Who was the most overrated heavyweight boxer of all time?

I never saw Banjo referred to as anything but a promising novice.

 

I just stuck him on the end of my list as I remember endless hype over him at the time. Each time I saw him ' fight' I thought he was being over hyped / rated.

 

historically, I would say Dempsey. He was often rated the very best but unlike the other major claimants from the 1890's into the 1960's, it is not clear looking at his record that he was even the best of his time. He never fought Wills and lost to Tunney. Leaves a big hole in his reputation for me. Whatever criticisms are made of them, Jeffries, Johnson, Louis, and Marciano were clearly at one time the supreme heavyweight. Modern opinion is tending to bring Dempsey to earth, though.

Max Baer--seems to be overrated on this board. A physical specimen who had shaky technique and a very erratic record.

Marciano--can't see really calling him overrated as he fought and beat the best of his time and ran up a perfect record.

Ike--a couple of strong wins in an aborted career. Incomplete rather than great.

Vitali--on paper a h2h monster who managed to lose to the only two top notch fighters he fought.

Ruiz--give this fellow a break. I don't see how he can be viewed as overrated at this point. Let's wait and see.

 

Wrong as usual!
The first welterweight world champion was Paddy Duffy from1888 to1890. He was followed by Mysterious Billy Smith it's on CBZ And Wikipeadia Here are the first champs at welter.


30 October 1888 1890 vacant [url]

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[/url][url]Paddy Duffy[/url] World
14 December 1892 26 July 1894 [url]

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[/url][url]Mysterious Billy Smith[/url] World
26 July 1894 25 August 1898 [url]

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[/url][url]Tommy Ryan[/url] World
17 April 1900 5 June 1900 [url]

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[/url][url]Matty Matthews[/url] World
5 June 1900 13 August 1900 [url]

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[/url][url]Eddie Connolly[/url] World
The first British welterweight champion was Young Joseph from1908 until 1912.
You never get anything right do you!

 

This.
Tyson Fury is the new Ike Ibeabuchi.

 

No, McCall would be odds on to stop both 43 year old Wlad and Povetkin.

 

I mean he is as overrated as Ike. Only won against old Wlad and Chisora, but some people put him in top 10 head to head of all time just like Ike, who only beat Byrd and had s draw with Tua.

 

based on them doing what H2H?

 

I don't think Dempsey's overrated at all. In his day boxing was a vice, alongside prostitution and gambling, it was outlawed in most states or heavily restricted. His fights with Willard, Firpo and Carpantier changes that, he was the first fighter to rope in a million dollars at the box office, with thst much money being made the authorities were pushed into liberalisation of prizefighting laws and eventual legalisation. Inside the ring, Dempsey used upper body movement to attack his opponents and protect himself and his rapid fire combinations were a big departure from the previous generation of fighters. Jack Dempsey changed the face of the sport. Without him we wouldn't be here today, we'd be rotting in some jail cell facing charges for watching an illegal fight in a barn.

 

AJ total hype job .

 

No ATG hwt champion was overrated.

Some challengers were hype jobs as they rose through the ranks only to be exposed. Bobick, Cooney come to mind. I remember Bobicks horrific loss to Norton. The next evening on Saturday night live they played the KO sequence sporadically over and over during the show. It became a laugh riot and the end of Bobicks serious hwt career more or less.

 

You make some excellent points. At the same time you are talking more about the impact he had than his substance as a champion. Jack Dempsey was all those things you said. His exciting style helped bring boxing forward.
When you look closer though we can see he didn't defend his title very often, and never faced his #1 contender Harry Wills. Only 5 successful defenses in about 6+ years. Not the stuff legends are made of. There is alot of myth there.