Who was/is the best welterweight since Leonard/Hearns?

[Ham Porter]

The only top welterweight Mayweather has beaten is an inactive, 39 year old, PEDless man coming off of a fifteen month layoff. Every other genuine top welterweight that's been around since Mayweather moved up he's not actually fought.

[Zhang Yong Jun]

The only top welterweight Mayweather has beaten is an inactive, 39 year old, PEDless man coming off of a fifteen month layoff. Every other genuine top welterweight that's been around since Mayweather moved up he's not actually fought.

Well sir!

He did fight the (insert paper alphabet belt and ranking here) tough contender such as the Ortiz, Guerrero, Baldomir, Judah and Sharmba Mitchell!

[greeh]

Why?

When Oscar and Tito achieved more than him, had more defenses and faced better opposition?

Oscar is clearly the best, with possibly Tito second and then Manny third, the second tier guys could be Mayweather, Mosley or Cotto

Did they really achieve more AT WELTERWEIGHT though? That’s the question at hand - not what they achieved in all the various weight-classes they participated in at one time or another during their careers.

Did they really do that? Did they really, as you said, face better opposition AT WELTERWEIGHT? Okay if you rate them higher than Curry because you think they were the inherently better fighters, but to act like their wins at the weight is the ultimate tie-breaker and testament to their superiority, I must say I actually think you’re being a bit naive.

Each to their own I guess, and those fancy trinket-defences might look good on paper, but who were they really against? Not that Curry’s whole reign was against world-beaters, but c’mon, especially Tito’s were piss poor stuff. De La Hoya’s was better, but clearly superior to Curry’s?

In my opinion, nope.

Admittedly I am not as high as others on that particular era of welters - good, but overrated IMO, not the type of Golden Age some would make you believe - but I like to at least think that it doesn’t cloud my judgment on their overall worth as fighters. Not that they weren't excellent fighters, they clearly were, just not at the level as an overall package as Curry IMO.

Although I can see how the Honeyghan debacle is counted against him, he still doesn’t lag behind any of them record-wise and certainly not in terms of ability. He displayed a more complete and diverse skill-set than either of Tito and ODLH ever did, and I would favour him over both in a peak vs peak match-up even if there’s always the chance of Tito’s power turning it around.

Maybe not a popular opinion, but it’s my two cents.


I will never concede that any of Mayweather, Pacquiao and today’s equivalent to Oba Carr - Cotto - is better welterweights than Curry though. NEVER.

Pac’ and May’ gets overestimated at the weight IMO and Cotto was never a great talent to begin with. They were just lucky to end up in the worst period in 147-pound history.

[Big_L]

Tito Trinidad

[JohnnyRebel]

Floyd Mayweather Jr. - Maidana, Guerrero, Ortiz, Mosley, Marquez, Hatton, Baldomir, Judah, Mitchell(every single fighter on his WW resume were a current or former champion)

Oscar De La Hoya - Pacquiao(L but highly weight drained), Gatti, Mosley(L but W imo), Coley, Trinidad(L but W imo), Carr, Quartey(W but L imo), Chavez Sr., Charpentier, Rivera, Camacho, Kamau, Whitaker(W but L imo),

Sweat Pea - Trinidad, Pestryaev, De La Hoya(L but W imo), Hurtado, Rivera, Rodriguez, Jacobs, McGirt, Cardona, Chavez Sr.(D but W imo), Baez

Tito - De La Hoya(W but L imo), Pineda, Whitaker, Zulu, Lueshing, Lovato, Pendleton, Moore, Barnes, Turner, Carr, Campos, Camacho, Stephens, Garcia, Blocker, Tomlinson, Aguirre, Hughes, etc...


They should only be judging solely on WW resume, WW accomplishments, and WW wins(taking out controversial and giving real winner credit)

[TMTForever]

top 5 welterweights since 1990:

1. Tito Trinidad 15 title defenses
2. pernell whitaker 9 title defenses
3. Floyd mayweather jr 8 title defenses
4. Donal Curry 7 title defenses
5. oscar De la hoya 7 title defenses

when you look at welterwight reings floyd is going on 10 years undefeated at 147..he's been fighting at 147 since 2005..and every fighter he's faced at the weight was a former champion or current champion..no soft touches at 147 for floyd.

[therealpugilist]

Head to head....prime curry, Tito, Oscar, Whitaker and Floyd


Resume wise probably Floyd...curry was a shooting star who shined bright was actually undisputed champ his time at the top was short....ww isn't Floyd's best weight but its hard to argue with wins in only a few fights at the weight wins over Mosley, hatton, maidana, Judah, Ortiz, baldomir, mitchell, Guerrero, JM Marquez

[Bushidō]

resumes or head to head?

[Zhang Yong Jun]

Head to head....prime curry, Tito, Oscar, Whitaker and Floyd


Resume wise probably Floyd...curry was a shooting star who shined bright was actually undisputed champ his time at the top was short....ww isn't Floyd's best weight but its hard to argue with wins in only a few fights at the weight wins over Mosley, hatton, maidana, Judah, Ortiz, baldomir, mitchell, Guerrero, JM Marquez

[Fetta]

I would say Sweat Pea. Many others have a claim though.

Tough question