I dont get how we get around the fact that mihawks vc states in no uncertain terms hes waiting for the swordsman who surpasses shanks. Where is the room for argument there.
They can twist it however they want. The truth of the matter is Shanks was an equal rival to Mihawk when Shanks was a YONKO before losing his hands. After losing one of his hands, Mihawk feels it's not worth anymore, and as of now, he's waiting for someone to appear and surpass Shanks to finally pose a challenge!
People can twist it however they can, but it's plain and simple, clear as day what it means here. Shanks can knock out fodders with his haki however, he wants, he can make a dent on WB ship with haki which other characters did more LOL, he can become more handsome with his scar however he wants, truth of the matter is, the serial of events is:
1- Mihawk became infamous BEFORE Roger execution (shanks was still a youngster back then)
2- Mihawk then became worlds strongest swordsman.
3- Shanks grew in strength, and became a rival to Mihawk and continued to have legendary duels that WB calls them legendary with his own mouth, and they continued to do so while Shanks being a Yonko
4- Shanks lost his arm (which means in the grandscheme of things, Shanks's power level didn't drop a lot, but when it comes to an equal rival like Mihawk, it makes a HUUUUGE difference)
5- Mihawk lost interest in him
6- Mihawk is looking now for someone better than Shanks (Zoro in future)
No matter how people want to spin it. that's the matter of things
I would laugh my ass off if by the time Luffy meets Shanks. And when Shanks is preparing to fight Luffy as both promised. Luffy basically says "who said that I will fight you?"
Because Luffy's promise was "I will gather a crew that will beat you". So basically, Luffy could have had a different meaning in that the crew alone excluding him will beat them Bwahahaha. I would laugh my ass off if it ended with:
1- Zoro vs Shanks
2- Sanji vs Beckmann
While Luffy fights Lucky Roo over his meat on the sideline watching the fights hahahaha