Strongest ever era for any division?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Bujia, Sep 16, 2020.



  1. Bujia

    Bujia Well-Known Member Full Member

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    As in, what is your choice for the strongest division that ever existed in boxing at one particular time? Let’s say a 10 year span. You can go with a particular decade or split them if you please.

    For me it’s gotta be the Lightweight division during the 1910s. So many great fighters either made their home there or passed through and so many great fights were made. The whole “the best used to fight the best” cliche, that gets so overused now, was never more true.

    The strongest case to be made for it being number one is the depth. These guys didn’t need to fight the same opponents over and over and over to build up their resumes, because the next opponent was potentially just as good or better. Some divisions in some eras may have been more top heavy, but none ever had that mix of quality and sheer quantity.

    The main negative was obviously the state of boxing itself. Newspaper decisions and 4, 6, or 8 round distances lessened the significance of many a great fight.

    Anyways, not all of the following were career Lightweights. However, all of these guys made their mark in the division during this time, whether on the way out or just coming in, growing into it or growing out of it. If you’re unfamiliar with any of them, I suggest you get acquainted. Lots of hidden gems.

    Benny Leonard
    Packey McFarland
    Jack Britton
    Ted Kid Lewis
    Johnny Dundee
    Freddie Welsh
    Abe Attell
    Johnny Kilbane
    Lew Tendler
    Rocky Kansas
    Lockport Jimmy Duffy
    Charley White
    Owen Moran
    Willie Ritchie
    Harlem Tommy Murphy
    Ritchie Mitchell
    Johnny Griffiths
    Frankie Schoell
    Joe Mandot
    Leach Cross
    Patsy Cline
    Young Erne
    Joe Shugrue
    Bryan Downey
    Frankie Britt
    Benny Valger
    Philadelphia Pal Moore
    Matt Wells
    Battling Nelson
    Ad Wolgast
    Young Ahearn
    Matty Baldwin
    Johnny Tillman
    Mel Coogan
    Pal Moran
    George KO Chaney
    Knockout Brown
    Frankie Callahan
    Leo Johnson
    Ray Bronson
    Mexican Joe Rivers
    Ever Hammer
    Joe Welling
    Joe Thiel
    Tommy Langdon
    Preston Brown
    Joe Azevedo
    Pal Brown
    Yankee Schwartz
    Tommy O’Keefe

    I’ll just call it there for now. 50 deep.
     
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2020
  2. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    That’s a hard list to top. How about the welterweight division of the 1980s ?

    - Ray Leonard
    - Thomas Hearns
    - Carlos Palamino
    - Wilfred Benitez
    - Marlon Starling
    - Mark Breland
    - Simon Brown
    - Lloyd Honeyghan
    - Donald Curry
    - Milton McCrory
    - Yun Gil Cheung
    - Pipino Cuevas
    - Thomas Molinares
    - Roberto Duran
    - Tommy Ayers
    - Maurice Blocker
    - Juan M Coggi

    Definitely a bunch of other contenders but I can’t list them all at the top of my head.
     
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2020
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  3. Webbiano

    Webbiano Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    The Heavyweights that fought in the 90s list was crazy big. Obviously some of these guys best work came before or afterwards, most if not all names at least had a fight for the an alaphabet belt in that decade

    Lennox Lewis
    Riddick Bowe
    Mike Tyson
    Evander Holyfield
    George Foreman
    Larry Holmes
    Vitali Klitshcko
    Wladimir Klitschko
    Tim Witherspoon
    Michael Moorer
    Hasim Rahman
    John Ruiz
    James Douglas
    Ike Ibeabuchi
    Chris Byrd
    David Tua
    Andrew Golotta
    Tommy Morrison
    Frank Bruno
    Ray Mercer
    Razor Ruddock
    Bert Cooper
    Oliver McCall
    Shannon Briggs
    Corrie Sanders
    Henry Akinwande
    Herbie Hide
    Frans Botha
    Brian Nielsen
    Tyrell Biggs
    James Smith
    James Tillis
    Carl Williams
    Larry Donald
    Bruce Seldon
    Michael Grant
    Lou Savarsse
    Alex Stewart
    Axel Schulz

    There’s also a ton of 80s guys that fought in the 90s that I left out due to their lack of significant bouts. I’m sure I’m probably missing a few more as well, but that’s the best I could off the top of my head
     
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  4. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker Full Member

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    If you go 75 thru 85 the light heavyweights were monsters.

    Conteh
    Galindez
    Burnett
    Lopez
    Mustafa Muhammad
    Saad Muhammad
    James Scott
    Marvin Johnson
    Muhammad Qwai
    Michael Spinks

    insane crew.
     
  5. Gazelle Punch

    Gazelle Punch Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Light heavyweights 1950s
    Archie Moore
    Floyd Patterson
    Jimmy Bivins
    Harold Johnson
    Joey Maxim
    Bob Satterfield
    Jimmy Slade
    Harry Matthews
    Don Cockell
    Dan Bucceroni
    Danny Nardico
    Doc Williams
    Jake Lamotta
    Marty Marshall
    Oakland Billy Smith
    Yolande Pompei
    Yvon Durrell
    Michael Holt
    Lloyd Marshall
     
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2020
  6. Amos-san

    Amos-san Member Full Member

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    Flyweights of the 1950s. Pascual Perez and the hundreds of debutants
     
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  7. BCS8

    BCS8 VIP Member Full Member

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    Good thread.
     
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  8. CharlieFirpo85

    CharlieFirpo85 Member Full Member

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    Besides the 90's the 70's Heavyweight:

    Ali
    Foreman
    Frazier
    Holmes
    Norton
    Weaver
    Bonavena
    Lyle
    Shavers
    Chuvalo
    Patterson
    Young
    Mac Foster
    Bugner
    Coetzee
    Tate
    Leon Spinks

    +Page, Dokes, Berbick, Cooney, Witherspoon, Tillis started their careers in the mid - late 70's
     
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  9. dinovelvet

    dinovelvet Antifanboi Full Member

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    The current HW division.. Its only 5 years old and its already one of the best of all time.
     
  10. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Ike Williams' LW era and Charles' LHW era for me. 40s was one stacked ass era.

    The 1910s MWs were brilliant too.
     
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  11. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker Full Member

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    Here's the most underachieving .. the 1980s ... more talent wasted than any other era

    Michael Dokes
    Tim Witherspoon
    Pinklon Thomas
    Greg Page
    John Tate
    Tony Tubbs
    Carl Williams
    James Broad
     
  12. Mike Cannon

    Mike Cannon Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Impresive list, well done.
     
  13. 70sFan865

    70sFan865 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Late 1910s and early 1920s was stacked for MWs and LHWs.
     
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  14. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    1989- 1994 160 pounders... All these guys were factors in that 5 year period. It's not just depth, it's quality of this depth...

    James Toney
    Roy Jones, Jr.
    Gerald McClellan
    Julian Jackson
    Stevie Collins
    Reggie Johnson
    Mike McCallum
    Sumbu Kalambay
    Michael Nunn
    Bernard Hopkins
    Lamar Parks
    John David Jackson
    Thomas Tate
    Roberto Duran
    Chris Eubank
    Mike Watson
    Herol Graham
    Nigel Benn
    Iran Barkley
    Quincy Taylor
    Jorge Castro
     
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  15. scartissue

    scartissue Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I was always partial to the late 50s-early 60s lightweight class as far as the talent that was going in and out of the 135 division. So, for a 10 year period I had a look at the lightweights from '56-'65. Here are the fighters in contention for the crown:

    World champs - Joe Brown, Carlos Ortiz, Duilio Loi, Carlos Hernandez, Bud Smith, Nicolino Loche, Sugar Ramos, Flash Elorde, Eddie Perkins and Ismael Laguna

    Top contenders - Kenny Lane, Orlando Zulueta, Baby Vasquez, Doug Vaillant, Bunny Grant, Dave Charnley, Alfredo Urbina, Paolo Rosi, Len Matthews, Paul Armstead and Battling Torres.

    In a word; Wow!