Best conditioned fighter in each weight class

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Saintpat, Oct 1, 2025 at 8:12 PM.


  1. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Obviously this is more of a career achievement than for a single fight … even guys not known for their stamina could get fit for one particular outing.

    Here’s mine, subject to revision after you fine folk weigh in and enlighten me:

    Heavyweight: Rocky Marciano

    Cruiserweight: Evander Holyfield

    Light heavyweight: Matthew Saad Muhammad

    Super middleweight: Roy Jones Jr

    Middleweight: Marvin Hagler

    Junior middleweight: Mike McCallum

    Welterweight: Ray Robinson

    Junior welterweight: Duilio Loi

    Lightweight: Henry Armstrong

    Junior lightweight: Brian Mitchell

    Featherweight: Troy Dorsey

    Junior featherweight: Wilfredo Gomez

    Bantamweight: Jeff Fenech

    Super flyweight: Johnny Tapia

    Flyweight: Yuri Arbachakov

    (I admit I am less well-schooled on the lighter end of the weight spectrum so someone will likely have far stronger picks than me. I also went with Wilfredo Gomez even thought he had a lot of shorter fights because of his KO percentage and because he often looked tired … but even so he always picked it up late and finished strong despite looking weight-drained or depleted.)
     
    Saintpat, Oct 1, 2025 at 8:12 PM
    Saintpat, Oct 1, 2025 at 8:12 PM
    #1
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  2. robert ungurean

    robert ungurean Богдан Philadelphia Full Member

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    I like this list
     
    robert ungurean, Oct 1, 2025 at 9:00 PM
    robert ungurean, Oct 1, 2025 at 9:00 PM
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  3. roughdiamond

    roughdiamond Ridin' the rails... Full Member

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    For Super Bantamweight / Junior Featherweight I would say Daniel Zaragoza. Man was a machine who just didn't stop. I'd highly recommend his bouts against Hatanaka, Tatsuyoshi and of course his ATG trilogy against Banke.
     
    roughdiamond, Oct 2, 2025 at 5:53 AM
    roughdiamond, Oct 2, 2025 at 5:53 AM
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  4. haNZAgod

    haNZAgod Member Full Member

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    Just to add an extra weight class onto this list - at Light Flyweight I'd go for Jung Koo Chang. He was a non-stop machine for the full 12 rounds. Highly recommend checking out his fights if you've not got round to it yet.
     
    haNZAgod, Oct 2, 2025 at 6:13 AM
    haNZAgod, Oct 2, 2025 at 6:13 AM
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  5. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker

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    I'm not sure I ever saw Sanchez tired at featherweight.

    Same thing w Monzon at middleweight but I could be wrong there ... Hagler was in insane shape but I feel he kind of doubted his own stamina against Vito, Duran and Leonard .. I think he kinda almost punched himself out in the first Obel fight but have to revisit it ..

    Leonard was insanely conditioned at 147.
     
    he grant, Oct 2, 2025 at 8:34 AM
    he grant, Oct 2, 2025 at 8:34 AM
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  6. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    I have a hard time arguing emphatically against any of these... The one I had chambered was... TROY DORSEY but you already listed him.

    Other than that Khaosai Galaxy at SuperFly deserves a mention. He was a machine.

    I'll throw a wild card in the welterweight and say Crisanto Espana.
     
    Seamus, Oct 2, 2025 at 10:46 AM
    Seamus, Oct 2, 2025 at 10:46 AM
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  7. Bulldog24

    Bulldog24 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Nigel Benn against Eubank in their rematch was extremely fit at 168lb.
     
    Bulldog24, Oct 2, 2025 at 2:22 PM
    Bulldog24, Oct 2, 2025 at 2:22 PM
    #7
  8. Bulldog24

    Bulldog24 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    In fact I think Al Heyman stole Benn’s conditioning routine for Mayweather Jr. He was that impressed when out in Spain with him when he was involved with Bruno
     
    Bulldog24, Oct 2, 2025 at 2:23 PM
    Bulldog24, Oct 2, 2025 at 2:23 PM
    #8
  9. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft He Who Saw The Deep Full Member

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    Heavyweight: Rocky Marciano
    Cruiserweight: Vasilly Jirov
    Light Heavyweight: Saad Muhammad
    Super Middleweight: Joe Calzaghe
    Middleweight: Marvin Hagler
    Junior Middleweight: idk, 154 kinda sucks
    Welterweight: Ray Leonard
    Junior Welterweight: Aaron Pryor
    Lightweight: Henry Armstrong
    Junior Lightweight: Floyd Mayweather Jr.
    Featherweight: Troy Dorsey
    Super Bantamweight: Jeff Fenech
    Bantamweight: Fighting Harada
    Super Flyweight: Sung-Kil Moon
    Flyweight: Yuri Arbachakov
    Light Flyweight: Myung Woo Yuh
    Minimumweight: Baby Jake Matlata
     
    George Crowcroft, Oct 2, 2025 at 2:48 PM
    George Crowcroft, Oct 2, 2025 at 2:48 PM
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  10. mattdonnellon

    mattdonnellon Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Wayne McCullough super bantam
     
    mattdonnellon, Oct 2, 2025 at 3:23 PM
    mattdonnellon, Oct 2, 2025 at 3:23 PM
    #10
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