Where do you rate these four ATGs...

Duran inside the top 10, Monzon inside the top 25, Napoles inside the top 30, and Benitez outside of the top 50. I'd assume somewhere circa #80.

 

Yeah, Benitez barely makes it into my top 100.

Monzon and Napoles in the same bracket (30 & 28 last time out IIRC)

Duran at no.6.

 

Napoles and Monzon... Damn. One half of me is saying Monzon was such a dominant and nonchalant champion that he should be rated around #18. Then I think of Napoles - nearly as dominant, probably faced better opposition, and also more of it, whilst being small for his weight. Is it too much to rate him #17? A special case may be made, but that's to the detriment of some others around him - McLarnin, Canzoneri, Walker and so on, would hang on the brackets above, perhaps with Ali & Louis - but then the question of Napoles nags me again as I genuinely see him as a near equal champion to both of those, opposition considered, with a stronger pre-title career.

Difficulties.

 

Duran top 10-15

Napoles and Monzon are evenly matched in my eyes: top 25-35

Benitez is top 50+

 

Roberto Duran - top 10
Jose Napoles- top 40
Wilfred Benitez - top 90 or something
Carlos Monzon - top 25

 

duran 5,
Monzon 18
Napoles top 30
Benitez 45-50.

 

Where d'ya have LMR?

 

I don't know man... Rodriguez was superb in his early career in particular and accomplished a lot in just a few years. I didn't realise but checking it now, before he'd even fought in the USA Rodriguez had beaten Benny Paret twice, Joe Miceli and Gomeo Brennan, all of whom were rated at some point. Infact, after breaching North America and fighting everybody worth anything in his division, up until he lost to Curtis Cokes ten years into his career, Rodriguez had only lost by split decisions. He was 72-5. Some good middleweights were mixed in with that lot.

I think Emile Griffith might deserve to rate slightly higher for his longevity, even if I said I thought Rodriguez was slightly better overall and more consistent in his prime.

We're talking between #22 and #30 somewhere, probably with R. Leonard, Whitaker, Chavez and Arguello, probably McFarland and possibly Dixon and Wilde and also Saddler.

This must mean that Napoles is around #18 with Kid Gavilan and Ike Williams slightly underneath. Monzon at #19.

Wait:

1. Harry Greb
2. Henry Armstrong
3. Ray Robinson
4. Sam Langford
5. Benny Leonard
6. Ezzard Charles
7. Roberto Duran
8. Willie Pep
9. Archie Moore
10. Barney Ross
11. Joe Gans
12. Bob Fitzsimmons
13. Mickey Walker
14. Jimmy McLarnin
15. Tony Canzoneri
16.
17.
18. Jose Napoles
19. Carlos Monzon
20. Packey McFarland
21. Ray Leonard
22. Emile Griffith
23. Ike Williams
24. Kid Gavilan
26. Pernell Whitaker
27. Alexis Arguello
28. Luis Manuel Rodriguez
29. Julio Cesar Chavez
30. Gene Tunney
31. Ruben Olivares
32. Carlos Ortiz
33. Marvin Hagler
34. Sandy Saddler
35. George Dixon

Not satisfied, but it's shaping.

 

It seems to me that lmr is one of the best ww-lmw men in history which he demonstrates with victories over paret, griffith, cokes and carter.

 

I don't even know if Griffith cracks my top 40. Rodriguez would make the top 30.

 

Why isnt Muhammad Ali in there?

 

Mere oversight.

 

Yeah it was actually. Ali #16 and Louis #17.

I'm stuck with Griffith because he was a great fighter. But you can't help thinking he feigned superiority over some of his best opponents.

Anyone think #18 is too high for Napoles?