User blog comment:AYET/Three strikes and yer out/@comment-4899461-20130206051632/@comment-3425840-20130206125338

Ayet-san, there is no fixed Shichibukai level unlike Admiral or Vice Admiral. A pirate with a decent amount of reputation can be a Shichibukai, he does not necessarily have to be that strong on the other hand a very strong pirate can not be legible for Shichibukai (check Teach, he had to prove himself).

Yes Doflamingo is way stronger than Smoker, so much to the point where he can just play around with him, but Law who is another Shichibukai had a hard time beating Smoker and some other Shichibukai might lose to him.