Over the years there have been mamy excellent contenders, but some disappointments. Despite their abilities, many fell short of a world title and will be forever just a fotnote in history. Some contenders to remember include Henry Cooper, Zora Folley, Roger Rouse, Gaspar Ortega, Jose Stable, Don Fullmer, Bennie Briscoe, Clyde Gray, Ray Lampkin and many more such as Bobby "Boogaloo" Watts. Then there was Buster Mathis who faced Joe Frazier for a piece of the heactweight title in 1968 or the character known as Tommy "Hurricane" Jackson, or a Billy Fox, and Seattle's own Eddie Cotton, or the "uncrowned champion" Billy Graham. :happy :bbb atsch
Alan Rudkin, Liverpool bantamweight fought peak Harada in Japan to a close but unan' decision. He fought peak Lionel Rose to a split and controversial decision in Australia and fought peak Olivares in LA, lost tko 2 in a 2 round battle. Tell me he couldn't have won a title today?
Gustav 'Bubi' Scholz, German boxer who fought from lightweight to lightheavyweight winning the German WW title, the German and European mw title, the European lhw title and fought for the lhw world championship against Harold Johnson while beeing already a few years past it. Never got a chance at the title at his best weight, middleweight, even though some of his German rivals he regularly beat like Peter Mueller got shots against the American tob mws - he beat Joey Giardello for example. He is one of the three boxers to really capture the German public becoming and idol - the other two beeing Max Schmeling and Henry Maske - due to him becoming the symbol of the economic miracle.
Speaking of Harada, I'd like to mention another one of his challengers to the bantam thrown, Bernardo Caraballo. What an athletic specimen this kid was. He punched from some ridiculous angles and did so in combination with great speed. If only he had sounder technique (and a better chin) he really could have been something. Thought he outboxed Harada for large portions of their fight and it was only Harada's ability to outgut him down the stretch (and the one point deduction for holding) that got Harada over the line. That point deduction was the decisive point on my card which gave Harada the win. To get the win Harada had to take some incredible flush shots. Quite incredible he didn't buckle under any of them, though Caraballo was no power hitter. Caraballo was a decent fighter, he beat the likes of Pacqual Perez (aging version), Chartchai Chionoi, Manny Elias, Waldimir Pinto and Antonio Herrera. He also had a shot at Jofre, and got blasted out in 7, which is no disgrace as it was one of Jofre's best performances. Caraballo's chin was vulnerable and he could be knocked out, but if you didn't have power he would give you hell, no matter how good a boxer you were. Would have been great to see him up against Lionel Rose, a real boxing delight that would have been.