People tend to glorify and embrace the boxers of past times because of the memories of good fights it brought them.
In another 20 years from now ,we will be talking about how Manny Pacquiao ,Floyd Mayweather and the Klitschko brothers were ATGs ,but as of right now ,they are considered average to good fighters.
Because they are the 'golden eras' of boxing. Those generations just had more talented boxers than every other generation. Each sport has its best generation of athletes. In boxing different weight classes had them at different times. Roberto Duran wouldn't be p4p number 1 today but Sugar Ray Leonard most certainly would be. Wladamir Klitschko even admitted that he couldn't beat Ali. I agree he would destroy Joe Louis and Marciano though. Mayweather wouldn't beat Duran. He would duck him like he ducked Pacquaio. So basically the fighters back then were just generally better.
You have to look at MMA to really under stand how fight sports work. If you just go back a few years guys like Gracy would get killed today by MMA fighters and todays MMA fighter can't fight. The best fought the best in there prime Ali , Sugar Ray Leonard, Roy Jones Jr these guys beat them all. Floyd Mayweather is a great fighter but I would have loved to have seen him fight Parnell Whitaker, Aaron Pryor .
I agree but that's how it is. The fighters from today won't be appreciated until long after they are retired.
I myself think Juan Manuel Marquez is the best fighter to come out of mexico, or maybe Salvador Sanchez, but most will say Julio Cesar Chavez no matter what. Julio Cesar Chavez is a typical Mexican warrior, but Marquez is a skilled boxer puncher. I think Floyd Mayweather could beat anyone, not would but could beat anyone including the names you listed. However today, he is hated so much that he is not given the credit he deserves for anything. I've seen the boxers of the previous era. Why is it when Mayweather is boxing, it's called running but when I see Muhammad Ali dancing around his opponents, no one criticizes that. I love the way Ali fought but Mayweather is hated so much that it's called being a coward or running.
Because they fought with pride and passion at a time when title belts were more important than money.
They were more willing to fight and fight eachother and we saw the best matches in them.
And by respected I mean people think that every old fighter could beat any fighter today in their prime. Like people say roberto duran would be p4p #1 today if he was in his prime or joe louis would dominate heavyweight champion today. I'm not hating but I really think that Floyd Mayweather would beat roberto duran,thomas hearns(two of the fantastic four) or wilfred benitez,felix trinidad. I think Vitali klitschko and/or wladimir klitschko could beat a joe louis, jack dempsey,rocky marciano. I think manny pacquiao could beat an aaron pryor or Juan manuel marquez could beat a hector camacho or mayweather can beat a roberto duran(well you get my point..) and etc.. But my main point is why is every fighter in the past (mainly hall of famers) said to beat any fighter today?
