Ian Murphy’s Top Ten Welterweights & Manny Pacquiao – Floyd Mayweather, JR SHOCKER

By Ian Murphy (Who else would it be by?)

*NOTE: This series will be according to boxing’s long standing eight traditional weight divisions that were present from approximately 1915 to 1975, so some of the below listed combatants would have fought in multiple divisions that were not present prior, and especially those from the post 1980 era. Also, his ranking does not imply that one boxer who is ranked higher than another cannot be beaten by someone else listed (or not on this list, as styles make fights), as the separation in ability at this level is incredibly small.

In light of the upcoming Welterweight mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather, JR. and Manny Pacquiao, it might be prudent to showcase some all time greats at 147lbs. Below is a list that is comprised of some of the greatest welterweights of all time. The actual numerical rank of each fighter is of course subject to interpretation, as criteria can vary from one person to the next. However, the contents of the “top ten” itself shouldn’t be too much in doubt. I may have left out some of your favorite fighters, but ask yourself: Are they really that good, or has their hype and reputation blurred the reality of their abilities? Take a minute to think on that!

The word “Welter” is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as a “confused mass; a jumble or muddle”. Another definition is “a state of commotion, turmoil, or upheaval”. This precisely explains the Welterweight Division in boxing (historically 136 to 147lbs), as it has had quite a tumultuous and turbulent narrative. Changing hands often due to the sheer amount of quality fighters in its ranks, it is no surprise that it is perhaps the most competitive (along with its bigger cousin the Middleweight division) weight class in boxing history. This makes narrowing it down to a “ten best” quite difficult, as more than just ten fighters have the qualifications of greatness and comparative dominance to rank in this select company. Bearing this in mind, I have done my best to rank them as I see them, trying also to balance out the eras in which they competed in. So, without further eloquence:

10. Wilfred Benitez

The youngest champion in history (17 years old), Benitez was an incredible boxer/puncher. When he put his all into training, he was nearly unbeatable, especially at welterweight. Had he not fought in the same era as “The Four Kings” (Hagler, Hearns, Duran, Leonard), Wilfred’s legacy would have been much greater. Still, the Puerto Rican dynamo wowed fans around the world with his mastery of the craft, especially for a man so young. “El Radar” holds wins over great fighters like Antonio Cervantes, Carlos Palomino and Roberto Duran. His style, which depended on speed, elusive defense, and expert counterpunching, made a prime Benitez among the best ever at 147lbs. Only inconsistent training discipline and fighting in an incredibly competitive era prevented him from being rated higher.

9. Joe Walcott (original)

This turn of the 20th century fighter was only 5’2 and weighed around 145lbs, but beat ranked fighters and a few champions across five weight classes. It is tough to rate fighters from this era due to inconsistencies in record and little available footage, but if a man Walcott’s size could best that many men while being the smaller man most of the time, he has to be rated with among the greats. Despite often giving up size to his opponents, this heavy handed hitter knocked out over 60% of his foes. He even fought competitive battles with pound for pound monster Sam Langford and lightweight maestro Joe Gans. “The Barbados Demon” fought everyone. This is akin to in the 1980s, natural lightweight Roberto Duran fighting ranked light heavyweights and beating them. Ring Magazine founder Nat Fleischer called The Original Joe Walcott “a sawed off Hercules, an abnormally powerful puncher”.

8. Kid Gavilan

The Cuban born Gerardo “Kid Gavilan” Gonzalez was the first in a great line of Latin boxing champions trained by Yamil Chade, who also guided the careers of Wilfredo Gomez, Wilfred Benitez, Carlos DeLeon and Felix Trinidad. Gavilan, due to the era in which he fought, (which included Welterweight standouts Sugar Ray Robinson and Carmen Basilio) was perhaps the greatest of Chade’s stable. Gavilan was a flashy and exciting fan favorite who had the rare ability to be a great showman and have the skills to back it up. The Kid fought like a madman, firing punches like a machine gun. Gavilan was noted most for his “bolo”, a windmill-like uppercut/hook hybrid, which he said he developed while cutting sugarcane in Cuba as a child. He became Welterweight champion in 1951 and held onto the title until 1954.

7. Thomas Hearns

The “Hitman” did damage across four other weight classes, but was at his most fearsome and dangerous at Welterweight. His long, rangy frame allowed him to have great leverage over his shorter and smaller opponents, showcasing his serpentine jab and howitzer right hand. His big right was as destructive a weapon as any in the Welterweight division and The Motor City Cobra knocked out the first seventeen opponents he faced and was one of the most feared pound for pound fighters in the world. He made respected Welterweight champion Pipino Cuevas crumble in two rounds and his only loss at 147 was against fellow welterweight great Sugar Ray Leonard in a classic closely fought masterpiece. His sheer size, power and reach would make him a tough match up for any Welterweight. Hearns would gain glory four other weight classes, capturing titles at Junior Middleweight, Middleweight, Light Heavyweight and Crusierweight, making him a five division champion.

6. Emile Griffith

While Emile Griffith may be best known for his tragic bout with Benny Paret, he was also a world class champion and during his long career, he fought all the best in the Welterweight and Middleweight division. His bouts with Carlos Monzon (who most consider a top 5 all time Middleweight) were closely contested and after Griffith was at his best. He also fought a tough fight with Jose Napoles, who also beat him when he was past his prime. Griffith was able to fight on so long because (like Bernard Hopkins today) he was able to continue to develop his boxing skills as he aged, even as his physical tools waned. He was an excellent technical fighter, rarely making mistakes and this led to his preservation and ability to keep pace and give tough fights to the more physically prime opponents later in his career. The caliber of Griffith’s foes is legendary: a trio of fights with Nino Benvenuti, a pair with Joey Archer and Dick Tiger (both whom he beat twice) and notable bouts with Bennie Briscoe, Rubin Carter and Luis Rodriguez. Tiger, Benvenuti, Rodriguez, Napoles, Archer, and Monzon were all champions.

5. Mickey Walker

Walker was truly an all time great pound for pound fighter. His swashbuckling style endeared him to fight fans and his courage in taking on bigger opponents blew people’s minds. The 5’7 “Toy Bulldog” was a great Welterweight and Middleweight champion, beating such notables as Middleweight Champion Tiger Flowers, Welterweight champ Jack Britton, and Lightweight Champion Lew Tendler, all top notch fighters. He lost a very close decision to P4P great Harry Greb, and reportedly got the better of the Pittsburgh Windmill in a barroom scrap. Later, after clearing out (or outgrowing) those divisions, Walker decided to take on the best of the Light Heavyweight and even Heavyweight division. Walker fought top light heavyweights like Tommy Loughran (L 10) , heavyweight contenders Paulino Uzcudun (W 10) and Johnny Risko (W 10, who he knocked down) and the big Bearcat Wright (W10), who outweighed the Bulldog by at least forty pounds. Walker’s Heavyweight tour came to a screeching halt at the hands of former Heavyweight champion Max Schmeling, who KO’d him in 8. The fact that Mickey would even take on men so much larger is a testament to his skill and bravery.

4. Sugar Ray Leonard

Ray Leonard is the best welterweight in the past thirty-five years. Besides a loss to the great Roberto Duran (and he won the rematch in the famous “No Mas” fight), he convincingly defeated every 147lb fighter he faced, including fellow top ten Welterweights Wilfred Benitez and Thomas Hearns. Leonard’s well roundedness, speed, precision, and brilliant combinations would be a nightmare match up for almost anyone. His ability to adapt to an opponent’s style (as seen in his match with Hearns, who was beating him through 12 rounds) enabled him to overcome such fighters as Marvelous Marvin Hagler, and bigger Light Heavyweight champion Donny LaLonde. Leonard was the last truly great Welterweight. Subsequent champions did not possess a “total package” like he did. Perhaps Leonard’s greatest assets were his mind and finishing ability. Very few fighters “closed the show” like Ray. Once he smelled blood, it was over.

3. Jose Napoles

The man known as “Mantequilla” was indeed smooth as butter. His combination of ring savvy, craftiness and being an excellent technical boxer makes Napoles the best Welterweight since Sugar Ray Robinson, a time period spanning nearly 65 years. Born in Cuba, but fighting out of Mexico, Jose climbed up the Welterweight ranks during the 1960s, and captured the title in 1969. After losing a disputed decision to Billy Backus the following year, Napoles regained his title and didn’t lose it until 1976, beating all comers at 147. He moved up and fought middleweight great Carlos Monzon, but was unable to take Monzon’s 160lb title. Despite this, Napoles, who held his title for a total of nearly seven years, brought stability to this chaotic division with his dominance.

2. Henry Armstrong

Armstrong was the first fighter to hold titles in three weight classes simultaneously. In 1938, he was top dog in the Featherweight, Lightweight and Welterweight divisions during the most competitive era those divisions had ever seen. These titles changed hands constantly due to the immense depth of those classes, yet it was “Hammerin’ Hank” who unified them. His style was relentless and he cut through his opponents like a tornado with punches from every angle. At his best, Armstrong’s aggression was almost impossible to withstand. Amazingly, at an average bodyweight of 135 or so pounds, of the belts he held, he defended the welterweight title 18 times!

1. Sugar Ray Robinson

Perhaps the most celebrated fighter of all time, very few fight fans in the know would NOT rate the Sugar Man #1 all time at 147lbs. To illustrate this, just look at his record at 147lbs: 128-1, with 84 KO’s. His only loss was to middleweight challenger Jake LaMotta in 1943. At one point he had a 91 fight win streak. His style is impossible to compare with anyone else’s, he was that unique. Robinson had incredible athletic gifts, but punctuated them with unparalleled creativity and versatility. His list of victims is a “Who’s who” of middle division fighters from the 1940s and 1950s. They include Jake LaMotta (whom he beat FIVE times), Bobo Olson, Kid Gavilan, Randy Turpin, Rocky Graziano, Gene Fullmer and Carmen Basilio. Some of these fights were at different weight divisions, but all of these men were champions and most are now Hall of Famers. Robinson’s combination of athletic ability and boxing acumen have yet to be eclipsed. Every other fighter on this list would be a big underdog against the original Sugar Ray.

What about Mayweather and Pacquiao?

While both are very good fighters (and worthy champions), Floyd Mayweather JR and Manny Pacquiao are not of the same caliber as the boxers on this list. The talent pool historically is just too deep and the fighters too well rounded and their comparative competition too strong. In fact, both match up poorly with most on the list. Mayweather’s comparatively under-skilled reliance on his physical gifts would make it very tough for him to compete with the likes of Hearns, Gavilan or Leonard, let alone the brilliance of Napoles, Armstrong or Robinson. Pacquaio’s recklessly engaging style, while exciting, would more than likely get him knocked out by the big hitters on the list like Hearns, Walker or Robinson. Both are great athletes who work and fight hard, but are particularly deficient in defensive techniques, despite what “experts” say about Mayweather’s shoulder roll and elusiveness. Of the two, Pacquiao has faced tougher competition, and may or may not be a better fighter. That question will be answered on May 2.