Pre-timeskip Smoker at the very best - and that's being very, very generous.
You guys are MASSIVELY overrating both of them.
Even Smoker, who was way stronger than both of them and had a significant growth himself (learning CoA and CoA, being promoted to VA etc.) is clearly not in the league of the top or even higher tier fighters right now.
Now we're talking about two dudes, who are still two steps behind even VA level, which Oda basically confirmed, once he corrected Coby's text box in the actual volume (still only a captain and not even a rear admiral).
Anyone thinking that those dudes, who were complete and utter fodder pre-skip (one-shot material to even base pre-skip Luffy) are now suddenly tobi-roppo material - fighters that even current Sanji etc. have to fight serious against - has lost their mind.
Dude, you are really smoking crack ...
You guys are MASSIVELY overrating both of them.
Even Smoker, who was way stronger than both of them and had a significant growth himself (learning CoA and CoA, being promoted to VA etc.) is clearly not in the league of the top or even higher tier fighters right now.
Now we're talking about two dudes, who are still two steps behind even VA level, which Oda basically confirmed, once he corrected Coby's text box in the actual volume (still only a captain and not even a rear admiral).
Anyone thinking that those dudes, who were complete and utter fodder pre-skip (one-shot material to even base pre-skip Luffy) are now suddenly tobi-roppo material - fighters that even current Sanji etc. have to fight serious against - has lost their mind.
Dude, you are really smoking crack ...