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I've never really looked that deeply into this weight division so I decided to make a list of the greatest fighters at 154 in a head-to-head sense. (I don’t have a lot of knowledge on this division so some of these picks may seem odd)
1. Thomas Hearns- Hearns's best weight division in my opinion. He was a bit more filled out at 154 and p4p his punching power, strength, and speed were at their best also. He could flatten durable fighters in a mere two or three rounds (Duran, Hutchings) or display his smooth boxing abilities at its best (Benitez, Minchillo).
2. Mike McCallum- A great (body) puncher with a solid chin, which he displayed in his slug out with Jackson and his one punch KO of Curry, and underrated boxing skills which he showed in the McCrory bout, Mike was a sound technician who could do it all.
3. Julian Jackson- A massive puncher at 154, Jackson hurt/wobbled many great fighters at this weight such as McCallum and Norris, however his shaky chin seemed to be his main downfall.
4. Terry Norris- Norris was a very strong fighter, who put his power punches together well and kept a good rhythm when fighting, like in his KO’s of Curry and Mugabi. Norris had also had a good sense of timing and distance. My biggest gripe with Terry was his relatively poor defensive skills, which didn't help the fact that he had a weak chin. I think of him as somewhat of a miniature version of Roy Jones Jr.
5. Nino Benvenuti- Often considered the greatest fighter to ever emerge from Italy, Nino was a tough, lanky, and classy boxer. His knockout percentage may be low, however Benvenuti had more pop in his punches than his record suggests. Take notice of his sixth round KO of solid-chinned brawler Sandro Mazzinghi, a man who has never been stopped in 67 fights outside of this bout. Benvuniti was also able to defeat Mazzinghi once again by a close decision before dropping a split verdict to Ki Soo Kim in his third defense of the light middleweight title.
6. Charley Burley- Many of Burley's fights against top competition occurred at or around the 154 pound mark, including his dominant performance against Archie Moore. That is room enough to allow him on this list. Burley repeatedly put Moore on the canvas, dropping him with a jab at one point. Sources say that Burley even carried Moore in order to punish him over the course of the fight. Whatever the case, a performance this one-sided against a fighter of Moore's stature is beyond impressive. Let's not forget his two competitive fights with Charles, both within a little more than a month's time.
7. Wilfred Benitez - A defensive genius, Benitez could slip punches with ease and counter with unparalleled precision and accuracy. His counter right hand was a thing of beauty, even the great Roberto Duran was befuddled by it in their bout. No matter who he was facing Wilfred was always a slick fighter. Watch him bounce up on his toes, dodging his way past straight rights and quick jabs in the Hearns fight and occasionally blocking shots with his gloves and elbows to work his way out of tight spots. Offensively, Benitez was flawed, however he did go to the body well at times and could box nicely on the front foot when needed.
8. Oscar De La Hoya- What's there to say about the "Golden Boy"? He was a very complete fighter at 154, he possessed punching power and ability, speed, and fluid boxing prowess, all which he displays to a great extent in the Vargas fight. Oscar had a solid left hand, in both his jab and hook, his two best punches. DLH timed his shots carefully and waited for openings patiently before letting loose in his attacks.
9. Emile Griffith- Although he never officially at light middle, his case is the same as Burley’s. He came in at or around 154 lbs. in many of his important fights, including his grueling matches with Benvenuti. Griffith was another complete fighter in that he was excellently conditioned, had good boxing skills, was very strong, had a solid chin, was a master at feinting, etc.
10. Ronald Wright- Winky was a large fighter for a light middleweight, however he was still able to carry himself well behind a solid right jab for his size. His powerful left-cross was (and still is) a finely tuned weapon in his arsenal and he used to perfection in his dominant performances against Shane Mosley. Defense is another important basis to Wright’s success. His hands are always high by his head and his elbows are nicely tucked in at his sides. Wright is a cunning ring technician on all accounts.
I would pick Hearns, McCallum, and Burley to beat the majority of the other fighters. Tommy using his exceptional boxing skills and dynamite right hand, McCallum with his relentless body attack and smart ring tactics, and Burley with his precise punches and air tight defense. What are some of your guys thoughts?
1. Thomas Hearns- Hearns's best weight division in my opinion. He was a bit more filled out at 154 and p4p his punching power, strength, and speed were at their best also. He could flatten durable fighters in a mere two or three rounds (Duran, Hutchings) or display his smooth boxing abilities at its best (Benitez, Minchillo).
2. Mike McCallum- A great (body) puncher with a solid chin, which he displayed in his slug out with Jackson and his one punch KO of Curry, and underrated boxing skills which he showed in the McCrory bout, Mike was a sound technician who could do it all.
3. Julian Jackson- A massive puncher at 154, Jackson hurt/wobbled many great fighters at this weight such as McCallum and Norris, however his shaky chin seemed to be his main downfall.
4. Terry Norris- Norris was a very strong fighter, who put his power punches together well and kept a good rhythm when fighting, like in his KO’s of Curry and Mugabi. Norris had also had a good sense of timing and distance. My biggest gripe with Terry was his relatively poor defensive skills, which didn't help the fact that he had a weak chin. I think of him as somewhat of a miniature version of Roy Jones Jr.
5. Nino Benvenuti- Often considered the greatest fighter to ever emerge from Italy, Nino was a tough, lanky, and classy boxer. His knockout percentage may be low, however Benvenuti had more pop in his punches than his record suggests. Take notice of his sixth round KO of solid-chinned brawler Sandro Mazzinghi, a man who has never been stopped in 67 fights outside of this bout. Benvuniti was also able to defeat Mazzinghi once again by a close decision before dropping a split verdict to Ki Soo Kim in his third defense of the light middleweight title.
6. Charley Burley- Many of Burley's fights against top competition occurred at or around the 154 pound mark, including his dominant performance against Archie Moore. That is room enough to allow him on this list. Burley repeatedly put Moore on the canvas, dropping him with a jab at one point. Sources say that Burley even carried Moore in order to punish him over the course of the fight. Whatever the case, a performance this one-sided against a fighter of Moore's stature is beyond impressive. Let's not forget his two competitive fights with Charles, both within a little more than a month's time.
7. Wilfred Benitez - A defensive genius, Benitez could slip punches with ease and counter with unparalleled precision and accuracy. His counter right hand was a thing of beauty, even the great Roberto Duran was befuddled by it in their bout. No matter who he was facing Wilfred was always a slick fighter. Watch him bounce up on his toes, dodging his way past straight rights and quick jabs in the Hearns fight and occasionally blocking shots with his gloves and elbows to work his way out of tight spots. Offensively, Benitez was flawed, however he did go to the body well at times and could box nicely on the front foot when needed.
8. Oscar De La Hoya- What's there to say about the "Golden Boy"? He was a very complete fighter at 154, he possessed punching power and ability, speed, and fluid boxing prowess, all which he displays to a great extent in the Vargas fight. Oscar had a solid left hand, in both his jab and hook, his two best punches. DLH timed his shots carefully and waited for openings patiently before letting loose in his attacks.
9. Emile Griffith- Although he never officially at light middle, his case is the same as Burley’s. He came in at or around 154 lbs. in many of his important fights, including his grueling matches with Benvenuti. Griffith was another complete fighter in that he was excellently conditioned, had good boxing skills, was very strong, had a solid chin, was a master at feinting, etc.
10. Ronald Wright- Winky was a large fighter for a light middleweight, however he was still able to carry himself well behind a solid right jab for his size. His powerful left-cross was (and still is) a finely tuned weapon in his arsenal and he used to perfection in his dominant performances against Shane Mosley. Defense is another important basis to Wright’s success. His hands are always high by his head and his elbows are nicely tucked in at his sides. Wright is a cunning ring technician on all accounts.
I would pick Hearns, McCallum, and Burley to beat the majority of the other fighters. Tommy using his exceptional boxing skills and dynamite right hand, McCallum with his relentless body attack and smart ring tactics, and Burley with his precise punches and air tight defense. What are some of your guys thoughts?
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