The Greatest Lightweight Champion Ever

[Verstyle]

Micky Ward.Who can compete?

[StarshipTrooper]

Sorry, Pal... Leonard's not invited to this party. If he ever fought as a lightweight - which I doubt - he was never champion. Don't be mislead by "The Brawl in Montreal," Duran abdicated the lightweight throne to fight for Leonard's welterweight title and seized the 2nd. of 4 career championships.

They're talking about Benny Leonard not Ray Leonard LOL!

Poet

[Panamaniac]

They're talking about Benny Leonard not Ray Leonard LOL!

Poet

Anytime I see Duran/Leonard in the same sentence, I commit a Freudian slip and think "Ray." As the late Gilda Radner used to say on Saturday Night Live, "Never mind!"

[StarshipTrooper]

Anytime I see Duran/Leonaed in the same sentence, I commit a Freudian slip and think "Ray." As the late Gilda Radner used to say on Saturday Night Live, "Never mind!"

Don't worry about it! Easy enough to get the wires crossed LOL!

Poet

[-CANE-]

I voted for Roberto Duran as the greatest lightweight champion ever, which hurt me to do this, because I really can't stand him at all. But on achievments and who he beat as a lightweight it has to be Duran. P4P though there are better fighters in that list, and who I would pick over duran had they ever met, but we were voting on greatest lightweight champion. Some good lightweights were missing from the list, no Joe Gans,Battling Nelson,Ike Williams,Beau Jack. There are a lot of good fighters at lightweight had some had to miss out, but Joe Gans really should have been in there. The fighters I would have picked to beat duran from the list would have been Henry Armstrong,J.C.Chavez and Pernell Whitaker, and some others to give him a good fight would be Benny Leonard,Joe Gans,Alexis Arguello but i'm still undecided on whether or not I think they could beat Duran.

[The Noose]

I would counter that many people have not seen Abe Lincoln as president either, but his life is well documented by HISTORY. (Is this the "Boxing History" forum, or am I disoriented?) With regard to Duran as lightweight, there's this thing called "youtube." (See example above).

Youtube aint got **** on my boxing collection.
When discussing who was the best, its difficult to judge based on other peoples opinions. Or even the historical records.

Som people forget how techncally brilliant Tyson was at his best, and judge him based on his fights with Holyfield and Lewis.
Without any footage of him, his record isnt that impressive at all.

Boxing history or not, debating how great a fighter is past or present is only accurate if u know the fighter by observing him fight. We all have our own opinions of currant world champions that we have all seen fight. And many of those opinions are different.

Who was the best lightweight champion? Based on historical evidence and fact, its Duran.
There is no need for discussion.

I've seen Duran at Lightweight. Which fight would you like to see? Buchannan? Bizzaro? Viuret? DeJesus I, II, and III? I have all of them.

Poet

I have all those fights plus many more. I was thinking about posts ive read where people say how overated Duran was because he lost to Hagler, Hearns and Leonard. They dont have a ****ing clue!

Also the poll asks who was the best lightweight CHAMPION.
Which is a slightly different question from greatest lightweight.

Who had the most successful defenses? Duran
Who fought the best opposition??
etc.

Many of Gans, Leonards and Durans fights at lightweight were non-title fights.

[Nostromo]

I voted for Roberto Duran as the greatest lightweight champion ever, which hurt me to do this, because I really can't stand him at all...

What'd he do, eat your lunch?! (LOL) Seriously, why can't you stand him?

[Tuggers1986]

"World champion Roy Jones Jr. proclaimed, after Mosley knocked out John John Molina, "He's the best lightweight in history, maybe after Roberto Duran."

[The Noose]

"World champion Roy Jones Jr. proclaimed, after Mosley knocked out John John Molina, "He's the best lightweight in history, maybe after Roberto Duran."

A nods as good as a wink to a blind bat.

[-CANE-]

What'd he do, eat your lunch?! (LOL) Seriously, why can't you stand him?

Nah he refused to give me a title shot, never liked him since