A fighter who's legacy relies almost entirely on beating one man?

Ain't nowt wrong with the Brits, lad.

I mostly mean casual boxing fan but it applies to many a semi lazy just casual of a certain demographic/age - if you show a pic of Ali above Liston or clips of Ali slipping Terrell's punches or say Hammering 'Enry Cooper anywhere from Bow to Essex to people of a certain age, they would recognise it immediately.

Fairs, they may not know the exact names of his opponents, but the moments or footage of many of his fights, as said before, due to his popularity, adverts, media campaigns, talk shows, legendary interviews etc. has elevated Ali's visibility and as a by-product many of his opponent's visibility to a level that many great fighters would never experience.

Even something like Will Smith playing him in the movie and Will being a box office draw means that many casual boxing fans and casuals full stop will be somewhat aware of fights/fighters touched on in the film.

How many would recognise fleeting footage from Joe versus Quarry or Chuvalo, Ellis or Bonavena?

 

Douglas was the first to come to mind despite beating other contenders around that time

What about George Kambosos entire legacy now that he's retired (I think he retired right?) win against Teofimo Lopez.

Bud Smith won the lightweight title and defended against Jimmy Carter then after that fight went 0-11 and finished 31-24-6, undisputed world lightweight champion.

 

Willy Wise and Grover Wiley beat Chavez Sr then pretty much disappeared after that. Well Wise did get an oppurtunity at Mosley shortly after Chavez.

 

The Brit and Euro featherweight cupboard was bare — none of those guys he beat amounted to anything.

Juan was a good win but a reluctant guy who could be outpointed — I’d say it’s a good B win but not anywhere near an A win.

Bernard Taylor was an accomplished amateur but not a top pro guy. Good enough to get maneuvered into a title shot but no real substance to his resume to say that’s a good title defense.

For Barry, if he doesn’t beat Pedroza and instead beats the often anonymous WBA titleholder of the day, his resume doesn’t amount to much..

 

Frankie Randall
Vince Phillips

 

Cant argue with anything you say but i still say his legacy does not rely on him beating Pedrosa,if you thinks it does fair enough

 

What a Mayorga wins against Vernon Forest right after Forest beat Mosely twice

 

Notice thats the second time you have railed in on McGuigan.

 

Worthy and thorough list...but Roy Jones? Do you mean Superman RJJ? Or like his dad or something?

 

I would take issue with Schmeling, Frazier, and Byrd being in the discussion.

 

You guys talking about me, lol?

Barry was Irish, not a Brit … Irish is kinda ‘almost British.’

I can’t see how I have any pattern of railing on fighter from the UK. I don’t even think McGuigan is overrated, because most don’t really rate him that highly, but he’s far from an all-timer and his resume does rely (heavily if not entirely) on one fight … which is what this thread is about.

I kind of like Eubank (the elder) and no one questions the greatness of Johnny Nelson, so I’d say I’m pretty fair to the Brits.

 

I highlighted only at MW and HW.

 

Corbett is a great shout, the headline of his death was literally "conqueror of John L. Sullivan dead". He beat the perfect man at the perfect time to be remembered

 

Esteban DeJesus.

I never got the impression that Pedroza had all that much to do with McGuigan's legacy. It was more about what he meant to the Irish/Northern Irish people at the time. I bet a lot of people who loved McGuigan didn't even know who Pedroza was.