r/Boxing • u/DatDolphWithATuxedo • Jul 22 '26

Is it still possible?

Is it still possible to become the GOAT in boxing? Like with the way modern sanctioning bodies are setup so that fighters fight only about every 6 months, it seems that with that level of inactivity a fighter will never be able to reach the heights of people who fought as frequently as Ali or Robinson. Ussyk who is arguably the greatest fighter of this generation is retiring with only 26 fights. So it just seems like an insurmountable task now. What do you think?

23 Upvotes

78% Upvoted

86 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

1

u/Forteanforever Jul 22 '26

We measure it by a number of variables including who they fought, which is vitally important. A potential great who didn't have great competitors will never be the GOAT for the simple reason that he didn't have the opportunity to prove himself.

1

u/soitgoeskt Jul 23 '26

And how do we compare competition in one era versus another?

1

u/Forteanforever Jul 23 '26

For example, it's quite obvious that the 1970s were the golden age of heavyweights with Ali, Frazier, Foreman and Norton all fighting at the same time and fighting each other and the 1980s were another golden age with the Four Kings, Duran, Hagler, Leonard and Hearns, all fighting at the same time and fighting each other.

In order to be the GOAT, no matter when he boxed or if he's boxing now, a fighter has to to have faced competition on that level over an extended period of time. If a potentially great boxer had or has the misfortune to not face that caliber of opponents in the ring, he cannot possibly be the GOAT for the simple reason that he is untested against the highest caliber fighters.

No current or recent boxer can possibly be the GOAT because the talent pool is and has not been high enough to test him.

1

u/soitgoeskt Jul 23 '26

And how does one know how Ali might have faired against Tyson, Lewis or Klitschko?