I vote for 'Peerless' Jim Driscoll 120,000 people attended his funeral in what was possibly the biggest funeral Wales had ever seen, his coffin covered in the 'union jack' was placed onto a gun carriage and headed on a 2 mile procession through the City headed by the band of the 2nd battalion of the Welch Regiment. Places of business closed, the great and the good were in attendance, the funeral had all the hallmarks of a state funeral yet Jim was born the son of Irish immigrants. 'Peerless' Jim Driscoll 'the peoples champion' won the British featherweight title twice {gave title up} had avenged his only controversial defeat and had won what was billed as the British version of the World featherweight title, before going to America, where is reputation as a boxer had preceded him, he easily beat every American put in front of him, Abe Atell was the World Champion at that time, Atell would only fight Jim in a 10 round no-decision contest, without his title been at stake {America had a no decision rule in place at the time, a winner only being declared if there was a KO} Jim Driscoll dominated Atell, most observers say Jim won all 10 rounds, Nat Fleischer commented that Driscoll was easily the best and was the best featherweight in the World. Jim Driscoll was offered a rematch with the World title at stake {Atell had no choice as everybody knew who was the real champion} but Jim had promised to go back home to Wales to fight in an exhibition to raise money for an orphanage {Nazareth House}, he stunned the boxing World and kept his promise to raise money for the orphans. After a few more fights he ended up fighting fellow Welsh great 'Fearless' Freddie Welsh who would go on to become World lightweight champion. The match was a grudge match, the boxers were initialled friends but the rivalry between supporters of both boxers plus the hype in the press lead to a dirty, ugly fight, Freddie was determined to win by any means legal or illegal, Jim was getting no protection from the ref, and in the end gentleman Jim headbutted Freddie Welsh in frustration and was disqualified, there was rioting all over Cardiff after the fight {this may not just have been Jims supporters unhappy about the outcome, as Freddie had proberbly a lot of valley boys in town there to support him} Jim went on to win the Longsdale belt outright and the European title, the 1st World War deprived him of a chance of fighting for the World title, he joined the army and did not box for 6 years, after the war he fought a couple of fights but was in bad health and nearly 40 years old. Jim Driscoll has streets named after him in his home town, he has statues of himself in his hometown, at the front of his huge funeral he had 100 children from the Nazareth House orphanage and to this day nuns from the orphanage tend to his grave. PS Just seen a film about Freddie Welsh from Pontypridd {10 miles from Cardiff} and there are no monuments or streets named after him in fact most locals have never heard of Freddie Welsh :-(( Are there any other well thought of boxers about ?
A lot of people have never seen eye to eye with Ali, and have anything but respect for him, he split the boxing and social world! I would say in the modern era; Michael Spinks had the most dignity and class of well known fighters. Billy Collins Jr probably is up there too....
I do not know, I think he was respected by white people and because of that, perhaps considered a you know what, by some blacks....
Alexis Arguello or Thomas Hearns. Not as marquee as other names mentioned. They are certainly among the most respected with fellow pros who they fought.
So there's a short list of people who don't see eye to eye with Ali (inc Smokin' Joe). Well there's a list of people that don't see eye to eye with me too but: 1/ I didn't dominate the heavyweight division like no other before (or few anyway). 2/ Become the most recognisable face on the planet. 3/ Along with Jesse Owen's put coloured people on the map. etc, etc, etc.
But Ali still is not respected like other less controversial characters in the sport. I think Ali is a very important figure for African Americans, but he split them with his views, let alone whites! People like Arguello, Hearns and Spinks are going to front this debate, not an Ali or indeed a Louis. p.s. I find you third comment disgusting.
Average Joe (non fight fans) barely know who Argello & Spinks are. Ali had an effect on BILLIONS of peoples lives (and very mainly a positive one). He was, litterally, the most recognisable face on the planet!! Regards the third comment - it's a figure of speech - read your history about how Owens bravely changed the coloured man's standing in the world with his success in Hitler's Germany, and Ali repeated the dose decades later. I'm white and I love & respect black people equally, my friend.
Floyd Patterson is up there, as is Joe Louis. Both rightfully. Ali and Tyson have more fans, but also more haters. I'd say the fan/hater ratio is higher for the former mentioned names.
To start off with coloured is no longer a socially acceptable term. And black history did not start in the 1930's...... Muhammad Ali's political beliefs were needed, but they were not mainstream and ultimately defeated. Ali is now more moderate with his views, but does not regret his comments from the past. Ali comes across as nice and cuddly and people like to think of him that way, but that is not man, it is his disease. Ali was a figurehead leader of some extreme unpalatable views, something many, many people cannot respect him for. This is not a popularity contest, it is to find the most respected boxer; so that means you need to discuss the merits of an Arguello, Hearns or Spinks, not the extremes of an Ali.