Does A KO Victory Make Keith Elite?

[koolkc107]

"Call me average if you want to. My punching power and knockout ratio are not average. My ring intelligence isn't average. We'll prove it on March 7th. We have an opportunity to out-perform Mayweather and we're going to do so."

http://www.badlefthook.com/2015/3/1/813 ... t-guerrero

Should Thurman stop Ghost this coming weekend- something Mayweather was unable or unwilling to do- does that mean he is then in the same class as Floyd, Pac, Bradley, and JMM?

[KBB]

"Call me average if you want to. My punching power and knockout ratio are not average. My ring intelligence isn't average. We'll prove it on March 7th. We have an opportunity to out-perform Mayweather and we're going to do so."

http://www.badlefthook.com/2015/3/1/813 ... t-guerrero

Should Thurman stop Ghost this coming weekend- something Mayweather was unable or unwilling to do- does that mean he is then in the same class as Floyd, Pac, Bradley, and JMM?

I think he cannot simply say he is going to outperform Floyd, for one he isn't facing Manny Pacquiao!!

No, a KO victory doesn't make him elite. What will make him elite is for him to continue to do what he does against better competition each time he goes out. KO's doesn't make one elite, it's the comp you face and whether you win or not.

[beatdown337]

At times I have to consider how much ghost has actually done at 147. But, the fact that he got a shot at Floyd after his battle with berto sticks out in the minds of most so I think it'll be BIG for his career. I don't think keith even needs a knockout. As long as his power shows and he looks good while getting the win I think it may catapult him into the conversation of the top 5-10 in one of the deepest divisions in boxing.

[GL14]

I think his skills are elite. I think he needs a couple more higher caliber wins to have an elite resume. A stoppage win over fantasma would be impressive.

[ReggieDiggs]

I personally consider anyone in the top ten elite by default. I mean there are 1,000+ guys in most divisions. If the top 1% or less of a division isn't considered elite, who is? So he's already elite in my mind.

What this fight could do for Keith is get him his first elite win. I give no f#cks if he KO's Robert or not, although obviously its more impressive if he does.

[ctcatz]

"Call me average if you want to. My punching power and knockout ratio are not average. My ring intelligence isn't average. We'll prove it on March 7th. We have an opportunity to out-perform Mayweather and we're going to do so."

http://www.badlefthook.com/2015/3/1/813 ... t-guerrero

Should Thurman stop Ghost this coming weekend- something Mayweather was unable or unwilling to do- does that mean he is then in the same class as Floyd, Pac, Bradley, and JMM?

If he beats the Ghost this weekend, which I expect him to do, I think you have to consider him a serious contender at 147. I would like to see him have more big fights at 147 though. 147 is stacked with fighters. i wont consider him elite until he faces more of the top 147 fighters

[chucktaylor]

I like when boxers use a plural pronoun to refer to themselves
3rd person is good too, but I feel like using a plural pronoun to refer to oneself is more a boxing thing than a general athlete thing.

[ReggieDiggs]

I like when boxers use a plural pronoun to refer to themselves
3rd person is good too, but I feel like using a plural pronoun to refer to oneself is more a boxing thing than a general athlete thing.

Boxing does got a unique team aspect to it even if there is only one guy in the ring. Usually there is less focus on any one individual in sports or if it is an individual sport there is less of a team aspect to it.

The third person thing is just weird & I think there is some sort of personality disorder for the cats who do that for real.

[beatdown337]

I guess ive always sort of though of it as a "team" thing. you spend so much time with the trainers and corner guys that even though they aren't in the ring on fight night, they at least know what you've gone through to get to that point.

[jujigatame]

The definition of "elite" is debatable but if he does stop Guerrero he's certainly one of the top guys in the division, and should be in strong contention to fight Mayweather or Pacquiao next.

[SenorPipino]

Very few in boxing deserve the tag of "elite."
Maybe Pac and Mayweather and Wlad are the only guys in that stratosphere although you can make a case for a few others.

A KO win over the Ghost would certainly be impressive but Thurman would still have a ways to go before he could be considered elite.
Today, he's a contender but his resume leaves him with a lot of questions surrounding his true value.

A KO victory will stamp him as a legit contender with a realistic shot at becoming a true and highly regarded world champion.
But he'll need to knock off the top guys over the course of several years before he's deserves to be called truly elite.

[Dennis]

I personally consider anyone in the top ten elite by default. I mean there are 1,000+ guys in most divisions. If the top 1% or less of a division isn't considered elite, who is? So he's already elite in my mind.

What this fight could do for Keith is get him his first elite win. I give no f#cks if he KO's Robert or not, although obviously its more impressive if he does.

Reggie you keep making a lot of sense. Good post. Keith is ALREADY elite. He is in the top 10 of his division and the top 20 P4P so how can he not be considered elite. I guess I look at it differently than most but similar to how you look at it. A boxer who is a consensus top 20 contender and fights another top 20 guy and wins has to be considered elite.

[ikorolev]

"Call me average if you want to. My punching power and knockout ratio are not average. My ring intelligence isn't average. We'll prove it on March 7th. We have an opportunity to out-perform Mayweather and we're going to do so."

http://www.badlefthook.com/2015/3/1/813 ... t-guerrero

Should Thurman stop Ghost this coming weekend- something Mayweather was unable or unwilling to do- does that mean he is then in the same class as Floyd, Pac, Bradley, and JMM?

Define an elite boxer first.

[koolkc107]

"Call me average if you want to. My punching power and knockout ratio are not average. My ring intelligence isn't average. We'll prove it on March 7th. We have an opportunity to out-perform Mayweather and we're going to do so."

http://www.badlefthook.com/2015/3/1/813 ... t-guerrero

Should Thurman stop Ghost this coming weekend- something Mayweather was unable or unwilling to do- does that mean he is then in the same class as Floyd, Pac, Bradley, and JMM?

Define an elite boxer first.

Let's keep it simple and define it as the current best or top few best in a given division.

[tiny_acres]

I personally consider anyone in the top ten elite by default. I mean there are 1,000+ guys in most divisions. If the top 1% or less of a division isn't considered elite, who is? So he's already elite in my mind.

What this fight could do for Keith is get him his first elite win. I give no f#cks if he KO's Robert or not, although obviously its more impressive if he does.

Reggie you keep making a lot of sense. Good post. Keith is ALREADY elite. He is in the top 10 of his division and the top 20 P4P so how can he not be considered elite. I guess I look at it differently than most but similar to how you look at it. A boxer who is a consensus top 20 contender and fights another top 20 guy and wins has to be considered elite.

Dennis you know I respect you and your opinion.I agree that Thurman is top 10 welterweight.
BUT no way does he have the resume to be top 20 p4p. He is just not there yet.

[ikorolev]

"Call me average if you want to. My punching power and knockout ratio are not average. My ring intelligence isn't average. We'll prove it on March 7th. We have an opportunity to out-perform Mayweather and we're going to do so."

http://www.badlefthook.com/2015/3/1/813 ... t-guerrero

Should Thurman stop Ghost this coming weekend- something Mayweather was unable or unwilling to do- does that mean he is then in the same class as Floyd, Pac, Bradley, and JMM?

Define an elite boxer first.

Let's keep it simple and define it as the current best or top few best in a given division.

Confidently beating Guererro with probably make Keith a top 5-7 WW. However, before we see him against Floyd, Manny, Marquez or Bradley, his elite status is not completely clear. It is not about his resume but about an ability to fight smart opposition.

[Lackeos]

Keith Thurman has been consistently overhyped. His resume is inferior to that of Kell Brook, Amir Khan, Timothy Bradley, Shawn Porter, and so on. If he beats Robert Guerrero in any fashion whatsoever, brace yourselves for hype overload. If he beats Robert Guerrero, his resume will still be inferior to Kell Brook's, because Shawn Porter is better than Robert Guerrero or anyone else Thurman has ever fought.

[SFW]

Keith Thurman has been consistently overhyped. His resume is inferior to that of Kell Brook, Amir Khan, Timothy Bradley, Shawn Porter, and so on. If he beats Robert Guerrero in any fashion whatsoever, brace yourselves for hype overload. If he beats Robert Guerrero, his resume will still be inferior to Kell Brook's, because Shawn Porter is better than Robert Guerrero or anyone else Thurman has ever fought.

Unfortunately resumes aren't much of a gauge when your talking about young guys. Lot more to it than that. His resume is much better than Canelo's was by this point, Canelo has gone on to be a superstar and a top lb for lb guy.. I say maybe it's ok to just be happy to have a good action fighter in a great division. Don't be suprised when he keeps proving the doubters wrong, because it's gonna keep happening.

[Ian1973]

"Call me average if you want to. My punching power and knockout ratio are not average. My ring intelligence isn't average. We'll prove it on March 7th. We have an opportunity to out-perform Mayweather and we're going to do so."

http://www.badlefthook.com/2015/3/1/813 ... t-guerrero

Should Thurman stop Ghost this coming weekend- something Mayweather was unable or unwilling to do- does that mean he is then in the same class as Floyd, Pac, Bradley, and JMM?

"Elite" is subjective, much like P4P is. So a Thurman win can make him whatever you want it to make him.

[hulkmaniac]

Keith Thurman has been consistently overhyped. His resume is inferior to that of Kell Brook, Amir Khan, Timothy Bradley, Shawn Porter, and so on. If he beats Robert Guerrero in any fashion whatsoever, brace yourselves for hype overload. If he beats Robert Guerrero, his resume will still be inferior to Kell Brook's, because Shawn Porter is better than Robert Guerrero or anyone else Thurman has ever fought.

Keith Thurman Knocked out and retired Julio Diaz who Khan and Porter struggled against. Keith Thurman knocked out Diego Chaves who Bradley didn't look so good against(even though I believe Bradley won).