Would Jose Napoles be in your Top 25 100 p4p fighters?

only dick tiger imo

 

I would have him higher than any of the above mentioned. Not entirely sure about top 25, though. Right around there, to be certain.

 

Out of those men, only Galivan, and Im not sure about that, its a close call. We have to remember fought as a lightweight until he was a 28yo and built a good resume their and at 140lbs but could only get his shot at 147

Surely there is a case for him being the greatest LW of all time?

 

If you're judging the career accomplishments for fighters who were more lr less natural at LW than he'd be a shoe-in for the top 10. Certainly not #1, though. If that were the case how could you possibly justify having all of those men above him, particularly Williams who was a Lightweight? Or did you mis-read the question?

 

I have him in the same bracket as Gavilan and Williams. All around the 21-30 mark. Tiger between 45-55.

 

Probably. And he would be higher than Tiger and Williams.

 

Yes and yes.

 

To be listed anywhere in the top 100 is a major accomplishment considering the number of great fighters throughout history. I'd rank napoles aywhere between 40 and 50.

 

No. 32 for me.

Below Ike Williams (14) and Kid Gavilan (15) and above Emile Griffith (57) and Dick Tiger (78 ).

 

Napoles is a bit hard to rate IMO. He's a bit like Marcel Cerdan in the sense that he didn't get the kinds of big fights that he should've back in his prime, and his most notoriety came later in his career when he was fighting above his best weight. It's theoretically possible that he might've been the best jr. welter ever, but he never got the kinds of fights there needed to prove it. As a welter, I have him rated in the top 5 there, but I feel his overall level of competition leaves something to be desired.

 

Agreed. His ability is what confirms his lofty ranking IMO

 

Above Griffith,Williams,and Tiger.............I got him and Gavilan close but id say he is right below the CUban Hawk

Gavilan
Napoloes
Williams
Griffith
Tiger

 

He beat some of the best 135-140 pounders in the world during his time there, including both Eddie Perkins and Carlos Hernandez, along with top contenders like Alfredo Urbina, Adolph Pruitt, and Angel Robinson Garcia, and LC Morgan. This all before stepping up to dominate at Welterweight for 6 years against a very solid class of opponent.

 

Jose was the uncrowned champ at 140..Perkins had only recently been dethroned and Hernandez would go to become champ not long after Napoles beat him I think...I thought his resume, considering he never actually held a title, was pretty good.