Top 20 best pro boxers of the 1980s

I think Meldrick is quality. Never the same after Chavez but I rated him highly.

 

Tyson
Spinks
Holmes
Duran
Hagler
Leonard
Benitez
Whitaker
Chavez
Sanchez
Pedroza
Nelson
Watanabe
Chang
Laciar
Chitalada
Roman
Arguello
Nelson
Curry
McCallum
Kalambay
Fenech
Lora
Saad

I've probably missed someone important out, that was a quick list and hard towards the end.

 

Just realised that I've missed Chandler, Gomez and Pintor. Or didn't consider them at least. Ah feck it.

 

In a rough order

Ray Leonard
Margin Hagler
Tommy Hearns
Salvador Sanchez
Michael Spinks
Julio Cesar Chavez
Larry Holmes
Roberto Duran
Wilfredo Gomez
Wilfred Benitez
Alexis Arguello
Mike McCallum
Azumah Nelson
Eusebio Pedroza
Aaron Pryor
Evander Holyfield
Jeff Fenech
Jung Koo Chang
Mike Tyson
Jeff Chandler

Lot of honorable minions too. Gilberto Roman, Santos Laciar, Sot Chitalada, Khosai Galaxy, Donald Curry etc;


Some guys like Duran, Gomez, Benitez, Arguello did more in the 70s and then there’s some that did more in the 90s like Holyfield I’m just basing strictly off the 80s.

 

Hahaha. I always feel like i underrate Marlon Starling in these lists. He had quite a good solid career without ever finding super stardom but he cruised along quietly and got quite a bit done. Such an insanely strong era.

 

Pretty solid list the only exclusion that stands out to me is Holyfield. I know you mentioned him but winning the cruiser weight title in 85 gives him 5 solid years of work in the 80’s. Not saying he warrants it over those listed because I have not dissected the other time frames either. My initial thought is he would be there even if on the tail end. But again your list looks solid

Edit: whoops I see him now lol

 

Yeah I probably put him too low. He’s probably top 10.

 

Lol I don’t know about that I just didn’t see his name at first but edited my post when I reread it and saw it.

 

He is truly putrid.

 

Marlon! I forgot about him too, the moaning *******. Excellent, excellent fighter at his best. Mante came out with one of my all-time favourite quotes on this forum a few years back regarding Starling. It was on a Starling vs Pac thread and he'd picked Starling to win I think. Somebody aggressively grilled on why and he said something like 'because Starling was a bitter, moaning c*** with a massive chip on his shoulder. He'd definitely take deep offence at Pac's reputation and even deeper offence at his comparatively pathetic moustache.'

Hehehehe

 

Vinny Paz does not belong anywhere near top 20 fighters of the 80s.

Just at Lightweight, Rosario, Ramirez, Camacho, all of whom you left off, are above him. Then he did nothing at 140 Lbs except get soundly beaten by Roger Mayweather, who you also didn't include.

I would take out Paz and put in Donald Curry, Camacho or Rocky Lockridge.

 

Yeah I realised my mistake of leaving out Curry, who promptly replaced Paz.