I'll get things started and give it a whirl (seeing as how it is my f**king thread). 1. Guillermo Rigondeaux 2. Roman Gonzalez 3. Nonito Donaire 4. Johnny Gonzalez 5. Abner Mares 6. Leo Santa Cruz 7. Akira Yaegashi 8. Omar Narvaez 9. Juan Francisco Estrada 10. Shinsuke Yamanaka
Solid enough list. Ioka should probably be in their somewhere being that he has a W (eiven though debatable) over Yaegashi. Moreno would probably make most people's too.
Why in the hell aren't Carl Frampton and Kiko Martinez on that list? Kiko had one hell of a 2013 KO'ing 2 world champs and Frampton has a tko win over Kiko. That's enough to be on that list of fighters.
You can 86 Estrada and Narvaez. Narvaez is a protected fighter who's claim to fame is stinking out the joint against Donaire and If hardcore fans haven't heard of Estrada then he hasn't done enough to warrant being rated over either Martinez or Frampton. Besides, Kiko came to the states and down 2 regarded world caliber fighters. Either should be rated even with Santa Cruz possibly, but def higher than the 2 I mentioned.
Thanks for the input! As for Ioka, it's a great win. But Ioka has yet to establish himself from the rest of his division. Almost 2 years off that defeat Yaegashi has sequestered himself atop of the very best division in the sport. I originally had Moreno No. 10 but ultimately decided to go with Yamanaka who I believe is the best bantamweight in the world.
I like it. Move Santa Cruz out, as good as I do think he is. Ioka and Moreno, as Hans said, are the two missing who deserve it.
Hardcore fans have heard of Estrada. He gave Roman Gonzalez the toughest fight of his career at the end of 2012, and in 13 defeated Brian Vilioria- who was most people's number #1 rated Flyweight at the time and took capable Milian Melidino '0'. All hardcore fans have heard of him. And I think you're seriously underrating Navarez accomplishments.
Nah... Ioka's history making war with Yaegashi is an amazing feat but often forgotten is his top tier victory over the consensus #1 strawweight in Oleydong. Great body shot KO. He also has the solid supporting wins on the resume to those highlights with his rugged battles with Juan Hernandez and Felix Alvarado on New Years Eve '13. He has not had the easy route to where he is at by any means whatsoever. His 108 competition has left a little more to be desired if there is anything critical to say...
Chocolito is a puncher so he gets high marks and giving him a tough fight doesn't give him ups on 2 world class fighters who TKO other world ranked fighters. Enlighten me on what Narvaez has done that eclipses what the 2 fighters I mentioned have done, and recently too mind you. The OP did say consider resume and performance.
Estrada's win over Viloria, alone, is better than anything them two have done. At the time, Viloria was one of the top-20 fighters in the world. Let alone, one of the most popular in the lower weights.