Greatest Light Heavyweight?

My Top 3 would be Archie Moore, Ezzard Charles and Michael Spinks.

 

Moore. Decade as champion

Love Charles but was he ever LHW champion?

Pretty sure Tunney never bothered to actually be champion too.

Langford's lack of picking up the status I can forgive because he wasn't allowed to be champion

Spink's is an excellent shout out. IMO, it's either him or Moore. Spinks cleared out LHW then didn't do terrible becoming a HW champion. His resume's pretty great.

Foster, Loughran, y'all know the usual knows I'm sure. All greats but IMO it's Moore if not Spinks.

 

My top three would be:

1. Michael Spinks

2. Archie Moore

3. Ezzard Charles

Yes, Ezzard topped Archie H2H but he also wasn’t champion, which has to figure into the equation for me.

But I wouldn’t argue with those three in any order. I think Bob Foster and Loughran come next, in either order, for me.

 

1. Michael Spinks
2. Bob Foster
3 .Roy Jones
4. Ezzard Charles
5. Archie Moore

 

Nice to see Spinks get some love.

 

Why Spinks above Moore?

 

I think this is probably the best top 3 you can get.

I think Ezzard despite technically never winning the LHW title is probably the greatest.............as well as the best H2H.

 

1. Ezzard Charles
2. Archie Moore
3. Harry Greb
4. Michael Spinks
5. Tommy Loughran

 

As great as Moore was, Michael Spinks is simply the best and most complete light heavyweight I’ve ever seen.

I’ll admit that as with all things, there would be bias on my part as Spinks is part of ‘my generation’ as a fight fan … although anyone who was keeping score of my posts knows Archie is one of my all-time favorite fighters (I think his ABC — Any Boy Can might be the first book I ever read on boxing) and I cannot get enough of hm on film.

As noted, I wouldn’t argue with anyone putting Ezz or Moore in the No. 1 spot. I just landed on Spinks based on what I’ve seen on film combined with resume as being the best — he really did clean out the division.

 

Charles lost in the semi finals of a tournament for the duration LHW title. Bivins beat him pretty badly in perhaps the highlight of Bivins career. And after that he never got into the picture.

Tunney was the ABA champ at LHW. He was never the undisputed champ. There are about 10 HW, LHW champs predating Michael Spinks who just didn't have universial recognition.

Langford has an enourmas collection of HW feats though openboxing claims the IBU gave him the LHW title they don't tie it to any actual fights. He should be viewed as a HW because thats where he everyone he won was. His lack of feats at LHW are more the consequence of there not really being a LHW belt during most of his career. Between O Brien and Dillon/Moha theres just like 7 years of empty space where the LHW belt was seemingly not a thing.

 

You seem way knowledgeable. I don't usually even use IBU or ABA because it confuses people. I love that you know about the early bodies.

I'd rather just ask you your opinion on something else entirely actually, and anyone else out there who knows the body history real well:

Personally, I do feel like I am in some degree upholding an old and hateful version of racism by acknowledging any existence of any undisputed champion prior to Joe Louis.

IMO, the Undisputed crown is untrue until the colored titles are absorbed by the body titles.

Likewise with lineal. I just struggle to see anyone who didn't take on all challengers as one who did because "society then". Maybe Tom Cribb lucks out by fighting a black man in a society that would allow it. Maybe the greatness of Jack Dempsey is unfortunate for a society that never allowed him to actually prove it. If we're going to say things like the man who makes the best case in the time period for being the best, that's fine, give Langford a belt or tell me he isn't the best man any time he's active. Get me? No body really wants to address the fact that not being allowed to fight one another should hurt both men's career not simply the people who were discriminated against. imho.


I'll end with this, don't worry about me being defensive or trying to convince anyone what is an opinion is fact or should be shared by others. I only offer it as food for thought and my only hope is some perspectives in return. I just used specific names for examples for the most part. If you really feel the need to defend Jack go ahead but this isn't actually about Dempsey, he was meant to be an example of a great white boxer during the colorline and that's it.

 

1. Archie Moore
2. Michale Spinks
3. Ezzard Charles
4. Bob Foster

 

Based on opponents I would say Michael Spinks.
I mean he not only beat some top boxers he knocked them out.
But Matthew Saad Muhammad is my alltime favorite lightheavy- I mean some of the shots he took from boxers and overcame them to win was just insane.
Muhammed vs Johnson 1 was one of the most savage fights I have ever seen.

 

Ezzard Charles. 3 wins out of 3 fights, 1 by stoppage and another by shut out on the cards, over most peoples #2, secures his GOAT LHW status, assuming your criteria is limited to fights contested at LHW only.

My #2, Harry Greb has the deepest win resume in fights contested at LHW of any boxer in history. Crazy when he also has the deepest win resume in history in fights contested at MW, too.