Who is the greatest of them all?

Mcgrain IMO opinion Pep wasnt at his best against Saddler and im not taking away saddlers achievemnt but he was getting beat in the 3rd and 4th fights so i think these shouldnt be included as pep was past it by then IMO
the first fight Saddler dominated and was brilliant the 2nd fight pep dominated and was amazing too

 

Like most such lists produced by the BBC it betrays a woefull ignnorance of boxing history and misses off most of the more importand names.

 

janitor out of intrest who is your top 10

 

Using the same creria as the authours:

1. Sugar Ray Robinson
2. Roberto Duran
3. Ezzard Charles
4. Willie Pep
5. Ray Charles Leonard
6. Archie Moore
7. Alexis Arguello
8. Joe Louis
9. Pernel Whitaker
10. Muhamad Ali

Probably missed sombody

 

cheers but i would have to disagree with ali being so low

 

I didn't say he was, I said he was just as washed up as Duran, who'd go on to dominating wins over Davey Moore and years later over the likes of Iran Barkley at MW. My point was that a win (or series) against a single fighter doesn't merit that high a placing.

When did I mention Ali or Leonard? Ali legitimately beat Liston in the first fight, though Liston more than likely threw the second. Leonard was beating Duran prior to Duran's quit job, though I still don't rate that win exceptionally highly. Pep, on the other hand, was winning both of the final two bouts he was "stopped" in against Saddler handily before retiring due to injury and flat out calling it quits. I see that as more of a black mark on Pep than a plus for Saddler. The first two bouts of the series were night and day, Saddler dominating the first, Pep dominating the second.

I didn't say that, just not enough to merit the kind of ranking you've given him, nor the ranking most tend to give him.

I don't think Pep was washed up so much as I just think Saddler was his stylistic cryptonite (one he even managed to outbox and befuddle for the majority of the rounds they were in the same ring). Given how Saddler performed against numerous lesser fighters in and around the time he was beating Pep, I think that conclusion is pretty valid. Saddler is an ATG at Featherweight, but without his wins over Pep he wouldn't be anywhere NEAR as highly ranked as he is now. That said, he does hold those wins, so that is irrelevant, I just don't think a fighter's merit can be judged solely on those wins, especially given his inconsistency otherwise. Still a great fighter, but higher than a guy like Whitaker? Nah.

 

I can't argue with this list except it needs Henry Armstrong.

 

Yeah, he sure was a great post-war fighter.

 

He retired in 1945

 

#1) Ali
#2) Robinson
#3-10........I'll have to give it some more thought

 

If I had thought that Armstrong met the criteria I would certainly have included him.

 

The war ended in 1945.

 

I thought this post was 1945 onwards?

 

nope it is after the war ended war didnt end till about half way through 1945