Napoles, Gavilan and Leonard

Yes, to the knowledgeable eye he is.

To the average casual fan who tunes in to see flash and dazzle showboat stuff, not as much.

 

What he meant was that he wasn't black. :deal

 

But Napoles was

 

Yeah but not like the other two. He was a latino black man - I know Gavilan was Cuban but somehow they are mostly ignored when it comes to Latin-Americans.

Get what I mean?

 

Napoles was Cuban aswell bra...He was the darkest out of all of them probably.

 

Didn't he fight under Mexican flag? Or do I mix that up? I always considered him Mexican.

 

He moved there after Castro banned pro-boxing in the early 60's.

He was Cuban born, bread and schooled.

 

Thanks everybody. I'm trying to order a list of the best at 147, I decided that these guys were the three best behind Robinson but I can't decide between them to put them in order.

 

Hm, missed that. Thanks for the information and sorry @PowerPuncher!

 

:huh switch them all round for me. Although they're all great fighters and i know you rate Gavilan high.

 

Gavilan was most certainly the blackest of the bunch.

 

Do you have Napoles no. 1 ric?

It's unfortunate Gavilan got ripped off so many times, his record would look much more impressive otherwise.

It's a pity he fought Bobo Olson with a hurt hand too, otherwise he would have taken that fight for sure imo and become a middleweight champ.

 

I must admit I dont know the full details of Gavilan's career. I used to rank him above Napoles, but I question his dominance with such a spotty record. I could well be wrong from the sounds of it.

 

As I said in another thread:


He was robbed against Johnny Saxton, Lester Felton, Robert Villemain, George Costner and Billy Graham (in their first fight).

Also he could have had decisions go his way against Gene Hairston, Gene Burton, Tommy Ciarlo, Ike Williams, Danny Womber, Bobo Olson and a bunch of others in the twilight of his career.

 

Leonard, Gavilan, Napoles ,are all great weterweights...But why the common way of evaluating fighters using " the latest is the greatest " , only road?. I believe it is disrespectful to such olkd time greats as Joe Wolcott, Tommy Ryan, Jack Britton, Ted Kid Lewis, Barney Ross, Jimmy Mclarnin...Why are they not in the mix of the "greatest" welterweights?. Robinson aside, of course...I think todays boxing fans rely much too much on videos showing modern boxers at their best,in NORMAL speed...While the few films available, showing the old time greats, are hand cranked, and most often make the greats of yesteryear, look like actors in a Chaplin comedy...I can assure you our fathers, and grandfathers,walked like us,ran like we do, and yes, THREW punches as we do today...Respect the great and amazing records of the immortals of the past,I say...For one final example...Jack Britton, had 344 bouts in his twent six year career, and was only stopped ONCE, at the start of his career...Truly amazing I think...