longest wait while number one contender...

Ray Robinson?

 

Harry Wills has to be up there I guess. Also Ezzard Charles at lhw. And Burley of course. Hopkins also needed a while before beeing allowed to unify.

 

Marvin Hagler?

 

Sonny Liston?

 

Wills never got a crack at the title. Are we including those who never got a shot? Should we include contenders who were frozen out by WW II?

 

It must be a black fighter, if boxing wasnt a tough enough game you get held out on for the colour of your skin. Suppose the earlier you go the more guys that never got a shot.

 

For someone who eventually got their title shot and won it, I guess it is probably Archie Moore followed by Sonny Liston...

 

Jake LaMotta would beg to differ.

 

if LaMotta had just done as he was told history would of been different. Blaiming the mob when they ran boxing boo hoo. I love Jake, but every other fighter of his time had the same problems and got on with it! If its not the mafia its hbo or a alphabet sanctioning body.

 

LaMotta and Robinson sprung to mind

 

I would've said Jimmy Bivins.

 

maybe not no1 for the whole period but it was 8/9 years that Jesus Pimental waited for his shot. He did get 2 shots in that period against Jofre and Harada but both fell through at the last minute.

 

I know he didn't win the title but Zora Folley was in the top ten consecutively from '56 until '67 when he got his title shot.

 

I'm kind of surprised Liston is mentioned so much. He didn't beat any rated opponents until 1959 and got his shot little more than two years later in 1962.