Best "tomato cans" in boxing?

George "Scrap Iron" Johnson
Albeit he may have been the most rugged of the tomato cans!

 

In the late 70's, Light Welter / Welter, Billy Waith from Cardiff was one of the most skillful Fighters in the UK but Billy wasn't in the game for the glory. To borrow from Brian London, he was in Boxing for three reasons, Pounds, Shillings and Pence.
Billy fought as often as he could, wherever he could but here's the thing, well over half of his fights were main events, eight and ten rounders all over Europe.
Waith also fought in two British Title eliminators.
His final record is something like 94-34-52-8. He was seldom stopped and was hugely popular with punters who appreciated his skill and craft.

 

The classic definition of a tomato can as the term was used by fight managers and promoters in the 1940s and '50s was a guy who you could always count on to put up a good fight, but lose via a TKO by getting busted up usually above the eyes and bleeding out like a smashed tomato.

My vote is for Billy Marsh who had scars over the eyes that opened up easily:
https://boxrec.com/en/box-pro/22909

Note how close together his fights were even after a KO loss. He was paid to come to town and bleed out against the local hero, or to save a card featuring a one-sided main event by participating in an entertaining undercard bout.

 

darnel boone

 

Yeah him!

 

I just found this interview from 1986 on the Letterman show with the Mouse. They should make a movie about this guy.

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Tim Tomashek

 

Floyd Patterson.

 

He was a couple of shades below world class (but definitely Euro class for the time and did get two world title shots) so I think he was far above tomato can level … but the unofficial nickname works in his favor:

Alfredo “The Tomato” Evangelista.

 

Lionel Butler, Maurice Harris, Ross Purrity, although I don't know if I would call them tomato cans, Journeyman would be more accurate.

 

Marion Wilson USA. He went the distance with Ike while fools were getting crunched and bones crushed on his way up!