OK so I rank mainly on H2H, although that doesn't strictly mean the eye test, resume has to be considered so we know the level at which a fighter is performing. I only include fighters I've watched fight, and I tend not to include active fighters as their placing is too dynamic. So here's my LMW list 1 Thomas Hearns 2 Emile Griffith 3 Mike McCallum 4 Winky Wright 5 Sugar Ray Leonard 6 Floyd Mayweather 7 Wilfred Benitez 8 Oscar De La Hoya 9 Julian Jackson 10 Terry Norris HM: Tito, Mosley, Alvarez, Vargas, Forrest It's a tough one this because the LMW division was brand new in an era when lots of world class guys fought between welterweight and middleweight, but it took a while to really kick off as a legitimate division. But like my other lists, I am only counting guys who officially competed with a light middleweight division, not just those who weighed around 154 at various points in history. Are there any people you feel should be in that aren't? Any orders that need changing?
junior middleweight is a weird division.. it really doesnt get much attention. almost like cruiserweight. even super middle gets bigger fights than jmw
From top of my head atm I'm thinking guys like Vargas, Norris and Jackson are missing, potentially Vasquez as well. But I don't know if I see them beating the likes of Oscar, Tito and Mosley.
No Julian Jackson or Terry Norris!? Crazy! Ludicrous. Oscar, Mosley, Tito and Floyd were not light-middles, they were lightweights (Tito welter). Awful awful list, like your others. If it's this 'H2H' thing you talk about then why aren't Don Curry and Roy Jones near the top, or Herol Graham?
Ayub Kalule is another I'd have to have among ten. Gave Ray one of his trickiest fights. Milton McCrory is up there
Curry did stuff all at 154. He was beaten by Norris and McCallum for starters and had zero big wins there. Jones fought there maybe twice in his first 14 fights and never campaigned there. Graham did very little there as well. Beside getting rolled by McCallum McCrory did basically nothing at 154.
H2H = head to head right? They'd beat most of the rest, it doesn't matter what they did or didn't do at the weight if this kid ranks based on 'H2H'
Curry was the ultimate sharpshooter in boxing history, Jones would've beaten Julian Jackson on his pro debut (he was that good), and Herol Graham was at his physical peak in the early 80s when Manny said none of his fighters would be getting in with him. McCrory was superb, outjabbing and outboxing McCallum, who is the best ever.
I would have Trinidad as a more potent 154lber than DelaHoya and also Mosely imo. I would bump Tito up a couple of spots. DelaHoya down to #10 behind Canelo. I would remove Mayweather's name and replace it with Terry Norris. Curious how do you see a Hearns/Griffith bout playing out? Does he blast Emile out or box his way to a decision? Griffith had an all around game and enough savvy to make it interesting.
He ranks "mainly" on H2H. McCrory would not beat a single fighter on that list and Curry might struggle to as well tho someone might debate the version that fought McCallum might go ok. Debatable tho. Who would possibly know with the other two at those stages.
Curry was basically done after Honeyghan, certainly comparative to what he was prior. McCrory was behind on all three cards before getting stopped. Again, he never had a single notable win there. He didn't even end up being that good a Welter.