Self explanatory. The five best lower division fighters in history. Not necessarily the greatest, but the five best you've seen on film. Very hard list to make outside of the top 2 (everyone should have those 2 somewhere) but I would say: Gomez Jofre Olivares Harada Chang HMs: Canto, Zarate, Fenech, Khaosai, Zapata, Too Sharp, Chocolatito, R.Lopez.
LOL Harada is on there without doubt, for me. Certainly above Gonzalez. Jimmy Wilde is mandatory imo, I'd have him before Chang; I'd also have Canto and Wolgast on there before Chang. Probably quite a few bantamweights as well.
The Wilde mention is exactly why I said "the five best you've seen on film." As for Canto over Chang, not gonna argue over that one, but I just feel like Chang peaked higher.
Even if you discount Jofre, who was about two full levels above anyone Gonzalez has beaten, Harada beating Ebihara, Kingpetch, Medel, Rudkin, Caraballo and being robbed against Famechon puts so much daylight between him and Gonzalez to the point of it being comical. Estrada is the closest to any of those lads, nearest to the likes of Rudkin, Kingpetch and Caraballo probably, but I'd still bank on them being a bit better than him. I love Gonzalez too, he's been a little gem, but come on. Harada is one of the lower weight titans. Gomez and Chang have the likes of Zarate, Pintor, Chitalada and Zapata on their ledgers amidst a number of other good contenders and titleists, the former again being better than Estrada, Yaegashi etc while still having long dominant streaks similar to Roman. In Chang's case he was able to half arse it for a good chunk of his reign and still not lose, such was his talent. And Gomez was able to devolve from a complete fighting machine into more of a power happy slugger and still be too good for the likes of Pintor and Laporte. Gonzalez is more on the level imo of Pascual Perez, Ohba, Ebihara, Arbachakov, Chitalada, though arguably better and greater than them. But closer to them than Jofre, Harada etc
Wilde's a weird one. Taking into account his era, ruleset, equipment, quality of film, lack of size etc I think he looks great, albeit a bit jarring and left field. I get people being uncertain about him though or abstaining from including him. He's obviously the greatest ever fighter below bantam and looks better imo than the likes of Attell, Corbett, McGovern and some of the other great old-timers.
I didn't bother replying with that info because sometimes I think he's trolling, and I just giggle it off. But yeah, if he was serious, it's a wacky statement. All three of those guys' resumes blow away Choco, especially Harada and Gomez. And if we're talking quality wise, Choco has no argument whatsoever as being a better fighter than Gomez and Harada. Chang is a tad bit lower in ability compared to Gomez and Harada, and Chang vs Choco would be a great matchup at 108, but it think Chang is too fast and versatile for Chocolatito.
Eder Jofre Rubén Olivares Wilfredo Gómez Fighting Harada Jimmy Wilde Followed by: Manuel Ortiz Miguel Canto Carlos Zarate Jung Koo Chang Ricardo Lopez Humberto Gonzalez Michael Carbajal Khaosai Galaxy Jeff Chandler Hilario Zapata Mark Johnson Johnny Tapia Daniel Zaragoza Lupe Pintor Orlando Canizales Myung Woo Yuh Brian Mitchell Chocolatito, Gallo, SSR, Nietes, and Inoue are future HOFers as well.
