Tell me more about 50's heavyweights

I was thinking about this earlier today, there's never much mention of anyone outside the big names from the 50's.

Looking forward to reading some answers in here

 

Pretty good list here:

[url]http://www.heavyweightaction.com/Decade%201950s.html[/url]


A fighter not on the list: Bob Satterfield. Despite being inconsistent he KOed noteworthy big men Lee Oma, John Holman, Bob Baker, and Cleveland Williams. All of whom were top 5 contenders at some point. He also decisioned Harlod Johnson, Marty Marshall, and Nino Valdez. If he got past Ezzard Charles in 54 he was in position to challenge Marciano for the World Title.

The 50s fluctuated like all decades, some stacked moments and some very thin ones. Maricano retired probably at the weakest point when Valdez, Jackson, and Baker all failed to stand out as worthy successors. But Patterson, Foley, Machen, and Liston would quickly rise. As more footage has become available of guys like Henry, the division appears to have had much more depth than some percieved.

 

Cheers! Some good reading on that link, and in your post. Plenty of names to look at.

 

I think Rex Layne was a great great scrapper - he was a tough tough guy - he beat Jersey Joe Walcott for christs sake - I rate Walcott at like 11 of the best heavyweights all time - and Rex Layne beat a pretty good version of him - that's how damn good Rex Layne was - he didn't seem to respect reputations and didn't seem to show any fear of anyone - he could really bomb people out to - booming puncher and trip hammer quick and could use his left hand and show poise - he really belonged among the very very best of the 50's IMO, had decent size too and gave very good accounts of himself against all the top names like Ezzard Charles, outslugged Bob Satterfield etc etc

 

The 50's had some exciting matches. Back then, there was more pride in the fighters. Upsets were more frequent due to better depth of the journeyman types. My grandfather who is in his 90's and has been listen to boxing on the radio since the 20's, says the 50's was a great time for the fans. He doesn't think the fighters of the 50's at heavyweight would beat modern heavies today, but he doesn't care! The fights were better. I would say he's right on both counts.

The decade itself did not have a any great heavyweights meeting each other in their primes. The list from the like is below: Liston 13th?!

1) Rocky Marciano 5’10”, 184- Marciano dominated the first half of the decade. Big wins were against Ezzard Charles twice, Jersey Joe Walcott twice, Rex Layne, Lee Savold, Roland LaStarza twice and Archie Moore. Moore and Walcott both had Marciano down early in their fights. (24-0) *587

(2) Jersey Joe Walcott 6’0”, 194- From 1946 to 1952 Jersey Joe was one of the top contenders for the title. How much he have left by 1950 is the question. He had defeated Ezzard Charles twice and Harold Johnson during the decade. His best years had definitely been in the 40s. He lost to Rocky Marciano twice, Rex Layne and Ezzard Charles. Like Charles, Walcott is rated this high because of the series of fights against one another. (6-4) *408

(3) Ezzard Charles 6’0”, 184- From 1944 to 1951 Charles lost one fight and that was to Elmer Ray in a very controversial decision in which Ring Magazine felt Charles was the victor. By 1951 and 52 Charles skills were on the decline. He was still able to defeat Nick Barone, Joe Louis and Jersey Joe Walcott. He lost to Walcott twice, Rex Layne, Nino Valdes, Harold Johnson and Rocky Marciano twice. By 1955 he was no more than a trial horse for young fighters losing more than he won. By 1950 his skills were definitely on the decline even though he entered the decade as champion. (30-20) *667

(4) Ingermar Johansson 6’1”,195 –Johansson was mainly a European heavyweight until 1958 when he knocked out one of the top heavyweight contenders, Eddie Machen in the 1st round. He followed that with his destruction of the Champion, Floyd Patterson. Others he defeated were Henry Cooper, Archie McBride and Joe Erskine. Not a real star studded group of fighters. Do you place him ahead of Patterson and Machen during the decade? No question he knocked both of them out. (22-0) *190

(5) Floyd Patterson 6’0 ”, 184 –Patterson came out of the Olympics in 1952 and grew into a top heavyweight contender. He defeated Jimmy Slade, Archie Moore, Hurricane Jackson and Roy Harris. His only losses of the decade were against Joey Maxim and Ingermar Johansson. Patterson seemed to avoid all the top contenders during his title run. (35-2) *441

(6) Archie Moore 5’11”, 188- Archie Moore fought them all, he avoided no one. He beat Harold Johnson three times, Joey Maxim three times and Nino Valdes twice. From 1949 to 1955 Moore lost one fight and that was to Harold Johnson who he defeated three times during that period. Other heavyweights he defeated were Willie Besmanoff and Bert Whitehurst. Moore’s losses during the decade were to Marciano and Floyd Patterson and the before mentioned Harold Johnson. His record speaks for itself as being incredible. A lot of his fights were in the Light heavyweight division. (67-3-2) *323

(7) Eddie Machen 6’0”, 191-Machen took the division by storm in the mid to late 1950s. Several experts felt he would dominate the division. But that all ended with his 1st round lost to Johansson in 1958. None the less, the body of his work is very impressive. He defeated Nino Valdez twice, John Holman, Johnny Summerlin, Joey Maxim twice, Bob Baker, Hurrican Jackson, Willie Besmanoff and Pat McMurtry. He fought a draw with another outstanding fighter of the decade, Zory Folley. That is a pretty impressive list of victims although all of them were not in their prime when Machen defeated them it is still a tough list of contenders. (31-1-1) *311.5

(8) Nino Valdez -6’3”, 211- Starting in 1953 with his win over Ezzard Charles, Valdez became a top contender and went on to defeat Heinz Neuhaus, Archie McBride, Hurricane Jackson, Don Cockrell, Dick Richardson, John Holman, Wayne Bethea , Mike DeJohn, Johnny Summerlin, Harold Carter, Pat McMurtry and Brian London. Only problem was with all the victories also came a lot of defeats. Harold Johnson, Archie Moore, Bob Baker, Bob Satterfield, Eddie Machen, Zory Folley, Alex Miteff, Charley Powell, Alonzo Johnson and Sonny Liston. Very hard to get a real feel for how tough a fighter Valdez really was. (34-14) *394

(9) Zory Folley 6’1”, 194- Folley was another fighter like Machen who was very active during the decade. He defeated Nino Valdez, Wayne Bethea, Alex Miteff and Willie Besmanoff. His draw was against Eddie Machen. His losses were to Young Jack Johnson in his third pro fight and he also lost to Henry Cooper. (30-2-1) *268.5

(10) Tommy “Hurricane” Jackson 6’4”, 193- One of the top heavyweights of the mid 1950s, he defeated some solid fighters, Archie McBride, Rex Layne, Clarence Henry, Dan Bucceroni, Charley Norkus, Jimmy Slade, Ezzard Charles and Bob Baker. His real chance at the title came in his elimination fight against Floyd Patterson which he lost a split decision. In the rematch, Patterson won by knockout. His losses included Bert Whitehurst, Jimmy Slade twice, Nino Valdez and Eddie Machen. Although he did not have an outstanding career he was clearly one best during the middle years of the decade. (34-9) *323

(11) Harold Johnson 5’10”, 181- Johnson was a light heavyweight all of his career but was one of the best fighters in the world during the 1950s. Had he campaigned only as a heavyweight he would have been rated much higher. He defeated Archie Moore, Ezzard Charles, Nino Valdes, Bob Satterfield(2), Clarence Henry, Marty Marshall, Wayne Bethea and Jimmy Slade during his career. Pretty much says it all. He did have seven losses but three were to Archie Moore, Walcott and Bob Satterfield who he beat twice. The other two fights he lost it looks like he may thrown those fights. (32-7) *LH

(12) Bob Baker 6’2”, 217-Baker exploded onto the heavyweight seen winning his first 25 fights. In the early 1950s he was one of the best young fighters in the division. He defeated Omelio Agramonte twice and Jimmy Bivins before he had his first setback which was a draw to Kid Riviera. Other big wins during his career were Billy Gilliam, Cesar Brion, Nino Valdez, Joe Baksi, Coley Wallace, Jimmy Slade, Rex Layne, John Holman, Dick Richardson and George Chuvalo. He, like Valdez had his share of losses also, losing to Clarence Henry, Billy Gilliam, Bob Satterfield, Clarence Henry, Archie Moore, Hurricane Jackson, Harold Carter, Willie Besmanoff, Roy Harris, Eddie Machen, Mike DeJohn and Dick Richardson. Baker is another fighter who is very difficult to judge because of the number of losses during his career. (40-16) *349

(13) Sonny Liston 6’1”, 212- Liston came on late in the decade so he never had any contact with the top fighters earlier in the decade. Big names that Liston took down during the decade were Johnny Summerlin twice, Wayne Bethea, Mike DeJohn, Cleveland Williams and Nino Valdez. Ranking Liston will be very difficult because his best fights were in the early 60s.(26-1) *72

(14) Roland LaStarza 6’0”, 184- LaStarza will always be known for giving Marciano his closest fight losing a split decision in 1950. He split with Dan Bucceroni and Fred Jones while beating Rex Layne. His loses were numerous; Rocky Marciano, Charley Norkus, Dan Cockell, Julio Mederos and Larry Zernitz. His only real claim to fame was his fight with Marciano. (20-9) *298

(15) Clarence Henry- 6’1”, 187- Clarence Henry had a very impressive record against the top fighters of the decade. His victims included John Holman, Turkey Thompson, Bob Dunlap, Omelio Agramonte(2), Jimmy Bivins, Bob Baker(2) and Bob Satterfield. All of his losses occurred during the end of his career against Harold Johnson, Archie Moore, Jimmy Slade and Tommy Jackson.(23-5) *155

(16) Willie Pastrano- 6’0”, 185- Pastrano went on the win the light heavyweight title in the 1960s and had more success than he did in the heavyweight division. He defeated Rex Layne, Pat McMurtry, John Holman and Brian London. He lost to Roy Harris, Brian London, Joe Erskine and Alonzo Johnson. (49-8-5)*279

(17) Rex Layne 6’1”, 195- In 1950 Layne defeated Jersey Joe Walcott to thrust himself in the middle of the heavyweight division. After the Walcott fight he beat Cesar Brion and Bob Satterfield and followed up with back to back losses to Rocky Marciano and Ezzard Charles. Not bad company to be keeping. From that point on his career was really up and down losing to the likes of Willie James, Kid Matthews, Roland LaStarza, Ezzard Charles, Earl Walls, Hurricane Jackson twice, and Bob Baker three times. Layne did have a victory of Charles in 1952. (35-17-3) *142

(18) Don Cockell- 5’11”, 205- Cockell is remembered mostly for his fight against Marciano for the title in which he was knocked out in the ninth round. One of the top fighters to come out of Great Britain during the decade Cockell defeated Freddie Beshore, Nick Barone, Roland LaStarza and Harry Matthews(2). He lost to Jimmy Slade, Randy Turpin, Marciano and Nino Valdez. (22-7) *190

Earl Walls *126
(19) Roy Harris- 6’0”, 194- The Big Texan ran up an impressive record before fighting for the title against Floyd Patterson and losing. It was his only loss of the decade. He defeated Bob Baker, Willie Pastrano and Willi Besmanoff on his way up the rankings.(28-1)*121

Heinz Neuhaus *114
(20) Harold Carter – 6’0”, 194- Carter had a real up and down career during the decade.

 

I would have to say your grandfather is off base. Outside of Wladimir Klitschko, most of the modern heavyweights would not be champions in the 1950s, and most would not even compete for top contender status. Fighters like Bob Baker, Clarence Henry, and Nino Valdes would be top contenders today. Charles, Walcott, Moore would not lose to anybody outside of Wlad. Marciano would dominated. Rex Layne, Roland Lastarza would work their way to the top.

 

Sergei Lyakhovich reminds me of Rex Layne. I could be completely off, and likely am, but he just does, especially with his punching style which were often slapping shots. His fight with Brewster also reminds me of Layne vs Satterfield, except Satterfield did not have a chin like Brewster's.

 

So you think Vitali Klitschko would not beat Charles or Patterson? :yikes

Modern champions in the context of the thread also means Bowe, Holyfield, and Lewis.

Most historians and people who lived in the 50's did not think it was a talent rich era of heavyweight boxing.

 

Two fringe contenders slugging it out:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za2qFeWxjek[/ame]

 

Rex Layne a "slap" puncher? Layne was known for having a huge right hand. John Garfield even verified this claim.

 

The current 39 year old Vitali would not beat a Prime Ezzard Charles and Floyd Patterson. No way. The speed and Skill difference would be so extreme, vitali's size would not be able to overcome it.

 

I meant both have a tendency to throw slapping shots.

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


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5chxdyedNw[/ame]


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyJyeH72AZ4[/ame]

 

Top notch stuff. Yes, I've always felt the area thinned out during the end of Marciano's reign. I felt it had some pretty decent depth earlier in his reign.