Did Earl Walls Deserve A Title Shot?

He would have been a good choice for a title challenger, but he didn't quite force the issue.

 

I think he was half decent. Was he the best heavyweight in canada though? No better than James J Parker who Archie Moore maimed. Seen a photo, he was tall but raw by the sound of it.

Good wins over Rex Layne in 1953 though. Maybe he could have made waves with that win but it is the only thing that stands out. 1953 was Walls big year but he lost twice in 1954 and petered out in 1955. He was not getting a shot over Charles in 1953.

Walls spent a year in England and went 4-2 against nobody that good by British standards. Lloyd Barnett beat him, knocking walls down twice. this was either side of losses Barnett had against Don Cokkell.

Did Walls deserve a title shot? No. But some guys have had a shot for less.

 

Chokelab,

Earl Walls was definitely better than James J Parker. Walls was rated by Ring Magazine in the top 5 1953-1954. Parker was NEVER ever rated that highly.

Walls was a huge puncher. Had a devastating right hand and good handspeed. Good size to at 6'3 200lb. A Walls-Moore fight was scheduled for 56, but fell through. Would have been a nice challenge for both.

 

Walls vs Marciano was definitely talked about. Walls was one of the more dangerous fighters out there.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...J1aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8E0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3631,3747250

http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...7IwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=l00DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6721,3125847

http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...0N4qAAAAIBAJ&sjid=h04DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2247,924713

 

Losses to Harrison and especially Edgardo Romero took him out of serious championship contention.

Most of the names listed were fellows pretty far past their best days.

I see Walls as an interesting fighter who never got out of the second tier contender class.

 

depending on which Era your talking about, being on the Fringe or Second Tier Contention, is pretty darn good all the same.

Remember in Earl's day 1 Champ and only 10 others from ALL over the boxing world is not only impossible to be 100% accurate, but also history has recorded much skulduggery when backing & placing fighters are concerned.

likewise using today with 1 champ and 10 contenders X at least 4(5) divisions that gives you potentially 44(55) Top fighters around the globe.

so at least in Earl's day the Top fighters from the TOP Countries earned & qualified a more expectable path in earning their spots.

 

So why did walls draw with Parker? If earl was any better than big James j he would have beat him wouldn't he?

 

Walls looked a lot taller than rocky

 

Listed at 6-2 1/2 on boxrec. Interesting career. Quit at 27.

 

I wonder what made him quit before a title shot

 

17.11.03 - By Keith Terceira: I began this article with the intentions of giving a cliquey on the boxing career of Canadian Champion Earl Walls, but became intrigued by the entire Walls family. One can only imagine the trials and tribulations endured by the Walls family founder Jon Freeman Walls. I highly recommend readers to take a moment and explore the Walls Family History located at www.undergroundrailroadmuseum.com

It is not often I add links and such to my work but this is a special occasion for a unique fighter.

Earl Walls was born in 1928 the second eldest of ten children in the Township of Maidstone. He attended Es*** District High School leaving to work at Ford's with father Frank. At 19 Earl Walls came under the wing of Jimmy Jones a Toronto fight promoter. Training took him eventually to Stillman's Gym in New York City. A two fisted fighter Earl displayed a great left hook and powerful right.

May 5, 1948 in his pro debut Earl took on Dick Lee and it ended in a 1st round KO. In fact 17 of Walls 43 fights ended in one round. More 1st round knockouts than the great Joe Louis who was going strong at the onset of Walls career.

Some victims of the Earls Power were Kurt Schiegl, Rex Layne (twice), George Parmentier, Vern Escoe, Joe Kahut, Tommy Harrison, Bernie Reynolds . Earl had wins over Freddie Beshore, Henry Hall, Billy Gilliam. Just as things were coming together for Walls, at age 27, on November 2, 1955 he retires from the ring.

Nicknamed the "Hooded Terror" Walls blinded sided the sport by his announced departure while in training to Ewart "ED" Potgieter the South African gargantuan who demolished and dismantled opponents. 1957 Bruce Olson died as a result of injuries sustained in match bout with the 7 foot 2 inch 325 pound giant. This had nothing to do with Earls retirement. I suspect injuries and the birth of his first child led to the decision.

Perhaps it was the frustration of not receiving a shot at the title from Rocky Marciano, though plans were attempted by former world champion Henry Armstrong and promoter Vic Tanny. It was even reported in the L.A. Times as headline read "L.A. Scribe Says Armstrong Trying to Promote Marciano-Walls Fight".

Archie Moore considerd Walls as he started his run at Rocky but used the excuse that Walls didn't have the drawing power. More likely that Walls power was such that Moore couldn't gamble on being stopped short of his goal to meet Marciano. What resulted was the undignified suspect match-up of Valdez-Moore.

In 1954 when Harrison vs. Walls II occurred Walls was running a streak of 13 wins by KO before the sixth round and 2 losses on points to Joe Kahut and Tommy Harrison. He would avenge the loss to Joe six months later with a second round KO. April of 54 he walked into the ring and crushed Harrison in the first round.

It was also the last KO Earl would ever have. Injury could have possible stopped the power display that fans were used to from Walls. When he fought Edgardo Romero of Argentina ,a man who managed only a 6-12 career record the power had left. Edgardo pulled out a points win in 10 in Canada. Four months later Walls would return the favor, but Romero was notorious for having a weak chin, why either fight would go the distance is perplexing. Fact is that the last seven fights of his life, Earl went to the scorecards.

Points wins over Jimmy Slade . James J. Parker, Henry Hall and Billy Giliam put Earl in the #5 spot in the division . Maybe it was divine intervention. Perhaps the lure of family life that lead to the end of the beginning. Earl Walls after boxing became a force in real estate, a force in life, and an contributing bard on the Walls Family and the Underground Railroad

 

Fair enough.

Certainly getting into the top ten at any time is impressive.

But there was only one champion in those days, and with taxes, and just being reasonable, there was only a limited number of championship fights.

Walls was good, but never got to the point where folks were saying this is the guy who should get a shot at the title.

 

Suzie Q

Did you agree with this long post?

It seems filled with dubious ideas.

*I thought you pointed out that Bruce Olson did not die after his fight with Potgieter? Did Olson die or not?

**"Ewart 'Ed" Potgieter, the South African gargantuan who demolished and dismantled opponents."

Potgieter was 11-2-1, losing not only to the rated John Holman, but to journeyman Jeff Dryer. He was a big stiff, most likely, although I haven't seen film of him.

Moore was afraid of Walls' power--really? Kind of hard to buy.

"What resulted was the undignified suspect match-up of Valdes and Moore."

?????

They were the two top contenders and this match-up made perfect sense.

*This article has him losing to Joe Kahut. But, off fightsrec, he did not ever lose to Kahut, who was well past it by the time they met.

**I will just step aside if I might to say that these sort of misstatements or weird claims really undercut an article.