What Was Their Best Weight Class ?

[Seamus]

For starters

Sam Langford
James Toney
Wilfred Benitez
Oscar De La Hoya
Floyd Mayweather

Feel free to add names.

[Covfefe]

In terms of? Floyd for example had his biggest fights at 147 but was clearly far less dangerous than he was at 130, 135 and 140. It's hard to say because he was dominant against a lot at 147 but he didn't have the edge he did against guys like Corrales and Gatti.

[Ambling Alp II]

Meant to respond to this sooner. It's really hard to say. They each had probably three weight classes where they were about the same. If Langford was fighting in more modern times, he could have won titles at 160,168,175,200, and heavyweight. It's a little tricky with him because we don't know always exactly when he moved up from weight class to another.

[elmersalsa]

Sam Langford: Hard to tell
James Toney: 168lbs
Wilfred Benitez: 147lbs
Oscar De La Hoya: 147lbs
Floyd Mayweather, Jr: 130lbs

Thomas Hearns: I loved him at 154lbs. At that weight, he was a God in golden Kronk trunks. He was awesome at 154. Out of this world! I have not seen no one as perfectly fit in a weight class than The Hitman at that weight. Never!

[davie]

RJJ?

Is it fair to say he was at his best at 175 on the way up then at his worst when he returned?

[jezzamundo]

Roy's best division may have been 168lb - he moved up to 175lb for the competition, rather than outgrowing super middle.

Totally agree about Hearns at 154lb, although for my money SRR most likely beats him at that weight.

[Syntax Error]

For starters

Sam Langford
James Toney
Wilfred Benitez
Oscar De La Hoya
Floyd Mayweather

Feel free to add names.

Langford - I cannot honestly say.

Toney - He is another tough one, because he moved around & was competitive in every class he fought in, but he was probably at his best at 175.

Benitez - 147.
De Lay Hoya - 147.
Mayweather Jr - 130.

Another couple:-

Sugar Shane Mosley?
Pernell Whitaker?

[SaadOffTheDeck]

175 was probably toneys worst division. I'd say 68 for him and Roy, 60 for Sam, 40 for benitez & dlh, 30 for Floyd.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Shane 47, pea 35.

[elmersalsa]

Roy's best division may have been 168lb - he moved up to 175lb for the competition, rather than outgrowing super middle.

Totally agree about Hearns at 154lb, although for my money SRR most likely beats him at that weight.

It just give me goose bumps about seeing videos of the great Tommy Hearns at 154lbs. I liked him there more than at 147 or any other weight class. Something about those Kronk shorts and how devastating he was at super welterweight. He seemed faster, stronger, had STURDIER LEGS and hit harder to my taste than at welterweight. At welterweight, to me, he looked too frail for his height and frame. His legs were too skinny.

Maybe it was how he destroyed the great Roberto Duran in two rounds. Maybe it was that. And Duran is my favorite fighter bar none. He just looked spectacular, man! Spectacular!

And the way he destroyed Len Hutchins in 3. I mean, damn! Have I seen somebody as great as The Hitman in ring presence. I give anybody props to fight him at 154. If I were a boxer, I would never in my dreams would have liked a fight with him. No way! You gonna have to pay me at least $10 million dollars for my health. At least I would have some big bucks to take home and tell my folks I got my ass kicked by a God. His name is Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns.

I don't care what anybody says in this forum. Sugar Ray Leonard, nor Wilfred Benitez nor Duran, as good as they were, ain't gonna beat that monster at 154lbs. No way!

[elmersalsa]

Maybe, it was the gold Kronk trunks. Oh man! JAH bless Thomas Hearns at 154lbs!

[davie]

For starters

Sam Langford
James Toney
Wilfred Benitez
Oscar De La Hoya
Floyd Mayweather

Feel free to add names.

Langford - I cannot honestly say.

Toney - He is another tough one, because he moved around & was competitive in every class he fought in, but he was probably at his best at 175.

Benitez - 147.
De Lay Hoya - 147.
Mayweather Jr - 130.

Another couple:-

Sugar Shane Mosley?
Pernell Whitaker?

Think Pernell can be classed as equally fantastic in each of his weight classes. Great lightweight, great welter, Achieved least at 140 because he flew through the weight class but would obviouly have ruled there for a while if it had taken his fancy.
As for the losses towards the end you can put that down to getting old.

[jezzamundo]

Roy's best division may have been 168lb - he moved up to 175lb for the competition, rather than outgrowing super middle.

Totally agree about Hearns at 154lb, although for my money SRR most likely beats him at that weight.

It just give me goose bumps about seeing videos of the great Tommy Hearns at 154lbs. I liked him there more than at 147 or any other weight class. Something about those Kronk shorts and how devastating he was at super welterweight. He seemed faster, stronger, had STURDIER LEGS and hit harder to my taste than at welterweight. At welterweight, to me, he looked too frail for his height and frame. His legs were too skinny.

Maybe it was how he destroyed the great Roberto Duran in two rounds. Maybe it was that. And Duran is my favorite fighter bar none. He just looked spectacular, man! Spectacular!

And the way he destroyed Len Hutchins in 3. I mean, damn! Have I seen somebody as great as The Hitman in ring presence. I give anybody props to fight him at 154. If I were a boxer, I would never in my dreams would have liked a fight with him. No way! You gonna have to pay me at least $10 million dollars for my health. At least I would have some big bucks to take home and tell my folks I got my ass kicked by a God. His name is Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns.

I don't care what anybody says in this forum. Sugar Ray Leonard, nor Wilfred Benitez nor Duran, as good as they were, ain't gonna beat that monster at 154lbs. No way!

I agree he beats Leonard at 154lb and he already beat Benitez (with a broken hand) and Duran (devastatingly) at that weight. The reason I like Robinson to beat Hearns at 154lb is that SRR had a granite chin and if he could withstand the early storm, would likely get to Hearns's average chin at some point. That said, if he takes the same shot that stopped Duran, there's a very good chance he doesn't beat the count.

[elmersalsa]

Roy's best division may have been 168lb - he moved up to 175lb for the competition, rather than outgrowing super middle.

Totally agree about Hearns at 154lb, although for my money SRR most likely beats him at that weight.

It just give me goose bumps about seeing videos of the great Tommy Hearns at 154lbs. I liked him there more than at 147 or any other weight class. Something about those Kronk shorts and how devastating he was at super welterweight. He seemed faster, stronger, had STURDIER LEGS and hit harder to my taste than at welterweight. At welterweight, to me, he looked too frail for his height and frame. His legs were too skinny.

Maybe it was how he destroyed the great Roberto Duran in two rounds. Maybe it was that. And Duran is my favorite fighter bar none. He just looked spectacular, man! Spectacular!

And the way he destroyed Len Hutchins in 3. I mean, damn! Have I seen somebody as great as The Hitman in ring presence. I give anybody props to fight him at 154. If I were a boxer, I would never in my dreams would have liked a fight with him. No way! You gonna have to pay me at least $10 million dollars for my health. At least I would have some big bucks to take home and tell my folks I got my ass kicked by a God. His name is Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns.

I don't care what anybody says in this forum. Sugar Ray Leonard, nor Wilfred Benitez nor Duran, as good as they were, ain't gonna beat that monster at 154lbs. No way!

I agree he beats Leonard at 154lb and he already beat Benitez (with a broken hand) and Duran (devastatingly) at that weight. The reason I like Robinson to beat Hearns at 154lb is that SRR had a granite chin and if he could withstand the early storm, would likely get to Hearns's average chin at some point. That said, if he takes the same shot that stopped Duran, there's a very good chance he doesn't beat the count.

I mean, nobody, absolutely nobody, survives the shot he gave The Hands of Stone. And Duran had one of the best chins ever.

I can't see no one in coming close to The Hitman at 154lbs. He was great. A top 50 all-time pound per pound fighter he was. He just lost the two biggest fights of his career. That's all. But, he lost to extraordinary boxers in his prime, no doubt. Although, that wasn't the same Duran, it's the magnitude of the knockout that made Hearns great. It was an unbelievable knockout that nobody thought was going to happen just like that. The Hitman did the unthinkable.