Fighters who had the deepest quality of wins prior to winning their first major world title

You took my rubber stamp answer to this type of question and posted it first. That’s okay… I’ll just add that there are a few similarities shared between Jack and Sonny otherwise.

 

Both outstanding answers. Looking at Moore's in particular, he beat The Hogue brothers, Jack Chase, Lloyd Marshall, Cocoa Kid, Holman Williams, Curtis Sheppard, Bert Lytell, Jimmy Bivins, Oakland Billy Smith, Bob Satterfield, Harold Johnson, Jimmy Slade and Clarence Henry while waiting 17 years for his first title shot. Amazing.

 

Dempsey honestly should be in there with Louis, Charles and Liston. He had Fulton, Miskex2, Morrisx3, Brennan, Levinsky, McAllister, Andre Anderson, Gunboat, Tom McCarthy, Jim Flynn and Pelkey already. He had more losses than those guys but the quality of wins is certainly there.

Battling Levinsky might be the answer because I don't think he had a MW claim before his LHW one while Greb and Dillon did.

 

Excellent point.

The ever improving Dempsey did quite a clean out during his tear toward the title. If only we had a film of same…..

Amazing that old, out of shape Willard took Jack as lightly as he did. Big mistake.