Slightly off-topic, I don't think I've ever used these fighters names or spoken about them or even thought about them without incorporating their nicknames. Seriously, the names: Carl 'The Truth' Williams Andy 'The Hawk' Price Sugar Baby Rojas Pajarito Moreno Bazooka Limon Ray 'Windmill' White Famoso Gomez Baby Casanova Dave 'Boy' Green The nicknames seem to be indelible.
Good mentions. When I did my top ten I was torn inbetween Limon and Quartey I actually flipped a dollar coin to settle the matter and it was for Ike. I would have liked to add Wilfredo but theres only two sides to the coin.
Dmitry "The Grandmaster" Pirog It sounds like chess. And the Russians (Soviets) had very, very many Grandmasters in chess.
Bazooka, would be one of the last nicknames I would have chosen for Phillip Brown. He was that passive. It's like calling Joe Bugner "Drax the Destroyer"
Good nickname! I might have to bump a fighter from my top 50 for that one! No disrespect but I have to say "Had" is incorrect. If im not mistaken Russia has the most Grandmasters at 364. The runner up is Germany at 118 and every other country falls short By alot. Most recently because of the conflict over there all tournaments are a void , Imo , since Russian Grandmasters can not compete and also many refuse to compete because of the conflict.
Eric "Butterbean" Esch The nickname is certainly original, and although I doubt it would enter your TOP 1000 list.