Best run of title defences vs quality opponents?

Not to mention, Lionel Rose was a substitute for #1 contender Jesus Pimental. Harada certainly did go high end in his championship reign.

 

Gans beating Erne, Elbows McFadden, Jimmy Britt, Dave Holly, Mike Sullivan, Battling Nelson etc in title fights while beating the likes of Blackburn in non-title fights takes some beating.

Same for Leonard beating Welsh, Tendler, Leo Johnson, Rocky Kansas, Lockport Jimmy Duffy, Richie Mitchell etc while beating Britton, Dundee, Kilbane, Ritchie, Soldier Bartfield and others in between defences.

In fact, Benny really takes some topping.

 

Who would you rate higher Tyson or Holmes run as champion?

 

In fights contested under 140lbs, Leonard went something like 96-0 from age 20 until the end of his career. Considering the array of quality fighters he beat, that's astounding. He's my #1 at LW, with Gans at #2.

 

Old Bones , not shabby :
Dave Charnley
Ralph Dupas
Battling Torres
Kenny Lane
Paolo Rossi
Bud Smith
Joey Lopes
Orlando Zulueta
stay safe buddy.

 

Hagler has the best overall 10 in a row competition wise that I've seen .. and Manny Pac has a case for 10 - 12 in a row .. winning titles /defences

those 2 are my choices

 

Foreman----frazier to win an a bout few thought. softie defense in roman--like lots of champs. then norton who lots were picking for the upset. then ali. and his > the title loss was strong too.

 

Jose Napoles

Curtis Cokes (twice)
Hedgemon Lewis (twice)
Ernie 'Indian Red' Lopez (twice)
Armando Muniz (twice)
Emile Griffith
Adolph Pruitt
Clyde Gray
Billy Backus


Carlos Ortiz

Joe Brown
Flash Elorde (twice)
Sugar Ramos (twice)
Doug Vaillant
Kenny Lane
Ismael Laguna (twice)

 

Tyson had the toughest possible opponents in the short period of time 1986-1988(89). It would be hard to imagine a more difficult run.

https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/top-5-heavyweight-champions-in-the-1980s.699013/#post-22156309

 

He's probably my number one as well mate, I find it quite hard to separate him and Gans, with Duran being right up there with them (arguably a shade behind tbh).

 

That's a powerful list of opponents beaten tbf, especially by Ortiz.

 

De La Hoya was a real fighter.

 

Mayweather:
Mosley (lineal 147)
Ortiz (WBC 147)
Cotto (WBA 154)
Robert Guererro (The Ring 147, WBC)
Alvarez (WBA, WBC 154)
Maidana x2 (WBC, WBA)
Pacquiao (WBA, WBC, WBO, Ring)
Berto

Pacquiao:
Weirdly enough, he beat Hector Velazquez, Morales, Larios, Morales, and Jorge Solis successively without a real belt. He then started a chain of Barerra, Marquez, and David Diaz before breaking it by fighting Oscar for no belt. Hatton, Cotto, Clottey, Margarito, Mosley Marquez is his best run but Mosley was awful by that point.

 

Oh come on, get serious. Most of these defences (bar, Sonny, Floyd and Ernie) were derided at the time and basically compared with Joe "bum of the month" tour. Now they're being held up in "best ever" discussions? No.