Name me a deeper division...

That was an incredibly deep middleweight division. Especially in hindsight given all that some of those men had yet to do.

The heavyweight class of 1991 was rather impressive too

Evander Holyfield
Mike Tyson
Rid**** Bowe
Razor Ruddock
Ray Mercer
George Foreman
Tim Witherspoon
Tony Tucker
Lennox Lewis
Michael Moorer

EDIT: oops Azzar already beat me too it. But still worth mentioning.

 

I remember Parks was as highly touted as Hopkins before he lost to Johnson.

Neither had fought top much top competition before getting their respective title shots.

Kalambay was past his best but still tough.

Tate had given Jackson a very tough fight

Roy had beaten Percy Harris easily.

yes, it was pretty deep. even the lower part of the top 10 was solid.

I think it looks even better in retrospect because some of these guys like Jones and Hopkins, and McCllellan went on to be top guys. They hadn't really done too much at the time these ratings came out.

 

Bowe vs Ruddock would have been brutal.

As would have Ruddock/Mercer.

 

1980-87 was such an exciting era for the Lightweight Division. Then, Pernell started dominating. He was too good but would have had a tougher time if he peaked in the mid 80.s.

 

Probably mine too.. And the thing about that group is that they were already pretty much established and not question marks for the future. Some of them were old like Foreman, Tucker and WItherspoon but all were still producing nice results and could still fight. when you count it up there are probably about five hall of fame men and maybe two adiditonal guys who are knocking on the door. Just ouside that top 10 you had some tough fringe contenders and gatekeepers too... Just a magnificent era and one that sadly I took for granted when I was growing up at that time.

 

The 50's middleweight division

Ray Robinson
Jake Lamotta
Rocky Graziano
Carmen Basilio
Randolph Turpin
Gene Fullmer
Bobo Olson
Rocky Castellani

 

Joe Brown, Champion
1. Carlos Ortiz
2. Dave Charnley
3. Flash Elorde
4. Eddie Perkins
5. Douglas Vaillant
6. Kenny Lane
7. Carlos Hernandez
8. Paolo Rosi
9. Nursery Kid
10. Len Matthews

These are the year end '61 ring ratings of the lightweights. I have always been intrigued with the depth of the '58-'62 era of lightweights. Others that criss-crossed the ratings in this era but not listed here are Duilio Loi, Nicolino Loche, Paul Armstead, Alfredo Urbina, Bunny Grant, Willie Toweel and a number more I'm sure I'll think of later. This was a truly deep era.

 

RING magazine has this for welterweight, end of 1941 :




Freddie (Red) Cochrane, Champion

1. Sugar Ray Robinson
2. California Jackie Wilson
3. Fritzie Zivic
4. Young Kid McCoy
5. Charley Burley
6. Holman Williams
7. Cocoa Kid
8. Izzy Jannazzo
9. Ron Richards**
10. Norman Rubio

*
It is worth noting that Henry Armstrong fought Zivic for the championship in 1941, his only fight that year, losing in 12th round stoppage. Not sure if he had announced his retirement of 0-1 just didn't get him rated, but he was champ in 1940 and bounced back to the #2 spot in the ratings in 1942, so it's fair to say he was part of the division for 1941.


**
#9 Ron Richards was a middleweight his whole career, so not sure why he's listed in the ratings.
He's also listed #9 at middleweight the same month, so I suspect a typo somewhere (perhaps Boxrec, rather than the RING original?)

 

The Junior Middleweights in 1980s were some bad men too.


1983 :

Thomas Hearns, Champion

1. Wilfred Benitez
2. Roberto Duran
3. Mike McCallum
4. John Mugabi
5. Fred Hutchings
6. Davey Moore
7. David Braxton
8. James Green
9. Earl Hargrove
10. Herol Graham

1985 :

Thomas Hearns, Champion

1. John Mugabi
2. Mike McCallum
3. Carlos Santos
4. Davey Moore
5. Mark Medal
6. Buster Drayton
7. Julian Jackson
8. Donald Curry
9. David Braxton
10. Matthew Hilton

Imagine throwing Floyd Mayweather Jr. in that division.

 

Here's another set of lightweight ratings just amazing in its depth. From the end of '72.

Roberto Duran, Champion
1. Esteban De Jesus
2. Rodolfo Gonzalez
3. Ken Buchanan
4. Chango Carmona
5. Ray Lampkin
6. Antonio Puddu
7. Pedro Carrasco
8. Jimmy Heair
9. Ruben Navarro
10. Mando Ramos