Who Was the Greatest Jr. Lightweight of All-Time?

[Idisagree]

Flash Elorde for me

[elmersalsa]

Pretty Boy Floyd was the most talented, but I do not think he had the best resume at 130lbs

[palooka]

I've just watched Floyd v Angel Manfredy for the first time and that fight shouldn't have been stopped when it was.

[Crease]

Which champ had the most defences at Jr Lightweight, was never beaten when holding the title, and retired as champ? Why doesn't he make that list?

I'm not sure who you mean, but Acelino Freitas had 10 defenses of the WBO Super Featherweight Title, but he didn't retire as a Champion at that weight.

[Crease]

Which champ had the most defences at Jr Lightweight, was never beaten when holding the title, and retired as champ? Why doesn't he make that list?

Ah right, got there in the end - you meant Brian Mitchell.

And to answer your query, when you look at Mitchell's record: (http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer)

He just didn't beat the same standard of opposition as some of the guys on the shortlist.

[Crease]

I'm still looking at that list, and I haven't voted. Just can't make my mind up.

Maybe if there were more dominant champions with longer title reigns (like Halger & Monzon & Middleweight) I'd probably be able to make my mind up much, much easier.

[GL14]

Floyd, Nelson or Arguello

[Ambling Alp II]

Hard to say, as some people have mentioned. Historically not a weight class where fighters stay at for long. Some guys looked pretty at this weight class but didn't fight that impressive of quality competition.

Going by who beat the best competition, just at this weight class, I would go with Arguello. He beat Limon, Chacon, Castillo, Navarette, and Escarlera; all by stoppage.

[kaiserbill]

Which champ had the most defences at Jr Lightweight, was never beaten when holding the title, and retired as champ? Why doesn't he make that list?

Ah right, got there in the end - you meant Brian Mitchell.

And to answer your query, when you look at Mitchell's record: (http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer)

He just didn't beat the same standard of opposition as some of the guys on the shortlist.

He defended the title the most.... 12 times.
He never lost a championship match he fought.
He was forced to defend his own title in the other guys backyard basically every single defence.

He had a single loss in 49 fights...an early loss which he avenged that ended in tragedy for the opponent.
He is a boxing hall of famer.

He should be on the list at the very least.

[giacomino]

Mayweather may have been the most dominant at 130lbs but IMO Arguello had the best title tenure, beating the best opposition in a fairly limited time. Elrode, Chavez and Nelson would certainly be up there. The number of alphabet title defenses is a meaningless stat, now as in the past. I will take quality defenses over a big number of largely BS defenses any day.

[GL14]

Mitchell definitely gets underrated

[palooka]

Mitchell definitely gets underrated

He does, and he had to make his defended on the road; a 15 rounder between Mitchell and Chavez would have been a bout that even the old timers would enjoy.

[GL14]

Why was the WBA title not involved for Mitchell/Lopez II?

[Tuan_Jim]

Though Floyd doesn't take the fights that the other great fighters did, it still doesn't mean that he wouldn't win those fights. Let's be honest, if Floyd took the Manny fight 4 years ago when Manny was knocking everyone out, smart money would have been on Floyd for an easy decision.

The psychology of the Floyd Mayweather fan. . . .

[Ambling Alp II]

Mayweather may have been the most dominant at 130lbs but IMO Arguello had the best title tenure, beating the best opposition in a fairly limited time. Elrode, Chavez and Nelson would certainly be up there. The number of alphabet title defenses is a meaningless stat, now as in the past. I will take quality defenses over a big number of largely BS defenses any day.

Great post. Lately, there seems to be a lot of pointing to the number of title defenses someone has. The sheer number that a fighter has is almost meaningless. It's more impressive to defeat one very good opponent then several inferior opponents.

[kaiserbill]

Why was the WBA title not involved for Mitchell/Lopez II?

Political shenanigans, I assume.

Just as the WBA ensured that he could never defend his title anywhere else but in the other guys back yard, I think they were unhappy that he was also fighting for the IBF crown. Believe it or not.

Mitchell had a great varied attack....a very effective but little commented on body attack in his arsenal.

[davie]

Which champ had the most defences at Jr Lightweight, was never beaten when holding the title, and retired as champ?

Why doesn't he make that list?

Brian Mitchel??

[Crease]

In fairness I think that this discussion could be narrowed down even further than what it already has been. The likes of Johnny Dundee, Genaro Hernandez & Samuel Serrano can be taken out of the discussion entirely.

Kid Chocolate & Hector Camacho are probably on the outskirts of it, but it really just comes down to Elorde, Floyd, Arguello, Nelson & Chavez.

The problem is that I always ranked Chavez as the greatest Light Welterweight of all time. And I did so before on this website.

Things would become a lot clearer if we narrowed down the top 5 candidates of very weight class.

[stevedoc]

Those saying Mitchell need to take into account that I don't think Mitchell was ever rated no1 , maybe after fighting Lopez but Mitchell was never in the top 5 active p4p fighter so while a very good fighter not in the nelson,chavez,Floyd league