Prime Henry Armstrong vs Roberto Duran at Ltweight

Hi Mike, my top 10 at LW is contained within a post 3 above yours. You'll see I have Ambers at #8 and completely agree he's underrated/underappreciated.

 

Interesting. I'm guessing our criteria differ. I only consider fights contested in the weight division I'm ranking. Given your relatively high rankings of Armstrong and McLarnin at LW, I suspect you have a different criteria.

 

Oh ! sorry didn't see your post, yea have no problem with your ranking, he would have given the best a run for their money, and unless you had 1 punch KO power ( many LWs didn't ) you were in for a long arduous fight.
chat soon Greg.

 

No problem and no need to apologise Mike. I agree. Ambers and Mandell (my #11) are 2 of the more underrated LWs, imo.

 

McLarnin fought a lot of great Lightweights. However, since the fights were not always at 135, there is an argument for me to remove him from my LW rankings. As far as Armstrong is concerned, I'm taking into account the fact that he defended the WW title whilst weighing 135 or lighter.

 

The winner will be counted by the highest number of low blow punches thrown. My guess in that case Armstrong wins. Lou Ambers won the title from him, referee taking five rounds for penalty, could have given more. Also, they could add hitting with his elbows not mitts.

 

Yeah, as I suspect, we have different criteria, which is absolutely fine.

For me, a fight contesting the WW world title contributes towards a fighter resume & therefore ranking at WW.

In non title fights, the heavier men determines the weight division in which a fight is being contested. e.g. in a fight between boxers weighing 134lbs and 145lbs, the contest is being contested at WW & I'd consider the result as a part of each fighters WW resume. I'm not saying this is definitive critera or claiming it's superior to yours, it's just what makes most sense to me.

At & around LW Armstrong went around 52-8-6. He was 2-1 in World Title fights. He went 1-1 each with Lou Ambers, Baby Arizmendi and Tony Chavez. He also beat Lew Jenkins, Benny Bass, Baby Arizmendi, Lew Feldman x 2, Davey Day, Frankie Klick, Lew Massey and Chalky Wright. He also lost to Davey Abad, Richard Fontaine, Willie Joyce & Beau Jack. The latter 2 aged 30 & probably past prime. I rank him #16 all time based on this record.

At & around WW Armstrong went around 55-6-2. He went an incredible 20-2 in World Title fights. He went 1-2 with Fritzie Zivic and 1-1 with Willie Joyce, the loss being when he was way past prime age 32. He also beat Barney Ross, Ceferino Garcia, Baby Arizmendi, Lew Feldman, Davey Day, Sammy Angott, Maxie Shapiro, Pedor Montanez, Paul Junior x 2, Leo Rodak, Juan Zurita, Lew Jenkins, Tippy Larkin & Al Bummy Davis. He also lost to Reuben Shank aged 29 when probably fading, SRR just before his 32nd birthday whilst well past prime and Chester Slider when shot in his final fight age 33. I rank him #4 at WW based on his work there.

 

Armstrong was always in prime shape, having fights right after another kept him busy and in the pink. Mike Jacobs, Armstrong's manager and promoter would sign his next opponent that had no warm up fights, they come in stale, some that haven't fought for months.

 

Definition of a 50\50 fight

 

Henry Armstrong vs. Davey Day for the Welterweight Title. What is interesting, both were lightweights. Day had to come in at 136 lbs. So Hanks lightweight title wasn't at stake.

 

Duran UD he bigger and I think a a more complete fighter