Fighters who Sam Langford could not possibly beat.

Does anyone seriousely think a 5'6 175lb fighter can take two of the best 5'11-6'1 185lbers to ever grace the planet(dempsey and marciano)...I dont think so. These two guys standout in a class of there own at that 190lb limit and below.

 

Dempsey did .

You keep reflecting on height. Did 5' 6" Dwight Qwai have a hard time with Saad ? It's the match up ... an Ali with the jab beats him. A Klit brother beats him. A Holmes or Lewis beats him ... but Marciano is not going to outjab him he is going to slug and Langford was the faster, better, harder punching man ... your basis for a Marciano victory is height?

 

I am inclined to agree. I just haven't got enough on film to make any sort genuinely educated opinion.

 

Marciano and Dempsey would steamroll through him. Both Rock and Jack are harder punching, stronger, bigger, faster, and higher workrate. No one under 190lb can win a slugout against jack and rock. Especially a 5'6 man...rock and jack with a little size advantage might kill somebody.

 

Langford's lack of height could work to his advantage against these guys. Langford was used to fighting short, while Dempsey and Marciano rarely fought shorter opponents (Marciano maybe never, Dempsey more often but he liked fighting taller guys). I think Langford's height would make them both uncomfortable.

 

This is a good point. Dempsey definitely was not at his best versus the 5' 9" Willie Meehan or Tommy Gibbons. Marciano was at his worst against the shortish Ted Lowry and Don Cockell. Both did better against taller men. Langford would prove a dangerous opponent for either man.

Suzie Q's point, however, is well taken. There just aren't that many men who punch not only as powerfully, but as effectively, as Dempsey and Marciano. Langford was beaten quite often. These would be interesting fights. Langford certainly has more than a fighting chance, although I would rate him a slight underdog against both men.

 

Lennox Lewis
Klitschko Brothers (he can maybe KO wlad..)
Lennox Lewis
Larry Holmes
Muhammad Ali
I tend to believe that Tyson could overpower and KO him.. it would be a war...

 

Agreed on those. I'd add Bowe to the list. This is not to disrespect Langford, but he would be looking at a foot of height to overcome, and that is simply too much when the other guy is world class as well. Maybe he can land a homerun one ten tries, but i wouldn't count on it.

I mean, just look at how helpless Tua was against Lewis. Langford has more speed, but not more power and with 70lbs less he'll be even easier to shove around and perhaps knock out.

 

I'd also add Buster Douglas on his best night...

 

Dempsey, Schmeling, Louis, Liston, Ali, Foreman, Holmes, Tyson, Bowe, Lewis, V. Klitschko, W. Klitschko are the ones I would definitely say Langford could not defeat.

Langford was a physical dynamo, but the above were either too big or too brutal for a fighter his height. You have to take into consideration the technique of the fighters of his era when you look at his footage. Langford was a throw forward in terms of technique. Some footage gives the impression he could be similar to James Toney with some real "lights out" power.

 

Didn't the 5'6" Paq just punch the crap out of the 5' 11" De La Hoya ? There may even be tape of it ... Didn't the 6'1" Dempsey destroy the 6'6" Willard? Didn't the 5' 10" Tyson destroy 6' 4" heavyweights? The hang up on height is a joke, especially when the shorter man has the far greater reach.

AS far as Dempsey being faster or harder hitting, two common opponents said Langford hit harder. Dempsey himself flatout said in his autobiography that Langford would have flattened him. Just because you keep saying something does not make it any truer ... you just lose credability.

 

Eddie Chambers because of his faster hands and greater skill. Of course Langford has been deceased for many decades now. If alive I would obviously favor Langford.

 

Yes, and those are all examples where the height difference is 5 inches, which is a LOT, but overcome able.

Langford would be looking at a height difference of 10 inches, which is double that, against the likes of Lewis, Bowe, Klitschko's, and 7 inches on Ali, Holmes, Foreman, etc.

Like i said before, the difference in height is is possible to overcome if it's a Tye Fields, a Morris or a Fulton (and even there Langford got dominated once). But these are no gentle giants we're talking about.