The Top 100 Pound for Pound All-Time Greats

great writeups, i like things short and sweet

it is unfair to nonpariel that he isn't known by his own name, i refuse to say the original before films that got remade i.e I didnt watch the original red dawn, i just watched red dawn. but its a bit late to call the hw jack dempsey 2

top 100's are hard because the difference between no 25 and 100 is so small, but there aren't many criticisms i could make,
is langford the no 1? he was great, but above greb srr and hank seems a bit much

 

McGrain, these write ups are fantastic.

Can you imagine if there's any young kids going through this list? "Who the **** are these people? This doesn't look like Bert Sugar's list at all!"

 

On the Panama Al Brown slide:

"An aspect of ranking fighters that i very difficult to get proper control of is the dreaded “head-to-head” equation."


Jack Dempsey NP slide:

5th paragraph; sans drama. ITALICThe New York Evening World is quite right;

 

This is The ****. :good

 

Shame Maurice Hope didn't get namedropped among El Radar's notable scalps...one of my favourites of his, that.

 

Scary *******.

 

1894-08-28 The St. Louis Republic (St. Louis, MO) (page 5)
M'AULIFFE GOT THE DECISION.
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THE REFEREE AWARDED HIM THE CONTEST AGAINST GRIFFO.
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The Spectators, However, Were About Equally Divided as to the Relative Merits of the Men, and Alternately Cheered and Jeered the Referee--It Was the Fiercest Contest New Yorkers Have Seen for Some Time.
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The Republic Bureau.
146 Times Building.
New York, Aug. 27.--Jack McAuliffe, the lightweight champion of the world, met young Griffo in the roped arena of the Seaside Athletic Club at Coney Island to-night, and after 10 rounds of the fiercest fighting that has been seen hereabouts in a long while, McAuliffe was awarded then decision. The spectators were about evenly divided in regard to the decision, and the referee was alternately applauded and jeered. McAuliffe was not in any fit condition for a hard fight, and Griffo made a most excellent showing. Not a great deal of money changed hands.
As early as 8 o'clock the large amphitheater was more than three-quarters full, and several thousand people were on the outside of the building to gain admittance. Every well-known sporting man in New York and Brooklyn was present, and many familiar faces from Boston, Philadelphia, Washington and Baltimore were seen about the arena. Peter Jackson entered the building about 8:20, but the crowd did not recognize him.
When Fred Burns stepped on the stage, about 8:30, nearly 7,000 people were in the building, and the crowd still coming. Homer Lane and Joe Ryan, two old-timers, entered the arena to wrestle, collar and elbow style, best two out of three falls. Ryan won the first and second falls and the bout after two minutes work.
Connie Sullivan and Jack Madden, ex-amateur feather weight champion, then came on to box six rounds. At the end of the sixth round Referee Carroll decided in favor of Madden.
After a few minutes' delay Charles Burns of Cincinnati and Al O'Brien of Philadelphia entered the ring. They battled for 10 rounds, which resulted in Burns being knocked clean out. The Philadelphian was loudly cheered as Burns was carried to his corner.
The event of the evening was now on. Griffo was looked after by Mick Dunn of Sydney, Con Riordan of San Francisco, H. Tuthill of Saginaw and Billy Sellick. McAuliffe's interests were looked after by "Brooklyn" Jimmy Carroll, Eddie Stoddard, Jack Sheehan and Benny Murphy. Maxy Moore of the New York Athletic Club was agreed upon as referee.
The bout was to be one of 10 rounds at catch-weights. The purse offered by the club was $2,000, of which the winner was to receive $1,500. It was said, however, that Griffo was to get $1,600, win or lose, and Mac was to get $2,500, win or lose. This could not be verified, however.
At 10:15 there was a shout from the crowd as McAuliffe entered the ring behind Jimmy Carroll. A moment later Griffo made his appearance, accompanied by his seconds. He looked trained to the hour. McAuliffe also looked well. There was a little fat on his stomach, but his skin had a healthy look.
The men were ordered to shake hands and a moment later time was called. McAuliffe opened matters by rushing Griffo, but his lead fell short. Griffo then let fly the left and it landed full on Mac's face. Jack smiled, but Griffo looked serious. Jack appeared very clumsy as he missed several rushes, while Griffo either countered or ducked out of harm's way. Griffo rushed the light-weight champion, landing both hands. Mac only smiled, but Griffo kept at him and more than held his own; and as time was called there was a loud cheer.
Round Two--McAuliffe again led from the go, and landed hard with his left on Griffo's jaw. Griffo hit, but there was no steam back of his blows. Jack, smiling and careful, hit Griffo very hard twice on the body and ignored Griffo's counters. Griffo ducked and got one flush in the face.
Round Three--Jack's left eye was red as they came to the center. Griffo crossed Jack right and left. Griffo did the most leading, but Jack landed a right-hand swing that seemed to tell, and followed with another hard one on the body. Griffo's good stand raised applause for him.
Round Four--Jack's eye looked bad. He led and Griffo countered lightly. Griffo caught Jack with the left, and he would have fallen but for the ropes. McAuliffe led and fell short, and was met with a smash on the nose. Griffo's ducking fooled Jack, and the Australian landed again on the nose.
Round Five--McAuliffe looked serious and Griffo landed lightly on Jack's wind. McAuliffe led again, falling short. Both did some clever work. Griffo landed left on the face and right on the wind. McAuliffe was playing for a knock-out, and took chances. Griffo was making a splendid stand and earning applause for his good work.
Round Six--Jack started in with a rush and landed on Griffo's wind, and the Australian landed with left and right on the body. Jack aimed for the jaw, but could not land with any effect. Griffo was doing the most work. McAuliffe's mouth was bleeding as the round ended.
Round Seven--Both came up looking fresh, and sparred for an opening. Griffo landed on the wind and neck. Griffo missed a fine chance for an upper cut. Griffo did the most work and had the best of the fighting on points, although his blows did not have much effect on McAuliffe. Griffo's condition was decidedly the best.
Round Eight--Jack came up strong and landed twice, but Griffo got in a couple in return. Griffo again had the best of the leading, and landed a straight left-hand punch on the chin. Griffo ducked to meet a hard left-hand smash.
Round Nine--The betting was now anything but 3 to 1 on McAuliffe. Jack rushed and was met by straight jabs. Jack landed a couple of hard swings on Griffo's wind and jaw. Both tired, with McAuliffe forcing the fighting and Griffo hugging to avoid punishment. McAuliffe's round.
Round Ten and Last--The men shook hands and looked serious. McAuliffe forced the fighting again and landed hard. Griffo was on the defensive. Jack gave him several vicious upper cuts with right and left, Jack doing all the hitting. Griffo's blows were very weak. The round ended with McAuliffe smiling. They shook hands.
A big portion of the crowd was very much dissatisfied with the decision, and both McAuliffe and Griffo wanted to address the spectators, but were persuaded not to. Griffo claims that he had the best of the bout and is willing to fight McAuliffe to a finish.

 

There was no decision mentioned in next-day reports in Buffalo Courier, Syracuse Standard and Cleveland Plain Dealer (three different reports). According to Syracuse Standard Dempsey weighed 155 and Baker 190. Plain Dealer reported that "Dempsey had only a fair week here, and on his promise not to hurt Baker the latter consented to take a small purse and a pounding in order to fill the house."

 

1894-08-29 The Sun (New York, NY) (pages 4, 5)
...
Maxwell A. Moore, New York. A. C., who filled the unenviable position of referee, feels that he is being harshly and unjustly criticized. When seen by a Sun reporter last night he was looking through his notes of the fight, and he readily consented to make the following statement:
"In the first place I had no idea of officiating when I went down to the island, and had not the slightest intention of acting as referee until I was pressed into service at the last moment, when the management persuaded me that my refusal to act might entail a postponement and general disappointment. Those most concerned had previously failed to agree on anybody else.
"The audience were moved to a degree which hardly admitted of fair criticism. Their sympathies were clearly with Griffo from the beginning, and this was very noticeable during the reception of the two rivals. When the men stripped for the bout and it became apparent that Griffo was much the smaller man, while a decided prejudice set in against McAuliffe when it was discovered that he had champagne in his corner.
"During most of Griffo's ostensible leads he was merely slapping his man with the open left. McAuliffe laughed at these harmless attacks, but the audience was apparently impressed by the dash of the Australian. Nothing but clean hits count with me, and I did not attempt to keep any tally of the taps and slaps with the open glove landed by Griffo in the earlier stages of the fight. The actual, clean hits or punches scored during the contest were as follows:
First round Griffo 13 McAuliffe 13
Second round Griffo 14 McAuliffe 16
Third round Griffo 15 McAuliffe 13
Fourth round Griffo 12 McAuliffe 6
Fifth round Griffo 14 McAuliffe 8
Sixth round Griffo 13 McAuliffe 13
Seventh round Griffo 19 McAuliffe 19
Eighth round Griffo 8 McAuliffe 12
Ninth round Griffo 8 McAuliffe 23
Tenth round Griffo 7 McAuliffe 14
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Total Griffo 123 McAuliffe 137
"These figures are not recorded from memory or notes taken afterward. They are scored blow for blow on small registers, one of which I carry in each hand. As each clean hit is made I touch the little cog-wheel, and the machine does the rest. This system enables me to keep my eyes on the fighters during each round, and in the intervals I transfer the points to paper and start the next round with my registers again at zero. In order to show how far this instantaneous scoring may influence opinion, I may mention the case of an operator at the ringside who telegraphed the fight on sight. He kept his eyes fixed on the fighters throughout and chronicled the result by touch, as I was doing. Part of his instantaneous message read: "Griffo still tapping, McAuliffe landing heavily on body."
"It will be seen that I regarded the scoring as even for the first round. In the second McAuliffe showed slightly in front, but Griffo fairly equalized matters in the third, at the end of which I credited them with forty-two hits each. By this time McAuliffe had discovered that Griffo was the possessor of a very shifty head, on which it was almost impossible to land, and he accordingly changed his tactics.
"Throughout the balance of the fight 'Mac' fought for the body, and, although he landed frequently and heavily, his work was not so well appreciated as that of Griffo, who played for the face entirely. The latter style always impressed an audience, as it generally results in a bleeding nose, puffed eye, or some other indication that the blows are effective. The distinction was particularly noticeable on Monday night. Every time Griffo landed, whether with a genuine punch or a mere tap, the onlookers applauded, while little appreciation was shown for McAuliffe's stiff body blows. I gave Griffo due credit for his fine scoring in the third, fourth, and fifth rounds. The first, sixth and seventh I regarded as even. McAuliffe's superiority was clearly apparent in the second, eighth, ninth, and last rounds, and I felt no hesitation in pronouncing him the victor.
"During the clinches I found it was Griffo who was locked every time, and that McAuliffe was free and ready to resume as soon as I effected a break. In fact, every impartial man must admit that McAuliffe was the more aggressive, and that he showed no hesitation in leading and taking chances of any counter blows Griffo might be prepared to land. McAuliffe was stronger at the finish than in the middle of the fight. His chances certainly looked dubious during the fourth and fifth rounds, but he recovered his lost ground rapidly, and was doing all the fighting toward the end. Griffo, on the contrary, seemed content to rely on his early work and escape retaliation. He did no leading in the last three rounds, and clinched at every opportunity. Had he mixed it up to the end the result might have been different, but as it was I sincerely believe that he was outclassed and fairly beaten by McAuliffe.
"In my opinion Griffo is a clever boxer, who thoroughly understands ring rules. He can take a grueling without wincing, and is perfectly game. He would, however, have little show with McAuliffe if the latter could be induced to train thoroughly and go into the ring prepared to do himself justice. There was much room for improvement in his condition on Monday night, although he was fitter even then than appeared to the casual observer. No sentimental or financial reasons affected my decision. My services were given, as they always have been, graciously, and it did not make the slightest difference to me which man won, provided he proved himself the better boxer on the occasion. I was rather amused to find that I was charged with escaping from the building to escape the results of my decision. All who shared my anxiety to catch the last Bay Ridge boat for New York cleared out as abruptly as I did.
"In discussing the fight afterward with men who have been through the ropes themselves, and who thoroughly understand the science, I found little trouble in convincing them that the right man had been declared the winner. I have been identified with the game myself since 1866, and feel pretty confident that I know the value of a clean hit by this time."
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