by Geoffrey Ciani – Who are the ten best lightweights of all-time?
This is the fifth in a series of surveys I have been conducting. In the first survey, we peered into the opinions of long-time boxing fans to make a definitive list of the top ten heavyweights of all time. Although this is a very subjective topic that is skewed by personal bias, differences of opinion, and the absence of a universally agreed upon criteria to judge past fighters, we can still establish some degree of consensus. While contemplating my own list of top heavyweight pugilists, I decided gathering the input of others might help display a more accurate portrayal of what a ‘true’ top 10 list should look like. Since then I have had similar surveys involving the light heavyweight, middleweight, and welterweight divisions.
In this survey, which included many of the same individuals from the previous four, I polled 32 long-time boxing fans (myself included). My question was simple. I had each person in the survey provide me with a chronological list of who he or she (there was one ‘she’ in the survey—my esteemed colleague from On the Ropes, the sensational Miss Jenna J) considered to be the ten best lightweights in boxing history..
Ties were not allowed, just a straight-forward list from one to ten. I then used a weighted scoring system to assign points to fighters based on where they appeared on each individual’s list. First place votes received 25 points. Second place votes were worth 15 points, third place votes were worth 12, and fourth and fifth place votes were worth 10 and 8 points respectively. After that, the point differential was constant, with sixth place votes getting 5 points, seventh place votes getting 4, eighth getting 3, ninth place 2, and tenth place 1.
Survey Results
After all of the lists were tabulated with the aforementioned scoring system a total of twenty-seven different welterweight boxers received mention. Here is a list of the results. (First place votes are indicated in parenthesis).
1. 605 Roberto Duran (15)
2. 593 Benny Leonard (14)
3. 348 Joe Gans (2)
4. 243 Pernell Whitaker
5. 230 Henry Armstrong
6. 217 Ike Williams
7. 168 Carlos Ortiz
8. 87 Tony Canzoneri
9. 51 Barney Ross
10. 47 Jack McAulife (1)
11. 38 Alexis Arguello
12. 15 Julio Cesar Chavez
13. 14 Joe Brown
14. 10 [tie] Packey McFarland
14. 10 [tie] Sugar Shane Mosley
16. 9 Ken Buchanan
17. 7 Jack Blackburn
18. 5 Freddie Welsh
19. 4 [tie] Lou Ambers
19. 4 [tie] Bob Montcomery
19. 4 [tie] Sammy Mandell
22. 3 Ismael Laguna
23. 2 [tie] Dave Holly
23. 2 [tie] Willie Ritchie
23. 2 [tie] Arran Pryor
26. 1 [tie] Jose Luis Castillo
26. 1 [tie] Young Griffo
Here is the distribution of votes.
TOTAL LISTS MADE – NAME – (1st-2nd-3rd-4-5-6-7-8-9-10)
32 Roberto Duran (15 12 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 0)
31 Benny Leonard (14 13 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0)
30 Joe Gans (2 3 14 5 2 3 1 0 0 0)
32 Pernell Whitaker (0 0 7 5 10 2 2 1 3 2)
31 Henry Armstrong (0 3 3 7 2 5 7 3 0 1)
30 Ike Williams (0 1 3 5 7 7 5 1 1 0)
29 Carlos Ortiz (0 0 0 5 7 4 6 5 1 1)
28 Tony Canzoneri (0 0 0 0 2 3 3 9 6 5)
15 Barney Ross (0 0 0 0 1 4 2 2 3 3)
6 Jack McAulife (1 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 1)
11 Alexis Arguello (0 0 0 1 0 2 2 1 2 3)
7 Julio Cesar Chavez (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 2)
7 Joe Brown (0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 4)
5 Packey McFarland (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 1)
4 Sugar Shane Mosley (0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 1)
4 Ken Buchanan (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1)
4 Jack Blackburn (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1)
2 Freddie Welsh (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0)
2 Lou Ambers (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1)
1 Bob Montcomery (0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0)
1 Sammy Mandell (0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0)
2 Ismael Laguna (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1)
2 Dave Holly (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2)
1 Willie Ritchie (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0)
1 Arran Pryor (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0)
1 Jose Luis Castillo (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1)
1 Young Griffo (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1)
Roberto Duran or Benny Leonard?
Of all the surveys yet conducted, this was by far the most closely contested for the top spot. Roberto Duran barely edged out Benny Leonard. Duran had an average score of 18.91 points per survey compared to 18.53 for Leonard. Duran received fifteen first place votes and Leonard got fourteen, giving these two over 90% of the combined top spots. Duran was the only boxer to appear on all of the lists submitted while Leonard (and Henry Armstrong) were included on all but one. In terms of the top three, Leonard edged Duran out on this front, 96.9%-87.5%. Duran had the edge when it came to finishing top 5, 100%-96.9%. These two were obviously head and shoulders above the rest, but was one more deserving of being most highly regarded at this weight class?
It is a very tough call. Leonard advocates will be quick to note that he had superior accomplishments and dominated that he dominated the strongest era the lightweight division has ever seen. Critics will point to the fact that Leonard lost every once in awhile. It is fair to note, however, that Leonard fought during an era where fighters fought much more frequently, and aside from someone like the great Harry Greb, few from the era had a record like his. Fans of Duran will be eager to turn this into a head-to-head argument and will be quick to note that the available footage of Leonard is we have is evidence of a Duran victory. After all, Leonard never faced anyone quite like Duran. This is one of those things where personal bias and individual preference come into play. As the results clearly indicate, these two are widely viewed as the two best lightweights ever.
Closing out the top 10
Joey Gans finished soundly in third. He received two first place votes, appeared in the top three on almost 60% of the lists submitted. He also appeared in the top five over 80% of the time. Pernell Whitaker and Henry Armstrong respectively finished fourth and fifth. Whitaker finished in the top three on almost 22% of the lists whereas Armstrong accomplished the same on just under 19%. Whitaker, however, finished in the top five much more frequently than Armstrong, 69% to 47%. Ike Williams was not far behind those two, he finished in sixth place. Behind him came Carlos Ortiz in seventh, and then there was a drop as Tony Canzoneri, Barney Ross, and Jack McAulife finished out the top ten. The strength of the one first place vote received by McAulife enabled him to edge out Alexis Arguello for the final spot.
How does my list compare?
In the heavyweight and light heavyweight surveys nine of the ten boxers from my list appeared in the official results. In the middleweight and welterweight surveys, I was down to eight, which is where I stand on this one. I had Sugar Shane Mosley and Alexis Arguello on my list, neither of whom appeared on the collective list. Barney Ross and Jack McAulife finished there, instead. In retrospect, McAulife may have been an oversight on my part. If I were to make another list like this in the future, there is a very good chance I would include him.
1. Roberto Duran
2. Benny Leonard
3. Pernell Whitaker
4. Joe Gans
5. Carlos Ortiz
6. Alexis Arguello
7. Ike Williams
8. Henry Armstrong
9. Sugar Shane Mosley
10. Tony Canzoneri
More Raw Data:
Here is a quick snap-shot at how the votes broke down amongst the top ten:
1. Roberto Duran
Total Lists: 32 (100%)
First Place: 15 (46.9%)
Top Three: 28 (87.5%)
Top Five: 32 (100%)
Average Points: 18.9
2. Benny Leonard
Total Lists: 31 (96.9%)
First Place: 14 (43.8%)
Top Three: 31 (96.9%)
Top Five: 31 (96.9%)
Average Points: 18.5
3. Joe Gans
Total Lists: 30 (93.8%)
First Place: 2 (6.3%)
Top Three: 19 (59.4%)
Top Five: 26 (81.3%)
Average Points: 10.9
4. Pernell Whitaker
Total Lists: 32 (100%)
First Place: 0 (0%)
Top Three: 7 (21.9%)
Top Five: 22 (68.8%)
Average Points: 7.6
5. Henry Armstrong
Total Lists: 31 (96.9%)
First Place: 0 (0%)
Top Three: 6 (18.8%)
Top Five: 15 (46.9%)
Average Points: 7.2
6. Ike Williams
Total Lists: 30 (93.8%)
First Place: 0 (0%)
Top Three: 4 (12.5%)
Top Five: 16 (50.0%
Average Points: 6.8
7. Carlos Ortiz
Total Lists: 29 (90.6%)
First Place: 0 (0%)
Top Three: 0 (0%)
Top Five: 12 (37.5%)
Average Points: 5.3
8. Tony Canzoneri
Total Lists: 28 (87.5%)
First Place: 0 (0%)
Top Three: 0 (0%)
Top Five: 2 (6.3%)
Average Points: 2.7
9. Barney Ross
Total Lists: 15 (46.9%)
First Place: 0 (0%)
Top Three: 0 (0%)
Top Five: 1 (3.1%)
Average Points: 1.6
10. Jack McAulife
Total Lists: 6 (18.8%)
First Place: 1 (3.1%)
Top Three: 1 (3.1%)
Top Five: 2 (6.3%)
Average Points: 1.5
Next up, the featherweight division!
Going forward, I will continue conducting surveys for all of the original eight weight classes along with a separate list for the best pound-for-pound fighters of all-time. Next up will be the featherweight division.
Past Surveys:
In case you missed the previous surveys:
CLICK HERE to review the results from the heavyweight survey.
CLICK HERE to review the results from the light heavyweight survey.
CLICK HERE to review the results from the middleweight survey.
CLICK HERE to review the results from the welterweight survey.
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