FLINT ISLAND wrote:I'd put Froch NO 1, his wins against Jean Pascal and Jermain Taylor he has beaten two better fighters there than Haye has.
This is my interpretation of Haye and Froch's
(in red) combined top 10 opponents:
1. Jean Marc Mormeck
2.
Jermain Taylor
3. Nickolay Valuev
4.
Jean Pascal
5. Enzo Maccarinelli
6.
Andre Dirrell
7. Giacobbe Fragomeni
8. Monte Barrett
9. Alexander Gurov
10.
Brian Magee
Haye's top opponents seem to have achieved more before they fought him (Fragomeni has done well since though), Froch's seem to have achieved more afterwards (Pascal, anyway).
I think it better for an opponent to be considered good at the time of the fight, rather than afterwards. I can see why you might think that Froch has fought better opposition, but I disagree (it is close though).
Taylor had only recently moved up to Super Middleweight from Middleweight, his only win at Super Middleweight to show he was World class was againt Lacy, who was/is a shadow of his former self. Taylor then went on to be knocked out by Abraham in his next fight.
Pascal has done very well since losing to Froch, by going up to Light heavyweight to win the WBC title against Diaconu and then defending his title against Branco and Diaconu again in a rematch. Pascal's achievements, since Froch beat him, make Froch's win over him seem even better than it did at the time. But, was Pascal as good against Froch as he is now? I don't think he was, and I think that has to be taken into account.