Top 25 Lightweights of all time

Great lists ...I have Chavez in my top 10

 

No Arguello?

 

Absolutely

 

Great list! Man that top five is just insane. I would love to have seen Duran vs Armstrong. Sweet Pea vs Benny Leonard would be fun as well. Super deep weight class.

 

You're playing many of the right notes, just not necessarily in the right order.

 

That's a good list. Your placement of Mayweather and exclusion of Mosely illustrates that ratings boil down to what you value. On one hand, Mosely notched a number of impressive kayo title defense, with his level of competition being a downside. On the otherhand, Mayweather's wins at 135 were less visually impressive, but he beat real opponents in JLC (who would likely be in the IBHOF if not for ill will from his repeated failures making weight). Also, Floyd beat Victoriano Sosa, who had hand speed to burn and serious, serious power in his starboard mitt. Unfortunately, after coming up just short against Spadafora and then losing decisively to Floyd, Sosa seemed to lose interest.

My own two cents re Floyd and Mosely at lightweight: Shane was a killer at the weight, but Jesse James Leija was his only meaningful opponent after beating Holiday. Sawed off John Brown was the next best.

I think Freddie Welsh deserves a spot safely in the top 10 as well. Maybe I'm biased since my family moved to America from Wales. Benny Leonard beating Welsh for the title was arguably the most significant changing of the guard fight in the division's history, even ahead of Duran beating Buchanan.

Fun fact, Welsh once sparred rounds with the great F. Scott Fitzgerald.

 

F Scott Fitzgerald was a bum. Fighting a LW like Welsh while he himself was a MW is a blot on his already dismal record.

 

No Artur Grigorian WTF!!!! InstantFail!!

 

I remembered Molina as soon as I pressed the reply button and hoped no one would think of him, . That win was especially impressive because Shane disposed of John John easily compared to Oscar, who outperformed Shane against their other shared opponents like Leija, Rivera, Vargas, and Mayorga

 

That's a harsh assessment. Whenever you think of criticizing someone, just remember that all the people in the world haven't had the same advantages you've had. That's something my father told me in my young and more vulnerable days, and I've been turning it over in my head ever since.