The Ring’s lightweight champs

Anthony Crolla is defending his WBA lightweight title against Jorge Linares, live on Sky Sports on Saturday, but The Ring’s vacant belt is also on the line. Who has held that belt in the past?

Jim Watt

The Scottish star and former Sky Sports commentator was a rarity in being awarded the title. Compatriot Ken Buchanan (1970-72) and Roberto Duran (1972-79) held it before but once the ‘Hands of Stone’ moved up to welterweight in April 1981, the Glaswegian was recognised as the magazine’s best at 135lbs.

Watt had won the vacant WBC strap two years earlier by stopping hard-hitting Colombian Alfredo Pitalua and put together four defences in 18 months, notably seeing off bitter rival Charlie Nash and 1976 Olympic champion and unbeaten American star Howard Davis Jr.

His final successful title defence saw him beat world-champion-to-be America’s Sean O’Grady in November 1980 and even if it took five months, The Ring gave him their ultimate honour before his reign and indeed his career was to come to the end, courtesy of the legendary Alexis Arguello.

Alexis Arguello

The Nicaraguan known as ‘El Flaco Explosivo’ had already held The Ring title down at featherweight between 1975 and 1977 and on the night he stopped Watt at the Empire Pool, Wembley, he became a three-weight world champion and their new lightweight titlist.

From then on, Arguello settled into the lightweight scene in typical style by stopping first opponent Ray Mancini in the 14th round in October 1981. He then showed why he was so feared, blasting out another four foes in the space of nine months, with no one taking him past seven rounds, never mind threatening him.

Arguello had won world titles at featherweight, super-featherweight and lightweight before going for his fourth weight at super-lightweight and taking on Aaron Pryor in November 1982. ‘The Hawk’ stopped him in 14 rounds in what The Ring named its Fight of the Decade, but with the Nicaraguan staying up there, The Ring lightweight title went into its first prolonged vacancy.

Julio Cesar Chavez Sr

It took five years for The Ring to recognise its ‘man taking on the man’ approach, so who better than the iconic Julio Cesar Chavez to pick up the mantle. He had dominated the super-featherweight scene for four years before stepping up to 135lbs.

It set the tone for JC’s immense rise as he dispatched Edwin Rosario and Rodolfo Aguilar with the WBA belt behind him. When Jose Luis Ramirez brought the WBC to the table, the all-Mexican battle was staged at the Las Vegas Hilton in 1988. It would last 11 rounds before the legend – who was at a meagre 62-0 at the time – also scooped The Ring strap, surprisingly for the only time in his stellar career.

Chavez moved up to 140lbs pretty much straight away, leaving the lightweight division he had briefly ruled and the WBC and WBA titles behind. He would appear on the magazine’s cover on multiple occasions, on his way into the history books and an astounding record of 107-6-2-KO86.

Pernell Whitaker

‘Sweet Pea’ will go down as one of the slickest fighters the world has ever scene. There are …

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