Back when things were in Black and white and Boxing had only 8 weights classes, Lightweight was one of the toughest division’s to make a name for yourself fast forward to today things haven’t changed much. Lightweight still has some of the elite performers in the game. Granted things aren’t as hot at 135 as they have been in the past years. That could all change this weekend when Juan Manuel Marquez heads back to the more cosy confines of Lightweight after his sojourn to a Welterweight catchweight against Floyd Mayweather. His opponent this time at least seems mortal, a rematch with Juan Diaz. Last February Diaz’s youth, size and strength seemed as though they would help him gain the biggest win of his career to date. Slowly but surely Marquez refined and tuned his considerable skills, creating gaps in Diaz defence until landing two howitzer right hands that dropped Diaz before conclusively ending the argument with a devastating right uppercut. It was ultimately one of the top fights of 2009.
Also on Saturday’s card will be Robert Guerrero & Joel Casamayor, though the fight is a few pounds above the Lightweight limit the winner will most likely look to fight the winner of the main event. Just a few pounds south at 130 Jorge Linares and Rocky Juarez duel in an intriguing fight in which the loser has no place to go. It’s not quite the Lightweight Lightening that took place last April when eight of the top Lightweights were scheduled to face off, though it never quite worked out. This could end up having more of an effect on the Lightweight demigraphic.
A few months ago Michael Katsidis scored possibly the best win of his career to date when he went into the lions den and stopped unbeaten Kevin Mitchell in three. Afterwards Katsidis declared he wants to fight the winner of Marquez-Diaz 2 this fall. The Lightweight confines also house the legendary Marco Antonio Barrera who recently ended a year long hiatus, he’s expected to return again in late summer before fighting another Mexican Humberto Soto for Soto’s WBC crown. Soto himself is angling for a big fight and would be a handful for anyone at 135.
In the past the Lightweight division has been the home to a murders row of greats including Joe Gans, Benny Leonard, Tony Canzoneri, Carlos Ortiz, Roberto Duran, Pernell Whitaker and Shane Mosley, even briefly Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather & Manny Pacquiao.
Here’s a look at some of the guys who created havoc at 9 stone 9 pounds.
The Old Master Joe Gans fought in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, reigning from 1902-1908 making 15 defence’s. He died of tuberculosis in 1910, at just 35 years old with a record of 138-10-15(96) and considered one of the greats of Boxing. Sadly Gans passed away at just 35 from tuberculosis.
A year after Gans sad demise Benny “Ghetto Wizard” Leonard made his debut, losing a third round KO. It was hardly the start to a career that would make anyone forget Joe Gans. Over the next 6 years Leonard learnt his trade and stayed busy developing his skills. It was at this stage he won the Lightweight crown beating Freddie Welsh making 9 defence’s reigning from 1917-1925. In 1918 he even dared to go up to Welterweight where he drew with Ted “Kid Lewis, he again made that move in 1922 though lost a thirteenth round disqualification to Jack Britton, when he hit Britton while Britton was down. Leonard retired as the reigning Lightweight champion in 1925. Before briefly trying to make a return in 1931.
Like Leonard before him Tony Canzoneri fought out of New York. Canzoneri won the Featherweight world title in the late 1920’s before heading up to Lightweight where he demolished Al Singer in the first round in late 1930. He even went up to Light Welterweight where he beat Jack “Kid” Berg reigning at both weights consecutively. Canzoneri would reign until the summer of 1933 when he lost a majority decision to another Lightweight legend Barney Ross then losing a split decision 3 months later. It was at this stage he really showed his metal staying busy when most though he’d seen better days and winning his old Lightweight title back nearly 2 years later against Lou Ambers though he eventually lost it back to Ambers.
Puerto Rico Carlos Ortiz fought for 17 years and won the Light Welterweight crown four years after debuting in 1959 after one defence he lost the title. Ortiz then dropped to Lightweight where he had even more success beating Joe Brown for the title then reigning for 3 years making 4 defence’s before losing a very close decision Ismael Laguna in Panama. Not deterred Ortiz reclaimed the crown 7 months later outpointing Laguna in Panama making a further 5 defence’s until he lost to Carlos Teo Cruz in 1968. He continued until 1972 when he lost to Ken Buchanan.
The Pride of Panama Roberto “Manos De Piedra” Duran was a force of nature that for over 5 years in the 1970 was a wrecking machine. He devastated all before him, that version of Duran many believe was the greatest Lightweight to ever draw breath. He bludgeoned all 12 title challengers into defeat with only one lasting the course. Duran went onto become a 4 weight world champion fighting well into his forty’s and decades past his prime. His relentless pressure, unbridled ferocity coupled with no lack skill saw off all comers. Similar to Mike Tyson years later Duran beat many opponents before they stepped in the ring with him. Through out his storied career Duran beat some fantastic fighters most notably Sugar Ray Leonard thought that was up at Welterweight.
Having won Gold at the 1984 Olympics Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker was long known for his outstanding boxing skills, fantastic defensive ability along with an uncanny knack of making Hall of Fame Fighters look like novices. Whitaker was so gifted that it was difficult to find rounds he would lose let alone fights. Whitaker like Duran would go on to become a 4 Weight world champion. Both fighters were poles apart with Whitaker a modest puncher at 135 though he would end up using his mastery to conquer 140, 147 & 154 defeating many good fighters including Azumah Nelson, Jose Luis Ramirez, Buddy McGirt and in the eyes of everyone except the two judges who scored it a draw he beat Julio Cesar Chavez Snr.
After a stellar amateur career in which “Sugar” Shane Mosley narrowly missed out on taking part in the 1992 Olympics he embarked on a pro career starting out at Lightweight. Though many insiders and Los Angeles aficionados knew Mosley’s potential fans and media alike seemed to miss out on the secret that was Shane Mosley. Infact he arguably didn’t gain his full adulation until he relinquished the IBF crown he had defended 8 times all inside the distance, going straight to Welterweight where he posted an outstanding victory over a prime Oscar De La Hoya. Mosley joined Duran missing out Light Welterweight and heading straight to 147.
In the last decade or so Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather & Manny Pacquiao all had brief layovers at 135 before heading to Light Welterweight and then Welterweight.
De La Hoya lasted 18 months and 7 fights before he out grew the division. Though in that time he did post impressive stoppages over Rafael Ruelas, Jesse James Leija & Genaro Hernandez & a points win over seasoned veteran and former world champion John John Molina.
After an outstanding run at Super Featherweight Floyd Mayweather won his second world title at his second weight class when he barely squeezed past Jose Luis Castillo in early 2002. To shut up all the doubters he fought Castillo in a rematch and was far more convincing 8 months later. After two defence’s against average opponents in Victoriano Sosa & Phillip Ndou, Mayweather abdicated his thrown.
In the summer of 2008 Pacquiao made a brief pit stop of just a single fight when he flattened David Diaz to collect the WBC crown.
Another shooting star Edwin Valero threatened to join the elite at Lightweight before his untimely demise.
Just who joins the list of immortals in the future remains to be seen but one thing is likely to continue and that is that the Lightweight division will thrive as one of the strongest weight classes in Boxing just as it has over the past 100 or so years.
