What does your all time top 10 lightweight list look like? Here is mine, feel free to constructively criticize. 1. Benny Leonard 2. Joe Gans 3. Roberto Duran 4. Tony Canzoneri 5. Carlos Ortiz 6. Henry Armstrong 7. Ike Williams 8. Pernell Whitaker 9. Julio Cesar Chavez 10. Barney Ross :bbb
I love Ross, he's one if my favorite fighters, but even though he has the two close wins Over Canzoneri I think Tony has the deeper resume at 135. Jmo.
1. Leonard 2. Gans 3. Duran 4. Armstrong 5. Ike 6. Pea 7. Ortiz 8. Canzoneri 9. Ross 10. Bob Montgomery (C'mon why does everyone gloss over the Phillyboy!!!)
Most of these lists are very good. Some guys who could come in for consideration though:' Jack McAulliffe - I think he seems to be very underated today. He reigned as undefeated champion for a long time, and while he has some controversial wins/draws the fact still remains that he was never defeated and he was seen as a legend in his own time. Battling Nelson - Right up there with Joe Gans, Battling nelson seems a little forgotten nowadays. gave Gans, Britt, Attell all they could handle. IN fact his 1908 record was as impressive a run as anyones.
Good shout on McAulliffe....I beleieve he got 1 #1 overall vote and finnished 10th in the esb lightweight rankings This content is protected
i like it. **** it, he was brilliant good lists on here so far. leonard-gans-duran are all in a wild, 135 pound orgy at the top, all fighting for #1
Sweet Pea may out box Nelson for 15 rounds. But what about 45 plus rounds? I think Bat Nelson would beat Pea in 1901.
Whitaker was an amazing fighter who would no doubt compete with any lightweight in history. But h2h is very low on my list of priorities when ranking fighters because it just cannot be proven. I still consider it, but who you beat far outweighs who we think you could beat and Pea just doesn't have the resume to crack the top 5. That is of course only MY opinion.