Pick the Darkhorse Middleweight GOAT

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Seamus, Aug 19, 2025 at 9:35 AM.


  1. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    What were Cerdan's 7 best wins? A skidding to .500 Williams and a last fight Zale would top the list, I assume.
     
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  2. dmt

    dmt Hardest hitting hw ever Full Member

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  3. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 MONZON VS HAGLER 2025 Full Member

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    Charley Burley is 2-0 over a prime Archie Moore? Truckload of wins, I don’t know the eras any of them that well but I recognise a lot of names in his scalp collection @Seamus is he up there for 160lbers? I always remembered him being a 147lber and I got over my Burley phase ages ago so I don’t want to look into it lol.
     
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  4. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    He's one of the better mentions for sure.

    Williams is another great one.
     
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  5. Shay Sonya

    Shay Sonya The REAL Wonder Woman! Full Member

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    Bob Fitzsimmons is a great Darkhorse pick here! He was Middleweight Champion, then HEAVYWEIGHT Champion, then Light Heavyweight Champion. Whoa! Ruby Robert Fitzsimmons!
     
  6. roughdiamond

    roughdiamond Ridin' the rails... Full Member

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    Don't know about GOAT, but Billy Conn as a middleweight is massively underrated. Some good wins there.
     
  7. Mike Cannon

    Mike Cannon Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Hi Guys.
    In with a shout :
    Les Darcy - only lost 4 times, scored nearly 30 KOs in 46 fights, took on and beat the likes of, Eddie McGoorty x 2, Jimmy Clabby, Buck Brouse, George Chip, plus he thought nothing of taking on HWs, cruelly cut down in his prime at 22, who knows what he could have gone on to achieve.
    stay safe guys, chat soon.
    Mike.
     
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  8. NoNeck

    NoNeck Pugilist Specialist

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    Pirog. He outperformed GGG and Canelo against Jacobs and retired on top as the only undefeated 160 champ.
     
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  9. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    But I don't find his actual middleweight resume to be overly impressive. He's more a LB4LB king.
     
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  10. HomicideHank

    HomicideHank I believe in the transmigration of souls Full Member

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    Les Darcy
    Frank Klaus
    Marcel Cerdan
    Tiger Flowers
     
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  11. thistle

    thistle Boxing Addict Full Member

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    the UK has an candidate for any Middleweight entry in Jock McAvoy...

    one of the best KO records in the sport as well as World Champions, L-HWs and even HWs among his opponents.

    McAvoy is a danger to any Middleweight who ever lived.
     
  12. BCS8

    BCS8 VIP Member

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    Found some Steele footage I never saw before. Freddie looks like the wild man of his time, technically he looks all over the place. But his punches came fast and hard and accurate. His defence was basically his bouncy footwork and catlike reflexes. Great fun to watch, here he is beating the bejeezus out of Vince Dundee:

    This content is protected


    also: "Give it ta him!!! AAIIEEE!!"
     
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  13. thistle

    thistle Boxing Addict Full Member

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    that is the Film Footage I mentioned a few weeks ago on another thread, Dundee looked absolutelty pathetic, though in his defence, that was his 13 year and approx 145 Fights in, after this fight he had a 2 year absence and only about 7 more fights, one of which a Hard Fought fight against Conn in July 1937... so he was obviously a much better fighter than he looked here.

    Also he suffered a Broken Jaw on the Right Side of his face & a concussion, which surely happened in that 1st Round 'lunging' Left Hook thrown by Steele.

    Poor, poor display by both of them, though the immediate early injury & panic defencive display to hold on and stay out of trouble would account for this... but it is footage like this that can mislead.

    Both fighters were obviously far better than this footage shows, which of course their records reveal and also there is other Film Footage of Steele showing some fine controlled skillful Boxing & Crisp Hard devastating punching power.
     
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  14. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker

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    You must have forgotten RJJ
     
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  15. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    I am not seeing the poor display from Steele. I am seeing a razor sharp lead puncher and counter puncher who was always balanced to deliver it from either hand,