BoxRec

What are some examples of fighters you feel would've been at their best at a weight class that didn't exist in their time, such as a junior, super, or crusier weight?

For example, I've always thought Billy Conn was probably the best super-middleweight -sized fighter ever, as he beat many quality fighters at 160, 175, and heavyweight, while his best weight seemed to be around 168.

I've always felt Henry Armstrong's ideal weight was jr. lightweight. He was able to suck down to make 126, but he wasn't a full lightweight, as he had to deliberately put on weight to get up around 135 and heavier. When he hit his peak in 1937, most of his fights were over-the-weight featherweight fights, in which he usually weighed around 130.

I think Ray Robinson would've been at his best at 154. He sometimes had to struggle to make 147, and I believe he gained more power as he added weight; but up at 160, his power was sometimes offset by being up against naturally bigger men. I believe 154 would've combined the best of both worlds.

Lloyd Marshall is another one I suspect was sometimes weight drained at 160, but at 175, the size of a full fledged light-heavy was occassionally a bit too much (ie: Bivins, Billy Smith). I think 168 would've been ideal for him.

Other examples:

Charley Burley - 154
Rocky Graziano - 154
Jack Delaney - 168
Georges Carpentier - 168
Ceferino Garcia - 154
Joe Choynski - 168
Lionel Rose - 122 (maybe?)

And then of course, all the cruiserweight sized heavyweights - ie: Dempsey, Marciano, etc.

Leon Spinks might've been more successful if there was a cruiser division while he was still at his peak.


Any others?

Jake LaMotta often fought at Light Heavyweight in between his middleweight bouts. Had he fought today, he could have remained at Super Middleweight for several years without a blip and wouldnt have killed himself making and losing weight all the time.

Victor Galindez could of used a super middleweight division.

I will catch heat for it, but perhaps Ezzard Charles as a Cruiser would have surpassed even his Light-Heavyweight self.

I can see Benny Lynch fitting in nicely in a Superflyweight division. As good as he was, seems he had a life and death struggle to make flyweight while he was at his peak.

My2Sense wrote:What are some examples of fighters you feel would've been at their best at a weight class that didn't exist in their time, such as a junior, super, or crusier weight?

For example, I've always thought Billy Conn was probably the best super-middleweight -sized fighter ever, as he beat many quality fighters at 160, 175, and heavyweight, while his best weight seemed to be around 168.

I've always felt Henry Armstrong's ideal weight was jr. lightweight. He was able to suck down to make 126, but he wasn't a full lightweight, as he had to deliberately put on weight to get up around 135 and heavier. When he hit his peak in 1937, most of his fights were over-the-weight featherweight fights, in which he usually weighed around 130.

I think Ray Robinson would've been at his best at 154. He sometimes had to struggle to make 147, and I believe he gained more power as he added weight; but up at 160, his power was sometimes offset by being up against naturally bigger men. I believe 154 would've combined the best of both worlds.

Lloyd Marshall is another one I suspect was sometimes weight drained at 160, but at 175, the size of a full fledged light-heavy was occassionally a bit too much (ie: Bivins, Billy Smith). I think 168 would've been ideal for him.

Other examples:

Charley Burley - 154
Rocky Graziano - 154
Jack Delaney - 168
Georges Carpentier - 168
Ceferino Garcia - 154
Joe Choynski - 168
Lionel Rose - 122 (maybe?)

And then of course, all the cruiserweight sized heavyweights - ie: Dempsey, Marciano, etc.

Leon Spinks might've been more successful if there was a cruiser division while he was still at his peak.


Any others?

good post, good thread mate

i

Two British Heavyweights spring to mind, Don Cockell & Henry Cooper.

My2Sense wrote: And then of course, all the cruiserweight sized heavyweights - ie: Dempsey, Marciano, etc.

Leon Spinks might've been more successful if there was a cruiser division while he was still at his peak.

- Dempsey made his legend and fortune at heavy. Wouldn't be Dempsey at cruiser.

Leon won the NABF cruiser title against Jesse Burnet. He lost his WBA cruiser challenge to Qawi who gutted him and left him out to dry.

Sam Langford could have been the first 8 division champ today, lightweight to cruiser. Maybe 9 if he pulls an Oscar and squeezes into superfeather for a nanosecond to lift a belt.

Maybe Tommy Burns and Phildelphia Jack O'Brien at 168.

witherspoon wrote:I can see Benny Lynch fitting in nicely in a Superflyweight division. As good as he was, seems he had a life and death struggle to make flyweight while he was at his peak.

Blame it on the al-al-al-al-alcohol. D

BroughtonRulesRefuge wrote:

My2Sense wrote: Leon Spinks might've been more successful if there was a cruiser division while he was still at his peak.

Leon won the NABF cruiser title against Jesse Burnet. He lost his WBA cruiser challenge to Qawi who gutted him and left him out to dry.

Like I said...

My2Sense wrote: Like I said...

- Leon's peak lasted a nano second and he lifted a far bigger legacy than some nascent cruiser bauble would ever bring.

In short, Leon in the ideal weight class at the ideal time in history thousands of heavies in history would drool over.

Too bad the light-heavyweight division wasn't available when Kid McCoy was in his prime.

Pascual Perez defended his flyweight title at weights ranging from 105 to 111. Most of his defenses were at 108 or below. While he may be the greatest flyweight ever, he would have cleaned out the junior flyweight division as well (and possibly the super flyweight division) if it had existed