Who are the top 10 welterweights of all time?

The criticism I would make of the list in the OP (and indeed some posted since), is that they seem to think that boxing started in the 1940s.

Smith, Ryan, Walcott, and Lewis, were titans of the division in the decades after their careers!

They should not be pushed down by guys like Trinidad!

 

With lists like these, people tend to focus on boxers they've seen a lot of or watched live.

Many fighters during the first couple decades of the 20th century were boxing icons, but we also know the skill and quality of fighters overall improved over the decades - from 1901 to the 30s and 40s, let's say. There are also more of them on film, so we can judge them for ourselves and not just go on the writeups of journalists trying to write exciting copy to sell papers.

And since the WBC moved the weigh-ins from the day of the fight to the day before, now we're seeing guys like Brandon Rios fighting in "welterweight bouts" while weighing more than Marvin Hagler did when he was in the ring defending his middleweight title.

That's why I think you tend to see fighters from the 40s thru the 80s taking up a lot of space on lists like these.

It's not fair to every boxer who ever lived, but since the quality of opposition varies from decade to decade, and the actual in-the-ring weights changed over the decadaes ... it's not a level playing field regardless.

People just go with their guts. Like, I know I should probably have Kid Gavilan and Jose Napoles in my top 10 based on their reputations and because they have wins over Basilio and Griffith (respectively) who are on my list. But I've seen a lot of Gavilan and Napoles' fights, and I just personally liked watching the champs on my list more.

For instance, I saw Napoles defeat guys like Hedgemon Lewis years after the fact, and I remember the excitement of watching Marlon Starling completely destroy Lloyd Honeyghan, and personally it doesn't compare.

 

Pretty List!

Hearns would have destory Oscar. If Leonard - Hearns was only going 12 it would have been a clear Hearns win. I think I would move Hearns up tp 6 and Carmen right behind him. Walcott and Walker have to be up there as well.

 

I forgot about Burley. Nice.

 

Ryan, Britton, Wes, and Shade. I really have no idea who these men are. I am not ashamed to admit it. I will be learning about them now.

BTW, you were in the crowd when Robinson was beating on Hank. Wow!

 

Tommy Ryan is one of the first great fighters. Although his failure to face Barbados will always he held against him I fear.

Britton was co-star to arguably the greatest WW rivalry in all of history.

West is more of a man know for being a mutual opponent although he was unfortunate being in that era.

 

Thank you for the study prep.

 

since 1940

Robinson
Napoles
Armstrong
Cuevas
Brown
Basilio
Curry
Honeyghan
Leonard
little Floyd

(hearns did not make the list based upon a weak field of challengers to his paper title. the others are much more established)

Honeyghan made the list based on his strong showing against a dominant and improving champion

 

Nice list!

 

1 Sugar Ray Robinson
2. Sugar Ray Leonard
3. Jose Napoles
4. Kid Gavilan
5. Thomas Hearns
6. Emile Griffith
7. Barbados Joe Walcott
8. Henry Armstrong
9. Roberto Duran
10. Floyd Mayweather

Hm: Carmen Basilio