Does Ezzard Charles have the best list of scalps of any fighter?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by The Funny Man 7, Aug 21, 2011.


  1. The Funny Man 7

    The Funny Man 7 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I've been thinking lately that Ezzard Charles has got to have the best list of scalps out of any fighter in history just going by wins over quality of opposition.

    4 wins over Joey Maxim
    4 wins over Jimmy Bivins
    3 wins over Archie Moore
    2 wins over Charley Burley
    2 wins over Lloyd Marshall
    2 wins over Jersey Joe Walcott

    He also beat:

    Joe Louis
    Jose Basora
    Oakland Billy Smith
    Gus Lesnivich
    Teddy Yaroz
    Bob Satterfield
    Coley Wallace
    Elmer Ray
    Rex Layne

    Along with about a dozen other top contenders. Crazy **** and the great list of scalps I've ever seen. I'd rather have three wins over Archie Moore than 5 wins over Jake Lamotta and I'd rather have four wins over Joey Maxim than 4 over Chalky Wright.
     
  2. lufcrazy

    lufcrazy requiescat in pace Full Member

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    For names that have stood the test of time? There might well be noone better in that regard people have more hof victories etc but charles has beaten people still considered atg's today.
     
  3. lufcrazy

    lufcrazy requiescat in pace Full Member

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    To further what I mean there, when fitz beat dempsey he was most likely the goat. When he beat corbett he could well have been the goat also and fitz himself would have been the goat at that point.

    However today, np and gentleman jim aren't in that many top 20 lists let alone many people's goat.
     
  4. El Bujia

    El Bujia Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Is Coley Wallace really worth mentioning? Joe Baksi, Fitzie Fitzpatrick and Anton Christoforidis are better record-padders, surely, among others.

    Anyways, I'd go with Greb still: Gene Tunney, Tommy Loughran, Mickey Walker, Jack Dillon, Mike Gibbons, Tommy Gibbons, Maxie Rosenbloom, Kid Norfolk, Tiger Flowers, Jeff Smith, Jimmy Slattery, Lou Bogash, George Chip, Jack Blackburn, Soldier Bartfield, Battling Levinsky, Billy Miske, Eddie McGoorty, Mike McTigue, Johnny Wilson, Al McCoy, Willie Meehan, Bill Brennan, etc. Most of them multiple times.
     
  5. The Funny Man 7

    The Funny Man 7 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Yeah I anticipated Greb as the other candidate for this distinction and I think you can really make a case for either man. While Greb probably has more notable scalps the qaulity of Charles' scalps is superior in my mind, especially because I think if you line up Ezzard's victims head to head with Greb's Ezzards would probably dominate.

    I just think its an interesting question and I hope it'll spark some good debates.
     
  6. El Bujia

    El Bujia Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Really? I think they're quite evenly matched.

    Charles: Jersey Joe Walcott, Joe Louis, Jimmy Bivins, Archie Moore, Charley Burley, Lloyd Marshall, Joey Maxim, Jose Basora, etc.

    Greb: Gene Tunney, Tommy Loughran, Mickey Walker, Jack Dillon, Mike Gibbons, Tommy Gibbons, Maxie Rosenbloom, Kid Norfolk, Tiger Flowers, etc.

    Where does Charles hold the edge, exactly?
     
  7. thistle1

    thistle1 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Charles is one of my favourites, Greb is a hard master to be favoured for sure. Though perhaps a general consenses of the better period, in my understanding favours Charles and that era in general.

    But as I always say at the Top, there is little between great fighters!
     
  8. lufcrazy

    lufcrazy requiescat in pace Full Member

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    Greb's wins over walker and tunney certainly stand the test of time.

    As do langford's victories over gans and walcot.
     
  9. Pachilles

    Pachilles Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Muhammad Ali

    Archie Moore
    Cleveland Williams
    Bob Foster
    George Chuvalo
    Zora Folley
    Jerry Quarry
    Oscar Bonavena
    Sonny Liston
    Floyd Patterson
    Joe Frazier
    Ken Norton
    Ron Lyle
    Earnie Shavers
    George Foreman
    Jimmy Young
     
  10. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

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    Well I think Moore and Burley (going by Spring Toledo's rankings) are a big big plus for Ezzard. Two top 10 P4P, Greb just has the one in Walker.
     
  11. El Bujia

    El Bujia Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    That's if you're going by Springs Toledo's rankings.
     
  12. PetethePrince

    PetethePrince Slick & Redheaded Full Member

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    The way I see it Charles was more consistent in his series against such opposition. However, he was near the same size or even bigger than his opposition (Although he has the HW scraps like Louis & Walcott). Greb on the other hand was often the much smaller man. That's why he's considered greater. But you're correct when looking at opposition, rather than taking in both record and achievement.
     
  13. El Bujia

    El Bujia Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    You think Foster, Moore, and Williams are really worth noting? I mean, I could grant Foster, even though he'd already proven himself not to be a top notch Heavyweight. He was still a very highly rated fighter at the time, so I could understand him being included to pad Ali's record. The other two were shot to ****.
     
  14. Pachilles

    Pachilles Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Great writer, smart guy, knows boxing....massive ****ing hipster
     
  15. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

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    Well his seem to be some of the most rationa out there, and I dont have my own