greatest light weight!

[SABBATH]

dude it just means that leonard fought more guys with 0-0 records.

An 0-0 record on boxrec doesn't necessarily mean that the boxer has never fought before (although it might). It just means that research has been unable to validate any prior fights that particular boxer had. They may have had fights they're just not on record. These records are constantly being updated.

There are a number of reasons why I hesitate to compare not just fighters, but the records of fighters from different eras.

Firstly the amateur issue which BP brought up is certainly valid. Because of the economic climate that old time fighters lived in, they often turned pro at 16 (sometimes less) while today's often don't turn pro until they're 20 or more. Lennox Lewis didn't turn pro until he was almost 24 years old.

If an amateur has in the neighbourhood of 100-200 amateur fights, that certainly qualifies as legitimate fighting/training/coaching experience as opposed to an old time fighter who turns pro under poor conditions with no amateur background and gets his experience fighting in one horse towns against the local tough guy, often training themselves with no formal instruction or coaching.

In terms of ability, a world class amateur (gold medal winner) after turning pro and if managed correctly and developed incrementally is often legitimately at the doorstep of the top 10 or even a title fight within 2-3 years and 20 fights.

Incrementally matchmaking a fighter against better and more difficult opponents allows a fighter to improve and progress more rapidly than fighting 70-80 fights against C and D level fighters. Evander Holyfield, Sugar Ray Leonard, Muhammad Ali....there are many examples.

In addition a world class fighter today would find it difficult to get a Boxing Commission to approve a fight against a D level opponent. Many old time fighters could pad their records, keep active and make money fighting opposition that was far inferior to them even if they were world class.

Nowadays a world class fighter ie: Delahoya, Mayweather, Mosley, Taylor, Hopkins etc...will continue to fight only world class opponents and in the case of B-Hop has done so for several years.

[Rockin']

Not that he was the greatest, but in speaking of lightweights I run into ex-champ Kenny Lane every so often. Hes running a club here in michigan. He is a really funny guy, always joking and carrying on..............Rockin'

[sleazyfellow]

my two favorite lightweights are ike williams and beau jack, they looked huge for lightweights....i wonder whod win, duran or ike williams in a fantasy fight...

[gloriamichaelc]

greatest light weight!

I'm here.. Many , many , great lightweight fighters by far the hardest to pick. Who n the heck beats duran n a 3 fight series WHO??? At 135. Oh didn't he 1980 Montreal duran beat ray. Don't even bring up no mas = Yes Deniro. Without bobby. Oh he got clocked n 2 up n weight past his prime Did he retire? No! He beat moore for the 154 title. Barely lost to hagler at 160 I felt it was a draw if a 12 rounder beats hagler. Beat barkley for 160lb title. Oh I forgot so so sorry, we are talking bouts a lightweight here. U get the point. Mikey!

[AntonTheMeh]

Duran
Whitaker
Armstrong
Ortiz
Leonard
Gans
Williams

[AntonTheMeh]

Not that he was the greatest, but in speaking of lightweights I run into ex-champ Kenny Lane every so often. Hes running a club here in michigan. He is a really funny guy, always joking and carrying on..............Rockin'

HE FOUGHT ORTIZ RIGHT?HAS HE EVER SPOKEN OF HIM?

[Sweet Pete]

Benny Leonard rates at #1 for me.

Based on head to head, Whitaker and Duran rank at the top, with Whitaker holding the slight edge for me.

[Sweet Pete]

** Dudette, you're like the guy who can identify surfboards but can't see the waves. Watching you defame a great fighter like Pea with your washerwoman flurries on Leonard is high comedy that normally costs mucho dinero!

Pea would be a handful for anyone because of his speed and negative style, but the poor guy was only good for 46 fights in spite of being carefully managed and and turning pro with a million dollar TV contract.

46 fights in Leonard's day and you might get your foot in the door of a main event if you kicked back half your purse. Forget about a title shot. Pea would be considered soft in Leonard's day when you had to fight 10-20x a year.

Pea woud've fought a lot more in Leonard's day as well. That's just the way things were done. They also fought a lot more cans in those days. They were basically sparring matches with local bums a lot of their fights.