A Tale of Ten Cities

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by TBooze, Jan 13, 2011.


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  1. TBooze

    TBooze Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Remember when boxing was King of the Neighbourhood? When great boxing cities were New York, Philadelphia and Los Angeles rather than Vegas or Atlantic City? Well listed below from a March 1996 Ring, is listed ten boxing cities, ten best fighters.

    As The Ring pointed out, they only have so much space and could not do lists for such Cities as Miami, Seattle, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Washington, D.C., Cleveland and Buffalo. Maybe someone give that a crack? Maybe to, lists for Vegas and Atlantic City, or indeed other Cities/Towns throughout the world?

    Looking though it, some of the picks are obvious, some could cause debate.

    The Top Ten of New York

    10: Jake LaMotta
    9: Joe Lynch
    8: Terry McGovern
    7: Maxie Rosenbloom
    6: Johnny Dundee
    5: Gene Tunney
    4: Jack Britton
    3: Tony Canzoneri
    2: Benny Leonard
    1: Ray Robinson

    The best fight: Louis/SchmelingII

    The Top Ten of San Francisco

    10: Frankie Klick
    9: Tom Sharkey
    8: Fred Apostoli
    7: Bobo Olson
    6: Jimmy Britt
    5: Willie Ritchie
    4: Frankie Neil
    3: Joe Choynski
    2: James J Corbett
    1: Abe Attell

    The best fight: Johnson/Ketchel

    The Top Ten of Chicago

    10: Eddie Perkins
    9: Ernie Terrell
    8: Johnny Bratton
    7: Davey Day
    6: Nate Bolden
    5: Johnny Coulon
    4: Jimmy Barry
    3: Barney Ross
    2: Tony Zale
    1: Battling Nelson

    The best fight: Graziano/ZaleII

    The Top Ten of Boston

    10: Sammy Langford
    9: Jack Sharkey
    8: Lou Brouillard
    7: Honeyboy Finnegan
    6: Paul Pender
    5: Sal Bartolo
    4: Tony DeMarco
    3: Marvin Hagler
    2: Rocky Marciano
    1: John L Sullivan

    Best fight: Hagler/MonroeII

    The Top Ten of New Orleans

    10: Andy Bowen
    9: Tony Licata
    8: Percy Pugh
    7: Bernard Docusen
    6: Jimmy Perrin
    5: Freddie Little
    4: Ralph Dupas
    3: Willie Pastrano
    2: Joe Brown
    1: Pete Herman

    Best fight: Corbett/Sullivan

    The Top Ten of Los Angeles

    10: Ceferino Garcia
    9: Fidel LaBarba
    8: Solly Smith
    7: Carlos Palomino
    6: Jimmy McLarnin
    5: Mando Ramos
    4: Art Aragon
    3: Baby Arizmendi
    2: Manuel Ortiz
    1: James J Jeffries

    The best fight: Art Aragon/Cisco Andrade

    The Top Ten of Detroit

    10: Jimmy Paul
    9: Dwight Davison
    8: K.O. Morgan
    7: Hilmer Kenty
    6: Michael Moorer
    5: Milton McCrory
    4: Holman Williams
    3: James Toney
    2: Tommy Hearns
    1: Joe Louis

    The best fight: Caveman Lee/John Locicero

    The Top Ten of Pittsburgh

    10:Cuddy DeMarco
    9: Jackie Wilson
    8: Frank Klaus
    7: Sammy Angott
    6: Fritzie Zivic
    5: Billy Soose
    4: Teddy Yarosz
    3: Charley Burley
    2: Billy Conn
    1: Harry Greb

    The best fight: Walcott/CharlesIII

    The Top Ten of Philadelphia

    10: Bennie Briscoe
    9: Lew Tendler
    8: Midget Wolgast
    7: Tommy Loughran
    6: Matt Saad Muhammad
    5: Jeff Chandler
    4: Joey Giardello
    3: Harold Johnson
    2: Bob Montgomery
    1: Joe Frazier

    The best fight: Marciano/WalcottI

    The Top Ten of Baltimore

    10: Jack Portney
    9: Jimmy McAllister
    8: Red Burman
    7: Vincent Pettway
    6: Vince Dundee
    5: Joe Dundee
    4: K.O. Chaney
    3: Kid Williams
    2: Harry Jeffra
    1: Joe Gans

    The best fight: Ralph Palladin/Johnny Doyan

    　
     
    TBooze, Jan 13, 2011
    TBooze, Jan 13, 2011
    #1
  2. Pachilles

    Pachilles Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I have a good idea! Do a tournament like the era tourney we had. I don't know half the names on the lists so just throwing the suggestion out
     
    Pachilles, Jan 13, 2011
    Pachilles, Jan 13, 2011
    #2
  3. Surf-Bat

    Surf-Bat Boxing Addict Full Member

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    St. Paul fighters to start with would be

    Mike Gibbons
    Tommy Gibbons
    Mike O'Dowd
    Billy Miske
    Jock Malone

    Cincinnati:

    Ezzard Charles
    Freddie Miller
    Aaron Pryor
    Bud Smith
    Tony Tubbs (born there but only fought a few times there)
    George Costner
    Billy Joiner
    The Bezenah Brothers


    Cleveland:

    Johnny Kilbane
    Jimmy Bivins
    Joey Maxim
    Lloyd Marshall
    Lem Franklin
    Johnny Risko
    Paul Pirrone
    Anton Christoforidis
    Phil Brock
    Matt Brock
    Jackie Davis
    Jimmy Reeves
    Cleveland Jackie Wilson

    Milwaukee:

    Gus Christie
    Bob Moha
    Charley Neary
     
    Surf-Bat, Jan 13, 2011
    Surf-Bat, Jan 13, 2011
    #3
  4. Senya13

    Senya13 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    No Phila Jack O'Brien?!?
     
    Senya13, Jan 14, 2011
    Senya13, Jan 14, 2011
    #4
  5. anarci

    anarci Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Well i know this is from 96 but if you made that list today Delahoya,Mosley are definitely high on the LA list... Also Bobby Chacon and Danny Lopez should be on the list more so than Solly Smith,Ceferino Garcia and even Art Aragon.... U could make a case for throwing in Chicanito Hernandez... although Enrique Bolanos was from Mexico he was considered an LA guy he moved here as a teen and fought his whole career in LA, if it wasnt for the Great Ike Williams(whohe fought to split decision 1st fight) he would have been a helluva champ..... If they did a top 20 or 30 LA might be the deepest of all the american cities.
     
    anarci, Jan 14, 2011
    anarci, Jan 14, 2011
    #5
  6. anarci

    anarci Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Seattle

    Freddie Steele
    Rocky Lockridge
    Greg Haugen
    John David Jackson
    Leo Randolph
    Johnny Bumphus
    Sugar Ray Seals
    Emmit Linton


    Pinklon Thomas also trained and fought here as an amatuer and early pro, but i didnt include him as hes more of a Pontiac,Michigan guy.
     
    anarci, Jan 14, 2011
    anarci, Jan 14, 2011
    #6
  7. PhillyPhan69

    PhillyPhan69 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    It is nice to see Bob Montgomery get some well deserved recognition and he is likely a lock at top 5....Jeff Chandler one of my favorites and i find him to be underrated at BW on the whole, but not sure i could lock him into top 5 here....Tommy loughran should be ahead of MS Muhammad (who I also like) and well into the top 5. Not bad although with more time I know i would like to see other alterations that i don't agree with there!

    The Top Ten of Philadelphia

    10: Bennie Briscoe
    9: Lew Tendler
    8: Midget Wolgast
    7: Tommy Loughran
    6: Matt Saad Muhammad
    5: Jeff Chandler
    4: Joey Giardello
    3: Harold Johnson
    2: Bob Montgomery
    1: Joe Frazier

    The best fight: Marciano/WalcottI
     
    PhillyPhan69, Jan 14, 2011
    PhillyPhan69, Jan 14, 2011
    #7
  8. Nicky P

    Nicky P Jamiva Boxing Full Member

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    Cool lists. Does anyone think Floyd Patterson should break the top 10 for new york boxers?
     
    Nicky P, Jan 14, 2011
    Nicky P, Jan 14, 2011
    #8
  9. mckay_89

    mckay_89 Haw you! Full Member

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    Hopkins would have to rank as the greatest Philly fighter for me now.
     
    mckay_89, Jan 14, 2011
    mckay_89, Jan 14, 2011
    #9
  10. PhillyPhan69

    PhillyPhan69 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Hop's is one of my favorites and while I still have not sat down to form any list, i don't see him as a lock for the top 5 but most likely a lock in the top 10
     
    PhillyPhan69, Jan 14, 2011
    PhillyPhan69, Jan 14, 2011
    #10
  11. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    Bristol would sport a distinguished list!
     
    janitor, Jan 14, 2011
    janitor, Jan 14, 2011
    #11
  12. wordisbond

    wordisbond Active Member Full Member

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    I was thinking that as well. In my humble opinion, Tyson has to be a top 10 NY fighter though.
     
    wordisbond, Jan 14, 2011
    wordisbond, Jan 14, 2011
    #12
  13. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    Some of those lists are prety dire.

    Sam Langfod at 10 for Boston?

    Have there been ten fighters from the planet earth who have a case to be above Langford?
     
    janitor, Jan 14, 2011
    janitor, Jan 14, 2011
    #13
  14. mckay_89

    mckay_89 Haw you! Full Member

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    There is a better case for no fighters from planet earth to be above him.
     
    mckay_89, Jan 14, 2011
    mckay_89, Jan 14, 2011
    #14
  15. Surf-Bat

    Surf-Bat Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Love these lists. Wish someone would have posted the one paragraph write-up after each fighter (as it appeared in The Ring, 3/96 issue).

    The more I read about Joe Mandot, the more I realize how criminal it was to leave him off the New Orleans list.
     
    Surf-Bat, May 20, 2013
    Surf-Bat, May 20, 2013
    #15
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