Roy Jones Jr. fights Bernard Hopkins on May 22, 1993 in Washington, D.C. Video / youtube.com



A number of aging fighters today are at or very near the end of remarkable careers.

Among them is a group of 10 who have provided indelible memories the past two decades: Marco Antonio Barrera, Joe Calzaghe, Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins, Roy Jones Jr., Erik Morales, Shane Mosley, James Toney, Felix Trinidad and Winky Wright.

Each has won multiple championships. Each presumably is a future Hall of Famer. And, most importantly, each had a large fan base.

However, who among them is the best? Who is the top fighter of his time?

After poring over the records and talking with two guys who have seen a lot of fights - TV commentators Larry Merchant and Al Bernstein - one thing emerges: There is no clear winner.

Here's a look at each (in alphabetical order) and a conclusion at the end:

Marco Antonio Barrera (64-6, 43 KOs): Barrera, along with Morales and Mosley, always gave the fans what they craved - action. He beat rival Morales twice in their war-like trilogy and remained near the top of the pound-for-pound rankings for 15 years, securing his place as star. He had his setbacks - back-to-back losses to Junior Jones, for example - but that's inevitable for a fighter who takes great risks in choosing his opposition and in the ring itself.
Comment: "He always moved me as a fighter. He was thrilling to watch," Merchant said.

Joe Calzaghe (46-0, 32 KOs): The perfect record is impressive but we need to ask a question here: Who has he beaten? Chris Eubank? Robin Reid? An overrated Jeff Lacy? Hopkins at 43? A badly faded Jones? Calzaghe didn't beat one significant opponent in his prime. Is he a Hall of Famer? Absolutely. Does the zero in the loss column necessarily mean he's the best of this era? No.
Comment: "A) Who has he fought? B) Has he been protected? A perfect record is so unusual, though. That enhances his reputation significantly," Merchant said.

Oscar De La Hoya (39-5, 30 KOs): The bar was set high for the Golden Boy and he almost reached it. He fought everyone and (with the possible exception of the Hopkins fight) always acquitted himself well. However, he lost most of his biggest fights - Trinidad, Mosley (twice), Hopkins and Mayweather. Had he not given away the Trinidad fight and found a way to beat Mosley, he might've topped this list. As it is, he had the biggest impact on the sport but wasn't the best of his era.
Comment: "I think De La Hoya, even if he wasn't the best among these fighters, will have the most-enduring legacy," Merchant said.

Bernard Hopkins (49-5, 32 KOs): Hopkins continues to amaze us into his 40s, having overwhelmed Antonio Tarver and Kelly Pavlik most recently. And his record 20 successful defenses of his middleweight title is one of the great accomplishments in boxing history. Certainly, he's one of the marvels of his era. Two losses to a quicker Jermain Taylor when Hopkins was 40 are understandable. However, his loss to Jones when both were young and near their primes and the fact he was often a dull fighter sully his resume at least somewhat.
Comment: "His middleweight run was something but, at the end of the day, Jones beat him easily," Merchant said.

Roy Jones Jr. (52-5, 38 KOs): One word is commonly used to describe Jones at his best: "special." His remarkable speed, athleticism and power dazzled boxing fans for 15 years, even if he was a reluctant warrior and faced relatively few challenges. He did beat Toney and Hopkins convincingly when all three were young and hungry, which were very significant accomplishments. He faded badly toward the end of his career but memories of the Jones who owned three divisions over 10 years will never die.
Comment: "When his athleticism eroded, he started losing. I think recent failures could affect his legacy quite a bit," Bernstein said before Jones' loss to Calzaghe.

Erik Morales (48-6, 34 KOs): Morales was a fighting machine, one that methodically and brutally broke down most of his opponents in an always-entertaining career. Like his arch rival, Barrera, he was afraid of no one and seemed to relish a brawl. He came up just short in his trilogy with Barrera but won accolades with his courage. It's hard to believe he lost five of his last six fights, beating only Manny Pacquiao of all people, but he can be excused. True warriors often fade badly at the end.
Comment: "I think Morales was a terrific fighter … but not quite as good as Barrera," Merchant said.

Shane Mosley (45-5, 38 KOs): Fans know Mosley best as the guy who climbed to the top of the pound-for-pound rankings by beating De La Hoya and remaining there until recently. They might not remember how he dominated the lightweight division, successfully defending his title eight times and building a record of 31-0, with 29 knockouts. That and his two victories over De La Hoya solidified his legacy as one of the best fighters of his era. Two losses to both Vernon Forrest and Winky Wright knock him down a notch.
Comment: "I think the world of Shane Mosley, in terms of what he can do in the ring, but you can't erase those losses to Forrest and Wright," Bernstein said.

James Toney (76-3, 43 KOs): Toney is the most tragic in this group. He probably is the most gifted of them all but has lacked the discipline to live up to his potential. As it was, he won world titles in three weight classes with his remarkable boxing ability and toughness over a long, productive career, making him a certain Hall of Famer. Imagine what he might've accomplished had conditioning been a part of his routine.
Comment: "He's the very definition of a skilled fighter," Bernstein said. "No one knows more about boxing in the ring than James Toney."

Felix Trinidad (42-3, 35 KOs): The Puerto Rican was a thrilling knockout machine for most of his career and had an impressive 15 successful defenses of his welterweight title, which secures his place as a Hall of Famer. However, he never had that defining victory (c'mon, he didn't really beat De La Hoya) and was ultimately exposed as a limited boxer. De La Hoya made him look foolish for nine rounds and that was followed by lopsided losses to Bernard Hopkins, Winky Wright and an old, faded Jones.
Comment: "I don't think of him as a complete fighter but he sure had a great run at welterweight," Bernstein said.

Winky Wright (51-4-1, 25 KOs): Wright was underappreciated most of his career, in part because he doesn't have an exciting fighting style. However, he has been one of the best technical boxers in the world for years and he has won consistently. He has victories over future Hall of Famers Mosley (twice) and Trinidad, as well as talented Ike Quartey. A loss to Hopkins last year doesn't enhance his legacy.
Comment: "Wright's a very good fighter, not a great fighter, and a crowd displeasing fighter," Merchant said.

Conclusion: As stated, no one in this group stands head and shoulders above the rest. However, it comes down to this: Who was best at their best? Hopkins probably has the most-impressive resume here. Calzaghe has the perfect record. Barrera, Morales and Mosley might've provided the most-compelling combination of entertainment and success. In the end, though, it comes down to Jones. At his best, he left onlookers in awe. That can't be said of the rest. And don't make too much about his steep decline toward the end. Some of the greatest fighters ever - Ali, Robinson, et al. - were shells of what they once were as they closed out their careers.

Note: Three notable fighters are missing here, Evander Holyfield, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez. Holyfield was left out because the real Evander Holyfield retired a long time ago. If he were included, he'd probably be the winner. Mayweather wasn't included because we don't believe he's retired. And while Juan Manuel Marquez, 35, is actually older than Barrera and Morales, he shows no signs of slowing down. He could emerge the best of his countrymen when he's finished.