Which is the greatest weight division of all times?

By Gerardo Granados: Yesterday I was trying to explain to my friend why it won’t be possible to see Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao engage Gennady Golovkin. He had a hard time trying to understand why a lightweight can move up to engage a welter but a small welter can’t engage a middleweight, but he simply couldn’t understand how it is possible for a fighter to rehydrate up to 20 pounds.

Then he asked me which is the greatest weight division of all times, including the “new” intermediate weight divisions (junior, light, super, etc.) referring to as which one has had the best fighters and the best fights ever.

Well, for sure the straw weight division won’t get many votes. In the past the below 140 pounds fighters didn’t received that much exposure as the 147+ pounds fighters and the heavies were followed by many boxing fans. Now a day’s things have changed for good as it has increased the interest of many boxing fans to watch fighters from all weight divisions.

Some countries have had major success on determined weight divisions but the boxing fans around the globe will appreciate and follow a fighter no matter which is his nationality so to have a consensus about the subject might not be impossible.

I personally believe that the welterweight division has been blessed with the best fighters of all times and also that the best fights have taken place there. It is the line that separates the big lions; at the welterweight division you get to see fighters that are not small in size, they have the speed, mobility and the reflexes of the small weight divisions but also have that one punch knockout power and the strength of bigger lions.

How many hall of fame members have fought at the welterweight division? I can only recall a few names but the reader must remember the rest for sure. I´ll list some members and candidates as well: Roberto Duran, Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., Felix Tito Trinidad, Hector Macho Camacho, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Carlos Palomino, Pipino Cuevas, Miguel Angel Cotto, Juan Manuel Marquez, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Pernell Whitaker, Meldrick Taylor, Shane Mosley, Oscar De la Hoya, Wilfred Benitez, Sugar Ray Robinson and Jose Napoles.

How many epic battles have taken place there? Recently the Tim Bradley vs. Ruslan Provodnikov and the Manny Pacman Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez fights are just an example of the great bouts that have taken place at the welterweight division; but, can the reader remember his favorite welterweight battle? What about the Floyd Mayweather vs. Ricky Hatton, Oscar De la Hoya vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., Oscar De la Hoya vs. Pernell Whitaker, Oscar De la Hoya vs. Felix “Tito” Trinidad, Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. vs. Pernell Whitaker, Shane Mosley vs. Miguel Angel Cotto, Andre Berto vs. Victor Ortiz, Miguel Angel Cotto vs. Manny Pacquiao, Roberto Duran vs. Sugar Ray Leonard I, Roberto Duran vs. Carlos Palomino; Thomas Hearns vs. Sugar Ray Leonard I, Thomas Hearns vs. Pipino Cuevas.
Undoubtedly the reader must have a different opinion on the subject. So, which is the greatest weight division of all times?