I've been surprised that Barney is never thrown into the mix of great welter battlers. His wins over McLarin (2 of 3 bouts), Canzoneri, Garcia, Petrolle and such may not have been on the level of a Napoles or Hearns but they were the best of his day. Not much of a puncher but he lost only two on the way up and then only a split to McLarin at his peak. He had nothing left in his last bout against Armstrong. Great chin and stamina, overall a very good boxer, how would you have him do against Napoles, Leonard, Benitiz, Mayweather, Hearns, and lets throw in Gavilan.
I think we have to be careful about rating Ross as a welterweight. He was in his prime a lightweight (and light-welter, a division not cared much for at that time). He moved up to get a money fight against McLarnin as he (again) had lost all his money on slow horses. Too small, so I would not like to see him against natural welters most of whom moved one or several divisions up. Woller
boxrec has him @ #54 (just above Frazier n just below Ray Leonard) far below Canzoneri & McLarnin in their AT p4p list and quite rightfully so. Who did he ever beat? a vastly over8ed and past his prime Ceferino Garcia whom lost all of his important fights multiple times and always by decision, and a 2:0 by very close decisions over Canzoneri (but did he really win any of those) and a 2:1 over McLarnin (again, did he deserve to win any?) . Also both Canzoneri & McLarnin were older than him which should also be taken into consideration. Was he like a more consistent Benitez with less built in skill? Regarding his h2h vs d gr8s , a small WW with no power whom was beaten by n even smaller WW would have probably been bombed out or @ least beaten badly by d true h2h rulers of d WW. Ruling out obvious picks over him such as Paul Williams & Vernon Forrest whom would have been unable making 147 during his era, he would have probably been beaten badly by WW Duran (a 4mer LW himself) Ross is not even d 3rd best nor gr8est LW turned WW: think of: Duran, Henry Jackson, Whitaker and consider Thobella () . I did not even compare him 2d likes or Mosley & DLH whom were bigger, or 2d mosnters such as Hearns & WSJ . Ross is somwewhere below Camacho, near Haugen , McGirt & Pazienza .
