Sam Langford vs. Bob Fitzsimmons

I agree in general, but Fitz was up vs a much better boxer on flim in Corbett, and Langford on flim is up vs slower and less skilled men in Lang, and Flynn.

Fit'z defense was based on leaning back a bit, and the other guy fearing his coutner punches, and hooks to the head or body.

 

I agree a great match-up and I vote for Fitz as I think his fighting cuteness was greatly underated but if they had multiple contests the split would be pretty even.

 

lol a cardinal sin in boxing

 

come on guys get real......fitz is nowhere near langfords league. fitz is pretty much a poor mans stanley ketchel.

 

I'd say Fitz handily outranks Ketchell on achievements, though both look awful on film.

 

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I take nothing away from Fitz he is a p4p top ten imo,but I think you will find Langford had a longer reach than Fitz.Plus Burns had a longer reach than Johnson ,Wills and Tate than Langford, Liston than Ali.You nullify reach by getting close and Sam was a master at that.

 

Fitz is closer to Langford than he is to Ketchel.

Like Langford he was a master finisher up there with any from any era or weight class.

If Johnson had clowned around like that against Fitz he would have probably been sparked.

 

I dont think that is exactly what he would try to do.

He would use is movment but he would cover small distances and try to set up punching angles and catch Langford coming in.

Much would depend on how Langford chose to deal with this.

 

I hold Fitz in significantly higher esteem than Ketchell.

 

I don't think its about being good enough,but how a man fights,Fitz stood flat footed gauging his man ,he was a pin point puncher,very crafty ,a great judge of pace with inbuilt ring sense,he would be up against a mini hercules huge shoulders ,long reach ,with terrific power.It's very possible Fitz might nail Sam coming in and dump him for keeps,but I don't see Fitz getting on his bike ,boxing on the retreat,when did he ever do that?.Even against Jeffries ,outweighed by47 lbs Fitz met him head on.

 

Bob was in trouble early in his first Maher fight, boxed the rest of the fight behind a jab, cut Maher up and then applied pressure to force the stoppage. Fitz could box several ways(as could Langford) Thats why they are both top10 p4p IMO. As somebody pointed out both COULD win this fight, it a matter of how it would pan out, style-wise.