1. Mike McCallum 2. Julio Cesar Vasquez 3. Thomas Hearns 4. Julian Jackson 5. Terry Norris 6. Ronald Winky Wright 7. Felix Trinidad 8. Oscar De La Hoya 9. Floyd Mayweather 10. Gianfranco Rosi
Mayweather accomplished more than Hearns at 154. Canelo and Jermell Charlo are also top ten material.
Not including actives. Hearns beat Duran and Benitez at 154. That Trumps DLH, Cotto and a green Canelo in my book.
Ok, I thought you had some sort of special criteria because you really wanted Vasquez and Rossi to place. Might as well remove Floyd since he’s about to be active again. Besting Canelo, Oscar, and Cotto is better than Benitez and Duran. That’s why Oscar and Canelo are on top ten lists.
1. Thomas Hearns 2. Mike McCallum 3. Terry Norris 4. Winky Wright 5. Julian Jackson 6. Julio Cesar Vasquez 7. Wilfred Benitez 8. Nino Benvenuti 9. Ayub Kalule 10. Felix Trinidad
No rigid criteria. Trying to take all aspects into context, freewheeling it and open for discussion. I don't need to want Vasquez to place. He places because his accomplishments at the weight. Oscar had nothing left when May beat him. But fair play, the same might be said of Benitez but he was coming off a long run of greatness. Again, I weight in the context of where the fighters were in my eyes. I see your argument, though. Mostly, I just want to break up the heavyweight log jam on the front page.
Oscar obviously knew how to fight when he fought Floyd. He was relatively young and had just beaten the crap out of Mayorga. 160 wasn’t his weight but he was solid at 154. Boudouani, Vazquez’s dad, should clearly be on the list if Vazquez is that high. Rosi needs to get out of there.
I'd have Griffith near the top. Weighing between 147 and 154 (albeit barely over 147 in some instances) he beat the likes of Ortega, Moyer, Florentino Fernandez, Jorge Fernandez, Luis Rodriguez, Logart, Mims, Don Fullmer, Yama Bahama, Ted Wright, Dupas. Won the inaugural though obscurely recognised title. You could muddy the waters and make that argument for other great fighters though in terms of beating world level welter/middleweights while weighing under 154 themselves. Amassing plenty of non-title wins while campaigning non-officially at the weight (or before the title existed) over better opponents than who the official champions often beat. Robinson, Luis Rodriguez, Gavilan, Burley, Holman Williams, Cocoa Kid etc. The weight obviously hasn't really produced that many genuinely good, tenured champions though for a division that has existed in an official capacity since the sixties, with most of the modern greats like McCallum, Curry, Benitez, Hearns, Leonard, Duran etc having established their legacies over several divisions both above and below 154. Quite a few interesting or discussion -worthy non-great fighters from the 60s onwards outside of obvious names like Wright, Norris, Jackson though who either cut their teeth significantly or made a notable career there. Freddie Little, Buster Drayton, JC Vasquez, Kalule, Maurice Hope, Lupe Aquino, Mugabi, Minchillo, Davey Moore,Duane Thomas, John David Jackson, Sergio Martinez, Said Skouma and so on. The 80s was a good competitive era at 154 with a very interesting mix of characters.
Hi Buddy. You sure took me back with those fighters, might I add, Marijan Benes, Koichi Wajima, Miguel De Oliveira,Carmelo Bossi, Monty Betham, and one of my all time favs Oscar Albarado, such times... stay safe Tin-Ribs, chat soon. Mike.
In chronological order. I did a top 12. Kalule Thomas Hearns McCallum Julian Jackson Terry Norris JCV Fernando Vargas Trinidad De La Hoya Wright Floyd Mayweather Fundora The big problem with this list is the number of cameo reigns by fighters who are clearly better then longtime champs. Like RJJs at MW and HW. While at original weight classes those are rare at 154 they are a constant theme. Benitez is probably next up.
