Name em'. Tunney and Charles obviously come to mind as successful moves up. What were some of the more disastrous results of a fighter moving from Light-heavyweight to heavyweight?
John Henry Lewis although he beat a few heavyweights of his day was crushed by joe Louis in one round. Michael Moorer was a success.
Surprised no one has mentioned Spinks. Some might argue he was the most successful of all. Moore, Conn, and Loughran were all very successful despite falling short in their efforts to win the ultimate prize. James Braddock has to be considered successful, given that he had ultimately had more success as a heavy than he did at LHW. Floyd Patterson started out as a LHW, and in reality a super-middleweight. Among the less successful... Jack Delaney - Had a spotty record as a heavy, until he was ultimately crushed by Jack Sharkey in a single round, which permanently ended his title fight ambitions. Mike McTigue - Another one that was foiled by Sharkey. Jose Torres - Only made one serious move up to heavy, looked heavy and sluggish against fringe contender Tom McNeely, and despite winning the fight, he had a rough enough time that he decided the division wasn't for him. Eddie Mustafa Muhammad - Made his heavily hyped debut at heavy against otherwise unknown Renaldo Snipes. Ballooned up something like 30 pounds, was outhustled in a terrible fight, then had to suck back down only a month or so later to meet the challenge of Spinks. Bad idea all around.
Mike Spinks and Archie Moore are two that stood out for me , Moorer was good but only really got by on punch power and the division being a little weak in some areas.. Moorer would never have won a title off Larry Holmes, and he would have been out slicked by both Spinks and Moore.. Bob Foster did great but never really beat a top flight heavyweight in his era.. But Bob was a stunning light heavyweight......... a freakish height and must have been a monster to face back then............. I always get a flash of Foster when i used to watch Diego Corrales fight because of his height for the weight.
philadelphia Jack O Brien ,Greb Tunney , Braddock ,Spinks , Conn, Charles , Moore and Moorer even Fitzsimmons who was world middleweight champ and won heavyweight title before LH. worst i hate saying Bob Foster just look who he had to face jack delaney john henry lewis again though look who had to face by the way any ideas where you would put Tommy Loughran cant make up my mind did beat Baer and Braddock but lost to Carnera
