The Ipswich Express Top 100 Fighters of All Time List

24.


Barney Ross 77-4-3 (22)
(Includes Newspaper Decisions)

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Best Wins: W10 x 2, W15 Ceferino Garcia, W15 x 2 Jimmy McLarnin, W10 Frankie Klick, W10 x 2 Billy Petrolle, W10 Sammy Fuller, W15 & W10 Tony Canzoneri, W10 Battling Battalino.

Good Losses: L15 Jimmy McLarnin, D10 Frankie Klick, L15 Henry Armstrong.


Just the third boxer ever to hold titles at three different weights Ross was a courageous fighter, whether it be in the ring, or on the beaches in World War II. Ross had a chin of steel, never knocked out in 80 odd fights.

He took an absolute shellacking against Henry Armstrong while losing his Welter crown, but refused to yield. Ross also possessed incredible stamina, often getting on top of his opponents the later the fight went. Winning 3 titles in different division in those days is a remarkable achievement.




23.


Emile Griffith 85-24-2 (23)

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Best Wins: W10 Bennie Briscoe, W15 & W10 Dick Tiger, W10 Tom Boggs, W15 Nino Benvenuti, W15 x 2 Joey Archer, W15 x 2 & W10 Luis Rodriguez, KO3 & W15 Ralph Dupas, KO13 & TKO12 Benny Paret, W10 Yama Bahama, W10 Florentino Fernandez.


Good Losses: L15 Eckhard Dagge, D10 Benny Briscoe, L15 & TKO14 Carlos Monzon, L15 Jose Napoles, L15 x 2 Nino Benvenuti, L15 Luis Rodriguez, L15 Benny Paret.

Griffith knocked out Paret for the World Welter title in 1960, initiating a great trilogy with terrible consequences. Paret best Emile in the return. Griffith would have his revenge in the rubber match but Paret would lose not only the fight, but his life. Paret absorbed a number of blows before the fight was stopped. Paret would never regain consciousness.

He lost the Welter title and regained it to the brilliant Luis Rodriguez, before stepping up and beating Dick Tiger for his Middleweight crown. Griffith lost the crown to Benvenuti, before regaining it once again. He did everything well inside the ring, except perhaps punch. That could well be down to the tragedy of the Paret fights. Extremely adaptable. He would lose a fight, but find a way to win the rematch. He boxed 339 title fight rounds, the most ever.


22.


Stanley Ketchel 53-5-5 (38 )
(Includes Newspaper Decisions)

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Best Wins: KO32, W20, TKO2 Joe Thomas, KO1 Mike "Twin" Sullivan, KO20 Jack "Twin" Sullivan, W20 & KO11 Billy Papke, W10 & TKO3 Philadelphia Jack O'Brien.

Good Losses: D10 Philadelphia Jack O'Brien, D20 Joe Thomas, KO12 Billy Papke, KO12 Jack Johnson, L6 Sam Langford.

"The Michigan Assassin" is considered by many historians to be the greatest Middleweight who ever lived. He was a natural born fighter in every sense of the word, as he never formally trained!

He knocked out Jack Sullivan to claim the Middleweight title, he had previously won a version of the world Welter title (although he was 3 pounds over the weight). He lost his title to Billy Papke, who punched Ketchel in the face while the fighters met in centre ring to shake hands!

Ketchel administered a savage beating in the rubber match and stopped Papke in 11 furious rounds. He also knocked out Philadelphia Jack O'Brien, who was the reigning Lt Heavy champion at the time.

Giving away 35lbs (16kg) he faced the legendary Jack Johnson for the World Heavyweight title. Ketchel avoided Johnson's best for the first 6 rounds, before landing his attack in the 7th. Both fighters landed throughout the next few rounds. Ketchel dropped Johnson with a solid right hand to the champion's jaw. Johnson rose and promptly landed a right hand of his own, leaving Ketchel's teeth embedded in his glove and Stanley out for the count.

Tragically, his career was cut short by his murder. Imagine Ketchel facing John Ruiz for the title in this day and age like former Middles Toney and Jones Jnr.



21.

Alexis Arguello 82-8 (68 )

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Best Wins: KO5 Andy Ganigan, TKO14 Ray Mancini, W15 Jim Watt, W10 Jose Luis Ramirez, TKO8 Cornelius Boza Edwards, TKO7 Bobby Chacon, TKO11 Bazooka Limon, TKO13 x 2 Alfredo Escalera, KO13 Ruben Olivares, KO5 Royal Kobayashi, KO11 Ruben Castillo.

Good Losses: KO14 Aaron Pryor, L15 Ernesto Marcel.

Nicknamed "The Explosive Thin Man," Arguello used his height and reach to gain exceptional leverage for his punches. When I think of Arguello and his style, 'smooth' is the first word that comes to mind. He just appears very fluent in his movements.

Won titles at Feather, Jnr Light and Lightweight, becoming just the sixth man to win titles in 3 divisions. He faced Pryor for a then record 4th division title, but was stopped in an epic encounter. He faced 14 world champions during his career. He is ranked 20th by the Ring as an all time puncher.

 

Top 20 is upon us boys. Any predictions for 20-10? I hope you're enjoy it so far...