The ATG middleweights

Well, thank you :smoke

Of his time? Hmm.....let me get back to you on that one. As I said before, the MWs are a rough bunch to rank:think

 

I agree with you there for the most part. Then again I do think Hopkins peaked as it was in the late 90's/early 2000's. He was always an excellent fighter fundamentally. He was just one of the few that managed to sculpt those fundamentals into working in combination with the tricks and spoiling tactics he learned in his later career. Tricks that often lead to dirtier, more boring/unimpressive bouts, mind you. He didn't need to fight that way in his prime because he had the physical tools to back it up. I'd say he'd established himself as a crafty vet by then, though.

 

:rofl That is one of the funniest videos I've ever seen:!:

 

After giving it some thought I'd say that the elite middleweights of that era were Yarosz, Freddie Steele, Marcel Thil, Ken Overlin and a few others. Yarosz and Steele get the nod from me over the others, with maybe Teddy edging out Steele based on quality wins. Steele has no shortage of those, but I'm not sure he can match wins over Archie Moore, Billy Conn and Lloyd Marshall.

Head to head? Wow...what a matchup:good. Yarosz the consummate boxer vs Steele the brutal puncher. Teddy's iron chin vs Freddie's iron fists.

I'll take Yarosz in a squeaker. He was hard to hit and when he was nailed he proved he could take it (and then some). If whackers like Ezzard Charles, Lloyd Marshall, Al Gainer, Jimmy Bivins, Solly Krieger, Oscar Rankins, Tommy Gomez, Turkey Thompson and the greatest KO artist of them all- Archie Moore- couldn't stop Yarosz then I don't like Freddie Steele's chances either. It's possible, but the evidence to support it (ie-Yarosz getting ko'd or even close to it at any time in his career) just isn't there. And Freddie definitely isn't going to outbox Yarosz, so a KO is the only way he wins.

Just my opinion.

I wonder why this bout never happened. Anyone know?

 

Harry Greb
SRR
Carlos Monzon
Marvin Hagler
Bernard Hopkins
Bob Fitzsimmons
Charley Burley
Kid McCoy
Stanley Ketchel
Jake LaMotta
Roy Jones Jr
Tommy Ryan
Marcel Cerdan
Mike McCallum
Carmen Basilio

its here.its not your list but it is a list

 

That's a big call, Surf. Steele's one of the best Middleweights I've ever seen on film. The consumate boxer-puncher.

 

i need to watch Steele and see what your talking about...he has a pretty good resume....

 

I wouldn't dismiss anyone who would pick him in this fight. It's just hard to picture HOW he would win. A KO seems unlikely given Yarosz's record against big punchers. And outboxing a prime Yarosz is a feat that not too many pulled off. Billy Conn and Nate Bolden both marvelled at how slick and hard to nail he was.

But Steele was a great fighter too. That's what makes this so intriguing

 

In that case, here's an excerpt from my book for you and our comrades here on Eastside to enjoy:smoke


FRANK KLAUS
Pittsburgh’s first world champion

In much the same way that Penn State became known for churning out great linebackers into the professional football ranks, the city of Pittsburgh became famous for its tradition of producing top middleweight fighters into professional boxing. As such it seemed only fitting that the man who held the distinction of being the very first world champion in the Smoky City’s history was a middleweight.

After the murder of Stanley Ketchel in 1910 there proceeded a mad scramble of would-be champions rushing to proclaim laurels. No less than a dozen men claimed the middleweight title at any time between 1910 and 1915; world class belters like Jack Dillon, Billy Papke, Leo Houck, Eddie McGoorty, Frank Mantell and Cyclone Johnny Thompson were prowling the ranks. A series of elimination bouts took place over a period of years and when the dust cleared to a reasonable degree it was Frank Klaus, the gritty 5’7 Steeltown German, who was standing the tallest among them.

There was no finesse to Klaus. He was as subtle as a rusty nail; one look at his picture told all- this was not an athlete but a fighter, pure and simple. Square jawed, flat nosed and stockily built, the burly Klaus was an infighter who burrowed in under the guard of opponents in order to deliver his vicious, short armed blows to the head and body. He had a well deserved reputation as one of the top- if not THE top- body punchers of his day, had limitless stamina and was impossible to discourage. One boxing writer likened his style to “…a boulder crashing down a hill. The further he went, the greater his momentum and destructive force.”

Klaus began his career in 1904 and, together with his manager George Engel, began to cut an impressive swath through the middleweight ranks. He first gained nationwide acclaim in 1909 with a series of stellar performances against several top fighters. Most impressive was the hard time he gave to former world champion Billy Papke in a six-round bout in Pittsburgh. The upstart pug roughed up the wily veteran, crowding him and bloodying his nose in making Papke “step lively” for the entire fight. He followed up that glossy performance by administering a twelve-round lacing to heavyweight “Porky” Dan Flynn, who outweighed him by a full twenty-five pounds. By the end of the year some sportswriters were even suggesting that Klaus could give the World Champion himself- the immortal “Michigan Assassin” Stanley Ketchel - a run for his money.

The two did meet, fighting a six round no-decision draw in Pittsburgh on March 23, 1910, seven months before Ketchel’s untimely death. Though it was considered by most to be a dull fight due to a listless performance by the Champion Klaus was given much credit for pressing the action throughout. When the storm of would-be champions laid their claim to the vacant title later that year Klaus was in as good a position as any of them due to his performances against the two previous champions- Papke and Ketchel- as well as a convincing win over top contender Jack “Twin” Sullivan. But he couldn’t claim the title himself until he’d at least topped a few of his fellow aspirants first.

He began by beating Frank Mantell, Leo Houck and Cyclone Johnny Thompson. He then further strengthened his position with back to back wins over Jack Dillon- who had one of the stronger claims to the throne- and an impressive victory over Georges Carpentier (also a middleweight title claimant at that time). But it was his systematic dismantling of former champion and current title claimant Billy Papke in Paris on March 5, 1913 that garnered him universal recognition in the press.

Klaus didn’t have much time to enjoy his status. Like most pressure fighters his grinding style didn’t allow for a long shelf life. He fought two torrid draws against hard-hitting title aspirant Eddie McGoorty before facing off against New Castle middleweight George Chip. Klaus was well ahead on points going into the final round when Chip let fly with a thunderous right that caromed off the champion’s head, knocking him out and relieving him of his hard-earned crown. The rematch two months later featured a similar result with the knockout occurring this time in the fifth round. They were the sole knockouts in Klaus’s career, but Frank could clearly see the writing on the wall. Rather than stay in the game and become an “opponent” for young up and comers he retired, dignity intact.

Klaus became a trainer of fighters in his later years, his most notable charge being welterweight contender Jimmy Belmont. He could be a frightening presence in the corner, once threatening to smash a water bottle over the head of one of his protégés if he lost the next round. The great lightweight champion Battling Nelson, who often assisted his friend Klaus in training his fighters, once remarked while watching one train “That kid has the makings. He’s fast and a real puncher. If he has the nerve, he’s a real find. And if he hasn’t, I’ll bet you even money Klaus beats the life out of him when he finds out.”

Frank Klaus died from a heart attack on February 8, 1948. Ring Magazine founder and respected boxing historian Nat Fleischer rated him as the sixth greatest middleweight of all time.

 

A great post Surf, on Frank Klaus. He was built like a bulldog, much the
same as a later day lou Brouillard, and better too. amazing how George Chip had his number ! His style, as you say was not made for a long prime,
much the sama as the meteor that was Terry McGovern.
A guy like LaMotta was a pressure guy also, but was very wily, riding with
punches,conserving his energy. Wouldn't it be interesting if by magic, we
could match Frank Klaus and Jake LaMotta.? The outcome would be like
the Rosetta Stone,of Egypt, telling us today what the oldtimers were really like ,compared to today ! I can dream, can't I ?:good

 

Thanks Burt. Glad you liked it. I'm not so sure that Chip had Klaus's number though. More like he caught him by surprise at the tail end of his career, which consisted of many long, grueling wars with the top fighters in the division. I think by that time Klaus has just had enough and his chin gave out. Well, that and the fact that Chip was one of the hardest punching middleweights of the era! Prime for prime I'd take Klaus. I think he'd get up under Chips swings and smother him; give him no room to get the room and leverage to throw those KO swings. Kind of like what Chavez did to Edwin Rosario.