The 10 Greatest Bantamweights

Did you mention Jofre had issues losing weight and it drained him? Did you mention that Harda fought dirty and used his head ( losing a point ). The fight happened in Harda's native Japan where he was less likely to lose a decision. There was a problem with judging in Asian nations, with the home guy seldom losing decisions unless its a clear loss. Finally, did you mention the age difference between the two fighters, which off the top of my head was 7 years? Primes for the lower weight back then went as quickly as the late 20's.

I suggest if the fight happened in a neutral setting, 2 years sooner the results would be different. Sort of like if the Rumble in the Jungle was moved two years back in the USA, Foreman likely wins it.

Don't get me wrong, I think your work is a quality read. Perhaps it would be better off without any # in rank attached to it due to some unusual placements. Turing up the heat in a 115-118 pound conversation is the road less traveled here.

Cheers.

 

Top 5 post early in this thread.


1. Jofre - The gold standard. Perhaps the easiest #1 to call in any division.

2. Olivares - A Mexican warrior, perhaps their best ever. Nearly unbeatable at bantam. Losses are mostly at feather.

3. McGovern, and absolute terror in his prime years. Wins over Dixon, and Gans are tough to beat.

4. Zarte. A huge puncher. I don't count his comeback out of the ring for 5 years against his legacy

5. Brown - Extremely tough, and very tall for his weight class with good movement skills. He had a very long career.


6. Ortiz
7. Harda
8. Herman - Two time champion, beat a guy named Wilde. A bit under rated, I think
9. Williams
10. Lynch

8, 9, and 10 can be re-arranged. #10 could go to its of guys. I have a tough time placing Dixon. The film on him really makes him look bad.

 

A fair enough list...not sure that it is better (or worse) than Flea’s or anyone else’s for that matter.

My biggest disagreement is Zarate. I know you and many rate him top 5 while Flea and others don’t. I see him more in the 8-10 range.

At the end of the day they are just opinions

 

Well it wouldn't but the lower weight classes are pretty close to each other and McGovern was the guy moving up in class.

Did McGovern even lose a non DQ fight at Bantam? He was something like the Jack Dempsey at 115-118 pounds before the Mauler came around.

 

It’s a very hard division to rank. IMO the top two are Jofre and Olivares. I think Ortiz, Brown and Zarate are generally found in most top fives but what’s interesting to note is that none of those had another Bantamweight win over a fellow IBHOF inductee. I tend not to hold that too harshly though as I’ll explain in my Jofre piece.

I’d probably give you a different ten next week but thinking today this to me feels right at least on my list

1. Eder Jofre
2. Ruben Olivares
3. Panama Al Brown
4. Manuel Ortiz
5. Pete Herman
6. Fighting Harada
7. Carlos Zarate
8. Memphis Pal Moore
9. Kid Williams
10. Terry McGovern

My initial thought that I’d have Rafael Herrera is off. I think Joe Lynch would be very deserving of top 10 and probably the best of the rest. Like I said I’d likely have it a little different until I sit there and realsearch throughly. I know my top two would be the same though partly because I think they are the top two talents the division has seen by some distance IMO.

 

In regards to lower weight punchers, they often have skills, which makes them extra dangerous when they have off the charts power for the weight class.

Zarte went to the head and body really well and had the type of hoo and uppercut where his opponents started hurt. Okay, maybe defense wasn't his thing, but there is hell to pay on a missed counter with him, and I think he's just to much for the shorter / non power punchers of the lot who were also great.

Rather tall for a bantam, Zarte was robbed in the Pintor fight.

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Usually overall legacy, ring record, and head to head.

On the ring record I discount the past their prime losses, but I count others as a minus.

 

Haven't checked in on here for a few days, had a few things going on. I had the pleasure then of three great reads for the price of one. Really enjoying the thread Flea and the extra insights, you really have done your homework. Looking forward to the top three and the conversation that they provoke.