Top Ten LHWs from '75-'85?

Who were the ten best LHWs of the golden era?

 

For me, it'd be something like:

#10. James Scott
#09. Jesse Burnett
#08. Yaqui Lopez
#07. Marvin Johnson
#06. John Conteh
#05. Eddie Mustafa
#04. Victor Galindez
#03. Saad Muhammad
#02. Dwight Qawi
#01. Michael Spinks

Can see the Davis brothers sneaking in instead of Burnett or Scott, same with Jerry Martin. I think the number one is clearly, so are the names in the top eight IMO. Order is debatable though.

 

It's crazy that there were so many good fighters in that division during that time. I was only 11 in 1975, but I was a rabid boxing enthusiast and I didn't notice it. Though I remember very clearly talking to my friends on the playground the first Marvin Johnson v Saad Muhammad fight. Of course he was known as Matthew Franklin at the time.

 

1975 was a good half decade before my dad was born, let alone me

And I'm glad there was a bit if buzz about those guys back then. I've said before - many times - that Pops is one of my all time favourites. And who doesn't love Saad.

It is definitely insane how many good fighters there were.LHW has a weird consistency to it's eras. What I mean is that there always seems to be a lot of talent, and every so often, there's a genuinely great, great era. Like the 10s, the 40s and the 70/80s. In the other decades, there's never really been a bad era. Aside from maybe the first say five years after its creation, the mid-late '90s and now. Although, even those aren't that weak.

 

I think no. 1 is clear; 2, 3 and 4 I might move about and actually have Qawi at 4, despite beating Saad.

1. Spinks
2. Saad
3. Galindez
4. Qawi

Everyone else looks good to me, except I might swap Scott and Burnett round and swap Burnett for Ritchie Kates or Jerry Martin.

 

Also, another question here (to save me from making another thread), what do we think the top six's best performances are? I'd say (for five, need to watch more Conteh):

#5. Eddie vs Pops
#4. Galindez vs Kates I
#3. Saad vs Mwale
#2. Qawi vs Saad II
#1. Spinks vs Sutherland II

 

Serms to me that spinks and qawi are clear 1 and 2. Rest is hard to tell

 

Kates is another guy who's a good mention, Jez. I like his inclusion, but I've always had a bit of a soft spot for lovable losers. And in the great fights with Saad and Galindez, that's exactly what he was.

I can definitely see Qawi going below Saad, given that Saad has at least six wins over guys on the list. I went with Dwight, though because I think at his best, he was a better fighter. Even if Saad would rate higher on my all-time Light-Heavyweight list. That's the same reason he's above Galindez, too. Although that logic sort of falls apart because I have Conteh quite low in comparison, but Conteh's resume is really thin.

 

Spinks is the clear #1.

You could make a case for Galindez at #2, especially if we're talking greatness.

Though if we factor in H2H, yeah I rank the Camden Buzzsaw at #2.

 

no love for fightbeat members i see????

Mike Rossman

 

Saad vs Galindez H2H is a tough call.

 

I was thinking about Rossman, but he didn't really do much outside of beat Galindez.

 

I'd go with Saad in a great, great fight.

 

Yeah, exactly - it was a great win but totally stands apart from everything else on his career. I think his loss to Yaqui is more instructive of his level.

 

Where Jew Rossman DePiano at? Too much hatred in this thread, that's what's wrong.

Y'all mad cos Rossman fucked off to build Ipods n'shiet.





Piano Man vs DePiano Rossman.

 

Qawi destruction of him was masteful

 

I always forget Qawi fought Rossman.

 

Qawi was equally masterful in the Rossman fight, both Saad fights, and the Martin fight.

 

I love the idea of Rossman vs Scott. What a fight that woulda been.

 

Or Rossman vs Martin

 

Or even Saad. Saad obviously KOs him, but it'd be a great fight.

 

1. Spinks v Qawi
2. Qawi v Saad 1
3. Mustafa Muhammad v Johnson
4. Scott v Gregory
5. Galindez v Kates 1

 

I think the majority of Conteh’s best work was done before ‘75. The two years prior to that cutoff, to be exact. That was the best version of Conteh we ever saw.

 

You think Scott was Gregory's best performance?

 

i wasnt especially impressed by scotts victory over gregory. gregory slept walked thru that one

 

Gregory was very drained for that one. He's said as much himself. Although TBF, he's also said that Scott deserves all the credit in the world, and that he was one helluva fighter. He's said he doesn't know if he could ever have beaten him.

 

I think Scott's most impressive performance was against Lopez.

 

Fighters always got excuses for their losses. Seems to me that he was overwhelmed by scott strength and aggression

 

Given that Eddie's weight problems were so bad and well known they invented the day before weigh-in for him, and that when he was on song, he crushed Pops, a superior pressure fighter, I definitely buy it. Also, just look at how flat and baseless Mustafa was from the start.

 

Yeah he looked like gak in that fight. But i think he was a bit intimated by the moment. Fighting in a pen would be quite quite an experience