Biggest gap in experience between two fighters ?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Ioakeim Tzortzakis, Jul 4, 2025.


  1. Ioakeim Tzortzakis

    Ioakeim Tzortzakis Well-Known Member Full Member

    1,681
    5,696
    Aug 27, 2020
    So I was thinking of Ezzard Charles today. As I was making mental notes for his career, I suddenly got curious as to just how vast the gap in experience was between him and his first world class opponent, Ken Overlin, when they first met. Obviously it was larger than your mom in any "your momma's so fat" joke, but I wasn't aware of how much bigger than even that it was.

    Charles had a mere 17 fights to Overlin's 151, which is huge in itself. Then I realised someting, almost all of Overlin's fights went the distance because he had the punching ability of the already featherfisted for a Flyweight Miguel Canto, but at Light Heavy instead. So as I apparently had nothing better to do with my life today, I decided to count all of the rounds Overlin had boxed by the time Charles got to him and compare that to the rounds Charles had boxed.

    Charles had boxed 97 rounds. Overlin had boxed 1294. That's like a modern pro going the distance in about 108 different 12 rounders.

    So is this the one, or is there an even crazier experience gap between 2 elite fighters ? Key word is elite, don't just boxrec your ways into finding some nobody with 15 fights against a Sam Langford on the end of his road or whatever.
     
    Ioakeim Tzortzakis, Jul 4, 2025
    Ioakeim Tzortzakis, Jul 4, 2025
    #1
    Rubber Glove Sandwich likes this.
  2. Rohid61

    Rohid61 New Member Full Member

    13
    16
    Jan 8, 2025
    My mind immediately went to Archie Moore who fought everyday of the week and twice on sundays for nearly three whole decades. Moore at the end of his boxing career fought Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali. A difference of something like 218+ pro fights vs. 15 pro fights. Not sure what the number of rounds would be but Moore has at least 1472 confirmed rounds according to Boxrec.
     
    Rohid61, Jul 4, 2025
    Rohid61, Jul 4, 2025
    #2
    George Crowcroft, Ioakeim Tzortzakis and Journeyman92 like this.
  3. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 Johnson Wrench Enjoyer Full Member

    17,887
    19,885
    Sep 22, 2021
    God DAMN - What was Patterson overcoming in there bout when AM was still pretty good?
     
    Journeyman92, Jul 4, 2025
    Journeyman92, Jul 4, 2025
    #3
  4. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    22,989
    25,829
    Jun 26, 2009
    Archie Moore’s 220th and final bout was against a debuting Mike DiBiase … one of those pro wrestlers Archie fought toward the end.

    Pretty sure the same Mike DiBiase was an all-American wrestler at Nebraska and he’s the guy who adopted a kid who grew up to become Ted DiBiase, the Million Dollar Man.
     
    Saintpat, Jul 4, 2025
    Saintpat, Jul 4, 2025
    #4
    greynotsoold and Journeyman92 like this.
  5. Rohid61

    Rohid61 New Member Full Member

    13
    16
    Jan 8, 2025
    That would be 189 pro fights vs. 31 pro fights.
     
    Rohid61, Jul 4, 2025
    Rohid61, Jul 4, 2025
    #5
    Journeyman92 likes this.
  6. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

    50,616
    24,089
    Jan 3, 2007
    Pretty big gap between Muhammad Ali and Leon Spinks though possibly not the widest in history
     
    mr. magoo, Jul 4, 2025
    mr. magoo, Jul 4, 2025
    #6
  7. scartissue

    scartissue Boxing Junkie Full Member

    10,257
    12,439
    Mar 2, 2006
    Future featherweight challenger Danny Valdez, with 19 fights, took on and beat top contender Ricardo Gonzalez who had 105 fights entering their bout.

    Future jr. welterweight challenger (2 fights later) Emiliano Villa, with 25 bouts under his belt, lost a 10 rounder to 132 bout veteran Nicolino Loche.

    A young Tony Canzoneri, with 49 bouts, won the featherweight title from Johnny Dundee, who had a whopping 304 bouts at the time.
     
    scartissue, Jul 4, 2025
    scartissue, Jul 4, 2025
    #7
  8. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

    60,453
    44,244
    Feb 11, 2005
    Harry Greb, likely over 300 fights into his career (285 according to Boxrec) fought a guy named Ed Smith in what was Ed's 4th fight.
     
    Seamus, Jul 4, 2025
    Seamus, Jul 4, 2025
    #8
  9. Ioakeim Tzortzakis

    Ioakeim Tzortzakis Well-Known Member Full Member

    1,681
    5,696
    Aug 27, 2020
    Just gonna put this here: "Key word is elite, don't just boxrec your ways into finding some nobody with 15 fights against a Sam Langford on the end of his road or whatever"
     
    Ioakeim Tzortzakis, Jul 4, 2025
    Ioakeim Tzortzakis, Jul 4, 2025
    #9
  10. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker

    25,254
    9,087
    Jul 15, 2008
    He about Duran w 80 fights beating on 12 fight champ Dave’s Moore … not the biggest but significant.
     
    he grant, Jul 4, 2025
    he grant, Jul 4, 2025
    #10
  11. Pedro_El_Chef

    Pedro_El_Chef Active Member Full Member

    1,193
    1,869
    Mar 29, 2023
    June 1938, 16-0-4 Lou Nova fights Maxie Rosenbloom with 293 fights to his name. Rosenbloom had a KO percentage of 9.18% according to Boxrec.
     
    Pedro_El_Chef, Jul 5, 2025
    Pedro_El_Chef, Jul 5, 2025
    #11
    Rubber Glove Sandwich, ChickenPockPock, George Crowcroft and 1 other person like this.
  12. Ioakeim Tzortzakis

    Ioakeim Tzortzakis Well-Known Member Full Member

    1,681
    5,696
    Aug 27, 2020
    Yeah, I think we've found a winner.
     
    Ioakeim Tzortzakis, Jul 5, 2025
    Ioakeim Tzortzakis, Jul 5, 2025
    #12
    Pedro_El_Chef and George Crowcroft like this.
  13. Thread Stealer

    Thread Stealer Loyal Member Full Member

    41,941
    3,383
    Jun 30, 2005
    In 98, 1-0 Ronnie Warrior fought 183-12-2 Buck Smith.

    https://boxrec.com/en/box-pro/006117

    Buck Smith once was quoted as saying “I don’t fight a bum a month. I’m fighting 3-4 bums a month”
     
    Thread Stealer, Jul 5, 2025
    Thread Stealer, Jul 5, 2025
    #13
  14. Chuck Norris

    Chuck Norris Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    25,529
    36,298
    Aug 31, 2016
    Fighters like Billy Bird and Len Wickwar are good examples.
     
    Chuck Norris, Jul 5, 2025
    Chuck Norris, Jul 5, 2025
    #14