The debate rages on in the One Piece fandom as to whether Monkey D. Luffy can beat Dracule Mihawk. With the recent power-ups Luffy got, this article will explore where both characters are now, the abilities they have, and factors that would contribute directly to a victory in a potential fight.
Luffy's Recent Power Progression
Luffy has grown in power a lot throughout the series, especially with the introduction of his new Gear 5 form. Defeating one of the strongest characters in the One Piece world, Kaido, has probably sealed his place as one of the top five fighters. The victory against the "World's Strongest Creature" has led people to believe that he surged ahead of many powerful characters, Mihawk included.
Mihawk's Reputation and Abilities
Dracule Mihawk is the "World's Greatest Swordsman," and he has been, for much of the series, one of the most powerful characters in One Piece. With such a great title, little of Mihawk's actual potential has recently been shown in the arcs. This lack of recent feats has led to others doubting his exact placement in the power hierarchy now.
Comparison of combat styles
Luffy was heavily reliant on his Devil Fruit powers and his Haki, and more recently, his newly awakened Gear 5 abilities. Mihawk fights as an expert swordsman, possessing extraordinary technique and accuracy in his wielding. Their fighting styles are so different that it is hard to compare them directly, since each has its advantages in the fight based on the situation at hand.
Recent Feats and Scaling
As it stands now, Luffy's recent achievements - be it Kaido's defeat or being able to fight an Admiral and a Gorosei member at the same time - boost his standing greatly. It goes further to show that Luffy finally did reach that level where he could face off against the strongest characters within the world of One Piece.
Mihawk's Power Scaling
Although Mihawk hasn't done anything significant recently, his strength is usually scaled based on other top characters, especially compared to Shanks. In fact, fans have pointed out that though Mihawk might be more incredible in terms of swordsmanship than Shanks, in overall power, he may rank below since Shanks seems to be skillful in Haki. This basically gives a comparison as to how strong Mihawk would be at this point.
The Role of Haki
Haki becomes a linchpin in high-level One Piece fights. Luffy has shown extraordinary potential in all forms of Haki, with advanced applications on top of that. Mihawk's Haki skills are not too fleshed out, but it is safe to assume that the World's Greatest Swordsman would have some of the greatest Haki skills in the world.
Possible Result of the Fight
Opinions are torn apart as to how this battle would turn out. Some fans believe that Luffy's recent power-ups and achievements make him stronger than Mihawk; others say Mihawk's mastery of swordsmanship and presumed high-level Haki could still present Luffy with a considerable problem.
Future Developments
The series hasn't ended yet, and both characters are still ongoing. Luffy grew tremendously, although Mihawk himself isn't really shown much to how strong he truly is. Future arcs will define the real power level of Mihawk and could potentially give new abilities to both characters.
Analysis and Conclusion
Taking a look at Luffy's recent resume, particularly defeating Kaido and how he performed against other high-level entities, it would appear that he finally reached that level where he could defeat Mihawk. Now wielding a varied skill set with his Gear 5 abilities and advanced Haki usage, Luffy is able to surpass Mihawk's mastery in the sword.
It's hard to make a fair judgment since Mihawk hasn't been shown really doing anything recently. Going by the data presented and Luffy's path through the series, he would probably be more likely than not to be able to garner a victory over Mihawk now, though the fight would be very hard. This inference still holds as speculative until further information about Mihawk's current abilities is revealed or there is a direct confrontation in the story.