Tommy Burns 1 Too many names to list Floyd Patterson 1A * Eddie Machen * Mike DeJohn * Zora Folley * Cleveland Williams * Harold Johnson
That would be Jack Johnson. Part of a champion's legacy is fighting the best out there in title matches. From 1908-1915, the top four rated fighters were Langford, Jeanette, Mcvey, and Gunboat Smith. You could argue there was another 4th during that time period. Johnson avoided them all, and most certainly had big money offers to fight Langford, Jeanette, and Mcvey. To compare, this would be equivalent to Ali not fighting the best out there of his time in Frazier, Foreman, Norton, and Lyle as Champion. A good second pick would be Patterson. Dempsey who did not fight Wills or Greb should also be in the dicussion.
How well do you think Greb would have done against Dempsey ? The Human Windmill was as hard as nails,was n't he ?
Best defense was against a middleweight-sized O'Brien, the rest were far from top contenders, only men that nobody had seen compete and who were able to hype themselves up with ridiculous boasts to the media (Squires the "perfect fighter" when he was barely fit to be Burns's sparring partner). A near 3 year reign that would have lasted but 3 months had he given Jack Johnson an immediate shot at the title.
It depends if your talking about 'as champion' or in their whole career. Patterson was steered out the way of the top HWs for a few years, albeit putting in a great trilogy with Johansen who was a top HW before getting in with the very best HW contender in Liston twice and then going to face the likes of Machenwho he was supposed to have avoided, taking on Quarry/Ellis and challenging Ali twice. Personally he didn't avoid anyone but was steered away from some fights earlier on For me it has to be Dempsey or Bowe, both avoided the very best challenger. Dempsey didn't face any from Wills, Langford, Jeanette, Johnson, McVey, Greb. Bowe didnt face any from Lewis, Tyson, Rudduck, Moorer, Mercer, Morrison, Bruno Johnson/Holmes had already beaten many of the guys they were supposed to be avoiding so its not so bad, plus Johnson was hounded out of America anyway. Burns didnt fight the best fighters in his reign but fought the number 1 challenger within 2 years.
Bowe - he fully earned the monicker 'Chicken Bowe' And going back over a 100 years no one ever came remotely close to doing something as reprehensible as putting a belt in the garbage rather than fight. Some men were willing to die in the ring for that belt and some nearly did....He also ran away from the marines after a couple of days, but later showed a smidgeon of bravery by beating his wife up, although he needed to be armed with a fork. There literally is no beginning to his acts of bravery.
No but the likes of Jeffries, Johnson, Dempsey were never stripped for ducking their no1 contenders Bowe showed plenty of courage against Golota and Holyfield btw
Patterson is not as bad as depicted usually, he fought Ingo 3 times, Liston twice, Moore and Jackson, the top two contenders to cement his title. Of course he fought bums and dodged Machen and Folley a little(they were 1 and 2 at year end '57 with Ring)but he did beat the man who removed Machen from the picture during '58 and from 59 on Floyde was invloved with Ingo and Sonny. And afterwards fought Chuvalo, Ellis, Quarry, Bonavena, Ali, Machen and Cooper. Corbett managed to avoid Jackson, Goddard, Slavin, Maher and also Fitz for as long as he could, effectively holding the crown for 5 years without a meaningful defence.
Johnson probably in his reign but he fought those guys pre-title which means something. Dempsey was inactive and this hurts Wills and Greb, though I think the moment for Langford et al had gone by then. Holmes missed a number of key names.
Thousand times braver than you'll ever be. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNW5lpa_ehM[/ame] [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhtdDQ21T0w&feature=related[/ame]
honestly i think that holmes avoided jimmy young and ron lyle too when larry was a prospect in 1976-77. AND THEY BOTH WOULD GIVE HOLMES THE HELL FOR SURE.
