Old time observers who were the most reliable.

Godd

 

he was quite friendly with both Baer and Braddock

 

Dan Daniel of The Ring. He wasn't stuck in the past like Fleischer. Even when Sugar took over in 1979 he immediately said he was embarrassed by the Ring's previous all-time rankings. People like Ort and Loubet just voted for their favourites too. Sam Taub wasn't too bad but Daniel was clearly the staff writer that had moved with the times (without totally forgetting the legends). Herb Goldman was a good, old time writer too, who acknowledged contemporary fighters, as were Gilbert Odd and Ron Olver.

 

Hank Kaplan, who just passed away, rated Tyson's defense extremely high in the late 80's, while he was in his 70's himself.

 

I'm guessing Ray Arcel was very measured in his observations and descriptions and assessments of fighters old and new.

I have a feeling Rocky Marciano would have been a favourite expert of ours if he had lived. He rated Liston and Ali very highly and was always graciouos and honest in his appraisal. I think he respected all fighters.

 

its too bad sonnys jab because i suspect marciano would still be alive if not for that fatal plain crash. he was hilarious to listen too as a commentator during fights

 

I would say Ted Carroll. He was always balanced about the old-timers, except perhaps Louis, who was a close friend.

I was impressed by his prescience prior to the first Liston-Ali fight. He pointed out that Ali was much bigger and faster than Patterson or Machen, replete with drawings. I don't remember if he actually picked an upset, but he certainly left the impression that Ali had a strong chance.
There were plenty of writers who went on record as saying Ali could not get out of the first round. When they were embarressed, they began crying "fix" to save face.

Dan Daniel was another who seemed balanced.

 

Interesting, do you happen to have any articles of Carroll on the Ali-Liston fight or anything else?

 

I still don't know how to do the really cool, put peoples' quotes in a box, thing.

Someone mentioned Godd earlier. Did that someone mean Odd, as in Gilbert?

 

I do have a 1966 article comparing Ali to the all time greats, Johnson, Dempsey, Tunney, Louis, and Marciano--He felt Ali should be a big favorite over Tunney and Johnson, and seemed to think he would beat Dempsey and Marciano, although he caviled that it was too early to pick Ali over such heavy hitters until his chin was more proven. Louis was the only old champion he clearly picked to win. This article was written right after the Chuvalo fight.

I don't have the evaluation of the Liston bout, but it would be in the Ring sometime in the late 1963 or early 1964 issue.

 

I mentioned Daniel earlier too. He had great perspective and was very well-balanced. Easily preferable to to Fleischer.