Firstly Mihawk's title is one of the three titles in the series along with WSM & WSC.
No, Mihawk's sparring against Vista is not something important mostly because it was an arc dedicated to WB's crew and it was needed to portray them somewhat important. Also we are talking about pre TS arc which haki didnt play a major role like post TS and Oda didnt want to make all the characters there to throw black punches and ACoC attacks. All of the fights with the exception of Akainu vs WB were just skirmishes. No one was bloodthirsty to kill someone there.
Mihawk leaving when RHP arrived was not out of fear its clear that he just respects Shanks and as he said in the past he doesnt want to fight a man with one hand. If he knew he is weaker than him he doesnt feel like someone who could hold the title of WSS this way and he would admit that Shanks is stronger than him.
When shanks met WB, WB's words about who he thinks are the the "legends" of the sea are "roger,garp,sengoku" followed by shanks battles against mihawk. its quite clear that in wb's mind these guys are in the top and he would not praise someone who is just YC level.
We have rooftop zoro to be able to scar kaido and even hold for a second the strongest attack seen in the verse and somehow some people think that a character who is stronger than him could not do much better.
Last, all shonen mangas keep most of their strongest characters for the end of the series so its only natural that Shanks,Dragon,Mihawk and a few other chars are in the top of the chain in the world. Its just classic shonen logic.
No, Mihawk's sparring against Vista is not something important mostly because it was an arc dedicated to WB's crew and it was needed to portray them somewhat important. Also we are talking about pre TS arc which haki didnt play a major role like post TS and Oda didnt want to make all the characters there to throw black punches and ACoC attacks. All of the fights with the exception of Akainu vs WB were just skirmishes. No one was bloodthirsty to kill someone there.
Mihawk leaving when RHP arrived was not out of fear its clear that he just respects Shanks and as he said in the past he doesnt want to fight a man with one hand. If he knew he is weaker than him he doesnt feel like someone who could hold the title of WSS this way and he would admit that Shanks is stronger than him.
When shanks met WB, WB's words about who he thinks are the the "legends" of the sea are "roger,garp,sengoku" followed by shanks battles against mihawk. its quite clear that in wb's mind these guys are in the top and he would not praise someone who is just YC level.
We have rooftop zoro to be able to scar kaido and even hold for a second the strongest attack seen in the verse and somehow some people think that a character who is stronger than him could not do much better.
Last, all shonen mangas keep most of their strongest characters for the end of the series so its only natural that Shanks,Dragon,Mihawk and a few other chars are in the top of the chain in the world. Its just classic shonen logic.
Already 10+ threads from mihawk fans trying to defend or prove Mihawk is still top tier