Best HW not to win a title in the Alpha Soup era

I wouldn't call him THE BEST, but Marvis Frazier was a pretty good fighter. Sure, he fell terribly short against Holmes and Tyson, but was horribly unprepared to fight both, and was mismanaged by his father Joe in my honest opinion. He had respectable wins over Broad, Bugner, Tillis, Smith, Ribalta, Benton, Banjo, etc. Hell, even Steve Zouski wasn't a half bad win considering that he was 21-1 at the time, and Frazier was in like his 4th pro fight? Not a bad run for a guy who retired around 19-2.

 

For me its ruddock. Ike is a little overrated- people forget that the two admittedly great wins were struggles (even Byrd was ahead on cards) against guys that others blew out. He would have been a champ, but not a great one.

How about Tyrell Biggs, just to add another naem to the list.

For that matter, Quarry fought partially during an alphabet era when there was the WBA and New York versions of the titles.

 

I would say Golota. He was damn good but he was in one of the best eras of HW boxing and he didn't have the mental stability to make it.

 

Definitely Tua I'd say.

KO'd Ruiz and Moorer in 1 round each, also beat Rahman and Maskaev, all former or future belt holders. Only shot at a title came against the ATG Lewis.

 

1. Ruddock
2. Golota
3. Tua
4. James Tillis
5. Gerry Cooney

SR.BILLARDO

 

I am shocked Razor Ruddock has NOT made a COMEBACK over the last couple of yrs or so....... I hear that Razor Ruddock was mismanaged and misguided by his team and brother Delroy Ruddock, and that "Razorman" is now broke and keeping a low-profile..... What else is new??? Razor Ruddock is only 45 this year..... But I bet he's 300 pounds of goo also in 2009...... GEEZ!!

MR.BILL

 

He could have been anything with some stability in the brains..

 

The amazing thing about Ruddock was that he didn't even challenge for a major title: the closest he came was an IBC title fight against Morrison.

 

Tua or Ibeabuchi

 

Ruddock had actually won this title when he beat Phil Jackson but relinquished it to fight Lennox Lewis in a WBC title eliminator

 

So technically Ruddock doesn't qualify for this thread.

 

:huh

 

Ike, and the Tuaman are 1 and 2. Ruddock is a little behind them and Cooney is there too.

 

Many people found excuses not to get in the ring against Ruddock. His left hook-uppercut hybrid smash was a nasty punch, but his nickname came from Chuvalo and Ungerman because of his Razor sharp jab.

Other than Ruddock, I'd say Jerry Quarry was one of the best heavyweights not to become champion.

Honourable mention, George Chuvalo, even though he pre-Alphabet Soup boxing.