BoxRec

Here’s my honest attempt

1910-1919 Jack Britton
1920-1929 Mickey Walker
1930-1939 Henry Armstrong/Barney Ross/Jimmy McLarnin
1940-1949 Ray Robinson
1950-1959 Kid Gavilan
1960-1969 Emile Griffith
1970-1979 Jose Napoles
1980-1989 Ray Leonard
1990-1999 Felix Trinidad/Oscar de La Hoya
2000-2009 Shane Moseley

Here's my list:
1880-1889: 1-Jack Dempsey, the Nonpariel; 2-Paddy Duffy
1890-1899: 1-Tommy Ryan; 2-Joe Walcott
1900-1909: 1-Joe Walcott; 2-Young Peter Jackson
1910-1919: 1-Jack Britton; 2-Ted Kid Lewis
1920-1929: 1-Mickey Walker; 2-Jack Britton
1930-1939: 1-Charley Burley; 2-Henry Armstrong
1940-1949: 1-Sugar Ray Robinson; 2-Marcel Cerdan
1950-1959: 1-Kid Gavilan; 2-Carmen Basilio
1960-1969: 1-Jose Napoles; 2-Emile Griffith
1970-1979: 1-Sugar Ray Leonard; 2-Jose Napoles
1980-1989: 1-Sugar Ray Leonard; 2-Thomas Hearns
1990-1999: 1-Felix Trinidad; 2-Oscar De La Hoya
2000-2009: 1-Sugar Shane Mosely; 2-Vernon Forrest

Nice list Mr E, though Leonard didn't do enough in the 70's to rate ahead of Napoles imo. And I'd rate Whitaker #1 in the 90's, at a minimum #2.

Ezzard wrote:Here’s my honest attempt

1910-1919 Jack Britton
1920-1929 Mickey Walker
1930-1939 Henry Armstrong/Barney Ross/Jimmy McLarnin
1940-1949 Ray Robinson
1950-1959 Kid Gavilan
1960-1969 Emile Griffith
1970-1979 Jose Napoles
1980-1989 Ray Leonard
1990-1999 Felix Trinidad/Oscar de La Hoya
2000-2009 Shane Moseley

I like your list, Ezzard. Except: I like Barney Ross as best welterweight in the 30s, and Carmen Basilio as top welter in the 50s. In the 1890s, I have Tommy Ryan, and in the 1900s, I have Joe Walcott.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Nice list Mr E, though Leonard didn't do enough in the 70's to rate ahead of Napoles imo. And I'd rate Whitaker #1 in the 90's, at a minimum #2.

Those are both very good points. I put Leonard ahead of Napoles only because I think that the Leonard of the Benitez fight, which took place in 1979, would have beaten Napoles (narrowly). But in terms of overall record and accomplishments in the decade you are 100% right that Napoles comes out on top.

I went back and forth between Whitaker and De La Hoya as my #2 man in the 90s. The more I think about it, though, the more I think you're probably right that Sweet Pea deserves the nod.

Whitaker around 1992-93 would've done an absolute number on the prime Trinidad at Welter. It'd have been embarrassing --- & he would've bested De La Hoya, too.

Goodnight, Irene wrote:Whitaker around 1992-93 would've done an absolute number on the prime Trinidad at Welter. It'd have been embarrassing --- & he would've bested De La Hoya, too.

I don't think so. Whitaker could make anyone look bad but he was a greater lightweight than welterweight. And Trinidad was a truly great welterweight -- nobody was going to 'embarass' him, IMO.

Mr E wrote:

Goodnight, Irene wrote:Whitaker around 1992-93 would've done an absolute number on the prime Trinidad at Welter. It'd have been embarrassing --- & he would've bested De La Hoya, too.

I don't think so. Whitaker could make anyone look bad but he was a greater lightweight than welterweight. And Trinidad was a truly great welterweight -- nobody was going to 'embarass' him, IMO.

Agree that Whitaker was a better 135lber than 147lber --- but Trinidad, though I consider him a probably top-25 all-time Welter, is in my view by no means a, "great" in the elite sense of the word. De La Hoya was embarrassing him for several rounds. Whitaker lost a step moving from Light to Welter, but he was still a step ahead or two of both De La Hoya & Trinidad. Hell, Whitaker arguably beat De La Hoya when he was visibly faded at the weight.

If I could pick a Welterweight champion in history to embarrass Trinidad (& there'd be more than one, on account of his rather severe limitations) Whitaker would be one of a few prime candidates. Trinidad absolutely would not get near him.

Goodnight, Irene wrote:
If I could pick a Welterweight champion in history to embarrass Trinidad (& there'd be more than one, on account of his rather severe limitations) Whitaker would be one of a few prime candidates. Trinidad absolutely would not get near him.

agreed