The People's Champions

Oh yeah I know about Onizuka,solid boxer.

 

Yes and his last fight is why he is in the Legend in Japan. So epic and courageous !

 

Has someone said Max Schemling?

 

Ali is the obvious ultimate example, a people's champion all around the world.

Other popular champions at the continental level:

Latin America: Monzon, Duran, Arguello, Benitez, JCC, Marquez, Mantequilla, Bonavena.
Asia: Pacquiao.
Eastern Europe: Golota, the Klitshkos and now Usyk.

Also that joke of Gipsy King seems to be very popular everywhere.

 

Nice call.

However, Schmeling's popularity back at the time was somehow spoiled by his (unwanted) association with the Nazi regime and the political use of sports as expression of "racial superiority".

I think Max's reputation outside Germany improved significantly post WW2, when his personal record was cleared.

 

Chris John I'm pretty sure was one of, if not THE most famous athlete out of Indonesia.

 

Yes Chris John is the famous in Indonesia with Ellyas Pical. That's normal they are the two best Indonesian boxers in history.

 

I'm pretty sure Pongsaklek Wonjongkam was the most famous boxer Flyweight in Thailand (and still actually).

 

Floyd Patterson

He was one of the most widely loved champions back when Liston and Ali were the ones full of controversies.

 

Mike Tyson

 

Well it was Schmeling being the "Nazi" champion that help make Joe Louis the people's champion in America. Yeah Ali was bigger and had more impact, but I still think as far as being the people's champion, the honor still goes to Louis.

 

My take on Patterson during those years that he was a nice man, but not a great champion. His manager Cus D'Amato avoided some of his best challengers and it tarnished his reputation. He did a great job of rehabilitating himself beginning with the Chuvalo fight, but his less than stellar title reign still remains. I don't think he was particularly venerated during the years you mentioned.

 

In one of I believe Quarry’s fights Frazier, Ali, and Patterson were in attendance. Frazier received mostly cheers, Ali had a mix of boos and cheers, and Patterson had an overwhelming amount of cheers. Even in the 90s he was featured as one of the greatest heavyweights which excluded Liston and Foreman (before he won the title again). Nowadays history has changed where Patterson is still a great fighter but nowhere on greatest heavyweights lists.

 

What are talking about he had 10 title defenses?

 

Hmm, probably,I'm not into other sports other than combat sports but I do doubt John a bit on popularity here, he's still the people's champs but I don't see him getting mentioned that much outside of Indonesia.


He also gets a bit of hate for being a "defensive,boring no killing punch" boxer by some Indonesians I saw,they even dare to say Yordan was robbed vs John,but yeah I agree,he was atleast 2nd or 3rd most popular boxer here