Whitebeard took on all 3 admirals throughout the war and did serious damage to one. Compare that to Rayleigh who only fought evenly with Kizaru and complained about how old he was getting. Well, I think Whitebeard is older and he was already weakened by old age and disease racking his body but that didn't stop him and he endured through 267 blade wounds, over 152 gun shots, and 46 cannonballs. Not to mention half his face was blown off and in the end of his life he never allowed one single scratch to mar the symbol on his back, his pride.
stop making me cry! (kidding.) but yeah, characters like Whitebeard and Bon are seriously unparalleled. i didn't even think of the back thing. this is probably common knowledge, but in olden days, during the war, any Japanese soldiers who were found dead with a wound on their back would be treated as cowards and traitors of sorts, assumed to have attempted to run away from battle, thus resulting in a back wound. so when i saw that panel of his back, completely unscarred, the significance of it just jumped out at me and gave me chills everywhere.
Though, Akainu should die horribly and be buried in an unmarked grave which is subsequently pissed on by various animals. Akaniu fans would be pissed? Meh, it's alright because non-Akainu fans would be happy or not care at all. ^_^
finally, someone says this.