Flyweight Survey (Poll closes Sept 2, 2010 at 8:30pm EST)

Very tough. I might look a bit silly on this one, but here goes:

1. Jimmy Wilde - No explanation needed. I think he may just dominate this division more than Sugar Ray did the welters, but i could be wrong.
2. Wonjongkam - Lineal champion for nearly 8 years, still active, and you hardly ever hear about him. No one has matched his longevity at the weight.
3. Miguel Canto S - By my count, 15 successful title defences over 4 years. Pretty impressive in a division where longevity is rare.
4. Yuri Arbachakov - A true champion who was World champion for 5 years and was undefeated until his very last fight. a Great career.
5. Pancho Villa - A great fighter whose career and life was cut tragically short.

6. Sot Chitalada - A two time champion who nearly became a three time champion. He had longevity at the weight and carved a solid legacy.
7. Jacky Paterson - You arent champion for 5 years in this division, unless you are good.
8. Pasquel Perez - At under 5 ft he was a true flyweight with a very good and solid reign.
9. Daisuke Naito - He is the reigning champion and he beat the longest reigning champion ever in Wongjongkam. And also retained by drawing him, although Wongjonkam was getting older. He is going on to his third year as champion and if his reign continues, he does have the ability to go up further. Of course a loss wouldnt help his clause either.
10. Benny Lynch - Benny was a great fighter, who only ended up losing the flyweight title due to his battle with the weight. He was a great fighter, far better than the length of his world title reign would indicate.

 

Naito....:blood...I have long said he didnt get his dues but top 10 alltime...looks like you were a bit hasty with that list Boiler

Power to you though...Some other names on that list have me rethinking mine. I generally spent like 5 mins reasearching the other lists I have posted so far, I seemed to usually be one of the first to post them.
Going to try to think about this one a little more.

 

I have to confess that i went on record and legacy more than film, because well I havent watched (or read about for that matter) most of these guys anywhere near as much as they deserve and i am sure others have.

As i said Naito did beat the longest reigning champ ever. Technically it is the equivalent of what Sugar Ray Leonard did to Marvin Hagler and maybe more impressive because he rematched him and still kept the title. Still, I am sure i was probably too hasty, as you say but the first couple of lists are always the hardest ones. (I just hope i havent left out some obvious ones, as i am sure i have)

 

Pong...like a lot of thai fighters...has been criminally overlooked and underrated during his reign.

He was/is a fine fighter, a very solid defensive technician and his longevity is nothing short of amazing.

But there is a very sturdy arguement for him not being top10 alltime at the weight IMO...the names missing from his ledger speak very loudly to me and so do the names that are there instead.
Even probably Galaxies resume is better and I think KG was a little more impressive on film aswell.

Flyweight has a very rich history...doesnt sit with me to well that Pong would be rated over so many great fighters. Top 5 aswell.

 

Hagler/Leonard? I dont know mate.

At best I would compare it to McGuigan-Pedroza...and thats contentious in itself.

The main thing about your arguement is it hinges on Pong being considered that great.

I dont feel Pong is, therefore Naito hasnt really got a leg to stand on.

The fact the of the matter is though is that Pong didnt fight the best guys around, he hardly even fought anyone from the next tier...His resume is very thin outside of an impressive past prime victory over Kameda, two solid wins and a disputed draw over the underrated Naito and a very good victory over top contender Hussein.

He was the best of his era without a doubt...but it was a weakish era with a lot of the better fighters only really stopping over on their way to bigger money fights at 115 and 118.

Quite a few fighters who are more worthy of such a distinction IMO.

 

All fair comments, keep them coming in. I will definitely consider amendments in time. 2001 to 2008 is a long time to hold the world title at any weight. We get into Monzon, Hagler etc territory. I think it is pretty impressive.

 

To be consistent, i try to consider eras roughly similar. If you are the best fighter of your era, you cant really do much more, and i dont think it is that fair to say era a was better than era b. You obviously have far more knowledge than me on the subject, so i am doing more learning than arguing. Feel free to keep the comment on this subject coming. WE need more discussion on the little guys around here. :good

 

I'm only considering flyweights here, not light-fly or straw. I agree on Wongjonkam though.

Wilde, Villa, Genaro, Lynch, Perez, Canto, Laciar, Newsboy Brown, Wongjonkam

Okay,

1. Miguel Canto
2. Jimmy Wilde
3. Pascal Perez
4. Frankie Genaro
5. Newsboy Brown
6. Benny Lynch
7. Pancho Villa
8. Santos Laciar
9. Pongsaklek Wonjongkam
10. Yuri Arbachakov

Call me a **** for having Genaro above Brown, but i just thought he had the better career. If Midget Wolgast had been a bit lighter throughout his career then i'd likely have him one or two here. Sasakul nearly edged Wonjongkam for spot ten, and i know he's my controversial pick but i like his resume over his short time at the top.

Anyway, if i get criticism it's not changing.

 

1.) Jimmy Wilde
2.) Miguel Canto
3.) Fidel Labarba
4.) Pauscal Perez
5.) Sot Chitalda
6.) Pancho Villa
7.) Ponsekelek Wongjonkam
8.) Midjet Wolgast
9.) Yuri Arbachecov
10.) Frankie Genero

 

1. Jimmy Wilde
2. Pancho Villa
3. Miguel Canto
4. Pascual Perez
5. Fighting Harada
6. Benny Lynch
7. Fidel LaBarba
8. Frankie Genaro
9. Pongsaklek Wonjongkam
10. Midget Wolgast