Is Zab Judah a top 10 (15, 20 25?) light welterweight all-time?

Outside the top 30. The General forum probably has Amir Khan in the top 10.

Fuji>Judah

 

Basilio
Napoles
Robinson
Armstrong
McLarnin
Walcott
Britton
Whitaker
Griffith
Gavilan
Graham
Mayweather
Ross
Leonard
Ryan
Rodriguez
Benitez
Lewis
Fields
Duran
Trinidad
De La Hoya
Burley
Hearns
Walker

Those are some definite 'greater than' or 'better than' fighters. Most are both. There are several I've forgotten. But there's twenty five (in no order) to get you started.

 

Sorry mate atsch

Thought you said 'welterweights...'

As for light welterweights, I'm not sure really. Definitely not top ten, not a chance.

Napoles
Benitez
Tszyu
Whitaker
Cervantes
Pryor
Ortiz
Duran
Canzoneri
Loi
Locche
Ross
Taylor
Chavez
De La Hoya
Berg
Armstrong
Mayweather
Williams (Ike)

I would rate all of those as stronger than Zab Judah at 140lbs. There are a few others.

 

Mamby
Fuji
Muangsurin
Perkins
Roger Mayweather
Peppermint Frazer

I'll take Ricky Hatton>Zab in terms of ranking at 140 as well.

 

I'd take Bruce Curry over Zab as well.

 

I added a couple more who I just thought of.

Those are the definites for me, not that Judah couldn't beat a few of those, it's just that they're all either a bit better than him or they spent more time at the weight to accomplish more. I like to think a fighter rated at #10 has a pretty realistic chance of taking out the #1 or 2, but I don't see Judah even coming close to beating a young Jose Napoles or polished Roberto Duran, whereas I could reasonably envisage someone like Carlos Ortiz besting them.

Quite a rich weight class though, easily my favourite of the non-traditional divisions.

 

I gave him a mention in 2007 (thus no Pacquiao, Marquez et al); but of those 'mentioned' perhaps only Oliva is weaker; so he is outside my top 25.

10 Floyd Mayweather Jr
9 Ricky Hatton
8 Oscar de la Hoya
7 Meldrick Taylor
6 Julio Cesar Chavez
5 Nicolino Loche
4 Kostya Tszyu
3 Aaron Pryor
2 Wilfred Benitez
1 Antonio Cervantes

Mentions: Pinkey Mitchell, Jackie Berg, Mushy Callahan, Tony Canzoneri, Barney Ross, Carlos Ortiz, Duilio Loi, Saoul Mamby, Patrizio Oliva, Roger Mayweather, Buddy McGirt, Pernell Whitaker, Frankie Randall, Juan Martin Coggi, Vince Phillips, Zab Zab Judah and Sharmba Mitchell

 

Check out Jose Napoles in his younger days against Urbina and Cokes (a name I left off the welterweight list! Also remembered Eddie Perkins at 140lbs) and remember he's fighting just slightly above his most comfortable weight. I've never thought Napoles jumped out at you with speed, power and slickness but it seems the closer you inspect, the more he seems to impress. One of the most natural, comfortable fighters in the ring, ever.

 

Judah had glimpses of Whitaker in his style. But as you suggest, it is a lot easier to fight with Sweet Pea's style against a 'Rick Edson' than against Azumah Nelson.

I was pretty high on Zab, until he came to these shores and struggled with a young Junior Witter. After that I took him with a pinch of salt. That said Tszyu's destruction of him was a bit out of the blue. Although to be fair to him, he did rebound slightly all be it at 7lbs higher (not including his return to 140 at the end of his career. Which saw the sad Amir fight, where he clearly was only there for the pay day).