Before their title win than during it? For example, Dempsey. His three wins over Miske impress me more than anything he did after winning the title. Who else? Any weight division, any title organization.
I think Liston did most of his best work pre-title reign. He basically defeated a long list of ranked contender, but after winning the belt, didn't do much else. Ken Norton was never really a reigning champion, but held the WBC for a brief period, and needless to say, his best days came prior. Jack Johnson did some fine work as the coloured heavyweight champ, but also had a lineal reign that was equally as impressive, so I guess the subject could go either way in his case. I don't know if it counts, but Michael Spinks as we all know, was an all time great lightheavyweight before moving up and capturing the belt. Gene Tunney had an impressive career before beating Dempsey. Off the top of my head without taking time to think about it, that's pretty much it.
Not really........... the only heavyweights tunnet fought prior to dempsey that were decent was a green johnny risko, E spallo, and Charley Weinhert. In the first Charley Weinhert fight, the decision could have gone either way. not exactley a legacy building group of contenders there.
Agreed, but going in against Dempsey he had but a single loss in some 83 fights and was never Ko'd. Even if the guy had only fought his own sister 83 times, its still pretty impressive.
Johnson was getting on for 31 when he won the title ,it took him a long time to get his shot ,and he had no intention of risking it against the other top Black Fighters,his legacy rests on his work before he became Champ ,same with Liston he went through the division like the Germans through Poland,by the time he was Champ he was allready on the slide.
Sonny Liston was the first name to come to mind. If we're only talking linear titles, then Mike Tyson. Same with Rodrigo Valdez and his recognition by The Ring and BOTH the WBC and WBA. Jack Johnson Jake LaMotta
