Cellini’s Top Five Junior Middleweight Boxers of All Time

By Jeffrey “Italian Medallion” Cellini (Who else would it be by?)

The junior middleweight division has their share of boxing legends passing through from the welterweight division to the middleweight division. Notable all-time greats such Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Pernell “Sweat Pea” Whitaker and Floyd “Money” Mayweather, JR. have won titles at this weight class. However, did these fighters do enough to land on the Top Five All-time List of Junior Middleweights?

Number #5

Julian “The Hawk” Jackson (2 -division world champion) won vacant WBA junior middleweight title against Baek In-chul in November of 1987 and defended title only three times. However, no one was a bigger puncher in this division’s history than the “Hawk”, who had 38 victories with 36 knockouts, with his stoppage of Terry Norris (KO2) being his biggest accomplishment. Julian Jackson suffered only one loss (KO by2) trying to win Mike McCallum’s WBA belt. The Hawk’s incredible punching power places him on the top five list.

Number #4

Ronald “Winky” Wright (former undisputed junior middleweight champion) held several of the world title belts during his stay in this division. With two victories over Sugar Shane Mosley, with first contest unifying belts, places Winky in the number five spot. Loss to Julio Cesar Vasquez for IBF junior middleweight belt and controversial split decision win over Bronco McKart for WBO junior middleweight title keeps him from being higher on this list. Two signature wins and multiple title reigns places Winky at the number four spot

Number #3

Thomas “Hitman” Hearns (4-division world champion) had arguably the biggest and most impressive knockout in the division’s history when he stopped the legendary Roberto Duran in the second round. The “Motor City Cobra” elevated his stature among the elite of the sport with his devastating win and cemented his place in boxing history as one of the biggest stars of the 1980’s. Hearns defeated three-division world champion and defending title holder Wilfred Benitez to claim the WBC junior middleweight title, a belt that he only defended three times. With only two signature wins though, the Hitman resides in the number three spot.

Number#2

Mike McCallum (3-division world champion) was the WBA junior middleweight champion for nearly three years, gaining impressive wins over Julian Jackson (KO2), Milton McCrory (TKO10), and Donald Curry (KO5). McCallum’s reign was short but very impressive. He racked only six title defenses, but his demolition over the former undisputed welterweight champion and one- time pound-for-pound king catapulted him to the next level in his career. McCallum would go on to win titles at the middleweight and light heavy weight classes. Three signature wins land Mike McCallum at the number#2 spot.

Number #1

Terry Norris (3-time junior middleweight champion) won WBC junior middleweight title versus John Mugabi in March of 1990. “Terrible” Terry would go on to defend the belt 10 consecutive times before losing title against Simon Brown (12/18/93). During his first reign as champion, Norris would gain victories over Sugar Ray Leonard (W12), Donald Curry (KO8), Meldrick Taylor (TKO4), and Maurice Blocker (TKO2). After being upset by Brown and losing the title, Norris would regain his belt with a resounding victory in the rematch (5/7/94). Terry would go on and have one of the most bizarre trilogies in boxing history where he would lose his title to Luis Santana (DQ5) in terrible fashion and would fail in his next attempt to reclaim his belt (DQ3) when the bout ended in controversy again.

Norris would finally defeat Santana (TKO2) in their third fight, bringing an end to one of the worst rivalries in the sport. Terry would proceed to make six more title defenses of his titles. Along the way, Norris would win the IBF title from Vincent Pettway in a unification match. His reign as the preeminent champion in the division came to an end against Keith Mullings (TKO by 9) in December of 1997. Terry Norris was king of the division for the good part of seven years, and was one of boxing’s top pound-for-pound fighters for nearly a decade. Longevity, signature wins, and number of successful title defenses lands “Terrible” Terry Norris at the top of this list.

Julio Cesar Vasquez (10 successful title defenses) failed to crack the list based on losing to Pernell Whitaker and Gianfranco Rosi (2-time junior middleweight champion) failed to make list based on loss to Donald Curry, both losing titles to fighters moving up in weight. Some fighters, such as Whitaker, Mayweather, JR., Leonard, and De La Hoya won titles at this weight class, but did not meet the longevity requirements.

“Terrible” Terry Norris locked up his Hall of Fame status by being the greatest junior middleweight champion of all-time. Besides being an extremely gifted athlete, but he had the capability to defeat everyone at this weight class.

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