Pound for Pound Top Ten

If you don't have Langford in the top 10 p4p, there's something wrong.

But I think Gans can be justified in a top 10 birth, although I don't have him there my own self.

 

Mine is pretty ripped at the moment anyway. I'll offer up the following -


01 - Sam Langford
02 - Harry Greb
03 - Sugar Ray Robinson
04 - Henry Armstrong
05 - Ezzard Charles
06 - Muhammad Ali
07 - Mickey Walker
08 - Roberto Duran
09 - Willie Pep
10 - Bob Fitzsimmons


The next clutch is a mess. It would consist of Barbados Joe Walcott, Joe Gans, Benny Leonard. Archie Moore, whom I feel you are guilty of overating (consistantly, at least!) would be #14. Then come Burley (I know), Barney Ross, Jimmy McLarnin, Joe Louis...I used to have a lovely neat 55, now it's ruined. Learning isn't easy I guess

 

As long as they are denoted, I don't see any problem with individual criteria.

 

Moore.

Leonard is a miracle, but I like Fitzsimmons punching. Dropping some of the top men of the modern cruiserweight division when you are coming from a place where you would turn pro at the (modern) welerweight limit is completely off the hook. Fitzimmons is one of the hardest punchers of all time underneath 200lbs in spite of his massive disadvantage in size, and I consider him a serious HW puncher. He, too, beat great fighters in multiple divisions, from the all time top 20 MW Jack Dempsey to the all time top 20 HW James J Corbett. He beat great boxers and he smashed down durable bigger men considered punchers. Sometimes with one shot. His p4p criteria are absolutely cemented.

But I have Leonard between 11 and 13 (and actually the first time I typed out that post, I had Fitzsimmons loose with those other boys, leaving spots 10, 11, 12 and 13 up for grabs) so I have no problem with seeing him ranked above Fitzsimmons. I do have a problem seeing him ranked above Langford. Langford smokes Leonard.

A great fighter and if you're rating longevity highly (Which is totally reasonable) he is kicking the arse out of a spot, possibly. But he is also a fighter than tended to lose against the very best he faced, as often as not. The best fighters Moore faced beat him - Charles, Burley, Marciano, Patterson - although he has so many great wins and, as you say, longevity, I still rank him very very highly.

I'm crazy about Mickey Walker. If there's a bad pick, that might be it. But if a guy turns pro at welter and steps into to out-fight an all time top 35 HW, he's special. Walker brought it through four divisions, and he took on everybody.

I had Ali at #11 until this month.

I had Robinson at #2 until this week.

 

This content is protected

 

Langford KO4 the Terminator.