Greatest Contenders - Lightweights

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by scartissue, Jan 22, 2021.


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  1. scartissue

    scartissue Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Continuing our discussion. Today, give me your 15 greatest contenders never to win the lightweight title.

    The rules are, they must have competed at the weight and never won a World, WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, NBA or NYSAC recognized title at the selected weight (Interim, Colored, White, IBU, BBBC, state recognized other than New York, Country only recognized or any organization south of WBO are not recognized titles, so their champions are eligible as contenders). Also, since I am not recognizing Straw, jr. fly, super fly, super bantam, super middle or cruiser, the champions and contenders in the omitted classes are eligible at the higher weight. If they did move up and win that respective title like Roman Gonzalez, they are ineligible as a contender. Easy enough? Please ask if I am gliding over something. And don't sweat the order, just give me your best 15.

    Here are mine:

    -Jack Blackburn
    -Packey McFarland
    -Billy Petrolle
    -Jack (Kid) Berg
    -Kid Chocolate
    -Wes Ramey
    -Pedro Montanez
    -Willie Joyce
    -Freddie Dawson
    -Art Aragon
    -Georgie Araujo
    -Kenny Lane
    -Duilio Loi
    -Flash Elorde
    -Nicolino Loche

    Man, this is so deep there are about 10 more that are interchangeable with these guys. Come on, guys, give me your best 15.
     
    scartissue, Jan 22, 2021
    scartissue, Jan 22, 2021
    #1
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  2. Bujia

    Bujia Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Packey McFarland
    Lockport Jimmy Duffy
    Billy Petrolle
    Lew Tendler
    Pedro Montanez
    Willie Joyce
    Charley White
    Sid Terris
    Joe Mandot
    Wes Ramey
    Freddie Dawson
    Benny Valger
    Joe Shugrue
    Richie Mitchell
    Jimmy Britt

    I’ll probably be back to revise when whichever name (s) I forgot pop into my head. Not including guys who were champions at other weights, either.
     
    Last edited: Jan 23, 2021
    Bujia, Jan 22, 2021
    Bujia, Jan 22, 2021
    #2
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  3. Mike Cannon

    Mike Cannon Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Jimmy Brit
    Leach Cross
    Harlem Tommy Murphy
    Joe Rivers
    Richtie Micthell
    Ever Hammer
    Rueben Navarro
    Ray Lampkin
    George " Elbows " McFadden
    Brain freeze......
     
    Mike Cannon, Jan 22, 2021
    Mike Cannon, Jan 22, 2021
    #3
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  4. scartissue

    scartissue Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I did the same, Bujia, I forgot Sid Terris. Thanks for the cover.
     
    scartissue, Jan 22, 2021
    scartissue, Jan 22, 2021
    #4
  5. scartissue

    scartissue Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Mike, great picks.
     
    scartissue, Jan 22, 2021
    scartissue, Jan 22, 2021
    #5
  6. Bronze Tiger

    Bronze Tiger Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Angel Manfredy ? ( don’t laugh) ...he fought Mayweather, Corales , Stevie Johnston , Paul Spadafora, Gatti , and Ivan Robinson....and he was competitive in most of those fights
     
    Bronze Tiger, Jan 22, 2021
    Bronze Tiger, Jan 22, 2021
    #6
  7. El Gallo Negro

    El Gallo Negro Active Member banned Full Member

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    The only one that comes to mind is Jesus Chavez. Did he fight at liteweight?

    He was great. And so was Famoso Hernandez
     
    El Gallo Negro, Jan 22, 2021
    El Gallo Negro, Jan 22, 2021
    #7
  8. AlFrancis

    AlFrancis Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Great shout Charley White, Liverpool lad like me.
     
    AlFrancis, Jan 22, 2021
    AlFrancis, Jan 22, 2021
    #8
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  9. AlFrancis

    AlFrancis Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I always thought of Aaron Pryor as a lightweight who just got a shot at the light welterweight title.
     
    AlFrancis, Jan 22, 2021
    AlFrancis, Jan 22, 2021
    #9
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  10. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft He Who Saw The Deep Full Member

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    Just in a sort of loose order:

    - Packey McFarland
    - Willie Joyce
    - Jimmy Britt
    - Lew Tendler
    - Lockport Jimmy Duffy
    - Charlie White
    - Billy Petrolle
    - Jack Kid Berg
    - Jimmy McLarnin
    - Ritchie Mitchell
    - Jack Britton
    - Joe Mandot
    - Dave Holly
    - Joe Shrugue
    - Wes Ramey

    That was much easier than FW and FLY. So many options. Lightweight has to be known as the deepest division ever. It's unbelievable who fought there. Even this list, which is just fighters to not win the title, is honestly comparable and even favourable to most of the ******* divisions. I can't imagine HW doing that.

    Guys like Loi, Napoles, Pryor, Locche, Lane, etc; didn't quite achieve enough at 135 to make this list, their work often carried over into super-lightweight territory. And some of them won the title there, so I don't think they're eligible.

    No guys after say, the 80s can even really he considered IMO. Not in a snot-nosed 'wannabe historian' kinda way, just in that if you're not good enough to win a title in an era of three or four titles, then it's highly unlikely that you're gonna have achieved more than these guys. It's also very difficult to see a guy who wasn't good enough to win a title, achieving more than these guys in a career that'd inevitably be about 4x shorter.
     
    George Crowcroft, Jan 23, 2021
    George Crowcroft, Jan 23, 2021
    #10
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  11. scartissue

    scartissue Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I wouldn't laugh. Manfredy is a solid pick. BTW, I included him at junior lightweight as well.
     
    scartissue, Jan 23, 2021
    scartissue, Jan 23, 2021
    #11
  12. scartissue

    scartissue Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Jesus Chavez did indeed fight at lightweight. In fact, he won the IBF title from Levander Johnson. Which, unfortunately, disqualifies him from this roster. However, Carlos 'Famoso' Hernandez did fight often at lightweight, even though anytime he fought for a title it was at Junior lightweight. But he's viable.
     
    scartissue, Jan 23, 2021
    scartissue, Jan 23, 2021
    #12
    George Crowcroft likes this.
  13. scartissue

    scartissue Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Outstanding choices, George, as always.
     
    scartissue, Jan 23, 2021
    scartissue, Jan 23, 2021
    #13
    George Crowcroft likes this.
  14. El Gallo Negro

    El Gallo Negro Active Member banned Full Member

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    Damn, I forgot Levander had a title. It was his first defense too I believe
     
    El Gallo Negro, Jan 23, 2021
    El Gallo Negro, Jan 23, 2021
    #14
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  15. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    Young Griffo deserves consideration IMO.
     
    BitPlayerVesti, Jan 23, 2021
    BitPlayerVesti, Jan 23, 2021
    #15
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