The Ipswich Express Top 100 Fighters of All Time List

**** am I writing all this for you to cherry pick Gonz???

 

Out of interest, do you think there's anyone who deserves to be called a top twenty fighter in the history of the sport, that is fighting today?

My answer is no... Pacquiao is close, as is Mayweather.

 

17.

Carlos Monzon 87-3-9 (59)

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Best Wins: W15 x 2 Rodrigo Valdez, TKO7 Jose Napoles, TKO14 & W15 Emile Griffith, TKO7 Tony Mundine, W15 Bennie Briscoe, TKO12 & W15 Jean Claude Bouttier, TKO3 & TKO12 Nino Benvenuti.

Good Losses: D10 Bennie Briscoe.

"Escopeta" or "Shotgun" Monzon is recognised as one of the greatest Middleweight champions of all time. He held the world title for a period of seven years, initially winning it from fellow Hall of Famer Nino Benvenuti. He went on to make a then record 14 defences. Of his 15 title fights, 10 of them ended inside the distance.

Monzon was unbeaten over the last 81 fights of his career, a truly incredible achievement. It's fair to say Monzon was an animal both inside and outside the ring, but that is not what is being judged here. His level of competition is stellar as is his record. There's every chance I'll rate Hagler higher than him next week and that is a fantasy match up for the ages. But for now, it's Monzon by a nose.

 

16.

Pernell Whitaker 40-4-1 (19)

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Best Wins: KO11 Diosbelys Hurtado, W12 Julio Cesar Vasquez, W12 x 2 Buddy McGirt, W12 Rafael Pineda, W12 Anthony Jones, W12 Azumah Nelson, W12 Jose Luis Ramirez, W12 Greg Haugen, W12 Roger Mayweather, W12 x 2 Wilfredo Rivera.

Good Losses: L12 Oscar De La Hoya, D12 Julio Cesar Chavez, L12 Jose Luis Ramirez.

Won the Lightweight title from Greg Haugen before gaining revenge over Ramirez and unified the division by the end of 1990. Titles followed at Jnr Welter, Welter and Jnr Middleweight.

"Sweet Pea" possessed incredible defensive skills and a potent right hand jab from his southpaw style. He was considered the best fighter in the world, pound for pound for years. This was further compounded by his fight with Chavez, when most believed he was on the short end of a draw from the judges. For mine, Whitaker is the master boxer of the last quarter of a century and would be considered a great fighter in any era of our sport.

 

Hey mate. I dunno, I've just followed boxing fairly intensely since I was a kid for some weird reason. I'm certainly not a boxing historian, but I enjoy boxing history, if that makes sense. I've got Pacquiao 32 and Hearns 27, so yes The Motor City Cobra is higher.