Best heavyweight boxer from each decade to never win a title

Swap Schaaf with Bob Pastor and Bivins with Billy Conn.
1960s you could arguably put Harold Johnson, with great victories over Eddie Machen and Doug Jones.

 

1880s, 1890s idk
1900s Joe Jeannette
1910s Sam Langford
1920s Harry Wills
1930s Elmer Ray
1940s Jimmy Bivins
1950s Nino Valdes
1960s Eddie Machen
1970s Jimmy Young
1980s Gerry Cooney
1990s David Tua
2000s James Toney
2010s Povetkin

 

or Whitearspoon shouldn't be
become one of the champions?

 

Fact, I forgot about that while being focused on his fight with Holmes. In that case, Gerry Cooney is the right choice.

 

Elmer Ray would be a good choice for the 1940s. He was not even contender level during the 1939s however.

 

Langford, Bivins and Moore all won titles. Povetkin won an interim title. Toney won the WBA title and had it taken away because of PEDs.

 

I put two whenever someone had won a title at 175.

1880s Kilrain
1890s Bob Armstrong
1900s Lang
1910s Fulton and Miske tied just like their fight
1920s Wills
1930s John Henry Lewis and Mann
1940s Conn and Buddy Baer
1950s Clarence Henry
1960s Folley
1970s Jimmy Young and if you count the NABF in the 70s Lyle
1980s Cooney
1990s Golota
2000s Tony Thompson
2010s Pulev


Thoughts on other options

1)Godfrey lost most of his big fights.
2)Choynski fought Tom Sharkey when Sharkey had a title claim and did pretty bad while the fight was a draw for non boxing reasons. Jeanette started his career 10-10 and was really a force in the 1910s.
3)Machen is 1-1-5 in title fights and eliminators.
4)Valdes win streak was sandwiched between two losing streaks
5)Quarry got 3 title shots and 2 NABF shots and was only close to winning 1 of those fights.

 

It's a good list I'll point out a few names that could be included instead.

For the 1960s I think you could include Jerry Quarry there instead since he beat Floyd Patterson and made the Heavyweight tournament final.

For the 1970s I think you could have Jimmy Young instead of Jerry Quarry.

For the 1990s I think maybe Ike Ibeabuchi over David Tua.

For the 2000s maybe Andrew Golota because he was very hard done by in two title fights vs Chris Byrd, John Ruiz.

 

As with nearly all of your posts..... wow. Just.... wow.