I'd say the Classic Forum has about as big a hard-on for him as is possible, really. Pretty much every forum I go to, actually. But then when you're that good, it kinda goes with the territory.
1. Ray Robinson 2. Sam Langford 3. Harry Greb 4. Ezzard Charles 5. Henry Armstrong 6. Bob Fitzsimmons 7. Roberto Duran 8. Muhammad Ali 9. Joe Gans 10. Benny Leonard 11. Willie Pep 12. Archie Moore 13. Mickey Walker 14. Barney Ross 15. Ray Leonard 16. Tony Canzoneri 17. Joe Walcott 18. Charley Burley 19. Packey McFarland 20. Pernell Whitaker 21. Jimmy McLarnin 22. Joe Louis 23. Carlos Monzon 24. Kid Gavilan 25. Gene Tunney
Langford, Greb (as number 1) and Duran are good enough reasons why if they are above Chavez, Ali and Hagler!
I try to pop over and try to read the threads on Classic everyday but as I don't post there I sometimes forget. That being said everytime I come across Whitakers name he's treated with the respect and appreciation a man of his ability deserves to be. Your choice of placing him one spot behind Leonard is quite interesting as I made a thread about the Ring's choice of placing him one place behind Leonard in their Greatest Fighters of the last 80 years. With Whitaker being only place behind Leonard do you think if you revised your list you could in fact have him in front of Leonard? Or is that the absolute maximum credit you could ever see yourself giving Whitaker. http://www.eastsideboxing.com/forum/showthread.php?t=286422
I feel like a total dick for leaving out hagler,monzon,napoles,hearns,wilde,chavez etc. top 20 is a ***** to do since there are so many good boxers. I need to study a lot more of the oldtimers to make a real list, but sinc e you asked for it, top 20::smoke 1. Sugar Ray Robinson 2. Muhammad Ali 3. Henry Armstrong 4. Sam Langford 5. Willie Pep 6. Ezzard Charles 7. Harry Greb 8. Benny leonard 9. Joe Gans 10. Roberto Duran 11. Ray leonard 12. Barney Ross 13. Charlie Burley 14. Pernell Whitaker 15. Joe Louis 16. Manny Pacquiao 17. Eder Jofre 18. Archie Moore 19. Bernard Hopkins 20. Roy Jones jr.
Good shot. But to be honest, any list without Mike Tyson is probably going to get scorn regardless of who you had on the list. :nut
... can we all say that a top 20 list must have a few staples, aye? Ali Tyson Pepp SRR Leonard Louis ???
1 Sugar Ray Robinson -- #1 Welterweight; #2 Middleweight 2 Henry Armstrong -- #2 Welterweight; #3 Featherweight; #4 Lightweight 3 Harry Greb -- #1 Middleweight; #7 Light Heavyweight 4 Muhammad Ali -- #1 Heavyweight 5 Ezzard Charles --#1 Light Heavyweight 6 Roberto Duran -- #1 Lightweight 7 Willie Pep -- #1 Featherweight 8 Joe Louis -- #2 Heavyweight 9 Benny Leonard -- #2 Lightweight 10 Archie Moore --#2-3 Light Heavyweight 11 Sam Langford -- #2-4 Light Heavyweight 12 Carlos Monzon -- #1-3 Middleweight 13 Sugar Ray Leonard -- #2-3 Welterweight 14 Joe Gans -- #3 Lightweight 15 Jimmy Wilde -- #1 Flyweight 16 Eder Jofre --#1 Bantamweight 17 Gene Tunney -- #3-4 Light Heavyweight 18 Marvin Hagler --#3-4 Middleweight 19 Rocky Marciano -- #3-5 Heavyweight 20 Manny Pacquiao -- Flyweight-Welterweight champion
If we were to say make a list from the best 20 boxers from about 1950 till now, I think people are capable of making very good lists, but with all the fighters before that included its much more difficult since you really need to know the sport in and out to be capable of doing that. It takes a lot of time as well.
Honorable mention: Mickey Walker (top 10 Middleweight and Welterweight), Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Kid Gavilan, Barney Ross, Ike Williams, Pernell Whitaker, Tony Canzoneri, Sandy Saddler, JC Chavez, Bob Fitzsimmons
The ones in bold I don't know too much about. Could you do a quick summary of why they deserve to be in the top 20?