Poll: How good was Primo Carnera?

So far, "good fighter" is the overwhelming verdict on Carnera in this poll.

I think he was a good fighter, an average champion.
He's one of those champions who easily could have been just a contender, but I say the same about Jack Sharkey too.
Among heavyweight champions, by my reckoning Carnera's in the same category as Sharkey, Willard, Johansson, Walcott, Braddock.

 

For me he isn't an All-Time Great but ATG has become such a vague and loosely defined label, it's open to interpretation.

 

The definition of all time great should be addressed. Should it only apply to the very best champions or all champions? Top ten? There are far too many top ten level fighters to fit in an ATG top ten. So do we upgrade undisputed champions? Do we upgrade ATG level heavyweights who were never undisputed?

History is key. Guys like Willard have to exist to make the champions they made. And they made it by being regarded as the best heavyweight in the world at a point in history.

How can a man who is categorically regarded as the best in the world not also be great?

All time great champion, a champion so great he would beat most other champions can be regarded a champion "for all time". My understanding of that concept is of a champion great enough to be a champ in another era. Perhaps any other era. But because it's impossible for so many special champions to exist at the same time we can't ever know.

However, shouldn't it be that a champion great enough to be unanimously regarded as the best heavyweight in the world, be great on his own?

I think it absurd that a bonafide champion once regarded "the actual best in the world" cannot have been great. Even for a small time.

 

OK, so a looser definition than some people, but still a valid one.

 

I think he falls into the category of very good, but not great kinda like Joey Archer and Michael Moorer.

 

Very good fighter as Choi but not as good as Schilt.

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He was about on par with someone like Ruddock or McCall or Bruno, but just below someone like Mercer or Norton or Quarry. Bronze medal quality you might say.

 

So you consider Primo Carnera one of the top thirty heavyweights that have ever lived ?

 

Over 80% don’t believe Primo was an outright fraud or journeyman level. That’s good enough for me.

More knowledgeable observers will find that Primo was among the best of his size. Even today.

Would be interesting to find out if the guys who voted that Primo was a fraud or journeyman level could name more than two guys that he beat..

 

80% of what group are your referring too ? You guys can be so amusing.

 

Back then he was on the H2H-level of above an journeyman. For example like Tony Galento and other circus fighters. In therms of modern professionals it would be considered as bum/journeyman. A fighter who would not win more than 25-40 % of his fights while not having 70 pounds weight advantage.
For example he would he in a grueling fight with tall fighters like Eddie Richardson or David Jaco.
No surprise if he looses to this two:

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Primo would not crack the top 10 today