Continuing the series: 40. Al Wolgast What he could’ve done to rank higher: Retire after Nelson vs Wolgast 3 Fought Joe Gans Fought Terry McGovern Generally have less losses against inferior fighters (Harlem Tommy Murphy, Tommy O'Toole, etc) Most impressive feats: -Beat Battling Nelson twice, once knocking him out -Continued to fight after Nelson gave him brain damage 39. Jimmy Wilde What he could’ve done to rank higher: Retire after Wallace vs Wilde Won Tancy Lee vs Wilde Most impressive feats: -Record of 132 (99 KOs) and 3 losses (2 past prime. Absolutely dominated the flyweight division, with a ridiculous knockout ratio for someone not weighing even over 100lbs in prime. 38. Mickey Walker What he could’ve done to rank higher: Beaten his best competition (Schmeling, Greb, Loughran, Sharkey) Beaten Rosenbloom a majority of the time Most impressive feats: -Beat Maxie Rosenbloom -Fought heavyweight Jack Sharkey to a draw -Beat Tiger Flowers 37. Jack Johnson What he could’ve done to rank higher: Rematched Sam Langford Fought Harry Wills Beaten Marvin Hart Retired after Johnson vs Murray Generally have less losses to inferior fighters How did Battling Jim Johnson fight this man to a draw??? Most impressive feats: -Absolute domination of heavyweight champion Tommy Burns -Beat past prime James J Jeffries -Beat Middleweight champ Stanley Ketchel after being knocked down (and knocked Ketchel's teeth out) -Beat Joe Jeanette multiple times 36. Tommy Burns What he could’ve done to rank higher: Beaten Jack Johnson Beaten a #1 contender during title reign (though Jack O’ Brien were great wins) Retired after Bracken vs Burns Most impressive feats: -11 title defenses as a middleweight/LHW -beat Jack O'Brien multiple times, even knocking him out -Beat Marvin Hart 35. Roy Jones Jr What he could’ve done to rank higher: Retired after Ruiz vs Jones Jr Most impressive feats: -Beat Bernard Hopkins -Beat John Ruiz 34. John L Sullivan What he could’ve done to rank higher: Retire after Ryan vs Sullivan 3 Most impressive feats: -Undefeated bareknuckle fighter -Beaten only once in gloved fighting, to James Corbett, well past his prime. -Beat Kilrain past his prime in one of the most impressive fights in boxing history -Beat bareknuckle champion Paddy Ryan 3 times 33. Joe Frazier What he could’ve done to rank higher: Beaten George Foreman Not have gotten absolutely destroyed by George Foreman Beaten Ali a majority of the time Most impressive feats: -Beat Ali, knocking him down in the final round -Reigned as heavyweight champion against great competition 32. Evander Holyfield What he could’ve done to rank higher: Beaten Bowe a majority of the time Beaten Lennox Lewis Retired after Moorer vs Holyfield 2 Most impressive feats: -Beating Riddick Bowe -Tieing with Lennox Lewis while past prime -Beating Mike Tyson twice -Gaining heavyweight crown 4 times 31. Carlos Monzon What he could’ve done to rank higher: Generally have less losses to inferior fighters Most impressive feats: -Beat Nino Benvenuti 2 times, both by knockout -Incredibly dominant undefeated streak after Massive vs Monzon, which was early in his career.
For Wolgast, Packey McFarland is probably a bigger ommision than Gans who died within a year of him becoming champion, and had already lost twice to Nelson.
Ah, I didn't know much about McFarland. I can't wait to see the reaction of people when I put Nelson in the top 25 (Or Marciano in the top 10 lol) Thanks for being the only supporter of the series
He's worth looking into, probably deserves a ranking. I think rankings on the internet suffer a lot from groupthink. The pre-internet rankings have a lot more variability. There's so many fighters in history, I'm not convinced anyone can have a comprehensive knowledge, which would need to include all their big fights etc.
Patterson ahead of Liston. Burns ahead of Johnson. I see the handwriting on the wall; after Muhammad Ali is named #2 of all time, my boy Leon will be deservedly Numeeero Uuuuuno!
Lmao I'll give you that one, that was clever. Imo Burns and Patterson have better accomplishments, that's all
