Top 10 Latin fighters of all time

I did this last year on ESB, and I did this last year on here... but its worth redoing with the new guys here, because my order has changed, for one. For two, let's expand to the topic to 10.

I find only the top 2 are easy.

3-10 can go soooooooo many ways, but here it goes, imo. Remember, my list has changed, outside of the top 2.

1. Duran
2. Monzon
3. Gavilan
4. Jofre
5. Ortiz
6. Arguello
7. Chavez
8. Napoles
9. Sanchez
10. Gomez

JUST BARELY missing out: Rodriguez, Olivares, Benitez, Saldivar, Cervantes, and Pedroza.

Succhhhhh a goddamn hard list, but lemme know watchu think.

 

Maybe I have Jofre too high. Someone give input. Have we fallen for the legend of Eder Jofre?

 

Honestly, I think two to four, is extremely close and can be Monzon, Ortiz or Gavilan. I find Jofre overrated, always have. I'd have him closer to ten than one. Actually, I'd have Olivares higher, and Manuel Ortiz too.

 

Chavez over Napoles was a tough one, and I thought about it for a few mins, as I consider Nap better, but ultimately sided on JC as slightly greater.

Who would you replace in the top 10 to add Olivares? Jofre?

 

I'd have win way higher than you have him. He's my Mexican GOAT, and I'd have him above Arguello. I wouldn't have him at five though, I don't think.

 

Whats your 10?

 

Monzon and Duran are clearly the top 2. The rest are so close to each other that I don't really think it's worthwhile to rank them

 

Duran
Monzon
Napoles
Gavilán
Jofre
Ortiz
Rodriguez
Chavez
Arguello
Sanchez

3-9 are so close, though.

 

Extremely close.

 

Stinger really went like 3 pages with me last year trying to argue Monzon over Duran at #1.

 

No fuckin idea. I'll get back to you when I've had some food and thought on it.

 

I reckon Ortiz or Gavilan could feasibly rank above Monzon.

 

What do people think of Cocoa Kid? I think he could absolutely make this list, maybe even top five.

 

I'm not happy with this. But fuck it, I've give it a go.

Alexis Arguello
Wilfredo Gomez
Eder Jofre
Manuel Ortiz
Julio Cesar Chavez
Ruben Olivares
Kid Gavilan
Carlos Monzon
Carlos Ortiz
Roberto Duran

 

I don't think its completely crazy, but its a bit of a stretch

 

It is absolutely crazy

 

Is that in reverse order, George?

 

Interested in the arguments for Gavilan over Napoles. It's not unreasonable at all, just trying to work it out.

 

Starting to think a top 10 is nigh on impossible. Leaving Saldivar out is actually causing me pain.

 

Yeah, I basically just type out the name I think should come first, then click enter so it goes down, then add the numbers at the end. That way I can change the order really easily. I always do it, I just couldn't be arsed putting the numbers on it this time.

Couldn't agree more. I can honestly see him (on mine, as in above every below) as high as five. I've always thought he has a shout at Mexico's GOAT. He didn't make mine, because leaving Arguello out caused me more pain than leaving out Saldivar.

My reasoning is that his resume is much better. Napoles' isn't bad at all, but Gavilan's is one of the best ever in welterweight history.

Ralph Jones, Gaspar Ortega, Gil Turner, Laurent Dauthuille, Rocky Castellani, Bobby Dykes, Johnny Bratton, Billy Graham, Carmen Basilio, Ike Williams, Beau Jack, Eduardo Lausse, etc; are great names to have, and Gavilan beat most of them more than once.

 

I think The Keed was pretty clearly greater than Napoles. Who was better is debatable (Gavilan imo, but its debatable) but Gavilan i think wins out in greatness.

And of course, Saldivar easily could make a top 10, and so could Olivares.

If you rate Benitez as highly as George does on the PR list, then El Radar could even make the lower 10.

So, what we've learned is that the ONLY sure thing is Duran as the consensus #1.

Monzon i think on a lot of lists is gonna be #2, but I've also seen people place Gavilan, Ortiz, Chavez, Jofre, and Arguello in that #2 spot.

 

The other thing is the determination of "latin" fighters. It's a thorny issue but I would tend to exclude American latin fighters like Manuel Ortiz and just focus on fighters born and based in latin America. For me, fighters like Oscar De La Hoya and Fernando Vargas (not that he's a genuine consideration) would automatically be excluded. But some may feel differently.

 

Nah, guys like Manuel Ortiz should be included, he's still a Latin fighter. Same with Oscar, but Oscar obviously ain't making this list .

If you start questioning fighters born and based in Latin America, then Carlos Ortiz has to be removed. Ortiz, JUST like Camacho, was born in Puerto Rico, but grew up in New York City.

Benitez was also a New York Rican, so he would have to go too.

I think that explains why Gomez and Trinidad are the two most iconic fighters to Puerto Ricans, because they were born, bred, and resided on the Island. Neither one could speak a lick of English.

Ortiz and Benitez were likely viewed more as New Yorkers.

 

Manuel Ortiz was Mexican-American. Doesn’t really count.

 

Puerto Rico is a US territory. It's part of America, technically.

So if Manuel Ortiz has to go, then C.Ortiz, Benitez, and Gomez have to go as well.

Let's not make this too complicated. Any Latinos/Hispanics can go on this list.

 

Check out this list: 20 greatest Latinos

11-20 I think is kind of off (it's not insane, but it is off), but their 1-10 isn't bad. Might not be what everyone agrees on, but it's not bad, and can be seen as reasonable. This list has Luis Rodriguez at #6, and I'm not really mad at that. Rodriguez is another guy who could have easily been top 10.

I think their top 5 is solid - I dunno about the order, their top 5 itself (Duran, Jofre, Monzon, Napoles, Ortiz) is very reasonable IMO.

Oh shit, it just occurred to me - this is Chris' list .

 

I knew Jofre was gonna be two as soon as I saw it it was by ChrisJS. There's nothing offensive or objectionable in the top ten, but I stopped when I saw Marquez above Sanchez, Canto and Gomez.

 

I dont think Canto even made the list. Neither did Zarate.

My own bias is happy to see Kid Pambele on there .

 

So should RJJ be on a list of best African fighters?

 

No. Obviously there's ten better.