Who is the greatest ever Featherweight?

[rjj tszyu]

The best ever that I have seen was Azumah Nelson (Barry McGuigan did the right thing to cross the road every time he saw him coming along). I thought he had everything - technique, speed, power, chin, guts and he was always fit and ready to fight. A real great great fighter. I would rank Eusebio Pedroza just behind him.

I know all about Pep and Armstrong and those guys, but I have stopped short of comparing them to Nelson as I have not seen enough footage of the right quality and length to have a proper opinion. Mind you, Armstrong would be in many people's top 5 fighters of all time, irrespective of weight I guess and Pep, Saddler and those would not be far off.

Some great great featherweights throughout history.

Azumah was great I've got to agree! But better than Sanchez? I don't know!

Sanchez did beat him!

[X]

True ..... but only in something like Nelson's 15th fight (and I think he may have been a late substitute)?

[rjj tszyu]

True ..... but only in something like Nelson's 15th fight (and I think he may have been a late substitute)?

Oh I'm not sure have to check boxrec. I think it was Sanchez's last fight before his death!

[BIG H]

Some other names that spring to mind...

Tony Canzoneri
Chalky Wright
Vicente Saldivar
Wilfredo Gomez
Abe Attell

[rjj tszyu]

Just found this list which doesn't seem too bad to me except for some modern day fighters being left off the list such as JMM, Naz, Barrera and Morales.

Boxing's Best of the Century

[rjj tszyu]

Ha ha just realised it's because it was best of the last century!

[BIG H]

Ha ha just realised it's because it was best of the last century!

Lol, just looking at that list makes you realize how strong that division has been in the last decade, becuase there are 4 or 5 fighters not on that list that probably would be now

[CutMeMick]

Some other names that spring to mind...

Tony Canzoneri
Chalky Wright
Vicente Saldivar
Wilfredo Gomez
Abe Attell

Really, Wilfredo as a Feather?
I think his best work came at Super Bantam.
His only win at Feather was vs. LaPorte...

[ICB]

True ..... but only in something like Nelson's 15th fight (and I think he may have been a late substitute)?

Yes he was your correct but as i have said time and time again, theres no way Azumah Nelson fought like a 15 pro fight novice. He was superb that night and was on par with Salvador Sanchez all the way.

Just like when Tim Witherspoon fought Larry Holmes, with little experience. He no way fought live a novice he looked like an experienced skilled fighter in there, as did Azumah Nelson and he was pretty even with Salvador Sanchez as i said.

Until Salvador Sanchez came out roaring stopping him in the last round, but i also don't feel we see the best of Salvador Sanchez either. So i don't think either man was in the absolute peak.

A rematch would of been special though as would Salvador Sanchez vs Wilfredo Gomez 2. But one of my favorite Azumah Nelson fights has to be his fight with Wilfredo Gomez, that truly was a special fight.

[WelshDevilRob]

Jim Driscoll

[THE THIRD MAN]

Salvador Sanchez is the standout for me, with wins over Azumah Nelson and Wilfredo Gomez. Who knows where he would have gone had he lived, he wouldn't have turned 30 until 1989 so Pernell Whitaker may not have been a Lightweight Champ?

Willie Pep and Sandy Saddler fill 2 and 3 positions on my list.