Many regard the super welterweight division to be a "passing" category, although it is among the most prestigious and historically significant of the welterweight and middleweight divisions. Since its inception in the 1960s, the super welterweight division has provided us with numerous memorable fights between great champions.
Although many champions used this division as a stepping stone before gaining weight and establishing themselves on the "floor above," the superwelters had no shortage of superfine technicians and deadly thugs who demonstrated their full ability. We're going to give you our special rating of the top ten strongest super welters of all time!
10. Harry Simon
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Outside of hardcore aficionados, this tremendous striker from Namibia is hardly known, yet he was a true force of nature. He was a two-time world champion in superwelters and middleweight, and he never lost a professional fight. Unfortunately, his career was cut short at the most inopportune time by a tragic car accident that claimed the lives of a family of Belgian visitors and resulted in a manslaughter conviction.
9. Julio Cesar Vasquez
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The left-handed thug from Santa Fe may not have been a technical end, but he could strike like a hammer. Despite being a little monotonous in his methods, Vasquez did not spare his present adversary, investing him with his pressure and, in the end, forcing him into "survival mode." A year after teaching an immature Ronald Wright a harsh lesson, he was dethroned by champion Pernell Whitaker, who had been pushed to the super welters in search of glory.
8. Ronald Wright
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Despite losing to the two fighters ahead of him in the standings, "Winky" Wright is deserving of a higher ranking based on his career, which saw him graduate as unified champion after a long but steady progression. With a well-deserved double victory over the very strong Shane Mosley, the American scored his most major victory. He was not exceptionally powerful, but he was incredibly precise and had an excellent work rate.
7. Koichi Wajima
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This Japanese hitter, who swayed repeatedly on the log before launching his quick smashes, had a unique approach, to say the least. The left hook, which he brought after bending over his legs almost to the ground, was one of his "inventions." He won the title of unified champion by defeating our Bossi by a razor-thin margin, kicking off his reign. His two heart-stopping contests with Oscar Albarado will live long in the memory.
6. Ayub Kalule
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Many Italian fans will recall his triumph over Sumbu Kalambay in Ancona, while others will recall his war on sword defeat to Davey Moore at least once. However, the best version of the Ugandan athlete came from the beginning of his career, when his body had not yet been worn down by the enormous frequency of really difficult fights to which he was subjected. In the late 1970s, he held the title of The Ring and was a worthy opponent of Sugar Ray Leonard.
5. Julian Jackson
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The Virgin Islands' 'Hawk,' maybe the most powerful boxer ever in pound-for-pound terms, came too early to play his cards with a sacred monster like Mike McCallum and was ruthlessly defeated. This setback did not deter him from launching a spectacular career filled with dazzlingly gorgeous knockouts, some of which he scored when trailing in the score and seemed to be in a desperate situation.
4. Sandro Mazzinghi
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Our iconic champion from Pontedera, capable of making millions of fans dream with his dramatic clashes, is also flying the Italian flag in this particular ranking. Only a great like Benvenuti could tame him in his prime, but Sandro did not give up and returned as world champion with an incredible performance in front of a sold-out San Siro stadium.
3. Terry Norris
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Despite significant physical and mental flaws that cost him several opportunities, "Terrible" Norris was able to launch a promising career. The annihilation of the Mugabi "Beast" in a single round, the retirement imposed by punching the enormous Sugar Ray Leonard, and the dramatic demolition of the extremely swift Meldrick Taylor were all noteworthy. With the world championship on the line, the number of triumphs is terrifying: 19!
2. Mike McCallum
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This champion of Jamaican ancestry, who was a nightmare for the thugs of his time, deserves far more credit than is typically given to him. He was undefeated in super welters, knocking out boxers like Kalule, Jackson, and Curry en route to world titles at light heavyweight and light heavyweight. Unfortunately, his trilogy with James Toney began while he was already in a state of collapse, yet he still managed to show flashes of incomparable class.
1. Thomas Hearns
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This Jamaican-born champion deserves far more credit than is typically given to him. He was a nightmare for the thugs of his time. He was unbeatable in superwelters, knocking out boxers like Kalule, Jackson, and Curry en route to world titles at light heavyweight. Unfortunately, his trilogy with James Toney began while he was already in a state of decline, yet he still managed to show flashes of infinite class.
