How good was the early 2000s lightweight division

[LacedUp]

Who was around 5 or 6 years ago,,,, that would be roughly 2007-10,,, I cant really recall it being a deep division,, casamoyer on the tail end,, jmm, diaz, katisdis,, they gave us some exciting fights but not the deepest or even close to it,,,

Pacqiao, Marquez, Casamayor, baby bull, Katsidis, campbell, Joan Guzman, Jose santa cruz, Julio diaz, Valero moved up etc..

It was probably the deepest division at the time.

[LacedUp]

And why do todays 135 stink?

What the below says. when Burns and Vasquez are champions, you know something isn't as it should be.

Today's 135 division sucks,, gets getting better with crawford and figueroa being added to the mix,,, but vasquez the main #1 guy, hasnt fought anyone,, burns has barely fought anyone,, you have a comebacking juan diaz but he wont last long,,
It really is one of the worst divisions in boxing, with no big fights, except crawford-burns,, which really isnt that big of a fight but the best of the 135 division has to offer

[ShoulderRoll]

I agree on him matching up well with Castillo and Corrales (Still don't think he has an easy time in those fights though) and I very much doubt he'd have an easy time with Johnston, Casamayor or Freitas. Mayweather beats him easily.

To beat Shane you have to be well rounded, being able to box but also having the ability to make him respect your power. Like Vernon Forrest and to a lesser extent Miguel Cotto did.

Freitas was a one dimensional, mediocre boxer who could punch. That's not going to do it against Mosley.

Casamayor was slick and crafty but he would have been at a power deficit against Shane. I don't think he had enough to beat him.

Stevie Johnston is the best out of this list and he was good enough to possibly outbox Shane. But I think Mosley would have been too big and too strong for him in the end.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Pacqiao, Marquez, Casamayor, baby bull, Katsidis, campbell, Joan Guzman, Jose santa cruz, Julio diaz, Valero moved up etc..

It was probably the deepest division at the time.

Yeah but none really fought each other,, on paper it seems deep, but valero never fought anyone, santa cruz is nothing- his claim to fame is going hard vs casamoyer-but other than that he basically is a dud, guzman did nothing of note, manny was their for 1 fight, plus all of those were spread out over a few years,, i dont think it was very deep historically,, maybe on paper, but when you break it down, there is very little,,, much better than today's division though, i will give it that

[IronDanHamza]

To beat Shane you have to be well rounded, being able to box but also having the ability to make him respect your power. Like Vernon Forrest and to a lesser extent Miguel Cotto did.

Freitas was a one dimensional, mediocre boxer who could punch. That's not going to do it against Mosley.

Casamayor was slick and crafty but he would have been at a power deficit against Shane. I don't think he had enough to beat him.

Stevie Johnston is the best out of this list and he was good enough to possibly outbox Shane. But I think Mosley would have been too big and too strong for him in the end.

Anyone with the Boxing ability they had will give Shane some problems.

Like I said, I doubt he goes through those with ease.

[LacedUp]

Yeah but none really fought each other,, on paper it seems deep, but valero never fought anyone, santa cruz is nothing- his claim to fame is going hard vs casamoyer-but other than that he basically is a dud, guzman did nothing of note, manny was their for 1 fight, plus all of those were spread out over a few years,, i dont think it was very deep historically,, maybe on paper, but when you break it down, there is very little,,, much better than today's division though, i will give it that

A lot of them did fight each other. Both Katsidis, baby bull, Marquez and casamayor fought many of these guys and each other. Pacquiao of course moved up for bigger and better fights, but yeah.

there's no questioning that it was talent rich in those days. of course, as always some fights weren't made - but there were a lot of good fights made. Valero obviously didn't last that long, but he would have been in some cracking fights. David Diaz was there too.

It was a good time and much much better than it is today, that's for sure.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

in regards to how shane would do vs these lightweights

i think he stops corrales, lazcano, maybe even castillo like corrales did

i think he beats frietas, but freitas would trouble him early,, freitas had decent power, but he was like a pascal in that his awkward style bothered people more than his power would have

johnston at that point of his career would lose a decision to shane, in a fight about as competitive as shane-collazo,, i just dont think 2002-03 version of johnston would do enough to outpoint shane

floyd and shane would be the most competitive,, if shane caught him like he did years later, but actually had young legs, i think shane could have put a hurting on floyd. I dont think he stops him, but he could drop him, and make floyd shell up, and i could see shane winning on points if he caught floyd,,,

[Weltschmerz]

What the below says. when Burns and Vasquez are champions, you know something isn't as it should be.

Do you consider yourself personally better than any 135 guy? Bacause you sure sound like an expert.

[LacedUp]

Do you consider yourself personally better than any 135 guy? Bacause you sure sound like an expert.

Haha. Well I'm not a professional fighter.

That still doesn't change the fact that they are poor.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Do you consider yourself personally better than any 135 guy? Bacause you sure sound like an expert.

The division sucks right now,,, has some potential, but this is the first time i can remember in 25+ years that the 135 division has no p4p talent, and not one big name