The 10 Greatest Bantamweights

This isn’t intended to be a discussion thread or somewhere for y’all to post your own lists, but feel free to if the mood takes you.

But I have written a rather epic (30,000 words plus) series for Boxing Monthly to coincide with the World Boxing Super Series tournament which kicks off this weekend.

First part (prologue) went up yesterday and the 10th ranked fighter goes up today.

Thoughts and critique welcome as always. I will post each article as they get published and hope more than anything that you guys enjoy it.

 

Here’s the intro; disclaimer, for those that don’t bother to read it, but I am ranking by weight, not by name. Controversial I’m sure but for ‘featherweight’ bouts made at 118lbs (or Jimmy Barry’s ‘bantam’ title fights at 108 and 110lbs) they will be counted among the modern limit of their respective divisions.

Quick example; McGovern TKO8 Dixon was a ‘bantam’ title fight by my criteria.

http://www.boxingmonthly.com/all-ti...a-brief-history-of-the-bantamweight-division/

 

Orlando Canizales should make the Top 10 I feel.

 

Read the prologue. He’s miles off.

 

Look forward to this.

 

Here’s no.10!

http://www.boxingmonthly.com/all-ti...-bantamweights-of-all-time-no-10-lionel-rose/

 

I agree with doing it by weight, rather than name. The names were all over the place.

 

I'll read this tonight after I've put my little lad to bed. Look forward to it very much. Great to see you on here, you're much missed.

 

Lionel Rose is a very odd pick for the top ten at bantam weight. He has a big win or two, but wasn't a puncher, won many of his of matches via narrow margin, and lost 11 times.

 

Look forward to hearing your thoughts mate.

 

Nice start, he was a no brainer for the top 10 and could have fared even better.

 

Can’t wait to see if Joltin Jeff Chandler cracks the top 5

 

Flea, enjoyed reading the first two excerpts and like Tin Ribs said, love seeing you in action again.

 

There's nothing odd at all about this pick, if you actually do more than glance at his record on Boxrec.

All but three of those losses were at higher weights. At bantamweight, he defeated everyone he faced except Ruben Olivares (who...spoiler alert...will also be included in this list).

Beating Harada (a legit great at the weight) clean, Chucho Castillo (who easily slides into the Top 20), and undefeated Olympic gold medalist Sakurai is a heck of a run. Doing so in the opponent's backyard is even better. Throw in wins over really solid contender in Rudkin and Medel (just over the weight) and you've got enough to warrant a Top 10 rating pretty easily.

 

Anyway, fine article, Flea!