# The 21 Greatest Welterweight Boxing Matches in History

> Nearly a century of 147-pound title wars sits here, Prohibition-era brawls next to pay-per-view megafights. A few of the scorecards are still being argued over.

*By YPB Team · Published October 27, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-21-greatest-welterweight-boxing-matches-in-history*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Spence vs. Porter** — score 1000/1000
   Errol Spence Jr.'s 2019 split-decision unification over Shawn Porter in Los Angeles, decided by a late knockdown.
2. **Honeyghan vs. Curry** — score 731/1000
   Lloyd Honeyghan's 1986 upset of undisputed champion Donald Curry in Atlantic City, one of the decade's great shocks.
3. **Ross vs. McLarnin I** — score 700/1000
   The 1934 Madison Square Garden Bowl fight where Barney Ross took the welterweight crown from Jimmy McLarnin, opening a famous trilogy.
4. **Napoles vs. Griffith** — score 642/1000
   Jose Napoles' 1969 decision over Emile Griffith, the Cuban-Mexican stylist's crowning win as welterweight champion.
5. **Leonard vs. Duran I** — score 642/1000
   The 1980 Brawl in Montreal, where Roberto Duran outworked Sugar Ray Leonard over 15 rounds to take the WBC welterweight title.
6. **Pacquiao vs. Cotto** — score 577/1000
   Manny Pacquiao's 2009 12th-round stoppage of Miguel Cotto for the WBO welterweight title, a record seventh division world title.
7. **Leonard vs. Hearns I** — score 576/1000
   The 1981 undisputed welterweight unification in Las Vegas, won by Sugar Ray Leonard with a 14th-round stoppage while trailing on the cards.
8. **Leonard vs. Duran II** — score 576/1000
   The 1980 'No Mas' rematch in New Orleans, where Duran quit in the eighth round after Leonard taunted and outboxed him.
9. **Robinson vs. Bell** — score 500/1000
   Sugar Ray Robinson's 1946 decision over Tommy Bell for the vacant world welterweight title, a fight with knockdowns on both sides.
10. **Walker vs. Britton** — score 500/1000
   Mickey Walker's 1922 decision over veteran champion Jack Britton at Madison Square Garden, with Britton down three times.
11. **Mayweather vs. Pacquiao** — score 409/1000
   The 2015 unification in Las Vegas, the richest fight in boxing history, won by Floyd Mayweather on a unanimous decision.
12. **Basilio vs. DeMarco II** — score 409/1000
   Carmen Basilio's 1955 12th-round stoppage of Tony DeMarco in Boston, the second of two brutal welterweight title wars.
13. **Pacquiao vs. Marquez IV** — score 409/1000
   The 2012 welterweight bout ended by Juan Manuel Marquez's one-punch knockout of Pacquiao, The Ring's Fight of the Year.
14. **Mosley vs. De La Hoya I** — score 409/1000
   Shane Mosley's 2000 split-decision win over Oscar De La Hoya at Staples Center for the WBC welterweight title.
15. **Spence vs. Crawford** — score 409/1000
   Terence Crawford's 2023 ninth-round stoppage of Errol Spence Jr. to become the first undisputed welterweight champion of the four-belt era.
16. **Leonard vs. Benitez** — score 300/1000
   Sugar Ray Leonard's 1979 15th-round stoppage of Wilfred Benitez to win his first world title, a chess match between two master boxers.
17. **Robinson vs. Gavilan II** — score 300/1000
   The 1949 title defence in which Robinson beat the Cuban Kid Gavilan over 15 hard rounds in Philadelphia.
18. **Hearns vs. Cuevas** — score 0/1000
   Thomas Hearns' 1980 second-round demolition of Pipino Cuevas in Detroit to win the WBA welterweight title.
19. **Armstrong vs. Ross** — score 0/1000
   Henry Armstrong's 1938 rout of Barney Ross, a step in his unique run as simultaneous champion in three divisions.
20. **De La Hoya vs. Trinidad** — score 0/1000
   The 1999 'Fight of the Millennium' unification won by Felix Trinidad on a disputed majority decision.
21. **Margarito vs. Cotto I** — score 0/1000
   Antonio Margarito's grinding 2008 11th-round stoppage of Miguel Cotto, later shadowed by the hand-wrap scandal.

Tags: sports, boxing, fights, welterweight