1982: The Best Class of All-Time in Boxing History?

[elmersalsa]

I think that I have spoken about this before. But, it would be great to rehash it again. Has ever been a year in boxing that tops the very best of the 1982 boxing class?

Let's look at the very best by division in 1982:
Heavyweight: Larry Holmes
Cruiserweight: Carlos DeLeon
Light-Heavyweight: Michael Spinks
Middleweight: Marvelous Marvin Hagler
Super welterweight: Thomas Hearns
Welterweight: Sugar Ray Leonard
Jr. welterweight: Aaron Pryor
Lightweight: Alexis Arguello
Featherweight: Salvador Sanchez or Eusebio Pedroza
Super Bantamweight: Wilfredo Gomez
Bantamweight: Jeff Chandler or Lupe Pintor
Super Flyweight: Jiro Watanabe
Flyweight: Santos Laciar
Jr. Flyweight: Hilario Zapata

What a ton of talent! What boxing class of any year defeats this class in a head to head hypothetical contest?

Pick any class of any year and match them. The class of 1982 might well just be the best in boxing history.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Where is chavez?

[Scypion]

1950 wasn't too bad.

Heavyweight: Ezzard Charles with Joe Louis as number 1 contender

Light Heavyweight: Joey Maxim with Archie Moore as number 1 contender

Middleweight: Jake LaMotta with Ray Robinson as number 1 contender

Welterweight: Ray Robinson with Kid Gavilan as number 1 contender

Lightweight: Ike Williams

Featherweight: Sandy Saddler with Willie Pep as number 1 contender

Bantamweight: Vic Toweel

Flyweight: Dado Marino

No in between divisions in those days like junior welterweight or super middleweight.

[elmersalsa]

I forgot to put Bobby Chacon at Jr. Lightweight. JCC was not champion yet in 1982, Saad.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

So what? Hearns was, but Chavez still was greater. Lmao

[elmersalsa]

1950 wasn't too bad.

Heavyweight: Ezzard Charles with Joe Louis as number 1 contender

Light Heavyweight: Joey Maxim with Archie Moore as number 1 contender

Middleweight: Jake LaMotta with Ray Robinson as number 1 contender

Welterweight: Ray Robinson with Kid Gavilan as number 1 contender

Lightweight: Ike Williams

Featherweight: Sandy Saddler with Willie Pep as number 1 contender

Bantamweight: Vic Toweel

Flyweight: Dado Marino

No in between divisions in those days like junior welterweight or super middleweight.

Great pick, scypion. The 1950 class could beat the 1982 class. Let's see:
Larry Holmes vs Ezzard Charles...Winner is Holmes

Michael Spinks vs Joey Maxim....Winner is Spinks

Marvin Hagler vs Jake LaMotta...Winner is Hagler? or does LaMotta wins this one?

Welterweight: Sugar Ray Leonard vs Sugar Ray Robinson...Winner is Robinson? I'll pick Leonard in this one.

Lightweight: Alexis Arguello vs Ike Williams...Winner is Williams

Jr. Lightweight: Bobby Chacon vs Sandy Saddler...Winner is Saddler

Featherweight: Salvador Sanchez/Eusebio Pedroza vs Sandy Saddler...Winner is???

Bantamweight: Jeff Chandler/Lupe Pintor vs Vic Toweel...Winner is Chandler or Pintor

Flyweight: Dado Marino vs Santos Laciar...Winner is Laciar.

1982 wins 5-2-2....I was undecided between a fight of LaMotta vs Marvelous and Saddler vs Sanchez/Pedroza.

There gotta be a class that can beat the class of 1982 h2h. Try the 1972 class

[misterpunch]

hagler beats jake

robinson beats leonard

all else is fine

[Scypion]

1950 wasn't too bad.

Heavyweight: Ezzard Charles with Joe Louis as number 1 contender

Light Heavyweight: Joey Maxim with Archie Moore as number 1 contender

Middleweight: Jake LaMotta with Ray Robinson as number 1 contender

Welterweight: Ray Robinson with Kid Gavilan as number 1 contender

Lightweight: Ike Williams

Featherweight: Sandy Saddler with Willie Pep as number 1 contender

Bantamweight: Vic Toweel

Flyweight: Dado Marino

No in between divisions in those days like junior welterweight or super middleweight.

Great pick, scypion. The 1950 class could beat the 1982 class. Let's see:
Larry Holmes vs Ezzard Charles...Winner is Holmes

Michael Spinks vs Joey Maxim....Winner is Spinks

Marvin Hagler vs Jake LaMotta...Winner is Hagler? or does LaMotta wins this one?

Welterweight: Sugar Ray Leonard vs Sugar Ray Robinson...Winner is Robinson? I'll pick Leonard in this one.

Lightweight: Alexis Arguello vs Ike Williams...Winner is Williams

Jr. Lightweight: Bobby Chacon vs Sandy Saddler...Winner is Saddler

Featherweight: Salvador Sanchez/Eusebio Pedroza vs Sandy Saddler...Winner is???

Bantamweight: Jeff Chandler/Lupe Pintor vs Vic Toweel...Winner is Chandler or Pintor

Flyweight: Dado Marino vs Santos Laciar...Winner is Laciar.

1982 wins 5-2-2....I was undecided between a fight of LaMotta vs Marvelous and Saddler vs Sanchez/Pedroza.

There gotta be a class that can beat the class of 1982 h2h. Try the 1972 class

You may or may not be right on some of your picks, but the number 1 contenders I named were pretty formidable also.

Not sure about Holmes over prime Charles.

Robinson was 127-1-2 in his first 130 bouts. His 2 draws in non-title fights and his loss was to LaMotta who he was spotting 16 lbs.

[Scypion]

1950 wasn't too bad.

Heavyweight: Ezzard Charles with Joe Louis as number 1 contender

Light Heavyweight: Joey Maxim with Archie Moore as number 1 contender

Middleweight: Jake LaMotta with Ray Robinson as number 1 contender

Welterweight: Ray Robinson with Kid Gavilan as number 1 contender

Lightweight: Ike Williams

Featherweight: Sandy Saddler with Willie Pep as number 1 contender

Bantamweight: Vic Toweel

Flyweight: Dado Marino

No in between divisions in those days like junior welterweight or super middleweight.

Great pick, scypion. The 1950 class could beat the 1982 class. Let's see:
Larry Holmes vs Ezzard Charles...Winner is Holmes

Michael Spinks vs Joey Maxim....Winner is Spinks

Marvin Hagler vs Jake LaMotta...Winner is Hagler? or does LaMotta wins this one?

Welterweight: Sugar Ray Leonard vs Sugar Ray Robinson...Winner is Robinson? I'll pick Leonard in this one.

Lightweight: Alexis Arguello vs Ike Williams...Winner is Williams

Jr. Lightweight: Bobby Chacon vs Sandy Saddler...Winner is Saddler

Featherweight: Salvador Sanchez/Eusebio Pedroza vs Sandy Saddler...Winner is???

Bantamweight: Jeff Chandler/Lupe Pintor vs Vic Toweel...Winner is Chandler or Pintor

Flyweight: Dado Marino vs Santos Laciar...Winner is Laciar.

1982 wins 5-2-2....I was undecided between a fight of LaMotta vs Marvelous and Saddler vs Sanchez/Pedroza.

There gotta be a class that can beat the class of 1982 h2h. Try the 1972 class

You may or may not be right on some of your picks, but the number 1 contenders I named were pretty formidable also.

Not sure about Holmes over prime Charles.

Robinson was 127-1-2 in his first 130 bouts. His 2 draws in non-title fights and his loss was to LaMotta who he was spotting 16 lbs.

!948 wasn't too shabby either.

Heavyweight: Joe Louis with Jersey Joe Walcott as number 1 contender. Ezzard Charles at number 2.

Light Heavyweight: Freddie Mills with Gus Lesnevich as number 1.

Middleweight: Marcel Cerdan with Bert Lytell as number 1.

Welterweight: Ray Robinson with Kid Gavilan at number 1.

Lightweight: Ike Williams with Enrique Bolanos at number 1.

Featherweight: Sandy Saddler with Willie Pep as number 1.

I never followed the bantamweights or flyweights in those days.

After Ezzard Charles was heavyweight champion, he defended against Gus Lesnevich and knocked out Gus in the 7th round. Nice of Ezzard to give Lesnevich a shot. Gus was light heavyweight champ for about 7 years during the 1940's, but avoided Charles like the plague.

As far as a fight between Robinson and Leonard, anything is possible in one fight. In the old days, you probably would not have the bigger ring, bigger gloves, 12 rounds instead on 15, or catchweights, so I would definitely go with Robinson. With those things and a fight in today's boxing, Leonard would have a better chance. Also, if the fight is close at all, Leonard probably gets the decision in his era.

Either way, I would pick Sugar Ray.

[elmersalsa]

I like the class of '48, but, can we picture an out of prime great Joe Louis beating a formidable great champion like Larry Holmes if '82? Especially, when The Easton Assassin was in his complete prime demolishing Gerry Cooney?

Well, let's see this class. An interesting one.

Heavyweight: I pick Holmes over Louis

Light-heavyweight: Charles over Michael Spinks

Middleweight: Marvelous over Marcel Cerdan

Welterweight: You can call me crazy, but, I see Leonard beating the original Sugar Ray

Lightweight: Ike Williams over Alexis Arguello

Featherweight: I could see The Wil of the Wisp or Sandy Saddler beating Salvador Sanchez or Eusebio Pedroza or vice versa.

Bantamweight: Manuel Ortiz eats Jeff Chandler or Lupe Pintor for dinner. What a fighter was Ortiz. A very underrated Chicano from California. I rate him as the best Chicano fighter of all time. A top 100 ATG p4p in my view.

Flyweight: Rinty Monaghan over Santos Laciar? A toss up for me.

I see it 3-3-2. The class of 1948 was a tough class. Is there another class after 1980 that tops the 1982 class?

[Scypion]

I like the class of '48, but, can we picture an out of prime great Joe Louis beating a formidable great champion like Larry Holmes if '82? Especially, when The Easton Assassin was in his complete prime demolishing Gerry Cooney?

Well, let's see this class. An interesting one.

Heavyweight: I pick Holmes over Louis

Light-heavyweight: Charles over Michael Spinks

Middleweight: Marvelous over Marcel Cerdan

Welterweight: You can call me crazy, but, I see Leonard beating the original Sugar Ray

Lightweight: Ike Williams over Alexis Arguello

Featherweight: I could see The Wil of the Wisp or Sandy Saddler beating Salvador Sanchez or Eusebio Pedroza or vice versa.

Bantamweight: Manuel Ortiz eats Jeff Chandler or Lupe Pintor for dinner. What a fighter was Ortiz. A very underrated Chicano from California. I rate him as the best Chicano fighter of all time. A top 100 ATG p4p in my view.



I don't agree with all of your opinions, but I defend to the death your right to have them. Well. maybe not to the death.
Flyweight: Rinty Monaghan over Santos Laciar? A toss up for me.

I see it 3-3-2. The class of 1948 was a tough class. Is there another class after 1980 that tops the 1982 class?

[Scypion]

I like the class of '48, but, can we picture an out of prime great Joe Louis beating a formidable great champion like Larry Holmes if '82? Especially, when The Easton Assassin was in his complete prime demolishing Gerry Cooney?

Well, let's see this class. An interesting one.

Heavyweight: I pick Holmes over Louis

Light-heavyweight: Charles over Michael Spinks

Middleweight: Marvelous over Marcel Cerdan

Welterweight: You can call me crazy, but, I see Leonard beating the original Sugar Ray

Lightweight: Ike Williams over Alexis Arguello

Featherweight: I could see The Wil of the Wisp or Sandy Saddler beating Salvador Sanchez or Eusebio Pedroza or vice versa.

Bantamweight: Manuel Ortiz eats Jeff Chandler or Lupe Pintor for dinner. What a fighter was Ortiz. A very underrated Chicano from California. I rate him as the best Chicano fighter of all time. A top 100 ATG p4p in my view.

Flyweight: Rinty Monaghan over Santos Laciar? A toss up for me.

I see it 3-3-2. The class of 1948 was a tough class. Is there another class after 1980 that tops the 1982 class?

I don't agree with all of your opinions, but I defend to the death your right to have them. Well, maybe not to the death.