Physically strongest Welterweight champions

When he was nearly 40 and a middleweight?!
He didn't have a weak area as a welterweight, he was strong.

 

Kirkland Lang ? looked like a SM in a bad light .

 

Surprised that no one has mentioned Ike Quartey yet. He was very physically strong at 147. Tito and Paret were tough to back up at 147.

 

I would say Barbados Joe Walcott was worth a mention he had a helluva powerful physique and of course was only 5'1 and a half tall, so had a stocky build.

 

Basilio for me. Stylistically he utilized that strength to it's fullest. Griffith and Walker are way up there and of the more modern guys Mayorga and Quartey were quite notable.

 

I tend to think the correct answer to these ‘strongest at this weight’ questions are more recent fighters:

Same-day weigh-in means welterweights were much smaller guys back in the day. They weren’t walking around at 160-something (or more) between fights, only weighing 147 for a couple of hours on weigh-in day and ballooning back up.

Also, modern fighters tend to weight train more and build muscle power. And those who use PEDs (not all but many I’m sure) have the capacity to lift more/longer with less recovery time thus gain strength.

Now if we’re talking ‘natural’ strength, what was called ‘country strong’ when and where I grew up, that’s a different matter.

Also important to note that strength and punching power are two different animals.

Obviously heavyweights could be a different case but the big boys are bigger now, too. I think today’s 6-foot-7, 325-pound tackles in the NFL would shove around a previous era’s 6-2, 260-pounders and that probably carries over to the large, strong top guys of more recent vintage.

 

But does that make him stronger because of a 10lbs weight advantage ? Or just heavier.

 

I think people get that but they just ignore it for the sake of simplicity.

 

Call me crazy...but I’ve always felt that Iran Barkley could give Robinson problems

 

I came here to mention Ike Quartey...you beat me to it

 

You both beat me to it.

 

Maybe, I think he's too fragile for Robi.