Thread: The 5 Best Puertorrican Fighters Ever

I hope you don't mind that I steal your idea El Gamo.

5. Esteban DeJesus - One of the greatest lightweights ever. Too bad he came up in the era of possibly the greatest lightweight in Roberto Duran. He still managed to give Duran his first loss.

4. Carlos Ortiz - He could box, he could brawl, he could do it all and also could give Duran a run for his money as the greatest lightweight ever.

3. Wilfredo Benitez - Youngest champion ever. Very smooth and slick boxer who fought in an era of greats and held his own with a win over Duran and a very very close loss to Hearns.

2. Wilfredo Gomez - One of the greatest 122lbers in history. Pound for Pound the hardest hitter of this list with a reccord for longest KO streak at 32 KOs in a row. Only lost to the very best until the end of his career in Azumah Nelson and Salvador Sanchez.

1. Felix Trinidad - Three division champion. Two division unified champion. Possibly a top ten all time in one of the most competitive divisions in boxing; welterweight. Undefeated as a welterweight in one of the best eras of the division since the time of Learnard and Hearns.

To be honest, the order is of little importance. Each one of these guys could make a claim to be #1, they were all great.

CC great list. How long until you think Cotto can appear on that list? Will he ever?

I'd have the same 5 fighters on the list but in adifferent order, for me it is:

5. Wilfredo Benitez
4. Esteban De Jesus
3. Carlos Ortiz
2. Felix Trinidad
1. Wilfredo Gomez

Originally Posted by Sugar_Shaw

I'd have the same 5 fighters on the list but in adifferent order, for me it is:

5. Wilfredo Benitez
4. Esteban De Jesus
3. Carlos Ortiz
2. Felix Trinidad
1. Wilfredo Gomez

oh! christ!

Originally Posted by El Gamo

CC great list. How long until you think Cotto can appear on that list? Will he ever?

I was about to post the same thing. Cotto will make it. I think if Calderon beats Cazares and steps up and beats a flyweight champion too, he has a shout in the long run.

Originally Posted by El Gamo

CC great list. How long until you think Cotto can appear on that list? Will he ever?

CC 1912 for the idea.

I think if Cotto survives Mosley, defends his title for a good 3 or 4 years and maybe unifies at some point, he'll get there.

He's still young and has a ways to go.

If he actually beats Mosley and Maywether (HUGE IFS) then he could make top three easy.

Originally Posted by Davidhayebest

Originally Posted by Sugar_Shaw

I'd have the same 5 fighters on the list but in adifferent order, for me it is:

5. Wilfredo Benitez
4. Esteban De Jesus
3. Carlos Ortiz
2. Felix Trinidad
1. Wilfredo Gomez

oh! christ!

No, I don't think Christ would make a top 5 - he had bad hands.

I did an article about this a couple of years ago....

http://www.saddoboxing.com/1433-top-...-fighters.html

CC for that Taansend,a very very interesting read. Wow,I didn't know you were a site writer much less here around 2005! There are some fighters that I have never even heard of nor seen in action. I'm looking for their fights as we speak!

Originally Posted by El Gamo

CC for that Taansend,a very very interesting read. Wow,I didn't know you were a site writer much less here around 2005! There are some fighters that I have never even heard of nor seen in action. I'm looking for their fights as we speak!

Back when I worked days I had time to watch and write about fights. Now I'm stuck on nights and weekends I don't get to see them

Originally Posted by taansend

I did an article about this a couple of years ago....

http://www.saddoboxing.com/1433-top-...-fighters.html

Well thanks for making my post seem unsubstantial... . And CC for great info.

I felt the same way you did about how to rank them. The trueth is you can't without applying somekind of subjective opinion. They were all great fighters that could have held there own in any era.

also i think Trinidad holds the record for title defenses at the welterweight division, don't remember the number but i believe i read it somewhere

Originally Posted by The Rookie Fan

Originally Posted by taansend

I did an article about this a couple of years ago....

http://www.saddoboxing.com/1433-top-...-fighters.html

Well thanks for making my post seem unsubstantial... . And CC for great info.

I felt the same way you did about how to rank them. The trueth is you can't without applying somekind of subjective opinion. They were all great fighters that could have held there own in any era.

Sorry Man. Yours was great Have a cc back.....

1) Wilfredo Gomez

2) Felix Trinidad

3) Wilfred Benitez

4) Jose Torres

5) Esteben De Jesus

Apologies to Ortiz, Laporte and yes believe it or not Camacho!

Originally Posted by The Rookie Fan

I hope you don't mind that I steal your idea El Gamo.

5. Esteban DeJesus - One of the greatest lightweights ever. Too bad he came up in the era of possibly the greatest lightweight in Roberto Duran. He still managed to give Duran his first loss.

4. Carlos Ortiz - He could box, he could brawl, he could do it all and also could give Duran a run for his money as the greatest lightweight ever.

3. Wilfredo Benitez - Youngest champion ever. Very smooth and slick boxer who fought in an era of greats and held his own with a win over Duran and a very very close loss to Hearns.

2. Wilfredo Gomez - One of the greatest 122lbers in history. Pound for Pound the hardest hitter of this list with a reccord for longest KO streak at 32 KOs in a row. Only lost to the very best until the end of his career in Azumah Nelson and Salvador Sanchez.

1. Felix Trinidad - Three division champion. Two division unified champion. Possibly a top ten all time in one of the most competitive divisions in boxing; welterweight. Undefeated as a welterweight in one of the best eras of the division since the time of Learnard and Hearns.

To be honest, the order is of little importance. Each one of these guys could make a claim to be #1, they were all great.

CC for the great thread, Rookie Fan. And a very good list. You certainly do your homework. Here in Puerto Rico, people generally split pretty evenly between Gomez and Trinidad for the top spot. I guess it depends a lot on who you grew up watching. Benitez was awesome, one of the best defensive fighters ever. Hence, his nickname: "The Radar of St. Just". And I have tremendous regard for Esteban De Jesus, as well. He did give the great Duran his first loss, although he then lost the second and third fights between them.