What seperates a good fighter from a great fighter?

[Dallas' 4 Eva]

Let me use Leo Santa Cruz for my first example example. Leo Santa Cruz is a 4 division champion. Just going off his accolades he should be a sure lock for the hall of fame and on the P4P list. Why is he not? His only memorable fight was getting knocked out by Gervonta Davis, he should of fought Gary Russell Jr. years ago.

Then you have Marvelous Marvin Hagler who stayed in one weight class his whole career and is considered an all time great because he has a bunch of memorable fights against elite competition, but he never moved up in weight.

Maybe Bernard Hopkins for instance, someone who was elite for such a long period of time that is hard to deny his greatness even if he was never the consensus best fighter in the world.

How about Evander Holyfield. Undisputed in two weight classes, plenty of top notch wins, fought every other elite fighter of his era and he didn't wait until they were washed to do it either.

So what makes a great fighter? Is it winning a lot of belts across different weight classes? Is it fighting memorable top competition? Is it being dominant over a long period of time?

 

[patscorpio]

its prolly a whole different type of criteria....every fighter can be very different like your examples you put and they have to be judged as such

 

[alpo]

Who ever gets the most hate

 

[MJ Truth]

Boxing is such an unorganized sport that the criteria changes depending on the athlete.

 

[ℒℴѵℯJay ELECTUA]

Experience

 

[BOXINGGEMS]

Beating the elite fighters in your weight class(es) - This one is more obvious; you have to beat some of the guys who are looked at as the other best fighters in your weight class.

Beating at least 1 fighter you “shouldn’t have” (i.e. Floyd beating Genaro, Ali beating Liston, Spence beating Brook, etc.) - You have to beat someone that you are expected to lose to at some point

Winning Belts/Accolades - goes without saying

Entertaining fights - you have to have those go to fights that fans want to go back and watch. A great rivalry is usually key. Entertainment value.

 

[Kunty McPhuck]

Multiple wins vs elite level competition.

 

[Big Boss]

It depends I guess

 

[FreedMind]

Nitpicking here but LSC had great fights against Frampton and Mares. So, I disagree that his most memorable moment was getting KTFO by Tank.

LSC could've been in a lot of great fights, yet they never materialized despite him jumping in weight and holding titles in them.

It's all about dominance at the top though, right? And that could mean many things in boxing, and it's also a situation where your excellence in one could make up for a perceived deficiency in another.

 

[FaTaL]

Fast paced Decision making, you can have all the talent in the world but most abandon their game plans in the heat of battle

 

[R=G]

Fast paced Decision making, you can have all the talent in the world but most abandon their game plans in the heat of battle

Iq is great..Ali, Mayweather, Robinson, Whitaker...they find ways to pick you apart.

 

[FaTaL]

Iq is great..Ali, Mayweather, Robinson, Whitaker...they find ways to pick you apart.

Iq no panicking makes a fighter great

 

[chunky_mcdaniels]

Heart rate management.

This is achieved in numerous ways both inside and outside the ring.

 

[EBK String]

balancing risk taking and self preservation.

 

[threattonature]

Fast paced Decision making, you can have all the talent in the world but most abandon their game plans in the heat of battle

How would you judge Shane Mosley? That to me was a huge weakness of his.