Best five wins thread. Lineal / Ring Magazine heavyweight champions.

Agreed. Schmeling is underrated. He’s got quality wins and looks good on film. Maybe too many upset losses.

Someone can post the ring magazine Annual ratings as a guide line

 

Max Schmeling:

1) Joe Louis
2) Jack Sharkey*
3) Young Stribling
4) Mickey Walker
5) Johnny Risko

*This is an odd situation. Schmeling deserves credit for the fight he officially lost. Before his DQ win of the title however, Sharkey was winning.

 

Am I the only one who thinks that Walker gets a bit too much love here? He made some noise in HW division during that time, but realisticaly speaking he wasn't as good as other Max top 8 names.

 

Stribling was coming off a win over Tuffy Griffiths, who ended 1930 ranked #3, just under Stribling himself. He also beat Otto Von Porat, who was in the top ten at the end of 29. Stribling was a favorite over Schmeling until just before the fight.

 

As requested:
1929
Title Vacant

1. This content is protected
2. This content is protected
3. George Godfrey
4. Tuffy Griffith
5. Phil Scott
6. Otto von Porat
7. This content is protected
8. This content is protected
9. Primo Carnera
10. Vittorio Campolo

1930

This content is protected

, Champion

1. This content is protected
2. This content is protected
3. Tuffy Griffiths
4. Primo Carnera
5. George Godfrey
6. This content is protected
7. Ernie Schaaf
8. Tommy Loughran
9. Larry Johnson
10. Max Baer

1931

This content is protected

, Champion

1. This content is protected
2. Ernie Schaaf
3. Primo Carnera
4. King Levinsky
5. This content is protected
6. Tommy Loughran
7. This content is protected
8. Stanley Poreda
9. Tuffy Griffiths
10. This content is protected

1932

This content is protected

, Champion

1. This content is protected
2. This content is protected
3. Stanley Poreda
4. Primo Carnera
5. Ernie Schaaf
6. This content is protected
7. King Levinsky
8. This content is protected
9. This content is protected
10. Unknown Winston

 

1933
Primo Carnera, Champion

1. This content is protected
2. Tommy Loughran
3. King Levinsky
4. This content is protected
5. Don McCorkindale
6. Patsy Perroni
7. This content is protected
8. Charley Massare
9. This content is protected
10. Lee Ramage

1934

This content is protected

, Champion

1. This content is protected
2. Primo Carnera
3. Art Lasky
4. This content is protected
5. King Levinsky
6. Patsy Perroni
7. Jack Petersen
8. Natie Brown
9. This content is protected
10. Lee Ramage

1935
Jim Braddock, Champion

1. This content is protected
2. This content is protected
3. Primo Carnera
4. Charley Retzlaff
5. Tommy Loughran
6. Eddie Mader
7. Hank Hankinson
8. Ray Impellittiere
9. Al Ettore
10. Ford Smith

1936
Jim Braddock, Champion

1. This content is protected
2. This content is protected
3. Gunnar Barlund
4. Jack Trammell
5. Maxie Rosenbloom
6. Ray Impellittiere
7. Leroy Haynes
8. Sonny Boy Walker
9. Al Ettore
10. Arturo Godoy

1937

This content is protected

, Champion

1. This content is protected
2. Tommy Farr
3. Nathan Mann
4. Alberto Santiago Lovell
5. Tony Galento
6. Jimmy Adamick
7. Lou Nova
8. Bob Pastor
9. Roscoe Toles
10. Andre Lenglet

 

From Gipsy Daniels 1928 to Louis loss in 1938, Max went 17-3-1. He got robbed against Uzcudun and Sharkey. He only lost to Hamas (upset loss but he avenged it in brutal way) and Baer (no shame in that). I think he was pretty consistent.

 

No, I don't think Walker is among Schmeling best five wins. I'd agree about 8th best win

Ring Magazine only ranked Walker once in an annual sense, at #5 in 1931.

 

It might behoove us to look at some of Walker's fights with other men on the list.

Schmeling was the only heavyweight, who truly beat him the way that a heavyweight should beat a former middleweight!

 

It's true, he was a great fighter and tough mother****er to fight against. He was hard to look good against, but he wasn't as dangerous as the rest though.

 

A few words on the first Walker Risko figth:

The UP report described it as "one of the most vicious fights seen here in a long time."

In the second round Walker dropped Risko with a left. Risko rose on eight, and managed to weather the storm. Walker was dredited with rounds 2, 3, 6, 8 and 9. Risko was credited with rounds 4, 5, and 7. Rounds 1 and 10 were said to be even. Walker hurt Risko with another left hook in the third, and Risko clinched. In the fifth Risko backed Walker up against the ropes, and gave him a beating, but Walker was standing at the bell. In the sixth Walker staggered Risko with another left. In the final round they both threw caution to the wind and went at each other. The crowd gave both men an ovation.

Walker got the decision, and challenged Young Stribling and Jack Sharkey. He called Risko one of the toughest and gamest fighters he had ever fought.

Sounds worth the pay per view!

 

Charley Goldman gave an interview for Ring Magazine, in which he explained how Risko beat Sharkey.

"We had Risko keep moving to Sahrkey's left. Sharkey liked to throw rights, but he wasn't much in close. We told Risko he had to stay in close, and keep punching until the referee broke it up, then move to Sharkey's left until he could get in close again. Risko beat Sharkey that night."

 

There were those who saw it as a passing of the torch fight in Germany.

 

Sharkey beat Walker. This looks like a bogus draw. Only MSG Ref Art Donovan who gave Tommy Farr but one round vs .Joe Louis felt Walker won this match.

Mickey Walker 170 lbs drew with Jack Sharkey 198 lbs by PTS in round 15 of 15

• Date: 1931-07-22
• Location: Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, New York, USA
• Referee: Arthur Donovan
• Judge: Charles F Mathison
• Judge: George Kelly

"A game fighting heart, which was enough to offset his opponent's great physical superiority, enabled Mickey Walker, New Jersey, to earn a draw here Wednesday night with Jack Sharkey, Boston, in a 15 round fight for the American heavyweight championship. The Bostonian was much the better boxer and took little punishment. He left the ring unmarked while Walker's face was covered with the blood which streamed from a cut above his left eye, suffered in the 5th round.

For once in his life Sharkey did not blow up. He has no alibi of an "off" night. He fought perhaps as well as anytime in his career, but he was unable to land a knockout punch. He staggered the comparatively diminutive Walker on several occasions, particularly in the 12th round, but Walker was too rugged and too game to go down. Sharkey's efforts were enough to win him the vote of Judge Kelley, but Referee Donovan gave the decision to Walker. And Judge Charles F. Mathison called the contest a draw." - United Press

• Unofficial UP scorecard: 7-3-5 Sharkey

One more day of voting and debate for Schmeling.

 

It sounds to me like Sharkey clearly won it, and Walker distinguished himself for guts, as he was hurt twice and out boxed.

Who were these 16 writers at ring side out of 21 who had Walker as the winner? That's pretty powerful.