HW - Lewis, Klitschkos LHW - Moore, Spinks, Calzaghe, Foster MW - Burley, LaMotta, Steele WW - McLarnin, Gavilan, Pryor, LMR LW - Ortiz, Ambers FW - Saddler, Saldivar, Arguello, Gomez, Morales, Barrera, BW - Jofre, Harada, Olivares, Ortiz, Donaire FlW - Canto, Lopez, Gonzalez
Lewis has a great 2000 but Trinidad’s was definitely stronger. Lewis’s 1999 was better than Pauli’s Ayala’s though. Not sure how Ayala won that one. Gomez was robbed in 1978. 5 defenses and a win over 1977 fighter of the year and p4p great Zárate is better than Ali losing to Leon Spinks and winning a snoozer re-match. Jofre was a very legit contender in 1962 & 1973. 1960 was also strong too. I think he perhaps should have got one of those.
I thought Archie Moore could have potentially got the gong in 53 or 54. He could rolled Olsen in 53 for me with not a lot going on. It was heavyweight orientated around the time with The Rock sweeping 3 out of 4 years. In 54 Moore defended against Maxim and Johnson with the Johnson stoppage being a brilliant and dramatic come from behind KO in the 14th round. Moore was told to go out and get him and he said he would knock him out that round. He also beat a couple of reasonable heavies that year keeping busy. Marciano had the two fights against Charles that year which were of course BIG events.
Spinks would have been close in 85. He did little beside beat Holmes (two minor defenses) but boy that a BIG thing. Curry who (mostly) beat Jones and McCrory and Hagler who only fought Hearns shared it together. Spinks could easily have snuck in there with them or even replaced Don.
Pryor would have been neck and neck with Holmes in 82 but they do lean toward big heavyweight events and the Cooney was was hugely hyped. Perhaps they could have shared. Gomez was big in 82 as well.
I agree about Spinks. Donald Curry never remotely did anything as consequential as when Michael Spinks became the first light heavyweight champ to win the heavyweight title - and beating one of the top heavyweights of all time to do so. And Hagler fought a great moving up. Spinks was the great moving up to fight Holmes. Plus he defended his unifed light heavy title twice. I think Spinks deserved it.
It certainly would not have been unfair. It was a big thing moving straight from 175 to win the Heavyweight title.
Never happened before. More impressive than beating Milton McCrory, that's for sure. Of all the welterweight champs in history, where does McCrory rank? Not very high.
