Top welterweights of your lifetime

[redrooster]

No way to honestly evaluate boxers whose era we did not live thru so I will list those since 1970

At the top we have Napoles. He was the most accomplished at this weight with the most accomplishments AND with the greatest longevity

Below we have the indesrutuctable Pipino Cuevas at #2

At #3 is Ray Leonard while below him is the fledgling Thomas Hearns

and rounding out the top five is Lloyd Honeyghan

#6-10

#6 Roberto Duran

7) Simon Brown

8) Don Curry

9) Pernell Whitaker

10) Wilfred Benitez

[la-califa]

Are you going by talent, Popularity or personal favorite?

[TommyV]

Erm, what top welterweights have there been in the last 15 years? :lol:

[redrooster]

Popularity has nothing to do with it. This is who I think would have been most successful, who had the right stuff which is why Leonard ranks so high. Napoles earns the top spot because he was the best of the lot and with no apparant weaknesses.

I had problems arranging after Leonard and felt tempted to place Brown and Curry over Duran and Hearns because they were not so successful. Duran losing on his first defense and Hearns with a mere 3 against nobodies. I would have doe this excpet I knew it would bring much ridicule so I lowered their rankings.

Cuevas was one of the least talented but would have overwhelmed most of the others with his attack. His offense was bone breaking. Pernell on the other hand was one of the more talented boxers but couldnt break an egg and had to rely on decisions. It is not likely though he could have outblxed Thomas Hearns and no way is he going to knock him out.

Curry was also talented but IMO was overrated somewhat. His loss to Honeyghan really put his talents and accomplishments into proper perspective. The intenisty of that fight and Lloyd's attack was like nothing Donald could ever cope with. Lloyd too could not fullfill his potential either but he did have short term greatness.

[SuzieQ49]

1. Oscar De La Hoya
2. Pernell Whitaker
3. Felix Trinidad
4. Sugar Shane Mosley
5. Ike Quartey
6. Floyd Mayweather
7. Buddy Mcgirt
8. Vernon Forrest
9. Miguel Cotto- if he beats margarito, he moves up
10. Ricardo Mayorga

[biglads]

This thread needs more love for Benitez.

I can't rate him below the likes of Simon Brown or Honeyghan.

My top 5
Leonard
Hearns
De La Hoya
Benitez
Whitaker

[Hatesrats]

My Personal Fav...Welterweight's over the Late 70's/80's till now. [Most]
[That I liked to to watch]

Pipino Cuevas
Tommy Hearns
Carlos Palomino
Wilfred Benitez
Roberto Duran
Sugar Ray Leonard
Donald Curry
Lloyd Honeyghan
Marlon Starling
Mark Breland
Felix Trinidad
Oscar De La Hoya
James McGirt
Simon Brown
Vernon Forrest
Crisanto Espana
Antonio Margarito
Kermit Cintron
Miguel Cotto

[Manassa]

I suppose it's out of Griffith, Napoles and Leonard.

[McGrain]

9. Miguel Cotto- if he beats margarito, he moves up



How are you seeing this one? I got Cotto on a close but clear points win.

[teeto]

How are you seeing this one? I got Cotto on a close but clear points win.
I think Cotto aswell McGrain, i actually like Marg as a fighter, but i dont see him winning, i just think he will be too skilled in the exchanges (i dont know if 'skilled' is the word) and will land better shots that ultimately do the judging.

Cotto also can box, and though he looks good doing so, i dont think he is a great 'boxer', as he gets caught with shots a bit when in that mode. By my reckoning, he has been much more effective while on the front foot, not too sure that will be the right tactic in this one though!

[la-califa]

1. Leonard - He unified the Welterweight Championship.
2. Cuevas- Long Reign as Champion.
3. Napoles - Great Champion - Tender Skin.
4. Palomino - Equally long reign as Champion.
5. Hearns - Devistating as a Welterweight
6. Benitez - "El Radar" was great defensive master.
7. Duran - Beat Palomino & Leonard as a Welter.
8. Whitaker - Great at any weight.
9. Trinidad - Great power, national hero.
10. Curry - talented, Good fighter.
Honorable Mention - De La Hoya, Mosley, Cotto, Starling.

[Addie]

1. Leonard - He unified the Welterweight Championship.
2. Cuevas- Long Reign as Champion.
3. Napoles - Great Champion - Tender Skin.
4. Palomino - Equally long reign as Champion.
5. Hearns - Devistating as a Welterweight
6. Benitez - "El Radar" was great defensive master.
7. Duran - Beat Palomino & Leonard as a Welter.
8. Whitaker - Great at any weight.
9. Trinidad - Great power, national hero.
10. Curry - talented, Good fighter.
Honorable Mention - De La Hoya, Mosley, Cotto, Starling.

:good Great post.

[Rumsfeld]

1. Oscar De La Hoya
2. Pernell Whitaker
3. Felix Trinidad
4. Sugar Shane Mosley
5. Ike Quartey
6. Floyd Mayweather
7. Buddy Mcgirt
8. Vernon Forrest
9. Miguel Cotto- if he beats margarito, he moves up
10. Ricardo Mayorga

Not bad, but my order would be different, and given Judah and Spinks were undisputed, I might include one or both on my list (although, over whom, I am not certain).

[Rumsfeld]

1. Leonard - He unified the Welterweight Championship.
2. Cuevas- Long Reign as Champion.
3. Napoles - Great Champion - Tender Skin.
4. Palomino - Equally long reign as Champion.
5. Hearns - Devistating as a Welterweight
6. Benitez - "El Radar" was great defensive master.
7. Duran - Beat Palomino & Leonard as a Welter.
8. Whitaker - Great at any weight.
9. Trinidad - Great power, national hero.
10. Curry - talented, Good fighter.
Honorable Mention - De La Hoya, Mosley, Cotto, Starling.

That appears good to me, but some of these guys predate the time when I seriously began following the sport.

:good

[la-califa]

That appears good to me, but some of these guys predate the time when I seriously began following the sport.

:goodThanks for the compliment, But trust me the Late Seventies/ early Eighties were the golden days of the Welterweight Division!

[bigtime-skills]

1. Leonard - He unified the Welterweight Championship.
2. Cuevas- Long Reign as Champion.
3. Napoles - Great Champion - Tender Skin.
4. Palomino - Equally long reign as Champion.
5. Hearns - Devistating as a Welterweight
6. Benitez - "El Radar" was great defensive master.
7. Duran - Beat Palomino & Leonard as a Welter.
8. Whitaker - Great at any weight.
9. Trinidad - Great power, national hero.
10. Curry - talented, Good fighter.
Honorable Mention - De La Hoya, Mosley, Cotto, Starling.

I was born in the early 70s and you are spot on:good

[la-califa]

Here's an example: The rankings in Early 1980. WBC=Benitez WBA= Cuevas
1. Duran
2. Leonard
3. Palomino
4. Hearns
5. Armando Muniz
It doesn't get much better than that!

[SuzieQ49]

I agree with ur prediction 100% Teeto, Im so excited too!

[teeto]

I agree with ur prediction 100% Teeto, Im so excited too!
Yea, should be a really good one, could be a great one. Cant wait for it!

Is Pavlik-Abraham on? That MUST happen!

[mr. magoo]

This is always a good topic where I'm concerned

I had the pleasure of growing up during the 80's and 90's, and there were a lot of good welterweights in this period.

Ray Leonard
Roberto Duran
Thomas Hearns
Wilfred Benitez
Marlon Starling
Simon Brown
Donald Curry
Mark Breland
Loyd Honeyghan
Aron Davis
Glenwood Brown
Buddy Mcgirt
Julio Chavez
Pernell Whitaker
Oscar De La Hoya
Felix Trinidad


I probably missed a whole bunch, but from 1980-1995, was possibly one of the best eras in the sports history. Of course, not all of the above fighters fought each other, and we didn't see too many rivalry's but lets just say it was great....

[Robbi]

I suppose it's out of Griffith, Napoles and Leonard.


Your only 19, so how can they be the best in your lifetime?

[Maxmomer]

1. Oscar De La Hoya
2. Pernell Whitaker
3. Felix Trinidad
4. Sugar Shane Mosley
5. Ike Quartey
6. Floyd Mayweather
7. Buddy Mcgirt
8. Vernon Forrest
9. Miguel Cotto- if he beats margarito, he moves up
10. Ricardo Mayorga

Seconded. We must be about the same age.

[redrooster]

Your only 19, so how can they be the best in your lifetime?

Manassa is very advanced for his age

[Manassa]

Your only 19, so how can they be the best in your lifetime?

Who said I'm nineteen?

[DINAMITA]

No way to honestly evaluate boxers whose era we did not live thru so I will list those since 1970

At the top we have Napoles. He was the most accomplished at this weight with the most accomplishments AND with the greatest longevity

Below we have the indesrutuctable Pipino Cuevas at #2

At #3 is Ray Leonard while below him is the fledgling Thomas Hearns

and rounding out the top five is Lloyd Honeyghan

#6-10

#6 Roberto Duran

7) Simon Brown

8) Don Curry

9) Pernell Whitaker

10) Wilfred Benitez


A few real flaws with this. How was Cuevas indestructible if he got destroyed? Ray Leonard#1, and De La Hoya and Trinidad were miles ahead of Simon Brown and... LLOYD HONEYGHAN?!?!? Are you kidding? One performance does not a career make. DLH and Tito would've annihilated him. So would Curry any other day of his career.

[la-califa]

When I saw Nino La Rocca Destroy Pete Ranzany. I thought he was going to be the next big thing. He did look like a splitting image of a young Ali. But it didn't work out that way. If anybody can get tape of La Rocca-Ranzany it is a beautiful boxing exhibition.

[Robbi]

Who said I'm nineteen?

You

[Manassa]

You

Must have been my son posting on my account.

[mcvey]

Robinson
Leonard
Napoles
Griffith
Gavilan