The Top 25 All-Time Great Super Bantams

[elmersalsa]

This is my personal list of the 25 greatest 122pounders that ever step into the ring. The Super Bantamweight division, is one of those divisions in boxing history that doesn't get all the attention and recognition, even though, great and outstanding boxers have come out of this class. It's one of the "Jr.divisions". We seldom talk about them. It's also a young division that just turned 40 years in boxing circulation (Originally, the super bantams started in 1922 when Carl Duane was their first division champ). But, it got deactivated for the next 54 years until the boxing commissions and associations, the WBC and WBA reactivated the division to stay in 1976.

Here are the best top 25 Super Bantamweight boxers ever:

1. Wilfredo Gomez
2. Erik Morales
3. Marco Antonio Barrera
4. Vuyani Bungu
5. Daniel Zaragoza
6. Kennedy McKinney
7. Celestin "Pelenchin" Caballero
8. Guillermo Rigondeaux
9. Oscar "Chololo" Larios
10. Israel Vazquez
11. Antonio Cermeno
12. Wilfredo Vazquez
13. Jeff Fenech
14. Manny Pacquiao
15. Junior Jones
16. Nonito Donaire
17. Welcome Ncita
18. Sergio Palma
19. Leonard "Leo" Cruz
20. Somsak Sitchatchawal
21. Victor "Luvi" Callejas
22. Mahyar Monshipour
23. Hector Acero-Sanchez
24. Juan "Kid" Meza
25. Leo Santa Cruz

[Ambling Alp II]

This weight class should never have been created. There should not be weight classes that are only four pounds apart. Without it, the bantamweight and featherweight classes would have more depth and be more exciting.

[elmersalsa]

This weight class should never have been created. There should not be weight classes that are only four pounds apart. Without it, the bantamweight and featherweight classes would have more depth and be more exciting.

One of the few times that I agree with you

[elmersalsa]

I could see why the super bantamweight division is not even discussed in the forum. Not a popular division. Not an historical one in lots of people's estimation.

[Woldemar]

A two days ago I looked two fights McKinney vs Ncita.First fight was a much better than second.But second also was good.

[elmersalsa]

The great Wilfredo Gomez was a beast at 122lbs. Invincible! He made 17 title defenses, all by KO. A division record. wit

I think middleweight king GGG has the record now of most consecutive title defenses won by knockout with 18. I believe that is the record now.

[Woldemar]

Yes,Gomez was a Beast.

[Syntax Error]

This weight class should never have been created. There should not be weight classes that are only four pounds apart. Without it, the bantamweight and featherweight classes would have more depth and be more exciting.

Amen to this.

Probably the most useless weight class in the sport.

[elmersalsa]

This weight class should never have been created. There should not be weight classes that are only four pounds apart. Without it, the bantamweight and featherweight classes would have more depth and be more exciting.

Amen to this.

Probably the most useless weight class in the sport.

Thanks to the WBC and WBA organizations, this weight division became active in 1976. Other weight divisions that should have never been created:

Super flyweight
Jr Flyweight
Strawweight
Cruiserweight
Can we also condemned the creation of the Super middleweight division? What's that?

[tiny_acres]

This weight class should never have been created. There should not be weight classes that are only four pounds apart. Without it, the bantamweight and featherweight classes would have more depth and be more exciting.

Amen to this.

Probably the most useless weight class in the sport.

Thanks to the WBC and WBA organizations, this weight division became active in 1976. Other weight divisions that should have never been created:

Super flyweight
Jr Flyweight
Strawweight
Cruiserweight
Can we also condemned the creation of the Super middleweight division? What's that?

Cruiserweight division is most definitely needed.

[bollox]

This is my personal list of the 25 greatest 122pounders that ever step into the ring. The Super Bantamweight division, is one of those divisions in boxing history that doesn't get all the attention and recognition, even though, great and outstanding boxers have come out of this class. It's one of the "Jr.divisions". We seldom talk about them. It's also a young division that just turned 40 years in boxing circulation (Originally, the super bantams started in 1922 when Carl Duane was their first division champ). But, it got deactivated for the next 54 years until the boxing commissions and associations, the WBC and WBA reactivated the division to stay in 1976.

Here are the best top 25 Super Bantamweight boxers ever:

1. Wilfredo Gomez
2. Erik Morales
3. Marco Antonio Barrera
4. Vuyani Bungu
5. Daniel Zaragoza
6. Kennedy McKinney
7. Celestin "Pelenchin" Caballero
8. Guillermo Rigondeaux
9. Oscar "Chololo" Larios
10. Israel Vazquez
11. Antonio Cermeno
12. Wilfredo Vazquez
13. Jeff Fenech
14. Manny Pacquiao
15. Junior Jones
16. Nonito Donaire
17. Welcome Ncita
18. Sergio Palma
19. Leonard "Leo" Cruz
20. Somsak Sitchatchawal
21. Victor "Luvi" Callejas
22. Mahyar Monshipour
23. Hector Acero-Sanchez
24. Juan "Kid" Meza
25. Leo Santa Cruz

Jeff Fenech is way too low, he belongs in the top 5

[Ambling Alp II]

Amen to this.

Probably the most useless weight class in the sport.

Thanks to the WBC and WBA organizations, this weight division became active in 1976. Other weight divisions that should have never been created:

Super flyweight
Jr Flyweight
Strawweight
Cruiserweight
Can we also condemned the creation of the Super middleweight division? What's that?

Cruiserweight division is most definitely needed.

Cruiserweight makes sense. Lets say at is at his physical best at 185. He is probably too small for heavyweight, and can't realistically get down to 175. (I just wish they would not have raised it to 200.)

Having Super middle is OK. There is a still a 15 pound difference between middleweight and light heavy. That is still 8 pounds above middle and 7 below light heavy. There are a lot of guys who naturally fall in between.

However, when you get down to 3 or 4 pounds between weight classes, that is going too far.
Lets say you are naturally at your best at 122, you should be either able to fight feathewerweights who are barely bigger than you or lose a little weight and fight at bantam.
There should be no straw weight, junior fly, or super fly either.

To be honest, I'm not sure about jr lightweight either. It is just 5 pounds below lightweight and only 4 above featherweight.

The flyweight, bantamweight, and featherweight divisions would have much more depth if there were not these extra weight classes.

[elmersalsa]

This is my personal list of the 25 greatest 122pounders that ever step into the ring. The Super Bantamweight division, is one of those divisions in boxing history that doesn't get all the attention and recognition, even though, great and outstanding boxers have come out of this class. It's one of the "Jr.divisions". We seldom talk about them. It's also a young division that just turned 40 years in boxing circulation (Originally, the super bantams started in 1922 when Carl Duane was their first division champ). But, it got deactivated for the next 54 years until the boxing commissions and associations, the WBC and WBA reactivated the division to stay in 1976.

Here are the best top 25 Super Bantamweight boxers ever:

1. Wilfredo Gomez
2. Erik Morales
3. Marco Antonio Barrera
4. Vuyani Bungu
5. Daniel Zaragoza
6. Kennedy McKinney
7. Celestin "Pelenchin" Caballero
8. Guillermo Rigondeaux
9. Oscar "Chololo" Larios
10. Israel Vazquez
11. Antonio Cermeno
12. Wilfredo Vazquez
13. Jeff Fenech
14. Manny Pacquiao
15. Junior Jones
16. Nonito Donaire
17. Welcome Ncita
18. Sergio Palma
19. Leonard "Leo" Cruz
20. Somsak Sitchatchawal
21. Victor "Luvi" Callejas
22. Mahyar Monshipour
23. Hector Acero-Sanchez
24. Juan "Kid" Meza
25. Leo Santa Cruz

Jeff Fenech is way too low, he belongs in the top 5

Jeff Fenech was a great champion, but he only had about 5 fights at 122.

[BoxBuzz]

Funny, I know most of these names from other weight classes.....and like someone said....this weight class is hard to sort....it seems to be a "drive by" weight class for most.

[littlepug]

This weight class should never have been created. There should not be weight classes that are only four pounds apart. Without it, the bantamweight and featherweight classes would have more depth and be more exciting.

I'm certainly glad it was, it was my perfect fighting weight in the pros as it was for a lot of lads that were big bantam in the AMs, and having boxed above and below superbantam I can tell you that the higher up in weight you go the bigger and stronger they are regardless of the starting point.

[elmersalsa]

Three of the best fights of all time were fought at 122lbs:
Wilfredo Gomez vs Lupe Pintor
Erik Morales vs Marco Antonio Barrera (I)
Somsak Sithchatchawal vs Mahyar Monshipour

Others like Soo Hwan Hong vs Hector Carrasquilla and Marco Antonio Barrera vs Kennedy McKinney were all time classics, indeed.

[ClivePatrickLyons]

This is my personal list of the 25 greatest 122pounders that ever step into the ring. The Super Bantamweight division, is one of those divisions in boxing history that doesn't get all the attention and recognition, even though, great and outstanding boxers have come out of this class. It's one of the "Jr.divisions". We seldom talk about them. It's also a young division that just turned 40 years in boxing circulation (Originally, the super bantams started in 1922 when Carl Duane was their first division champ). But, it got deactivated for the next 54 years until the boxing commissions and associations, the WBC and WBA reactivated the division to stay in 1976.

Here are the best top 25 Super Bantamweight boxers ever:

1. Wilfredo Gomez
2. Erik Morales
3. Marco Antonio Barrera
4. Vuyani Bungu
5. Daniel Zaragoza
6. Kennedy McKinney
7. Celestin "Pelenchin" Caballero
8. Guillermo Rigondeaux
9. Oscar "Chololo" Larios
10. Israel Vazquez
11. Antonio Cermeno
12. Wilfredo Vazquez
13. Jeff Fenech
14. Manny Pacquiao
15. Junior Jones
16. Nonito Donaire
17. Welcome Ncita
18. Sergio Palma
19. Leonard "Leo" Cruz
20. Somsak Sitchatchawal
21. Victor "Luvi" Callejas
22. Mahyar Monshipour
23. Hector Acero-Sanchez
24. Juan "Kid" Meza
25. Leo Santa Cruz

Jeff Fenech is way too low, he belongs in the top 5

Jeff Fenech was a great champion, but he only had about 5 fights at 122.

Fenech beat Zaragoza easy and would beat him at any weight Zaragoza picked

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

- Any list without the Golden Bantam, Eder Jofre, ain't worth the cyber byte it's scribbled on.

In his day he was considered P4P on par with SRRobinson and his career perfectly spanned this division. Over 70 wins that included a retirement and comeback, only 2 highly disputed losses in Japan to Fighting Harada, he was never knocked out.

Could be said to be the first vegetarian fighter as well. He had a higher order mind and tops this list easy, so what were you chaps ever thinking?

[elmersalsa]

- Any list without the Golden Bantam, Eder Jofre, ain't worth the cyber byte it's scribbled on.

In his day he was considered P4P on par with SRRobinson and his career perfectly spanned this division. Over 70 wins that included a retirement and comeback, only 2 highly disputed losses in Japan to Fighting Harada, he was never knocked out.

Could be said to be the first vegetarian fighter as well. He had a higher order mind and tops this list easy, so what were you chaps ever thinking?

Everybody according to their weight class. The great Eder Jofre of Brazil is the greatest bantamweight ever. The great Wilfredo Gomez is the best super bantamweight ever. A four pound difference.

[Keko]

This weight class should never have been created. There should not be weight classes that are only four pounds apart. Without it, the bantamweight and featherweight classes would have more depth and be more exciting.

With it is easy to agree