with Canelo to round out my top 5.
I would rate Benavidez in the bottom half of the top 10 with Carl Froch, Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank and Mikkel Kessler.
Stephen Fulton put on a special performance. Everything was lined up against him. The fight was at 126lbs. It was thought that the weight would favor Figueroa. It didn’t.
It was thought that because Fulton was dropped in his last fight, and stopped the fight before that, Figueroa would have an advantage. It wasn’t true.
It was thought that because Fulton was dropped by Castro and Figueroa stopped him that Figueroa would have an advantage. It wasn’t true.
The fight was also on an all-Mexican card and Figueroa is Mexican. None of it mattered. Fulton almost pitched a shut-out. Mental strength. Composure. IQ. Toughness. Application of skill were all on display. Stand up, Scooter Fulton.
Bread, Every once in a while I worry you one day decide to stop the mailbag. THANK YOU for your week in, week out knowledge. I love Terence. I only rate him below Floyd due to resume – otherwise exact same level eye test wise. I think the Canelo fight is a 55/45 in Nelo’s favour but not much more. My question is: other than Canelo today being better than Fury today, what else is such a big difference that I don’t account for when I’m saying Terence almost has a 50/50 shot? If Usyk could do that against someone 50lbs heavier, taller, better reach and decent footwork, then why is it a stretch in any way whatsoever to say Terence should be able to accomplish the similar feat with Canelo? Besides, he does hold some physical advantages over Caelo. I expected it from Usyk. I expect it from Terence as well if I’m being perfectly honest. Cheers, ash (SCIENCE)
Bread’s Response: I agree with you. I feel like Canelo vs Crawford is a very close fight despite the weight difference. Crawford may not be as strong as Canelo but he’s very strong. He’s more agile than Canelo. He’s longer and taller. He has just as good of an IQ if not better. And his conditioning is better. Crawford also is fighting for an all time legacy in this fight. I don’t think the odds should be more than -200 for Canelo if the fight happens.
Good afternoon Mr Edwards, I was surprised at the Fulton-Figueroa rematch. I expected both fighters to be out to prove themselves hard after the contested first fight. And Figueroa was riding a decent winning streak. Do their styles simply not mesh? Gabriel, Canada
Bread’s Response: Fulton and Figueroa’s styles mesh well. It’s just that Fulton is the superior fighter. He beat Figueroa brawling. Then he beat him boxing. Sometimes it’s just like that. Figueroa tried his best, he just couldn’t beat Stephen Fulton. Their first fight was exciting because Fulton fought inside. Fulton had the ability to make the fight less exciting and he did. That wasn’t because of their styles not meshing. It was because Fulton is too versatile for Figueroa.
Great call on Benavidez vs Morrell. You kept me from going in big on Morrell. I almost went against you but I started thinking as a coach you must know Benavidez very well. You also saved me money on Fulton vs Figueroa. You said something simple, Fulton won the first fight. During the build up, it was lost that Fulton won the first fight. They made it seem like Fugueroa won the first fight. So I just bet the over in that fight because I didn’t feel that either would win by KO. The value is in picking an underdog to win a big fight. Do you have any other nice picks for the underdog to come through? Does Floyd Schofield have a shot at Shakur? Lamont Roach… I need something Bread!!
Bread’s Response: I don’t want to give you a pick for the sake of picking an underdog. I think Scholfield will fight well and possibly go the distance but I don’t know enough about him to pick him to win. I don’t think Lamont Roach will defeat Tank Davis. It’s just a tough fight for Roach. However, I do have an underdog pick in an upcoming fight. But I won’t reveal it right now. I want to see some more stuff in training but I do have a big one in mind. I’m also waiting to see the odds on the fight.
Bud vs Tank… Crawford moving up two weight classes (154 to 168 = 14 lbs) vs Canelo is being accepted. Mayweather discussed Tank vs Inoue 18 months ago. Inoue would have to move up 3 weight divisions (122 to 135 = 13lbs) but the fight that I’ve seen get the MOST pushback is BUD vs TANK, which would be a similar weight jump. I see there’s a double standard there. I’ve seen the internet has less issue with Inoue or Crawford moving up and taking that big risk… but for some reason I don’t get that same vibe when it comes to Tank. People are quicker to dismiss a Tank vs Bud match than the other two aforementioned fights. Is it because the consensus is that out of the three bouts, Tank vs Bud is the biggest mismatch? I find it the most intriguing. My hard question is, why do you believe that fight gets brushed under the rug so much compared to the other two mentioned fights requiring weight jumps? Your last mailbag, you responded to a similar Tank vs Bud statement with “mental gymnastics”, fueling my write in. Ok, let’s flip some shit Bread. Crawford would obviously and rightfully be favored. How would that shake up the boxing world if Turki lined up Tank and Canelo for Crawford. Those are the two fights that would finally cross Bud over. Mike, Las Vegas
Bread’s Response: I think Inoue vs Tank was dismissed. I don’t know if anyone took that fight seriously. More to the point. Inoue didn’t ask for it. So Inoue was being inserted in a fight 3 divisions up that he didn’t ask for. So it was viewed as a massive cherry pick.
Most people think Canelo would beat Bud. But Bud asked for the fight. Context is important.
So with Bud vs Tank….. It’s obvious they don’t like each other. But who exactly is asking for Bud vs Tank. Bud surely isn’t. I also haven’t heard Tank call out Bud. Tank openly talks about how he’s a small guy and he asked for a rehydration clause with Ryan Garcia at a 136lb catchweight.
My point is no one takes Bud vs Tank seriously because Tank hasn’t lobbied to fight someone as big as Bud. So yes, I don’t want to do the mental gymnastics of a fight involving a fighter who doesn’t seem to have the desire to move up that far in weight. If you wrote to me and asked me about Shakur vs Boots. I would tell you I don’t want to do the mental gymnastics for a fight that is so unlikely right now. It’s not an attack or criticism of anyone. Until further notice, Tank vs Bud is not worth talking about from my point of view because neither guy seems interested in fighting each other.
Dear Stephen, I have not written for a while, but I would like to discuss the following subjects: Canelo vs Crawford – I have read all the exchanges that you had for this fight, and I have been very surprised that some stupid people could think that you were choosing Crawford to win this fight, simply because both of you are black men. I am a white guy, and read your mailbag, not only it never crossed my mind, but I would even say that what is being racist is not you stating that Crawford would win (for which you explained why), but in fact people believing that you say that only because you are black. This said for the record, I do not agree with your provision and I believe that Canelo will clearly beat Crawford, if the fight is fully confirmed. I clearly do not have the same knowledge of boxing that you have and in no way can my analysis compare to yours in terms of quality, but while I have a tremendous respect for the fighter that Crawford is, it seems to me that in all his fights, he always physically imposed himself on his opponents and I cannot recall a fight when he did not hurt significantly the other fighter. Crawford is not the type of fighter who will clearly just outbox his opponent, the way Mayweather did with Canelo for example, I cannot see how Crawford will be able to hurt the much bigger and iron chinned Canelo, and just for this reason I do not see how he can win this fight. I appreciate that this might sound like a very basic analysis, but I do not see Crawford just outboxing Canelo by hitting him without being hit. On top of this I think that Canelo will be much more motivated than he was for his last fights, because except the money, he knows very well that he has nothing to gain in this fight, and that should he lose to a much smaller fighter at the end of his career, this could very badly hurt his legacy. As such, while I of course fully respect your expert opinion, I expect Canelo to overpower Crawford and win handily.-‘hall of fame’ and ‘all time greats’-We know of course that a fighter, even if he is not the best, can get into the Hall of Fame, just because he was significant for the history of the sport (for example Arturo Gatti). When we talk about ‘all time greats’ however, we talk only about the very best of fighters. How would you define an ‘all time great?’ A fighter who would have been one of the best in any era of boxing? Or would you have another definition? I also find it is a pity that there is no official list of ‘all time greats’ like there is for the ‘hall of fame’. I think that this would be very interesting if like for the ‘hall of fame’ people would vote for the fighters which would be elected as ‘all time greats’. Has it ever been discussed to have an official list of the ‘all time greats?’
For the sake of the argument of what’s an ‘all time great’, would you consider that Mike tyson is an all time great because of his prime between 1986-1990 when he seemed invincible, or that the remaining of his career proves on the contrary that Tyson was missing something to be considered an all time great. Except a smaller Michael Spinks, and an older Larry Holmes, he never beat any great other fighter during his career, and once he was not dominant any longer, he never turned a fight when he was dominated, and he never avenged one of his defeats. That surely are solid arguments for Tyson not to be considered an ‘all time great?’ So what is your take ‘all time great’ or not ‘all time great’ for Tyson?
On the other hand, unless wrong, Salvador Sanchez is recognised as an ‘all time great’ but his time at the top was even shorter than Tyson. He, of course, beat great fighters such as Wilfredo Gomez and Azumah Nelson, but if he is considered as an all time great for only his short period at the top? And without knowing what would have been his career in the long run, then there would also be a valid argument for Tyson to be an ‘all time great’ just for his peak during 1986-1990? Pleased to have your views, if my message is selected and in any case will keep reading your excellent weekly mailbag.
All the best, Chris from France
Bread’s Response: Canelo vs Crawford just got cancelled (editor’s note, now apparently possibly back on for Sept. 13). So again, it’s not really worth going back and forth about because it’s not happening as of right now. Let’s reconvene if they come to an agreement.
The racist label on me is ridiculous. My picks are my picks and I’m standing on them. I’m not going to let anyone shame me with false accusations, especially when I rarely pick against Canelo.
I’ve never heard of a list of ATG but I would love to see one made.
Yes Mike Tyson is an ATG at heavyweight. He’s not on the Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis top tier of ATG. But he’s firmly in the top 10-12 heavyweights ever in my opinion. Tyson’s competition is often brought up to devalue his status. I find it counterproductive. Because Larry Holmes ruled the first half of the 80s and Tyson ruled the second half. Holmes is considered an ATG and a top 5 heavyweight ever. But many say Tyson is not, which I don’t argue…
But the division was said to have needed order and Tyson was the fighter to restore order. Well if the division needed order and Holmes was the ruler when Tyson turned pro, then…
Tyson unified all three belts during his reign. Holmes never did. Tyson’s best wins during his reign were Spinks, Holmes and Tony Tucker. Holmes’s best wins were Cooney and Norton.
Holmes barely beat a well past it Norton. A fight many thought he lost. So if we forensically look at their resumes, Tyson beating Holmes, is equally or more impressive than Holmes barely scraping by Norton. Tyson beating Spinks who beat Holmes and Cooney, is more impressive than Holmes beating Cooney. Tyson beating Tony Tucker clean, is more impressive than Holmes struggling to a controversial win over Tim Witherspoon.
I’m not saying Tyson is better or had a better career than Holmes. But I am saying that their resumes are similar. Their accomplishments are similar and they may even favor Tyson. Tyson unified and he won the title after he lost it. Holmes has more title defenses, but he never won the title again after he lost it. The unpopular opinion but the truth is Holmes doesn’t have great wins. What he has is consistency and great longevity and the eyeball test says he was special. He was also more resilient than Tyson. But It can be argued that Tyson had a higher peak, was a more dominant fighter and had better wins.
Let’s remember that Holmes struggled with fighters that Tyson was superior to. Earnie Shavers, Renaldo Snipes and Mike Weaver dropped Holmes badly. Holmes had three controversial decisions that many thought he lost in Ken Norton, Tim Witherspoon and Carl Williams. Tyson had none in his reign. Tyson stopped Carl Williams in one round…Tyson consistently outperformed Holmes vs common opponents.
If Michael Spinks was too small for the 5 ’10, 218lb Mike Tyson. Why wasn’t he too small for the 6’3 220lbs Larry Holmes in his first fight at heavyweight? Why wasn’t he too small for the big punching 6’6 240lb Gerry Cooney? If Holmes was old when he fought Tyson, was Holmes old when he beat Ray Mercer three years later? Was Norton old when Holmes beat him? Norton was a spent bullet after he fought Holmes. Holmes was not a spent bullet after he fought Tyson.
The same small heavyweight in Michael Spinks, who we say was too small for Mike Tyson, was the man who ended Holmes’s reign and 48-fight win streak. I’m not making this up. I’m not campaigning for Mike Tyson’s greatness. I’m just simply stating facts that go against the grain of a narrative to devalue Tyson.
It’s almost as if people are mad at Tyson because they slightly overrated him early in his career and now they want to punish him by trying to take away his status of a great fighter just because he didn’t turn out to be the GOAT. He’s still a great fighter. ATG in my opinion.
Salvador Sanchez is an ATG by all metrics. He’s 10-0 in title fights. He was the Fighter of the Year in 1981 along with Sugar Ray Leonard. And he’s 4-0 with 4 KOs vs HOF. And in his Super Fight vs an undefeated P4P level fighter in Wilfredo Gomez, he fought a perfect fight. The quality of Sanchez’ resume is amongst the best ever. Don’t overthink greatness. Sanchez is at the ATG table in a comfortable chair.
ATG is a fighter who would break through in any era. It’s a fighter who matches up well with the majority of the fellow greats in their divisions and/or overall in their era. Sanchez and Tyson are ATGs. High peaks. Quality wins. A grade on the eyeball test. Dominant in big fights. We never got to see Sanchez past his best. Tyson faltered past his best. But he still reached a high enough level to be considered an ATG.
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