How Many Of Your Top 10 Hvy Champs Does Langford Beat?

Yes, but Langford also said after Jeffries retired, that he hoped Jeffries would not come out of retirment because he had more chance of taking the title from Johnson.

 

I don't think that Langford would "come forward" against Foreman. At least if he tried it once he would soon switch his tactics.

 

Certainly he was competing with smaller gloves in an era which predates gum shields. Wills and Fulton could certainly hit, as could Godfrey, although Sam didn't give him much of a chance to connect. P4P, Walcott and Gans were extremely dangerous and effective punchers, infinitely faster and more skilled than Foreman.

I'm among those who makes a distinction between "prime" and "peak" and referred specifically to the latter in my previous post. In Sam's case, I tend to think of his peak as beginning with Fireman Flynn III on March 17, 1910, and ending with his second knockout of McVey on December 26, 1912. These were his first bouts after turning 27, and last prior to turning 30. I have no great quarrel with somebody preferring to overlap these dates further, but in most cases the late 20s seem to be considered peak athletic years by most people.

Earlier in their bout, Fitz had nailed Corbett with a similar solar plexus shot. Jim tried to disguise the effects with some fast jabbing and fancy footwork, but Corbett's manager William Brady discerned the true impact of this punch, grabbed a whiskey bottle, and slugged down some panicked gulps. He saw the title slipping away.

This is perfectly reasonable, and it may be speculated that Sam's campaigning among heavyweights extended and enhanced his career for the same reason Walker's heavyweight foray did, because he was usually faster than they, and didn't have to exert himself as much.

Sam was virtually blind by then, had over a couple hundred more fights, but still knocked out Tiger Flowers when he was 39. Of course George was never blind, so this analogy is a little tenuous. Foreman at 39 with 250 to 300 professional bouts behind him would be interesting though.

Agreed, and I think the Langford who knocked out Wills in 19 would stop young Foreman late.

A photograph of that published challenge is readily available on-line, has been for years, most of us have read it for ourselves, and it clearly states Sam was willing to take on ANY man in the world, EXCEPT Jim Jeffries. That included Jack Johnson, Fitz, Dunkhorst, Gans, ANYBODY except Jeff.

Which is still one more time than anybody else was able to stop Jeannette once he established his career. Joe could be knocked down, and Sam himself did it a number of times (three on camera), but knocking out Jeannette was something else.

I agree about Lennox, who I hadn't mentioned before. I can't see him letting Sam get close enough to do much of anything in the way of damage.

 

Sam's one the best Hd 2 Hd fighters in history but I can't say I'd favour him over any of these

01. Muhammad Ali
02. Joe Louis
03. Jack Johnson
04. George Foreman
05. Larry Holmes
06. Joe Frazier
07. Sonny Liston
08. Evander Holyfield
09. Rocky Marciano
10. Mike Tyson

 

He beats Dempsey, Marciano, Frazier ...

The tall guys with big, long jabs like Holmes and Ali would defeat him. Liston with the jab as well .. Foreman just too big and strong .. Johnson by decision as well ..

Joe Louis v.s. Sam is pick em .... as always, it's styles ...

 

Anyone waxed by guys under the light heavy limit, or outworked by cruiserweights should not be in anyone top ten heavyweights in a head to head sense.

I would not pick Langford to beat anyone in my top ten, but I would make him a very live underdog to upset in many matches. I believe Langford could upset guys I have in there such as Louis, Lewis, Liston, Foreman, or Dempsey. Wlad isn't in my top ten. If he keeps winning, he might get there one day. Langford could upset him too. For those wondering, I do not have Maricano or Frazier in my top ten. I have them in the 11-15 slots in a head to head sense. If Langford had a crack at my top ten, I think he would win 2-4 matches.

Much bigger boxers with good chins who can outfight are likely Sam's toughest match up because they limit his punchers chance, and really make the height differential a factor.

 

Correct ... even a tall, rangy boxer like Fulton without a great chin did it and Wills pretty much owned him age difference aside ... however the small guys coming at him were made for him ..

 

Well my top ten atm is louis, ali, rocky, johnson, holmes, dempsey, foreman, liston, lewis, holyfield.

The langford who fought johnson loses to them all imo. However the langford who beat jeanette is a very great heavyweight and 1 that sadly, like wills and jeanette, we'll never be able to give them the credit they perhaps deserve.

That being said I think he beats holyfield definitely. He is about 50/50 with dempsey and rocky and johnson. He has a punchers chance vs lewis and loses handily to the others.

The sad reality is prime langford had the ability to beat willard and johnson but was never given the shot had he had them fights I think he's a clear top.

For a guy of his build to do what he did is amazing. Only really rivalled by fitzsimmons but of course he got his shot and took it.

You gotta remember this guy fought over 300 times the majority of his spell at heavyweight he wasn't in the best of shape.

The truly scary thing is that we never saw the best of him. The man with arguably boxings deepest resume and we never got to see what he was truly capable of.