Top 5 1. Joe Frazier (Hvy) 2. Bernard Hopkins (Middle) (Lt.Hvy) 3. Bob Montgomery (Light) 4. Mathew Saad Muhammad (Lt.Hvy) 5. Jeff Chandler (Bantam) Honorable Mention Joey Giardello (Middle) Philadelphia Jack O'Brien (Lt.Hvy) Tommy Loughran (Lt.Hvy) Meldrick Taylor (Lt.Welt.) Calvin Grove (Feather)
Philly had many great fighters many of which never actually won the championship. The Philly gyms have destroyed many of them and the streets took out the many others like Tyronne Everett. I'm pretty sure he would have been a champ at some point. Ofcourse if you just look at the 60s and 70s middleweights it was vicious. Kitten Hayward, Bad Bennie, Willie The Worm, Bugaloo Watts, Georgie Benton and Giardello. Way back there was Lew Tendler who challenged Benny Leonard for the crown at 135. He was good enough to be champion in some other era.
Midget Wolgast is definitely above someone like Chandler. One of the greatest flyweights ever, and sadly forgotten.
Harold Johnson definitely would be in my top three. I think Loughran probably is the greatest overall.
Another vote for Tommy Loughran being in the Top 5. You make a credible claim for him being #1, but I think either #2 or #3 is fine too. I get it though, it's hard to make everyone happy with these types of lists.
Frazier Loughran Johnson Giardello Hopkins Franklin..Saad Montgomery O'Brien Chandler Taylor.. All I can think of at the moment Benton ..uncrowned champ Jack Blackburn..not sure if he was ever a recognized champ Bad Bennie because hes bad Bennie
