He won the European title in every weightclass (comparable to a belt today?) and the world light heavyweight title, had a dangerous right hand, decent skills, decent resume and great longevity. His career is a bit cluttered by rumours of fixed and/or crooked fights (we´ve got one specialist on Carpentier here who can explain that, forgot the name (sorry)). What do you guys make of this man and his career? Fraud or the real deal? If the latter was he a great? And if, how great? Related question: how good was Battling Siki?
I don't think he was ever the best fighter in any given division but he collected a few decent victories. I wouldn't call him great at all though.
Siki is one of my favorite old timers to watch. Moderately skilled on offense ( and open on defense ) Siki was tough, pretty fast, and hit hard for his size. Carpentier to me is a very good fighter in his day, but a bit over rated in modern times. The big time Dempsey fans tend to disagree with that opninion. While Carpentier could box and move some, he wasn't elite at anything, and lacked the power and chin to get the respect of stronger fighters like Siki or Dempsey.
Was Carpentier-Tunney a good scrap or another Tunney arse whipping? I've seen highlights of it on a Tunney tribute on youtube which shows Gene putting a beating on Georges but not the entire fight. I did read somewhere that Carpentier battled hard and it was a great fight but you read a lot of bull**** about boxing that doesn't match what actually happened, so can anyone shed some light.
He was a great fighter who achieved some impresive weight jumping feats, but I don't think that he was ever the best light heavyweight around.
http://www.eastsideboxing.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6284462&postcount=15 http://www.eastsideboxing.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6284899&postcount=17
This content is protected a former welterweight isnt able to out-muscle a heavyweight champion. knowledge!!!
He was really good, but I don't know that I would call him "great". He has some nice wins, but tended to lose to the better fighters like Billy Papke (who pounded the hell out of him), Frank Klaus, Joe Jeannette, etc.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive - Jan 13, 1945 Tommy says his greatest fight was given him by Carpentier. the Frenchman, who was very good, but like Greb, lacked size Loughran put in two years with the ... http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KhkNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=L2oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3941%2c83932&dq=given-him-by-carpentier When Tommy Loughran sites greatness I listen.
He was great, that we still talk about him nearly 100 years after he turn pro should prove he was great. He perhaps was not the best of his time with Dempsey, Greb, Walker and others that were around. But he is a legend. He is over rated a little bit. He was not a top defense vs Dempsey imo.
I think that even if you discount his acomplishments at European level, you still have some impresive weight jumping. At middleweight he was probably top 3 or 4 in the world at his hiatus. I also think that if rankings had existed back then, it is verry likley that he would have broken the top ten at welterweight. At light heavyweight he was obviously the champion. At heavyweight, he picked up a belt.
Hey Janitor:smoke I wouldn't be too sure. He definitely takes a back seat to Klaus, Papke, Dillon and Mike Gibbons. I would rate Leo Houck, Eddie McGoorty and Jimmy Clabby over him as well. He posted a win over a listless Jeff Smith, but most boxing experts of the day regarded Smith--who was known to turn in the occasional lethargic performance--to be superior to Carp when Jeff was at his best.