Inspired By Nathan's Fodder

Top 5 active fighters who hold a world belt from defeating complete bums, taxi drivers, hags.

Cleverly, Povetkin (not even the top man within his own organisation), Quillin and Ishe Smith, off the top of my head, are the standouts for me. For the fifth spot, I'm not so sure. I'm relctant to count 'interim' champions (counting 'regular' title holders is bad enough) and there are probably a few names who could take that last spot. Although I do rate him (and I'm not all that sold on the abilities of those listed above, although I do think that Cleverly is a better fighter than his record so far suggests) and am expecting him to bolster his credentials by doing a number on Macklin, Golovkin wouldn't be a bad shout but there are two or three others who are flossing belts having faced a similar level of opposition.

I think Golovkin is more people avoiding him than anything...

davidemore wrote:Top 5 active fighters who hold a world belt from defeating complete bums, taxi drivers, hags.

Surely If you're really interested in writing an article like this...You'd offer your 5 fighters ??

Wouldn't you ??

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

davidemore wrote:Top 5 active fighters who hold a world belt from defeating complete bums, taxi drivers, hags.

Surely If you're really interested in writing an article like this...You'd offer your 5 fighters ??

Wouldn't you ??

This thread is indeed inspired by the crap that Nathan has faced.

Or the crap spouted by Nathan. Or his dad and Frank.

5 fighters:

1) Cleverley by some distance
2) Povetkin
3) Golovkin (just hasn't really called anyone out to face them IMO)
4) Maglinaggi
5) Steiglitz - besides Abraham who he's 1 - 1 with, who has he faced?

1. Clev
2. Shumenov (joke belt, but still) 
3. Steiglitz
4. Povetkin
5. Geale

Geale beat Sturm, Mundine and Sylvester. He's also signed to fight Barker

Yeah, not worthy of being a champion. Decent shout on Shumenov.

Sturm is a bum now, who is Sylvester? Munidine was completely and utterly shot (and a bit insane). 

Thanks for the Shumenov shout.

You can be good to me, your daddy. 

Urgh. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebastian_Sylvester

If you go down to the flyweight divisions you will find some pretty weak champions. 16 belts spread across 4 divisions seperated by 10lbs. Cleverly may not even make the top 5 if those are included.

Outside of that the likes of Baysangurov, Shumenov, Jonathon Romero, Jamie McDonnell would rival Cleverly.

McDonnell fought one live opponent. He wins.

manos de piedra wrote:If you go down to the flyweight divisions you will find some pretty weak champions. 16 belts spread across 4 divisions seperated by 10lbs. Cleverly may not even make the top 5 if those are included.

Outside of that the likes of Baysangurov, Shumenov, Jonathon Romero, Jamie McDonnell would rival Cleverly.

Did he not just win the belt in his last fight?

I dont think McDonnell has beaten better oppostion than Cleverly. He fought for a vacant alphabet title against an unproven 21 year old. Clevery equally fought rubbish for his title but he at least has beaten guys like Murat and Bellew who are not the worst.

But he has yet to defend the IBF belt he has won so I disagree with comparing him to Cleverly who is defending his for about the 6th time and by his own admission the toughest fight was against a part time nurse who lost every round of their fight.

I would throw Adrien Broner into this subject as well. A 2 weight world champion who has fought rubbish all the way since winning the belts.

Ponce DeLeon being the only decent fighter hes faced (and struggled against) and that was before he won a belt.

Demarco's a good fighter and he demolished him to be fair.

Well I certainly dont believe Cleverlys toughest fight was against Karpency. Mohamedi, Murat and Bellew all spring to mind as tougher fights regardless of what Cleverly says. I think thats a case of a fighter trying to talk a poor opponent choice up to give it legitimacy.

The question posed was what active fighters hold a belt from beating weak opposition. McDonnell seems like a decent guy but in order to get his title he had to fight an eliminator against an average ex flyweight and then a vacant title shot against a very young largely unproven fighter.

Cleverly has a number of poor defences but overall has a better record, is more talented and has beaten better opposition than McDonnell for me. He is rightly under far more pressure to deliver a meaningful opponent though as a consequence of his poor defences.