I disagree about Kuma being able to beat him.
Zoro earned his respect with the sword move and fighting the apes but yeah he begged a lot too.
Fair enough but that was earlier in the manga, doesn't mean he'll stay an enemy. I just find it unlikely he'd fight the captain of the person he wants to surpass him unless that's the final stage to surpassing him. But yeah in a fight he'd win. Plus there's this scan
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He says "Fate is he finished or will he escape" and he escaped so it seems Mihawk will now favor Luffy as fate favors Luffy.