The 99-05 ODLH/Mosley/Tito/Winky/Vargas era... A good time in boxing history?

When you look back at the history of boxing, will this era of fighters be looked at just like the Hagler/Hearns/Leonard/Duran days? Looking back I think it was a pretty good era for 147/154, and it will go down as a good time for boxing, and it ain't over yet, with Mayweather, Cotto and Hatton already joining the party.

Talent-wise it was a great period, but unfortunately most of the big matchups were disappointing in the thrills department. The was no Leonard/Hearns type of fight to define the era.

Quality wise you can go lower then 147 for great talent during those years when you add all the other top names who have floated around...Mayweather,,,Hatton,,,Judah,,,Cotto...Mar garito..all quality guys who came through those divisions or grew in those divisions....

But like Left Hook said it is lack of result that hurts it...

I wasn't watching boxing during some of this era, and its never the same looking back on fights as it is living through them and watching them live, but looking back at fights like Tito v Vargas, DLH v Vargas, ODLH v Mosley I+II, those four fights in particular were fantastic, and plenty of match ups were made through that period, it even got into 2006 with Mosley v Vargas, those 2 fights were great too, then there's Winky's schooling of Tito and Mosley, and Vernon Forrest and Mayorga got in on the scene too, maybe in 12-15 years time it will be looked back over in a different light, it's hard to say really.

That was a good era. Oscar and Tito being the big money men out of the group. Still wated to see Tito destroy Mosley after Mosley beat Oscar. Other than that, it was a good era but this era is starting to look alot better. Especially with Don King not as big as before. Fights are staerting to happen and fights that fans want to see are actually becoming possible.

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Originally Posted by LeftHookToTheBody

Talent-wise it was a great period, but unfortunately most of the big matchups were disappointing in the thrills department. The was no Leonard/Hearns type of fight to define the era.

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There was not Leonard/Hearns, but there was Tito/Vargas. This is probably the best fight ever at 154 and "The Ring" selected it as the best of all times at this weight division.

This era of welterweights from late 90s to early 2000s had great fighters that could rival any era in boxing talent wise. However, it will always fall short because of the disapointment of THE FIGHT between the two top dogs Tito and Oscar, the controversy and unclear winners of Quartey De la Hoya and Trinidad De la Hoya, and the fights that were not made like Quartey - Trinidad, Mosley - Trinidad, Forrest - De la Hoya and of course the rematch of Trinidad - De la Hoya among others. If you also add on the not so clear passing of the torch in De la Hoya's controversial victory over Whitaker. Even in the De la Hoya Mosley fights there was some controversy with the first one being a split decision and the seccond one being a hightly controversial UD. Makes you think that these fighters were all just so good that it was almost impossible to get a clear win over them.

We could still see the level of brilliance that was this era when ever the lower echelon went up against the top dogs:

Campas vs Trinidad, Vargaz and De la Hoya.

Oba Carr vs Trinidad, Quartey and De la Hoya.

Mayorga vs Trinidad and De la Hoya.

Gatti vs De la Hoya

These were all great entertaining yet mostly one sided fights.

The most competitive fights which were among the elites and did not end in controversy were the ones envolving Vargaz

Vargaz beat Quartey in a very entertaining yet convincing victory. He came back from two knock downs to flor Trinidad and give him a war for about 8 or 9 rounds before Trinidad took control and KOed him in the 12. He was overpowering and manhandling De la Hoya for about 6 rounds before De la Hoya put on the high gear and destroyed him in the 10th. He even gave Mosley a tough fight on their first meeting.

In general this was pretty damn good era but could have been much much more. Maybe those extra three rounds that the old days had would have led to some dramatic and definitive endings.

Vargas was involved in the most memorable matchups between the big four.

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Originally Posted by Puerto Rican Punch

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Originally Posted by LeftHookToTheBody

Talent-wise it was a great period, but unfortunately most of the big matchups were disappointing in the thrills department. The was no Leonard/Hearns type of fight to define the era.

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There was not Leonard/Hearns, but there was Tito/Vargas. This is probably the best fight ever at 154 and "The Ring" selected it as the best of all times at this weight division.

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That's right & Oscar/Vargas was pretty good too - early it looked like Vargas was too big/strong for Oscar but Oscar came back to stop him in decisive fashion. Oscar's fight with Ike was pretty good as well.