Yeah pre 30s is a weak point for me. Know the names and some accomplishments but lack the depth maybe needed for these votes.
My contender of the day is Frank Moran. Frank Moran 1----Joe Beckett 2----Al Palzer 3----Bombardier Billy Wells 4----Tom Cowler 5----Jim Coffey Moran was a relatively famous name, famous enough for a couple of generations to call a good right hand a "Mary Ann" after the nickname for Moran's right. A close look at his record leaves one underwhelmed, though. Overall, Moran was 41-22-4 with 31 KO's. Besides the names above, there isn't really all that much. Homer Smith is probably the next best name. There is not that much depth. What Moran did have was a punch. All of his top five men lost by knockout. But for me there is nothing to get all that excited about, especially for a contender who got two shots at the title. He strikes me as a 1910's version of Brian London, only a bit less impressive.
Ok some real interesting ones NEXT Jimmy Bivins and Ken Norton Jimmy Bivins top five 1 Ezzard Charles 2 Archie Moore 3 Bob Pastor 4 Joey Maxim 5 Lee Savold A damn solid top five. Ken Norton top five 1 Muhammad Ali 2 Jerry Quarry 3 Jimmy Young 4 Ron Stander 5 Larry Middleton Really struggled on the last two and i might change My picks. Top three heavy but beyond that not very strong
Definitely at heavyweight. The only true stand out is Dempsey, and even he is very flawed. Some of the contenders are good, but no-one jumps out as amazing like some do in later eras.
I think there are some very strong candidates before 1930s - Wills was great, Langford was one of the best ever, Jackson is another great mention, Goddard is forever underrated, then you have some fighters who are definitely on a level of younger ones mentioned here - Peter Maher, Tom Sharkey, Sam McVea, Joe Jeannette ect.
Obviously Langford is great, I hold him higher than most, but I tend to think he's too small at heavyweight. He did lose to the two best he fought, basically because he was too small.
Ugh, roughly: This content is protected • Ezzard Charles • Archie Moore • Joey Maxim • Bob Pastor • Curtis Sheppard This content is protected • Muhammad Ali I • Jimmy Young • Jerry Quarry • Jose Luis Garcia II • Bobick/Stander (should really be Ali III)
Gazelle, here are my picks on Bivins Jimmy Bivins 1) Tami Mauriello 2) Bob Pastor 3) Lee Savold 4) Lee Q Murray 5) Curtis Sheppard I did not go with Ezzard Charles or Archie Moore - arguably his best wins - because they were light heavies when he beat them (165 and 168 respectively) and I tried to keep this at heavyweight only. Mauriello was probably his best win at heavy since they were fighting for the duration title. Anyway that's my picks. Ken Norton 1) Muhammad Ali 2) Jimmy Young 3) Jerry Quarry 4) Duane Bobick 5) Randy Cobb I went with Young before Quarry because the Quarry fight was Jerry at the end of the road, whereas Young was in his prime and top-rated. Also I went with Bobick and Cobb as they were both undefeated and rated highly when Ken went to work on them.
Young fight was kind of controversial I read. Haven’t actually watched that one. That kind of edged out quarry for me
It was an outstanding close fight. I would highly recommend it. I believe I had Young the winner by a point. Over 15 rounds that is one close fight, but one I think you'll like.
Jimmy Bivins 1----Melio Bettina 2----Lee Savold 3----Turkey Thompson 4----Lee Q. Murray 5----Bob Pastor Not making the cut and why Ezzard Charles--this fight was at light-heavy with Bivins having a 10 lb. weight pull. I also read years ago that Charles was already in the military and couldn't train for this fight (or the one with Marshall). If true, that puts a cloud over this one and certainly after the war Charles proved the better. Archie Moore--Moore weighed 168 to Bivins' 186. This is another one in which Moore dominated Bivins later after he put on weight. Tami Mauriello--was still a teenager when Bivins beat him. I really considered him and off his record he could easily be on this list. Can't argue with anyone who selects him. There is a tremendously deep resume of guys who were were close to the above, and rated in the top ten, or at the top of the light-heavy ratings, such as Maxim. One of the deepest contender resumes.
Ken Norton 1----Muhammad Ali 2----Jimmy Young 3----Jerry Quarry 4----Henry Clark 5----Randy Cobb Not making the cut--Duane Bobick. Doesn't impress me as being good enough. Jose Luis Garcia--I think had slipped by the time Norton beat him. No argument with anyone putting him on the list. Jack O'Halloran--not quite a good enough fighter, but like Cobb a good actor. I thought him the best Moose of any in Farewell, My Lovely.
