Whether great, solid, or just mediocre/weak boxing nations, let's list all those countries which never quite produced an ATG in the sport of boxing.
Greenland Saudia arabia Lebanon Iran India (even with 2 billion and a belligerent tyrannical leader encouraging communal fighting) China ( even with the billion and a belligerant tyrannical leader hosting death camps for uiyghurs) Falklands Islands
You'd probably quicker naming all the ones that have. America UK France Germany Austalia Ireland Canada Thailand Japan Argentina South Africa Mexico Philippines Ukraine Nicaragua Brazil Someone else can finish that list
In terms of countries who have actually contributed a fair bit and produced good fighters / world champions, but curiously no real greats as of yet... South Africa. Lots of capable or even very good fighters / title holders: Mitchell, Matlala, Coetzee, Bungu, Malinga, Toweel, Sanders etc. Nobody you'd really call a true great, though. Dominican Republic. Think this was covered on here recently. France. This one might be controversial, I guess, but I'm not as impressed as a lot of others with the likes of Cerdan and Carpentier, who I'd put in the good-to-very good class, but not properly great. Venezuela. Again, lots of good fighters, some really good, but nobody who you could really put in the truly great class. Linares probably closest, and certainly a great pure talent, but his overall record doesn't quite match up, I'd say. Beyond that there's Rondon, Contreras etc. - and of course we'll never know how Valero might have ended up being rated.
Chris, if you don't know who Betulio Gonzalez is I'd definitely recommend that you check him out. He beat guys like Canto and Oguma, and arguably beat Oba in one of the best flyweight fights ever. Top 15 (ish) at the weight IMO, but very fun fighter to watch.
Hey George, yeah I'm very familiar with Gonzalez and have seen some of his fights - more just that he slipped my mind. Back in the day, for whatever reason, I spent years thinking that he was Mexican so maybe that was an old memory trick coming back to haunt me. Either way, I'd still say he's ever so slightly short of real great status...But I may need to revise my claim above that Linares is the closest thing to that which Venezuela has produced.
I think it's arguable he could be classed as such. Especially if top 15 in their weight division is part of your criteria.
Yeah, it's close. I think someone who gets in or around the #14, #15 spot has a decent claim to being an all-time great purely on that basis, but probably less so at Flyweight which I don't see as being as strong or deep as Lightweight, Welter, Light-Heavy etc. Much like France, I guess my pick of Venezuela wouldn't be a totally popular one. I'm going to stick with it, though, as I'm a leathery and stubborn old badger.
I think Betulio was magnificent, and the best from Venezuela but not quite a “great”. I would nominate Spain. It’s a great sporting country that’s produced boxers and has no greats.
For the first 20 or so fights of his career, I thought that Engels Pedroza was going to be Venezuela's best.