The BWAA (Boxing Writers Association of America) started handing out the Fighter of the Decade award for the 1990s with Roy Jones as the winner, then named Manny Pacquiao as Fighter of the Decade for the 2000s. If they were to retroactively give the award for all the past decades (with award primarily based on resume/accomplishments during the decade), who do you think will be the winner in each decade (ties not allowed). I'd probably have something like this: 1880s - John Sullivan 1890s - Bob Fitzsimmons 1900s - Joe Gans 1910s - Sam Langford 1920s - Harry Greb 1930s - Henry Armstrong 1940s - Willie Pep 1950s - Sugar Ray Robinson 1960s - Muhammad Ali 1970s - Roberto Duran 1980s - Sugar Ray Leonard Thoughts?
And nobody ever replied to this thread ??? Give Ali the award in the 70's aswell and I would agree with your list Maybe joe Louis in the 40's aswell
An excellent stab. The only one I would question is Pep. Both Robinson and Ezzard Charles had a tremendous decade in the '40s. Lots of competition here. Sullivan is interchangeable with Nonpareil Jack Dempsey. Monzon was great in the '70s though picking Duran is fine. A similar situation with Pernell Whitaker and Roy Jones.
I think SRR deserves to be the FOTD for both the 1940's and 1950's. He went on one of the greatest winning streaks in boxing history throughout the 40's, cemented himself as the greatest WW of all time (the guy is a unicorn at WW,) and he continued on into the 1950's by taking on top tier competition at MW and LHW.
Billy Edwards/Sam Collyer? Jem Mace/Arthur Chambers/Billy Edwards? Mike Donovan/John Sullivan Bob Fitzsimmons Sam Langford Jimmy Wilde Harry Greb Henry Armstrong Ray Robinson/Ezzard Charles/Willie Pep Ray Robinson Eder Jofre/Muhammad Ali Roberto Duran Ray Leonard Pernell Whitaker Manny Pacquiao
