By Cliff Rold

The Other Nine, Pt. 5

Follow the sweet science long enough and even a passing fan will hear, with sounds of awe, about an ‘original eight,’ about a bygone era when the sport’s weight classes were limited to just that number with (usually) just that many World champions.

The era didn’t last very long. 

As early as the 1920s, prizefighting saw extra prizes added by way of Jr. Divisions at Featherweight, Lightweight and Welterweight.  Over the course of time, the total number has grown to a modern seventeen weight classes.  Sometimes derided as bastard divisions, most didn’t begin with particular esteem.  As the years and indeed decades have passed, all have built their own legacies in blood and all have produced greatness in the ring.

Through the course of “The Other Nine,” the best of each of the in-between classes will be given their due, examining how the champions of each performed against and in comparison to each other.

Junior Lightweight

What is striking about Jr. Lightweight, or 130 lbs., is a remarkable depth of titlists over its various incarnations.  In amassing this list, the names which didn’t quite make the cut was stronger than in any other class examined in this series thus far. 

Jr. Lightweight was first birthed with a title reign for the great Johnny Dundee in 1921 and lasted until 1934, when economics among other factors saw many early incarnations of Jr. classes disappear for a time.  Sandy Saddler would capture a casually recognized claim to the throne in 1949 but his business would remain focused at 126 lbs.  It would not be until Harold Gomes captured a vacant claim in 1959 that Jr. Lightweight would hit full stride and become what we now assume a permanent part of the fistic landscape.

In the years since Gomes, and the brief hints before, 130 lbs. has seen more than its fair share of great fighters and great fights.  As noted, the depth of talent was such that recent notables like Erik Morales, Diego Corrales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez missed the cut.  The super talented young version of Hector Camacho showed signs of brilliance in the early 1980s but didn’t build enough of a body of work to crack through either.

Honorable mention must also go to four amazing warriors who, due in part to a lanky Nicaraguan and in part to their own propensity to knock each other off, miss as well.  No look at Jr. Lightweight would be complete without kudos to the magnificent memories left behind in the wars between Bobby Chacon, Cornelius Boza-Edwards, Rolando Navarette, and Rafael Limon.  Between them, fans got multiple Fights of the Year and will be forgiven for wanting to rewatch those noble men over some of the men who finished above them here.

Caveats aside, there have been slightly more than 80 men who have laid claim to some version of this division’s top honors and we move along to …

The Top Twenty

20) Alfredo Escalera – 5.5 Points: The Puerto Rican stalwart had power and skill through a lengthy title reign in the 1970s and is lower on this list than his talents indicated…career mark of 53-14-3, 31 KO…WBC beltholder 1975-78…10 defenses…faced three other champions (Ricardo Arredondo, Kuniaki Shibata, Alexis Arguello) four times, going 2-2…both losses came by stoppage in classic battles with Arguello…was lucky to get to ten defenses as his 1976 split decision over Tyrone Everett may well have been the real worst decision of all time…Escalera more than made up with it in the gallant battles with Arguello, both of which were all-time classics.  The knockout losses ultimately cost him in this comparison.

19) Sandy Saddler – 6 Points: The lanky Boston All-Time Great is best known for his remarkable work at Featherweight and championship rivalry with Willie Pep…career mark of 144-16-2, 103 KO…there is a temptation not to include him here because he can’t be done justice...in real terms, he’d be favored to beat just about anyone on this list, but 130 just wasn’t a serious division during his reign…laid claim to the Jr. Lightweight title in 1949, as recognized in Ohio, winning a split decision over Orlando Zulueta…was the sole claimant from 1949-57, making two title defenses…split two fights with one other future champion in Flash Elorde, dropping a decision and winning a Featherweight title defense on cuts…an inaugural member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.

18) Rocky Lockridge – 6.82 Points: An excellent boxer puncher from Tacoma, Washington came very close to capturing the first official win over Julio Cesar Chavez…career mark of 44-9, 36 KO...Just missed unseating Featherweight great Eusebio Pedroza before moving up…WBA titlist 1984-85, 3 defenses…IBF titlist 1987-88, 2 defenses…faced five titlists (Cornelius Boza-Edwards, Roger Mayweather, Wilfredo Gomez, Chavez, Tony Lopez), defeating the first two noted, Mayweather by first round knockout…the WBA title loss to Gomez was a terrible decision…first of two bouts with Lopez was the 1988 Ring Fight of the Year.

17) Tony Lopez – 7.13 Points: The favorite fistic son of Sacramento was a thriller in a career which saw titles at 130 and 135 lbs…career mark of 50-8-1, 34 KO…IBF titlist 1988-89, 1990-91, six total defenses…Began first reign in the 1988 Ring FOTY versus Lockridge and faced 3 total titlists (John John Molina, Brian Mitchell included) seven times…defeated Lockridge in a rematch and won two of three versus Molina, stopped in their second bout…faced lineal and WBA titlist Mitchell twice, drawing in the first encounter and losing a unanimous decision at home to end his run at 130.

16) Joel Casamayor – 7.5 Points*: Former Olympic Gold Medalist from Cuba amassed an impressive resume at 130 before an ongoing late run at 135…career mark to date of 36-4-1, 22 KO…WBA titlist 2000-02…five defenses…faced four titlists (Jong-Kwon Baek, Roberto Garcia, Acelino Freitas, Diego Corrales) five times, stopping Baek, Garcia and Corrales along with close decision losses to Chico and Freitas…both fights with Corrales at 130 were excellent encounters.

15) Acelino Freitas – 7.75 Points: Brazilian idol and explosive puncher lost some luster in late career losses at 135 lbs. but never lost at 130…career mark of currently retired Freitas 38-2, 32 KO…WBO titlist 1999-02…7 defenses…WBO/WBA 02-04…3 defenses…faced three titlists (Anatoly Alexandrov, Joel Casamayor, Jorge Barrios), unifying against Casamayor and stopping the others…the Barrios fight is a bit of a lost classic with Freitas coming off the floor twice to score a dramatic late knockout.

14) Hiroshi Kobayashi – 8 Points: Japanese technician didn’t have great power but made up for it with ring savvy…career mark of 61-10-4, 10 KO…Two time lineal champion (1967-71) was briefly undisputed (WBA/WBC) from 1967-68 before being stripped by the WBC for failing to rematch Rene Barrientos after a previous draw…six title defenses…faced three fellow titlists (Yoshiaki Numata, Barrientos, Alfredo Marcano) three times stopping Numata and being stopped by Marcano…ended his career stopped by an ascending Roberto Duran.

13) Benny Bass – 8 Points: One of the great Featherweights and one of Russia’s finest prizefighters…career mark an astounding 191-41-8, 70 KO…World Champions 1929-31...three title defenses…stopped Tod Morgan for the crown in two frames and also defeated early champion Mike Ballerino…stopped in seven by Kid Chocolate to end his reign and continued on until 1940 without receiving another World title shot…inducted into the IBHOF in 2002

12) Manny Pacquiao – 8.25 Points*: The Philippines phenom is the only fighter in history to capture the World title at 112, 126 and 130 lbs…career mark stands at 48-3-2, 36 KO…Lineal, Ring and WBC titlist 2008…never defended before moving up in weight…faced three fellow titlists five times at 130, all of them part of the living legendary Featherweight crop of recent years (Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez), going 4-1 with a unanimous decision loss to Morales avenged twice by knockout.

11) Sammy Serrano – 9 Points: The Puerto Rican technician was gifted with long arms and ring intelligence even if he never found his way into a ring with more famous co-titlists Escalera and Arguello…career mark of 50-5-1, 17 KO…two-time lineal and WBA titlist 1976-80, 81-83…13 defenses combined…faced three fellow titlists (Ben Villaflor, Yasutsune Uehara, Roger Mayweather) five times…first title shot at Villaflor ended in a disputed draw, avenged in Puerto Rico by decision…split fights with Uehara in a knockout loss and decision to lose and recapture the crown…Mayweather ended his title days in eight.

10) Julio Cesar Chavez – 9.3 Points

Record: 107-6-2, 86 KO

WBC Titlist 1984-87, 9 Defenses

Titlists/Champions Faced – 2: (Lockridge, R. Mayweather)

El Gran Campeon Mexicano made his first championship mark at 130, picking up the vacant WBC titlist with an eight round beating of the durable Mario Martinez.  It was the beginning of a legendary run through three weight divisions and also perhaps his most turbulent title reign.  The turbulence wasn’t in evidence early on in a sixth round knockout of veteran Ruben Castillo nor as former lineal champion Roger Mayweather failed to make it past two in 1985.  It would be in back to back fights in 1986 that Chavez’s pressuring style difficulties with efficient counter punchers first emerged.  His majority decision victory over Lockridge and unanimous decision over former Featherweight titlist Juan LaPorte still find adamant arguments in favor of the defeated.  Regardless, Chavez was impressive, hinting at even greater accomplishment at 135 and 140 pounds.

9) Tod Morgan – 10 Points

Record: 139-46-33, 30 KO

World Champion 1925-29, 10 Defenses

Titlists/Champions Faced – 4 (Ballerino, Steve Sullivan, Johnny Dundee, Bass)

Somewhat forgotten by time, Morgan amassed the first impressive title reign at 130 with anywhere between 10 and 16 defenses depending on accounts (this list chooses to follow the defenses noted at the Cyber Boxing Zone for Morgan).  He stopped Ballerino in ten to take the crown and would last atop the division some four years before being stopped by Bass.  In between, Morgan would also stop Sullivan and decision the Hall of Famer Dundee.  Sandwiched around those victories, Morgan collected impressive wins over early Junior Featherweight titlist Carl Duane, Joe Glick and Cannonball Eddie Martin.  Impossible to ignore here, Morgan also lost ten non-title fights during his reign, some to quality foes like Babe Herman and some against non-descript foes.  Morgan continued on for thirteen years after the Bass loss, retiring in 1942. 

8) Genaro Hernandez – 10.75 Points

Record: 38-2-1, 17 KO

Lineal World Champion 1997-98, 3 Defenses

Titles: WBA (1991-94, 8 Defenses); WBC (1997-98, 3 Defenses)

Titlists/Champions Faced – 5: (Daniel Londas, Azumah Nelson, Anatoly Alexandrov, Carlos Hernandez, Floyd Mayweather)

The consummate professional Hernandez was a dominant force at 130 throughout the 1990s and lost only once in class, to Mayweather in his farewell fight.  He first struck gold in 1991 with a stoppage of Daniel Londas for a vacant belt.  Eight defenses followed before Hernandez dropped his belt to move up for a Lightweight title shot at Oscar De La Hoya, his lone other loss.  Stopped with a brutally shattered nose in six, Hernandez dropped back to 130 and narrowly ended the 130 lb. reigns of Azumah Nelson, following with points wins over Alexandrov and a then one-loss Hernandez.  The Mayweather bout was a drubbing, a classic case of the new star rising past the old.  Hernandez had done plenty prior to the defeat to make his mark on the history of the Jr. Lightweights.  Hernandez is currently battling cancer, aged only 42, and has been a successful Spanish language commentator.

7) Ben Villaflor – 11 Points

Record: 54-8-7, 31 KO

Lineal World Champion 1972-73, 73-76, 6 Defenses

Titles: WBA (1972-73, 1 Defense); (73-76, 5 Defenses)

Titlists/Champions Faced – 4: (Marcano, Shibata, Uehara, Serrano)

The Philippines native made his prime fistic home in Hawaii.  A big puncher despite a so-so knockout ratio, Villaflor turned pro at thirteen years of age in 1966 and went through hiss growing pains on the way to a unanimous decision over Marcano for the WBA and lineal claims to the throne in 1972.  While his struggles with Serrano were previously described, there were other notable Jr. Lightweights who found trouble staying afoot.  He avenged the loss of his first title, a fifteen round decision, with a first round knockout of Japan’s Kuniaki Shibata.  He added future champion Uehara to his knockout ledger in two rounds in 1974 during the lengthier of his two reigns.  Ultimately, the loss to Serrano would be his end as a professional, closing a ten year career at only 23 years of age. 

6) Kid Chocolate – 11 Points

Record: 136-10-6, 51 KO

World Champion 1931-33, 8 Defenses

Titlists/Champions Faced – 2: (Bass, Frankie Klick)

Chocolate is one of the men on the short list for the greatest Cuban fighter of all-time.  A master boxer who also captured a share of the Featherweight crown, Chocolate captured the title with a seventh round stoppage of Bass while continuing to compete against the best of other classes.  In defense of his crown Chocolate got by the tough Lew Feldman and Hall of Famer Fidel LaBarba, with whom he had an intriguing rivalry.  Outside the division, he lost on split decision points to the great Jack Berg in 1932 and, in one of only two occasions, by second round knockout to the even greater Tony Canzoneri in two rounds in 1933.  Two fights after the Canzoneri shellacking, Chocolate would be stopped again, this time for his 130 lb. laurels, by Frankie Klick.  The division’s first death would follow with Klick vacating the crown in 1934 and no one bothering to pick it up for over a decade.  Time though never eroded the still reverently discussed smoothness and class of Chocolate.  Chocolate was inducted to the IBHOF in 1991.

5) Brian Mitchell – 13.28 Points

Record: 45-1-3, 21 KO

Lineal World Champion 1986-91, 13 Defenses

Titles: WBA (1986-91, 13 Defenses); IBF (1991)

Titlists/Champions Faced – 3: (Alfredo Layne, Londas, Lopez)

South Africa’s Mitchell was the ultimate Road Warrior, making all of his defenses on the road and typically on opponent’s home turf.  Considering that, a points loss in his seventh professional outing being his lone brush with defeat is remarkable.  Mitchell reached the peak in 1986 with a tenth round stoppage of surprising champion Alfredo Layne, one fight after Layne had pulled off a shocking upset of Wilfredo Gomez.  He would add the scalp of future titlist Daniel Londas in 1987 over fifteen and closed his title reign with three excellent performances.  A decision over an undefeated Frankie Mitchell was followed by a unification battle with Lopez at Arco Arena in Sacramento.  The draw was largely decried as hometown favor and stripped of his WBA crown, Mitchell entered the immediate rematch as the ‘challenger.’  It was no matter as Mitchell turned in what would be a last great performance, leaving Arco with a unanimous decision.  The only real blank spot on the Mitchell ledger was that he never faced fellow champion Azumah Nelson in what would surely have been a classic.  Mitchell was inducted to the IBHOF in 2009.

4) Azumah Nelson – 13.38 Points

Record: 39-6-2, 28 KO

Lineal World Champion 1996-97

Titles: WBC (1988-94, 10 Defenses); (1995-97, 1 Defense)

Titlists/Champions Faced – 3: (Gabe Ruelas, Jesse James Leija, Azumah Nelson)

The Ghanaian warrior burst on the scene in 1982 as an unknown Featherweight who nearly toppled the great Salvador Sanchez in only his fourteenth pro bout.  After the passing of Sanchez, Nelson reigned impressively at 126 before rising to 130 to pick up crown left vacant by Chavez against the same man Chavez defeated to win the title, Mario Martinez.  Nelson left with a split decision and would not leave the ring without the title for over six years.  Martinez couldn’t take it in a rematch, nor could veteran Juan LaPorte.  Hall of Famer Jeff Fenech did take it in 1991, on the undercard of Mike Tyson-Razor Ruddock II, but the judges turned in an aberrant draw.  Nelson followed with perhaps his finest performance.  Stamping his passport for Fenech’s native Australia, Nelson would drop Fenech early before stopping him in eight.  He wasn’t done.  One fight after a defense against future titlist Gabe Ruelas, Nelson experienced a little home cooking against his favor, hearing a draw where he looked a winner against Leija in their first of four bouts on the undercard of Chavez-Pernell Whitaker.  An immediate rematch with Leija saw the end of his first reign on the cards but Nelson had two great stands left, stopping Ruelas in five in 1995 to reclaim the title Leija had lost in the interim and then revenging the Leija loss in six in 1996.  The end of his title days would come close against Hernandez  at the age of 38.  He would close with losses in 1998 and, amazingly, 2008, to Leija and Fenech at Lightweight and Jr. Middleweight respectively.  Nelson was inducted into the IBHOF in 2004.

3) Flash Elorde – 18 Points

Record: 88-27-2, 33 KO

World Champion 1960-67, 10 Defenses

Titlists/Champions Faced – 3: (Saddler, Harold Gomes, Rene Barrientos, Yoshiaki Numata)

In many respects, Elorde was the father of the modern incarnation of the Jr. Lightweight class, the second champion recognized around the world after Saddler’s sort of time at the top.  He stayed there awhile and in all respects makes up a Mount Rushmore of Philippines greats with Pancho Villa and Pacquiao.  In his twenty year career begun in 1951, he fought the best from Featherweight to Lightweight and while he never captured the top spot in either of those original eight weight classes, he made great go’s at Saddler and Carlos Ortiz respectively while also outpointing future 135 lb. king Ismael Laguna.  Amongst his Jr. Lightweight title brethren, he contested seven bouts, splitting with Saddler, stopping Gomes twice to win and defend the title, outpointing Barrientos in a non-title bout, and dropping a non-title bout to Numata and, eventually, the title in a rematch.  Not a huge puncher, Elorde was an educated and quick fisted battler with a staying power, failing to hear the final bell only four times with three of the stoppages to Hall of Famers Saddler and Ortiz twice.  Elorde is still revered in his homeland and was inducted to the IBHOF in 1993.

2) Floyd Mayweather – 18.5 Points

Record: 39-0, 25 KO

Lineal and WBC World Champion 1998-2002, 8 Defenses

Titlists/Champions Faced – 4: (Hernandez, Diego Corrales, Carlos Hernandez, Jesus Chavez)

In the present of 2009, speculation continues about whether the ‘retired’ Mayweather really is.  No matter if or when he returns, his legacy at Jr. Lightweight should be secure.  A Silver Medalist for the U.S. at the 1996 Olympics, Mayweather blew through his early competition en route to a toppling of Hernandez in only his 18th pro outing.  He followed with a two-round blowout of the game Angel Manfredy and kept racking up wins even with contract disputes and family squabbles abounding.  In 2001, he turned in what might have been his finest performance, facing off with then undefeated puncher, the late Diego Corrales, in what some hoped would be a modern Leonard-Hearns.  It was instead a mismatch in Mayweather’s favor, a five knockdown route ended in the tenth round.  Mayweather would add victories over future titlists Hernandez and Chavez before 2001 was over and then was off to title reigns in each of the four divisions above Jr. Lightweight.  He often looked great.  He never looked greater than he did where his title days began.

1) Alexis Arguello – 22 Points

Record: 85-8, 65 KO

Titles: WBA (1978-81, 8 Defenses)

Titlists/Champions Faced – 5: (Escalera, Rafael Limon, Bobby Chacon, Rolando Navarette, Cornelius Boza-Edwards)

As good as Mayweather was at 130, Arguello may have been greater and a bout between the two would have been a joy to witness.  Arguello was at times a force of nature in the class, almost never letting an opponent go the distance.  Of the five fellow titlists listed, the first four of whom he faced in title bouts, none heard the final bell.  Escalera?  Twin 13th round stoppages in classics, the first top capture the WBA title after a strong title run at Featherweight.  Limon? Gone in eleven; Chacon in seven.  Navarette made it five.  Edwards went a few more, to the eighth.  Simply put, the Jr. Lightweight Arguello was devastating.  He also added an undefeated Ruben Castillo to the list of the prone while champion.  A lone bad night, a non-title decision loss to Vilomar Fernandez in 1978, is forgettable amongst the wreckage surrounding it.  Arguello was not done at 130 of course; a title run at 135 awaited as did the legendary losses to Aaron Pryor at 140.  They all add to the stature of the Nicaraguan great but a case can be made that it was at Jr. Lightweight where greatness was concretely decided.  Arguello was inducted to the IBHOF in 1992.

Semantics

The results here are based on a numerical comparison, adjusted slightly from the previous weeks, which assigns points in part based on:

1. Number of fellow champions faced (total) then divided into a competition score to flatten the field due to the fluctuation in titles recognized.

Lineal World Titles (Noted; 1 Point)

2. Sanctioning Body Titles (Points Assigned based on  number of bodies; i.e. .5 pre-IBF; .25 post-WBO)

3. Title Defenses (Points assigned in correlation to title points)

4. 2 Points per KO; -2 per KOBY; 1 per UD against fellow titlists

5. Quality Wins (Points Assigned based on opponent accomplishments; i.e. lineal champions count for 1, a single sanctioning body champion based on their sanctioning body total, discretionary points for established champions from other weight classes)

6. Quality Losses (Losses to champion opponents -1 point; selective non-title losses)

Draws (.5 points)

*Still an active professional

Pt. 1 – Cruiserweight: https://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=18179

Pt. 2 – Super Middleweight: https://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=18376

Pt. 3 – Jr. Middleweight: https://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=18452

Pt. 4 – Jr. Welterweight: https://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=18632

Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com