The guys who fought them all

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Saintpat, Sep 14, 2022.


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  1. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    His fight with Pipino used to be on YouTube but it disappeared some time ago and I haven’t been able to find it since. Really been wanting to give that another watch and score it.

    But yes, Shields was a warrior as far as level of opposition. I think he also fought Pete Ranzany a couple of times in a really good California welter rivalry.
     
    Saintpat, Sep 15, 2022
    Saintpat, Sep 15, 2022
    #16
  2. ikrasevic

    ikrasevic War for Souls Full Member

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    Joe Louis:
    Primo Carnera, Max Baer, Max Schmeling, Jack Sharkey, Jim Braddock, John Henry Lewis, Billy Conn, Lou Nova, Buddy Baer, Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, Rocky Marciano...
     
    ikrasevic, Sep 15, 2022
    ikrasevic, Sep 15, 2022
    #17
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  3. Tockah

    Tockah Ingo's Bingo Full Member

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    Before @Journeyman92 gets here allow me to mention the GOAT Sun Kil Moon. One look at his resume and it becomes apparent the man came into the division, did his diligence and solidified his legacy, and knew when to hang up the gloves. Resumes don't get much prettier than Moon's.

    A fighter I would posit though is Dick Tiger. The guy fought so man competent opponents of his era.
     
    Tockah, Sep 15, 2022
    Tockah, Sep 15, 2022
    #18
  4. greynotsoold

    greynotsoold Boxing Addict

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    greynotsoold, Sep 15, 2022
    greynotsoold, Sep 15, 2022
    #19
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  5. Terror

    Terror free smoke Full Member

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    It's always Juan LaPorte for me.
     
    Terror, Sep 15, 2022
    Terror, Sep 15, 2022
    #20
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  6. heerko koois

    heerko koois Obsessed with Boxing

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    Hagler comes to mind..
     
    heerko koois, Sep 15, 2022
    heerko koois, Sep 15, 2022
    #21
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  7. mattdonnellon

    mattdonnellon Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Choynski-Johnson, Corbett, Sharkey, Maher, Goddard, Hall, Ed Smith, Godfrey, Armstrong, Jeffries, McAuliffe, Ruhlin, McCoy, O'Donnell, Walcott, Childs, Creedon, O'Brien and a host more.
     
    mattdonnellon, Sep 15, 2022
    mattdonnellon, Sep 15, 2022
    #22
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  8. The Long Count

    The Long Count Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    The Cleveland rubber man Johnny Risko - fought Tunney, Schmeling, Sharkey, Baer, Loughran, Schaaf, Godfrey, Galento, Stribling and a host of others like Mickey Walker, John Henry Lewis, Uzcudon etc
     
    The Long Count, Sep 15, 2022
    The Long Count, Sep 15, 2022
    #23
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  9. scartissue

    scartissue Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    That’s the second time today I heard that. Lol!
     
    scartissue, Sep 15, 2022
    scartissue, Sep 15, 2022
    #24
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  10. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Wasn’t really looking for dominant champions like Louis and Hagler but hey, all is fair.

    How about Gaspar “Indio” Ortega. A bridesmaid welter who challenged Emile Griffith unsuccessfully, Ortega also fought Benny Paret, Carmine Basillio, Nino Benvenuti, Tony DeMarco, Florentino Fernandez, Kid Gavilan, Johnny Gonsalves and a host of others in a 176-fight career (many of those above more than once).

    Ortega also has the distinction of fighting on U.S. network TV in prime time more than any other fighter ever thanks to his popularity on the Gillette Friday Night Fights series.
     
    Saintpat, Sep 15, 2022
    Saintpat, Sep 15, 2022
    #25
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  11. Themessiah

    Themessiah El Jefe Full Member

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    Marion Wilson
     
    Themessiah, Sep 15, 2022
    Themessiah, Sep 15, 2022
    #26
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  12. Pugguy

    Pugguy Ingo, The Thinking Man’s GOAT banned Full Member

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    Yeah, I thought this was supposed to be guys who didn’t quite make it to the top but fought almost everyone otherwise. Hell, I’ll throw in Liston who fought all and sundry to clean out the division pre title - similarly speaking, Jack Johnson also.
     
    Pugguy, Sep 15, 2022
    Pugguy, Sep 15, 2022
    #27
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  13. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I wouldn't call Bigfoot Martin competitive against basically anyone you named except Witherspoon. He didn't win a round and got floored by Foreman. That's not competitive. He lost 39 times and only won 20.

    He was the definition of a fighter who built up a losing record taking on all offers. He lost 25 of his last 27 fights.
     
    Dubblechin, Sep 15, 2022
    Dubblechin, Sep 15, 2022
    #28
  14. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Hard to argue but he went valuable rounds with guys. He’s the guy you fought who wouldn’t be a pushover looking for a soft spot and would keep plugging the whole time … but (unless you were Witherspoon) didn’t have a gear to threaten the better guys.

    He could have easily been .500 if he wanted to pad his record with some stiffs but he was a prizefighter who fought to make a living so he fought all the top guys to make money and pay bills. The last few years he was obviously shopworn to the point of not giving the value he had earlier but I’ve got admiration for a guy like that.

    If you want a livelier version, let’s go with Leroy Caldwell, who went 27-31. He was friskier than Bigfoot but maybe not as durable (possibly because he’d take more chances).

    His ledger includes George Foreman, Gregorio Peralta, Ron Lyle, Oscar Bonavena, Cleveland Williams, Earnie Shavers and Joe Bugner in the earlier portion of his career, then Trevor Berbick, Pinklon Thomas, Stan Ward, Gerrie Coetzee, David Bey and John Tate. He beat sorta fringe contender Jeff Shelburg late in his career and had a draw with Berbick, who hadn’t yet found himself, but mostly losses to those guys.

    But you certainly can’t question the courage of either Bigfoot or Caldwell. They’d fight anybody, anywhere, anytime.
     
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2022
    Saintpat, Sep 15, 2022
    Saintpat, Sep 15, 2022
    #29
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  15. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I would say Rocky Juarez.

    Juarez was the U.S. amateur champion at Bantamweight and Featherweight from 1997 to 2000. He was the World Amateur Champion in 1999.

    He was a favorite to win the gold medal in the 2000 Olympics but was upset and lost a one-sided decision in the Olympic final to an opponent who died about two weeks later in an accident, so he never got to avenge the loss.

    Was a favorite to become champ as a pro, and he seemed to catch a break facing the late sub, unknown Humberto Soto for the vacant Featherweight title. But Juarez was upset and lost a decision by a point on nearly all the cards.

    He then moved up and fought Marco Antonio Barrera for the super featherweight title twice and lost via split decision and a two-point (on two cards) unanimous decision.

    Then he fought Juan Manuel Marquez for his super featherweight title and lost a decision.

    Then he fought Chris John for his featherweight title and it ended in a draw (on all three cards). He rematched with John and lost a decision for the title again.

    Then he lost his next five and basically fell out as a contender.

    But at one point he was 28-5-1 and all his losses and draws were in title fights.

    Just wasn't quite good enough.
     
    Dubblechin, Sep 15, 2022
    Dubblechin, Sep 15, 2022
    #30
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