The Greatest Heavyweights before 1930.

Something like:

1. Jack Johnson
2. James Jeffries
3. Harry Wills
4. Jack Dempsey
5. John L Sullivan
6. Bob Fitzsimmons
7. Sam Langford
8. Gene Tunney
9. Jack Sharkey
10. Peter Jackson

 

Johnson
Dempsey
Fitzsimmons
Langford
Tunney
Jeffries
Sullivan
Jackson
Jeannette
Wills

 

1 - Luis Ortiz

 

1. Sam Langford
2. Jack Johnson
3. Jack Dempsey
4. Joe Jeannette
5 Jack Sharkey
6. Harry Willis
7. Gene Tunney
8. James J Jeffries
9. John Sullivan
10. Bob Fitzsimmons

Langford takes my number one spot as no single fighter in history has been ducked by legitimate contenders or reigning champions like Sam. You could say many fighters drew the color line in Sam's time but they all knew what he was capable of, and when they drew the color line for Sam, it was out of terror. Including Jack Johnson who I imagine most would rank as #1. If Sam was given the opportunities white fighters of his era had, I strongly believe we would not consider SRR the greatest PFP.

 

Johnson agreed to fight Langford in Australia the promoter withdrew the offer when Johnson skipped bail.

 

Dempsey
Johnson
Sullivan
Jeffries
Wills
Langford
Fitzsimmons
Joe Jeanette
Peter Jackson
James Corbett

 

Johnson
Dempsey
Langford
Jeffries
Wills
Jeanette
Fitz
Tunney
Sharkey
Sullivan

 

Dempsey.
Jeffries. (Jeffries and Johnson are so close in my mind.)
Johnson. (Jeffries and Johnson are so close in my mind.)
Sullivan. (This is an educated guess.)
Langford.
Fitzsimmons.
Wills.
Jackson. (Corbett and Jackson are tied.)
Corbett. (Corbett and Jackson are tied.)
Tunney. (I'm giving Tunney the benefit of the doubt here.)

 

My top 10:

1. Jack Johnson
2. James Jeffries
3. Jack Dempsey
4. Bob Fitzsimmons
5. Sam Langford
6. Harry Wills
7. John L. Sullivan
8. Peter Jackson
9. Gene Tunney
10. Joe Goddard or Jim Corbett

I don't count Jack Sharkey because big part of his career came after 1930.

 

I don't think you are giving Tunney that much benefit.D!

 

Firstly, welcome aboard, and a rather good first post if I might be so bold, as to your ratings/list putting Sharkey at 5 for me, is a tad high, but that's the beauty of our sport, we all have our own opinions and and reservations, and generally on this site you are at liberty to express them, without fear or rancour, post again soon buddy. stay safe guys.

 

How can you justify that?

 

1. Gene Tunney, 2. James J. Jeffries, 3. John L. Sullivan, 4. Jack Johnson, 5. Jack Dempsey, 6. James John Corbett, 7. Harold Wills, 8. Tommy Burns, 9. Peter Jackson, 10. Philadelphia Jack O'Brien

Listed could be also Choyinsky, Fitzsimmons, 'Sailor" Sharkey and Maher.