Is Elmer Ray' winning streak in 1943-47 the longest in HW history? 50-0 (44 KO)

I seriously doubt it unless we're talking about some obscure record padding club fighter that few have ever heard of.. Brian Neilson I believe made it to around 49-0.

 

Holmes, and Marciano were close. I've asked, there is no known film today on Elmer Ray.

 

Luckily we know JJW beat him convincingly. It helps me sleep at night.

 

I know this thanks. I was alluding to obscurities who may have reached 50 under the radar, but I can't think of any.

 

Don Steele was 41-0 and Brian Nielen was 38-0 when they met in their epic matchup for IBO Supremacy.

:roll:

That's why it's important to view film.

Elmer might have fit right in with them.

 

The streak is mostly genuine ham and eggers. But a blow out of Lee Savold does stand out and suggest he was to some degree for real. It's the only such loss like that in the final decade of Savold's career when he was otherwise pretty durable. Marciano and Louis couldn't do that to him.

 

Nielsen had "stoppage" wins over former heavyweight champs Tony Tubbs and Bonecrusher Smith, a stoppage win over cruiserweight champ Carlos DeLeon, and a decision over former world champ Larry Holmes on his way to 38-0.

Records can be deceiving - even back then.

If there was no film of Nielsen, and just reports from the Danish press, God knows how hyped he'd be today.

 

Being the only guy to blow out Savold in a decade time frame isn't an illusion. And Savold was still two years away from a hot streak that saw him gain his biggest win. Savold was rated as a top 10 guy before and after the Ray loss. It's a solid win and impressive in its uniqueness. I don't see why you would compare that to unremarkable wins over total wash ups that had not been rated in years and would never be rated again.

 

I think there was some speculation to a few Neilson's fights being fixed.

 

Savold was considered washed up at the time, too. The New York Times article describes Savold against Elmer Ray as a "once good heavyweight."

The writeups are no different than the writeups for Nielsen's wins. The difference is we can see them for ourselves.

And from what I've seen of Savold, I'd take Tubbs, Bonecrusher and Larry Holmes - and maybe even Carlos DeLeon - over him any day of the week.

If knocking out Lee Savold is the "high" point of that win streak, Nielsen's blows it away. And Nielsen's is considered a joke - because we can see it.

That's my point.

 

I know there is. Of course, there were no fixed fights during the IBC's run.

 

No straight ones might be more accurate.:yep

 

Considering some of the "average" guys they reportedly paid off to tank it, I'd say you're pretty close.

 

He did beat Walcott as well. There's a great story about Ray getting KO'd by Charlie Burley.