The Top 25 Welterweights of All-Time – Top Ten

[Calilloyd]

Duran being a lightweight when he fought Leonard has become one of the ******iest and most overused myths recently on boxing forums. Not up there with the "Hagler was a brawler" and Legendary Nights myths, but getting there.

People often make fun of "boxrec warriors". Well, some people aren't even smart enough to be called a "boxrec warrior", because if they did, they'd know that Duran had left 135 over two years earlier.

I'm very happy you said that. I haven't been here long but it is really annoying reading some of the statements I read here. Either they are kids or they just started watching boxing.

[crold1]

Hearns is too low in my opinion. People forget how destructive he was at weltterweight. He could box and take fighters out with one punch. If it was not for Ray Leonard, he probably would have never lost there.

He also only fought a short portion of his career there (in years). He could easily be argued anywhere from where he is to just below Griffith. He's in the fight with anyone in the top ten, and beats some, except Robinson. Rob would have knocked him cold.

[CubanGuyNYC]

Yo! Where 'da freak is Money Maii!?

H8erz....

Mayweather is a great boxer with exceptional skills, no doubt. But the main thing that all, ALL the ATGs have in common is that they fought the best in their division. Not only that, in the case of the older champs, they fought the best competition multiple times. “Sugar” Ray Robinson fought Jake LaMotta five times!

Ray Leonard was the Mayweather of his time, in many ways. He was hated on by many, maybe most, fight fans. Good-looking guy with superb skills, speed and power. Ray was also an extremely smart fighter. For years, many wanted to see him get KTFO. Leonard fought, and beat, all the best fighters in his division: Benitez (undefeated great fighter for his first title); Duran (twice, although the second win was after both their primes); and Hearns (twice, once at middleweight). There were others, like Ayub Kalule, who was 36-0 when Ray TKOed him the in 9th round of their fight; and Dave Green, 33-2, when Leonard KOed him in the 4th round. “Sugar” Ray Leonard, with the exception of his loss to Duran, KOed or TKOed every one of his opponents up until his comeback victory over Hagler (!). (The string of KOs/TKOs includes the infamous “No Mas” fight, which was officially counted as a TKO.) This was an awesome fighter.

Another awesome fighter that people can’t believe isn’t higher on this list is Thomas “Hit Man” Hearns. Tommy was a beast. He was an unusually tall welter with a cobra-jab and one-punch KO power. “Hit Man” would have given Mayweather all he could handle, probably more (IMO). The night Leonard beat him, in a classic, I finally allowed myself to like “Sugar.” How could you not appreciate the effort he showed in coming from behind and beating a monster like Hearns?

PBF hasn’t fought all the best in his division yet. That’s not to say that he can’t beat them, but, until he does, he can’t be regarded as an ATG. Who knows, one day he might be near the top of this list, but that day is not today. Potential doesn’t get you into these elite, historical lists.

[Thread Stealer]

Hearns is too low in my opinion. People forget how destructive he was at weltterweight. He could box and take fighters out with one punch. If it was not for Ray Leonard, he probably would have never lost there.

He most likely wouldn't have lost at 147, but also, it's hard to picture him staying that much longer there as well with his 6'1 frame. Also, the other big names such as Benitez and Duran had gone to 154 so there was more incentive to move up in weight.

[Calilloyd]

He also only fought a short portion of his career there (in years). He could easily be argued anywhere from where he is to just below Griffith. He's in the fight with anyone in the top ten, and beats some, except Robinson. Rob would have knocked him cold.

He had 33 fights there. That's not a "short" portion of his career. He also beat just about every meaningful fighter in the division other than Leonard. He not only beat them. But he took most of them out in a destructive manner.

[Calilloyd]

He most likely wouldn't have lost at 147, but also, it's hard to picture him staying that much longer there as well with his 6'1 frame. Also, the other big names such as Benitez and Duran had gone to 154 so there was more incentive to move up in weight.

I agree with you there.

[crold1]

He had 33 fights there. That's not a "short" portion of his career. He also beat just about every meaningful fighter in the division other than Leonard. He not only beat them. But he took most of them out in a destructive manner.

That's why I said in years. And of those 33 are most of his development fights. Like I said, he could rumble with any of them but the BEST Hearns was at 54. Not 47.

[FasTHarD]

It's only a fine top 10 if you were born elevinty billion years ago.

Everybody knows that the athletes of yesteryear are physically and mentally inadequate when compared to their more modern counterparts.

How do you think Money Maii got as good as he is? Money Maii is the result of millions of years of evolution, advances in the sciences of sports and physical fitness, and decades of research in the field of cryonics.

Lmaooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

[furiousboxing]

Mayweather hasn't done enough at welterweight to merit being on there. And as for your analysis of todays fighters being advanced mentally and physically, what about the fact that they fought longer rounds and far more frequently? For example, can you imagine Mayweather and Margarito fighting two times in the space of three weeks? That's what Robinson and Lamotta did. Hell Mayweather didn't have the guts to fight him once!

[bronx7]

Crazy

Where the hell is Oscar ? Felix Trinidad is there , Duran but no Oscar? Oscar won 8-9 rounds over Felix has to be a mistake