Jimmy Bivins - Completly underrated.

When looking through a 'Top 10 Pound for Pound List' or even a 'Top 20 Pound for Pound list', there seems to be a glaring absence or for me anyway. Even when people are ranking the 'Murderer's Row' Bivin's can sometimes fail to be in the top 3.

Jimmy Bivins for me has one of the best resume's in the history of boxing. His record includes so many names of great fighters, and he beat most of them. Names such as Anton Christofiridis, Charley Burley, Teddy Yarosz, Curtis Shepard, Gus Lesenevich, Billy Soose, Joey Maxim, Bob Pastor, Lee Savold, Ezzard Charles, Lloyd Marshall, Melio Bettina, Archie Moore, Billy Smith, Leonard Morrow, Charley Williams and Mike DeJohn populate the ranks of the Bivin's victims. And in Bivin's era, there was a lot of deep resumes, but Bivin's was noted for his amazing resume even in that era.

However it should be noted that these victories over top class opposition occured over a staggering 15 years, of which I would guess that in every year he fought a 'great' fighter. It should also be noted that Bivin's was a Light Heavyweight who regulary campaigned as a Heavyweight and was a leading contender for ther Heavyweight Crown during the war. However, it could be noted that he beat smaller men in Burley and Yarosz but these men were great fighters who Bivin's fought early in his career, and not forgetting these guys could probably lick most Light Heavy's that ever lived.

Aside from this staggering longevity and experiance, Bivin's also on film looks a spectacular fighter. A loose, long limbed individual with an in built rythm. He kept his opponent at long range with straight shots before hooking his way in and banging the body. A real nightmare stylisically IMO.

So why is this Cleveland native overlooked most of the time? Is it because he was a bigger man than the rest of the 'Murderer's Row' and is often downgraded because of that? Is it he has failed to capture the imagination in the way Burley, Marshall or the Cocoa Kid has?

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvgAga3Exlo[/ame]

This is Bivin's beating Anton Christiforidis in their third meeting.

So lets hear your thoughts on Bivins.

 

I really find it odd he is overlooked, I know My2Sense thinks highly of him. Maybe this thread might get some people interested, was my thing anyway.

 

You forgot to include Lee Q Murray on the list of Bivins victims. Murray was one of the best contenders of the entire decade. He was so good, that Louis' camp wanted no part of him. Murray won the Interim Heavyweight championship recognized by Maryland and Ohio Commisions during Louis absence in the war. Murray was a 6'4 205lb converted southpaw. Ray Arcel declared him "The best punching heavyweight of the 1940s next to joe louis". Scarcely enough, murray also had skills to go along with his frightening power.


Murray would have toasted most of the men on your list. I rate Murray in my top 50 heavyweights of all time list.


Another men you forgot to mention was Clarence Henry, one of the best contenders of the 1950s. Bivins knocked him out.

Here is clarence henry

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6sE9GSJT6c[/ame]

 

So I did. atschatsch

He beat pretty much all of the top contenders to Louis throne at some point (maybe not when they were top contenders though).

What do you make of Bivin's victory over Mike DeJohn

 

Honestly,

I am far more impressed with Bivins victories over Murray and Henry. Two men i rate in my top 50 heavyweights of all time list. The Dejohn win is nice too, since bivins was well past his prime.

 

Heavyweights aint my strong point, so I probabaly dont know the extent of his heavyweight resume.

 

Another man Bivins beat was murderous punching Turkey Thompson. A top heavwyeight contender of the 1940s.


Bivins really does have one of the best resumes i have ever seen, great thread.

 

Thanks.

What impresses me most about him is virtually from the start of his career he is mixing with top quality fighters, and he continues that for 15 years. The longevity and the quality of the fighters really is something that only really Archie Moore can rival.

 

Is that a challenge, Mr McGrain?

I'll do the groundwork for it tonight, as I'm off to the gym in a bit and need to get my bag packed just now

 

It's tough to come up with a better undefeated streak than Bivins's from mid 1942 to early 1946. Unfortunately his best years were during the Second World War.

 

Conn was better.

 

Credit should also go to the man who ENDED that streak..Jersey Joe Walcott.