Not sure exactly my list or what order, but guys I'd have cemented in there include: Duran Leonard Gans Whitaker Ortiz Williams Ross Some other guys who deserve consideration for one reason or another include: Laguna Buchanan Jack Montgomery Brown Armstrong Levigne Canzoneri Ambers Angott Nelson Chavez Arguello
1 - Roberto Duran 2 - Pernell Whitaker 3 - Benny Leonard 4 - Joe Gans 5 - Ike Williams 6 - Carlos Ortiz 7 - Tony Canzoneri 8 - Alexis Arguello 9 - Ken Buchanan 10-Henry Armstrong Something like that. Others - Joe Brown, Freddie Welsh, Esteban DeJesus, Jack Maculiffe, Beau Jack, Julio Cesar Chavez.
Reasonable list. All great lightweights for sure. People sometimes forget how good Buchanan was because he had the misfortune of being around at the same time as Duran.
10 Sammy Angott 9 Julio Cesar Chavez 8 Bob Montgomery 7 Ike Williams 6 Battling Nelson 5 Joe Gans 4 Pernell Whitaker 3 Henry Armstrong 2 Benny Leonard 1 Roberto Duran Mentions: Jack McAuliffe, George Lavigne, Frank Erne, Tony Canzoneri, Barney Ross, Lou Ambers, Beau Jack, Jimmy Carter, Carlos Ortiz, Ken Buchanan, Esteban DeJesus, Guts Ishimatsu (Ishimatsu Suzuki), Alexis Arguello, Edwin Rosario, Jose Luis Ramirez, Hector Camacho Snr, Oscar de la Hoya, Shane Mosley, Steve Johnson, Jose Luis Castillo and Floyd Mayweather Jr
Yeah, and if you look at the unbeaten run after he lost to Duran, he could have been a good champ. And Laguna isn't to far outside the 10 for me, and Buchanan beat him at home and on neutral ground. But Duran did come along, and those are the breaks.
I forgot about old Bob, I must admit...what's the thinking with Nelson above Williams? That don't float my boat at all.
McGrain. I feel accomplishments and longevity at the weight should account to being the main ingredients for placings. Whitaker was superb between 1989 and 1991 when he held titles. He unified the entire division, the first fighter to do so since Duran. But I'm not sure he should be rated above Gans or Leonard when rounding everything together. Ortiz also should be above Whitaker. I'm not saying these fighters were head and shoulders above Whitaker, certainly not on skill level, but they were slightly in front of him when looking at the broad scheme of things.
Robbi, there is nothing unfair in that at all. But I consider skillsets too. More than that, Whitaker beats all the fighters you mention IMO. It is very, very hard for me to rate fighters who are otherwise close above a fighter I pick to beat him. Gans, Whitaker and Leonard are close for me when considering them in an overall sense, resume, skillset etc., but Whitaker is out and out thebetter fighter IMO. Hence, #2. Hope this helps you understand how I got there.
I knew how you got there, well had my suspicions. I don't agree with it. Everyone is different with what are the strongest areas of the criteria should be. Whitaker beats them all IMO as well, even Duran. But I don't think thats the main ingredient of the recipe. Longevity and balancing out wins over fellows greats and good challengers comes first. I just can't rate Whitaker as the 2nd best lightweight ever when it comes to averaging things out.
Again, nothing unfair, but Whitaker Skillset - 1 or 2 Head to head - 1 or 2 Greatness - somewhere further down the list.
1. Roberto Duran 2. Joe Gans 3. Benny Leonard 4. Ike Williams 5. Pernell Whitaker 6. Barney Ross 7. Tony Canzoneri 8. Carlos Ortiz 9. Packey McFarland 10. Jack Blackburn