Appreciating Middleweights

in the history of boxing we have had some phenominal talent in the middleweight (and welter) division. all the way back to 1 of if not the greatest of all time, Sugar Ray Robinson. You have Jake La Motta, Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Graziano, Hagler, Hearns, Duran...and later hopkins, jones, toney, de la hoya, wright, taylor, etc. would you say the middleweight division is MORE popular than the heavyweight division, less popular, or of equal liking? (in general, or in a specific time era) and how do you think the middleweights of the past would match up with the middleweights of today? ie: robinson vs taylor, hearns vs hopkins, leonard vs wright, etc etc. those are just off the top of my head examples.