Sans ado, adon't, or amaybe...
10. Alexis Arguello
El Flaco Explosivo (April 19, 1952 - July 1, 2009) stood 5'10" with a career record 78-8-0, 62KO. He was a three-weight champion, owning the Featherweight title as well as Super Featherweight and Lightweight titles. Arguello was never unseated from his throne in-ring, instead abdicating to pursue crowns of higher weights.
9. Jack McAuliffe
The Napoleon of the Prize Ring, the cat-quick McAuliffe (March 24, 1866 - November 11, 1937) ruled the Lightweights from 1886 - 1893 with a career record of 28-0-10, 20KO. He was Nat Fleischer's #5 all-time Lightweight and boxed an exhibition with Jack Dempsey and several with Benny Leonard and Georges Carpentier.
8. Carlos Ortiz
Puerto Rican born in September 9, 1936 and New York City raised, Ortiz was a slick-smart boxer with more decent than indicated by record power in both his quick hands. His career stats are 61-7-1. Twice in the 1960's, he held the 135-pound title. Mayhaps the greatest-ever Puerto Rican pug.
7. Barney Ross
Living December 23, 1909 - January 17, 1967, fighting in the 1920s-'30s whenst Adolf Hitler was spreading his anti-semitism. Barney Ross 72-4-3, 22KO was seen by Jews as the emblem of Jews fighting back. Willful, strong, and fast; the triple-division champ was never knocked down, and was a decorated WWII Veteran.
6. Ike Williams
Born August 8th 1923 and passing away September 5th 1994, Ike Williams amassed a record of 126-24-4, 61KO with victories over Kid Gavilan, Beau Jack, Bob Montgomery whom he beat in '47 to become the unified Lightweight King. An advocate of fighter rights, he was blackballed by the Managers Guild.
Sweet Pea was born the second day of 1964. He'd become a wizardly counter-punching defensive southpaw with a career record of 40-4-1, 17KO, going 19-3-1 4 KO in title-fights. By August 20th 1989 Whitaker held the IBF, WBC, and Ring Lightweight belts. His control of mid-divisions lasted into the mid-'90s.
4. Henry Armstrong
Homicide Hank was born Henry Jackson December 12th 1909, escaping this mortal coil October 23, 1988. A whirlwind of combos, motion, and power -- Armstrong fought a dozen times a year and ran a shoe-shine stand; winning the Lightweight championship title on August 17, 1938. Eventually becoming a three division crown-wearer.
3. Joe Gans
Old Master, November 25th 1874 - August 10, 1910 ne'er did get old, but wound up his career masterfully: 145-10-16, 100KO. Gans is Nat Fleischer's #1 Lightweight of all-times, and is considered as one of the greatest pound-for-pound boxers in pug history. Gilbert Odd, historian, lists him as champion from 1902-1908.
2. Roberto Duran
Manos de Piedra, b.June 16th 1951. On June 26th 1972, Duran defeated Ken Buchanan in MSG for the WBA Lightweight Championship. He'd eventually make twelve successful defenses, 11 via knock-out, then abdicate in February 1979. 103-16, 70KO on his career, he'd go on to win world titles in four weight-classes.
1. Benny Leonard
The Ghetto Wizard April 7, 1896 - April 18, 1947. Leonard lost his pro debut and were knocked out three more times in his first professional seven months. He finished 89-6-1, 70KO. Twixt that, on May 20, 1917, Leonard knocked out Freddie Welsh in nine rounds to win the World Lightweight Championship. He would be World Lightweight Champion for almost seven years till he relinquished (1917-1925), which is still history's longest lightweight title reign. Much the Muhammad Ali of 135-pounders, Nat Fleischer called his rivals, "a field of the greatest lightweights that ever appeared at one time in the division."
