Do we have film of Tony Zale in his prime? How would you judge him compared to other middleweight greats throughout history?
Unfortunately there isn´t much and it´s pretty average quality though suprising good amateur bout: This content is protected This content is protected This content is protected
I do think Zale makes the top 40 atg middles. But seeing him in the top ten, it does happen, makes me feel physically sick.
Hi Buddy. Pertinent to you post atg MWs, or better still where would you out Zale roughly because not thinking there is 40 atg, so for me the list looks something like this : in no particular order. SRR Greb Hagler Monzon Fitz Langford Steele Ketchell Walker Griffith I see most of the above as atg, after that we have : Tiger Apostoli Fullmer La Motta B Hop ( prob a atg on second thoughts ) Papke- maybe struggling a bit now, isn't there a case for Zale to be in this group, so making him a top 15/20 ? as opposed to your top 40. stay safe buddy, chat soon. Mike.
My problem with choosing Fitz is who did he beat at middleweight? To a lesser extent I'd say the same about Langford. Zale would make my top 25, if we are just including champions.
Hi Mike, Zale is just outisde my 20. I have most of those you list above Zale. Other than them, off the top of my head, those I also have above Zale include Mike Gibbons, Charley Burley, Holman Williams, GGG, Teddy Yarosz and Jack Dillon. Possibly Tiger Flowers and Ken Overlin, too, I'd have to check my list to be certain of that.
Zale benefits from the fact that he participated (as a fighter well on) in his era's Ward-Gatti trilogy, the entertainment value of which elevated their actual abilities in many peoples' minds. To a lesser extent this same factor applies to Bowe-Holyfield. Some might even say Fury-Wilder.
Top 40 is nonsense.. Zale would easily make my top 20.. two time MW champ.. won the Graziano trilogy, beat Hostak X3, Apostoli & Abrams .. first man in 40 years to regain the MW crown.. an ATG for sure.. his early career was hit and miss but people forget he worked full-time in a factory so was really just a part time prize fighter then.. I also think the war tempered what could have been an even greater career. But even in his early career he still won/drew the series of fights with fighters like Jimmy Clark & Nate Bolden who were both talented fighters in there own right. There aren't 39 MWs with a better career than Zale. He was a brilliant fighter & many of his opponents such as Billy Conn attest to this.
