BoxRec

Since Hopkins has retired (and since the true champ, Tiozzo, has done so too ), there are many fighters that can stake claim to the top several spots at 175. Below is my list; I want to see whether or not the groupings I assigned are generally acceptable.

T1: Antonio Tarver
T1: Clinton Woods

T3: Tomasz Adamek
T3: Zsolt Erdei
T3: Glen Johnson

T6: Paul Briggs
T6: Stipe Drews
T6: Chad Dawson
T6: Julio Gonzalez
T6: Roy Jones

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I assigned the subgroupings alphabetically. In my eyes it is a really tight division, and that one win against a fellow top tenner/top twelver can boost a fighter up several spots, ie from one subgroup into a loftier level. Thoughts?

And I should add that the 'top twelvers' might be considered top ten by some...this would be guys like new WBA champion Silvio Branco, Thomas Ulrich, and Hugo Garay.

I would put Ademek and Woods at 1
Then Tarver Erdei Briggs and Johnson behing them.

Axe wrote:Since Hopkins has retired (and since the true champ, Tiozzo, has done so too ), there are many fighters that can stake claim to the top several spots at 175. Below is my list; I want to see whether or not the groupings I assigned are generally acceptable.

T1: Antonio Tarver
T1: Clinton Woods

T3: Tomasz Adamek
T3: Zsolt Erdei
T3: Glen Johnson

T6: Paul Briggs
T6: Stipe Drews
T6: Chad Dawson
T6: Julio Gonzalez
T6: Roy Jones

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I assigned the subgroupings alphabetically. In my eyes it is a really tight division, and that one win against a fellow top tenner/top twelver can boost a fighter up several spots, ie from one subgroup into a loftier level. Thoughts?

You missed off Garay - robbed twice against Erdei and unbeaten otherwise. You missed Branco who should be somewhere. I think Adamek should be in the top tier.

Ben Keilty wrote:I would put Ademek and Woods at 1
Then Tarver Erdei Briggs and Johnson behing them.

Tarver schooled Johnson twice, Woods struggled with him 3times, losing twice. Not to mention their RJJ performances

Adamek is #1, by far. Briggs is a major challenge, and TA beat him in two of the best fights of the millennium.

You guys are proving my point very well.

Some are saying Adamek should be at #1, some say that Tarver doesn't belong in the top 2, and others say that Woods doesn't belong. In terms of recent achievements, the division is as tight as it can get.

As for Adamek, if he notches another big win (say Chad Dawson 2k7), then imo he'll break ahead of the pack, and into the #1 spot. Erdei could do the same, or Tarver could reestablish himself...all with one fight. The promising thing is, many of these fight are bound to happen. I'm willing to bet that we see at least 8 meaningful, inter-top ten fights within the next twelve months at 175 (heck very recently we've had some good ones: Tarver-Hopkins, Johnson-Woods 3, Adamek-Briggs 2, etc).

Phenomenal--I agree that Tarver is still deserving of a mention, as much as I dislike the milkdud head.

As for Branco, he doesn't crack the top ten, despite being the brand new WBA champ. European champ Drews beat him on 3 hours notice with a clear-cut decision, and Ulrich brutally KOed him, although the German was behind on the cards.

Garay deserves a mention, especially if you believe he won his fights with Erdei (they were both very close). In fact I'd be happy taking Gonzalez out after he got schooled back to back against Erdei and Woods and putting Hugo in there.

I suppose with Garay, we should wait till he gets a decent victory.

I definately would have Garay ahead of Gonzalez... IMO Gonzalez was a bit lucky to get the decision vs a shot Dariusz Michelswecki and since then has looked pretty awful vs Woods and Erdei.

I think there is a case for making Erdei number #1. I personally don't think there is much of a clean cut case for making Woods number 1. If you compare his performance vs Johnson with that of Tarver's. Despite the BHop defeat, you have to have Tarver ahead of him.

I think Garay would give Clinton Woods all kinds of problems.

viciousmaussa wrote:Adamek is #1, by far. Briggs is a major challenge, and TA beat him in two of the best fights of the millennium.

Adamek looks the shit but is unproven against the very top men.

What made you change your opinion on Calazage-Bika btw?

WOuld love to see Woods Tarver that would do him a lot of good in the USA

Woods lost to Johnson 3 times. Erdei, Adamek, Briggs, Garay, and Dawson all beat those two.

josh fg wrote:WOuld love to see Woods Tarver that would do him a lot of good in the USA

No one cares about Tarver here, he's a joke. The guy thinks he's something special because he KOed a weight drained Roy Jones and was in a Rocky movie, but truth is no one over hear could care less about him.

Mattyp151 wrote:Woods lost to Johnson 3 times. Erdei, Adamek, Briggs, Garay, and Dawson all beat those two.

I think Woods and Johnson both beat Garay, in highly entertaining slugfests.

Mattyp151 wrote:Woods lost to Johnson 3 times. Erdei, Adamek, Briggs, Garay, and Dawson all beat those two.

In your opinion.

The 3rd fight could have gone either way. Those who say that Johnson won the first 8 rounds have lost their mind.

I've got it pretty differenlty from you. In my view Tarver, Johnson and Jones are yesterday's men.

TIER 1
1 Adamek
2 Erdei

TIER 2
3 Woods
4 Briggs
5 Tarver
6 Johnson

TIER 3
7 Jones
8 Dawson
9 Garay
10 Gonzales

pundit wrote:I've got it pretty differenlty from you. In my view Tarver, Johnson and Jones are yesterday's men.

TIER 1
1 Adamek
2 Erdei

TIER 2
3 Woods
4 Briggs
5 Tarver
6 Johnson

TIER 3
7 Jones
8 Dawson
9 Garay
10 Gonzales

What can I say pundit...I actually prefer your top 6 to mine.

(And head-to-head, I think your top 6 would be my list as well.)

Whats Adamek done except for two fights with Briggs?

Max Molyneux wrote:Whats Adamek done except for two fights with Briggs?

Hammered Ulrich in Germany, in a very accomplished title defence. That's three very good wins in a row. Tarver used to lose after one good win, so I commend Adamek for his consistency, as well as his skills & guts.

Prior to those 3 wins, he was beating no better than the Ismael Abdouls of the world. Don't know how his performance compares to Macca's and Haye's. But when I get to see it, I will have something to say about it.

Adamek and Erdei are probably 1 and 2 on paper atm. You could put Woods, Tarver, Johnson and Briggs in any order after those two.

Max Molyneux wrote:Whats Adamek done except for two fights with Briggs?

NOTHING!!! Certainly a top fighter, but still to prove...