Debating my top ten LHW list

Most of the right names are there, although I think it's hard to rate Langford as a top tenner in any single division. He's a pound for pound phenomenon across two or three of them, but individually I have trouble placing him. Hard enough rating Greb at a 175 pounder at times, never mind Langford.

I think Spinks should be no lower than #4 (albeit our criteria are slightly different) and I'd move Jones up a few spots, probably to the #6 mark. Much as I love Qawi, I don't think he's a top ten guy at 175 lb. I think Loughran (in particular), Rosenbloom and John Henry Lewis would all be more deserving of a place in the low end of the top ten. If I went on head-to-head like you, though, that could maybe change.

Tight between Conn and someone such as Harold Johnson for that last spot. I'd tend to favour Johnson ever so slightly, but it's close and I have no real qualms with Conn just getting in there narrowly.

 

#1. Ezzard Charles
#2. Archie Moore
#3. Harry Greb
#4. Gene Tunney
#5. Tommy Loughran
#6. John Henry Lewis
#7. Michael Spinks
#8. Jimmy Bivins
#9. Philadelphia Jack O'Brian
#10. Maxie Rosenbloom
#11. Harold Johnson
#12. Jack Delaney
#13. Matthew Saad Muhammad
#14. Billy Conn
#15. Roy Jones Jr
#16. Lloyd Marshall
#17. Joey Maxim
#18. Bob Foster
#19. Victor Galíndez
#20. Dwight Muhammad Qawi

I'm mostly happy with this, maybe you could shuffle guys around, but I'm happy to leave it as is. I'm gonna eventually do a top 50, and I've already started but I'm nowhere near as confident with the next 5, but here it is:

#21. Jack Dillon
#22. Young Stribling
#23. Paul Berlenbach
#24. Jimmy Slattery
#25. Kid Norfolk

Easily my favourite division. Full of great fights, ATGs and interesting characters, styles and stories.

 

No love for Fitz?

 

I rank mine as follows:

1. Charles
2. Langford
3. Moore
4. Spinks
5. Tunney
6. Conn
7. Foster
8. Jones Jr.
9. Johnson
10. Loughran/Lewis

I am a big Langford fan and rank him very highly. I am a bit biased however, i just think he was such a terrific puncher, and the way he regularly took on bigger men despite essentially being a light-heavyweight is astounding.

I am also a big Conn fan. Remember Conn could have ruled at 175 for a long time if not for his quest to go up to heavyweight. That and WW2. If Conn stayed at 175, i don't see anyone beating him until Charles in the mid 1940's. I agree that in terms of actual 175 accomplishments, he isn't top 6, but i just rank him so highly on ability. Probably the best pure boxer ever in the light-heavy division, beautiful to watch.

I struggle to rank Greb, and rate him as a middle. Perhaps i will change it someday.

Regarding your list, its a good list. I struggle for the 10th spot. It could go to Loughran, or Lewis, or Qawi. You can make a case for Bivins or Norfolk, possibly Gibbons. So many possibilities.

I feel that if Beterbiev unifies the titles, he will enter my top 10 though.

 

Why? Who did JOB beat in LHW?

 

Cool list, but I don't know about leaving Saad out altogether. To me Spinks, Foster, and Moore are the top 3. But you definitely have terrific names there.

 

42 yr old Ruby gets you into Top 10?

 

Pleasantly surprised to see Jones so low Luf, I like the list