Any Middleweights you'd favor over Sam Langford?

Langford at MW is largely untested in my mind.

We saw his best performances between 170 and 190 so calling him a LHW is fair.

If he could have been as strong at MW as he was at LHW, it's a tough call then.

 

Having never seen Langford I'd still have to bet on Hagler at 160lbs and Ezzard Charles at weights from 165-175.
I think people are getting carried away with old timers like Fitz and Langford.

 

Langford was very impressive. I think to an extent you are right. People think of Langford and Fitz and imagine them just blasting out anyone in front of them when in reality men went the distance with them. They were only human. They could be beaten. BUT, both guys did have ungodly power and Langford was a talented boxer as well so it is legitimate to be impressed with them and wonder how a guy like Hagler who wasn't hard to hit and never tested himself against larger fighters would handle someone like Langford who could knock HWs dead with one punch.

 

It also must be remembered that Kid Norfolk was a big lightheavyweight who outweighed Harry Greb by 12-15 pounds...
In this fantasy thread we are matching a 160 pound version of Sam Langford with other 160 pounders, lest we forget...If Kid Norfolk spotted Harry Greb 15 pounds Greb would have decimated Norfolk...
Poor Harry even in death he is always matched with much larger men.
T'aint fair I say...

 

Actually Norfolk outweighed Greb by over 17 pounds in their first fight which half of the sources said Greb won. In their second fights the weights were given as the same but the reporters noted that the weigh in was conducted in private (unusual in Boston at the time) and they surmised it was done so because there was a rule in Boston preventing significant differences in weight between non heavyweight participants so the weigh in was conducted in private to prevent the commission rule from killing the fight. Norfolk was a big LHW. In fact his best weight was about 180. In 1917 (I think it was) Buffalo was clamoring for a Greb-Norfolk fight. Greb's manager was willing provided Norfolk weigh 175. Norfolk declined. How would Norfolk have done if he were forced to weigh 160? Something tells me he would have been carried into the ring and carried out of it. Because Norfolk couldn't get down 160 without sawing off a leg. So a Greb-Norfolk comparison to a Greb-Langford fight at 160 is comparing apples and oranges. Im not saying Greb beats Langford but using Norfolk as a measuring stick is off base IMO. I think a Greb-Langford fight comes down to whether Langford could catch Greb and either stop him or hurt him enough to make him quit fighting. If it goes to the cards I don't see Langford winning. He could be beaten at MW. In fact Greb's manager, Red Mason, was in charge of Larry Temple when he beat Langford at MW.

 

LOADS of them, Langford arguably the greatest 'Little - Bigman' fought in cruder times, he and all of his peers would be outclassed in Style, Skill and Athletics by the time boxing moved into the late 20s and early 30s...

 

Langford on film looks capable of competing in any era to me.

 

So in other words, Bert Gilroy could be favoured over him.

 

I yield to your perspective above...

 

LOL... this could be fun!

 

I think he catches up with Greb just like he caught up with Ketchel who despite a so called Draw in reports Langford easily beat, you make Greb sound like a runner, never heard that before. As for him being scared of Dillon don't make me laugh, he would whip Dillon easily as long as he was in his prime. All you have done is state Fleischers opinion, maybe Nat had a thing against Langford, who knows, maybe being black cost him some points with Fleischer

 

Well only hope Greb has is a decision and seeing as though so many of his fights were ND's that halves his chances, Langford however could win on points or by stoppage, no way can Greb knock Langford out, basically I am saying Sam has more tools in his kit.

 

Yeah it's laughable mate.

 

Or they all get knocked out, seems you haven't considered that and besides, langford was no slouch in the skills dept.

 

Maybe Les Darcy but that would be one of the hardest fights for him to win against any of the best ever MWs...... I sure wouldn't put money on that outcome though. To beat Langford the fight has to be taken right up to him, have to be fast, strong etc, don't see hardly anyone just trying to avoid being hit so the first requirement is a fantastic chin or it's zzzzzzz time. Could Greb beat him ?...... Monzon ?..... as its a fantasy question the real answer is... who the **** knows.