BoxRec

Out of all the great fighters we've had in the past 20yrs, who would
ya'll consider who've made the biggest impact on the sport? I'm gonna
throw some names out there but I'm curious to see what everyone's
pick is...

Is it Tyson, Holyfield, Lennox, Foreman, De La Hoya, Roy Jones, Chavez,
Hopkins, Trinidad, Sweet Pea, Mosely, Calzaghe, Hatton, Kosta, Wright, or
Mayweather Jr????

Who will be the TOP Hall of Famer out there great fighters when it's all
said & done & everything is carved in stone?

I'm not being biased but my pick has to go Iron Mike. As a kid growing
up everytime Tyson fought it was cars jammed packed at all the
neighbor's homes with the bar-b-que pits lit up. All the kids on the block
would end their street football & basketball games early to watch
Tyson in his prime massacre somebody. The following day we would
all sit on the street corners imitating the fashion the way the victim
hit the canvas.

This guy was like a live horror movie character & I'm not exaggerating.
Till this day I've never seen the energy of people so feared by one
name...TYSON. He might not have had the longest reign but he
definitely caused the most panic & fear I've ever seen.

If you go with "impact on the sport" I have to agree. With maybe DLH on his heels if his promotional pursuits pan out. And that impact has not always been good mind you. Next to Louis and Ali it's hard to imagine someone with more "impact". Even in his decline he had us all looking. We'll probably all look again if should be so ill advised as to give it another go.

I think it's too early to try to gauge the impact on the sport of guys like Hatton and Mayweather, you don't know how things will pan out, but I would say they both have a good chance of becoming ATG's, all depends on the right fights getting made.
DLHoya's contribution to the sport is done, as a participant, I would say, and I think he deserves to be ranked up with the greats. If a fight with Mayweather comes through that's his only chance to further an already great legacy.
Sweetpea is vastly underrated, technically I would make him the equal of anyone over the last two decades, and for me personally, very few boxers impressed me more than him.
Mike McCallum amd Azumah Nelson I have to mention out of gratitude for priceless entertainment that they provided.
Daniel Zarragoza another I would not overlook, along with the likes of Manuel Medina, John David Jackson, John John Mollina,-Tony Lopez, Brian Mitchell, Thulane Malinga, etc etc, the list could go on. No-one will mistake these guys for all-time-greats, but hell, they kept the sport going in my time and these are the guys I will remember, so before I mention a candidate for best of the last two decades, guys like these I want to thank.

From the perspective of an 'outsider', it's gotta be Tyson for the last two decades, and that I think is a significant observation, Tyson IS boxing in the last 20 years to anyone with less than expert knowledge of boxing. I think that is a measure of the impact that he had on the sport, coz everyone was excited by him.
Personally, I cannot name a name.
Whittaker for being a defensive wizard?
De La Hoya for so many weight classes and always going after the best?
Jones jr for pure skill and winning a heavyweight title?
Chavez? Barrera? Morales?
I would rather just watch them fight and appreciate each for his own qualities.
I will say this though. In the next year or so, I predict that Paquiao and Mayweather will be the names on everyones lips in discussions of this kind. Thanks. Love and peace to y'all.

Very good insight by both of you! They're showing a 4hr marathon of
Tyson right now on classic!

You know Holyfield had a pretty significant impact as well. No one had mentioned him.

Tyson has made the biggest impact in last 2 decades hands down.


Yo damien who should I put my money on tonight, Raheem or Freitas ?

I agree Buzz, Holyfield is a lock for ATG/HOF, but people forget he was unbeatable at Cruiser.
Before i get a barrage of dissent, I know there are many small heavyweights from the past who would have been brilliant cruisers, but I still say that Holy was a geat among them, at least.

One guy who looked like he was going to be real influential was Michael Carbajal. It looked like he was gonna bring interest to the flyweights national tv pay per view maybe, etc. but it didnt pan out in the long run.

carbajal had a good run though....and some real interesting surprises that he pulled off will forever be remembered.

Oh ya , I agree. I thought we were gonna see a little more flyweight action thanks to little Hands of stone.There was talk of bigger paydays also.

Maybe you could tell us who's the greates champ in the hip hop community and what he says about Mayweather's next opponent.

Tyson for his impact on the sport. Although you can draw more than one inference on the definition of "impact"

damien590 wrote:Very good insight by both of you! They're showing a 4hr marathon of
Tyson right now on classic!

Its a six hour marathon

compare the style he fought in his fight w/Bruno and against Spinks/Holmes, that is the exact end of his prime

..impact and best known...tyson.

for consistent quality, i like delahoya....though i don't think he actually towers over the many good names here.

holyfield? i'd say his impact is much the same as that of barry bonds...and....well.....i guess i'll just leave it at that.

Of all the top heavyweights who were active during the last
twenty years, Evander Holyfield had the most heart and
dedication. As a result, he beat a number of fighters who were
much more talented, but didn't have as much in terms of
intangibles.

- Chuck Johnston

Whitaker

Roll With The Punches wrote:Whitaker

Great fighter Whitaker, he has to be up there with the best of them, Chavez too.

Guys like Tyson and Holyfield are not even close.

For me the greatest champion of the past 20, and probably even 30 years is Ricardo Lopez.

I say on impact Tyson. He came in and blew apart the HW division, abate a poor one. And in terms of media, marketing, mass appeal etc and spmeone who had such an air of invincibility its Tyson. I don't rate him but the question is about impact.

In terms of the best on ability and just pure boxing excellence I'd have to go for the one and only "marvelous" one...

MARVIN HAGLER!

I do always hear that EVander beat guys through heart more than talent, but I don't really agree. He did have a great heart, but at his peak he was one of the top 3 fastest HWs in the game, along with pretty good punching power and a great chin. If you look at the other top HWs at that time, there were faster fighters (Seldon, Hide) bigger punchers (Ruddock, Tyson) and even a couple of more durable guys (Mercer, Tua) None of them however were blessed with the all-around physical tools of Holyfield. Of course, he accentuated his gifts with a dedication to training that most HWs lacked.

Decagon wrote:Herbie Hide wasn't faster than Holyfield. He hit harder, though.

Decagon, I would genuinely like to hear your reasoning on this. I only ask because you usually back your arguments up solidly, but I don't see how you can come to the conclusion that Hide was not as fast but hit harder than 'Vander.

Hide could not even make Bowe blink, whereas Holyfield laid him out. As for speed, Hide just looks fast. Maybe not with combinations, but with single punches I am sure he is quicker than Holyfield.

I will have to watch fights to be sure, but I hope to hear from you first.

Hmmmmmm................
Dec, you have not convinced me, but damn, you put a good argument every time.

Hold on a second. you have to excuse me here Dec ole' buddy, I am half way through my second bottle of Sicilian white.
But I just read through your post again, and damn if it does not kinda make sense. I wish I was sober now.