Sam Langord - P4P #1

That was Gans' second fight in as many days after a 6 or 7 hr train ride a fight Gans was dominating until later in the fight and at the tail end of his Career.

 

"That was Gans' second fight in as many days after a 6 or 7 hr train ride a fight Gans was dominating until later in the fight and at the tail end of his Career."

Sam was 17 years old when he fought Gans. If Boxec.com is correct, Gans was born 11-25-1874, so he would have been 29 when he fought Langford. Gans and Langford fought in December of 1903. After the fight with Sam, Gans went on to hold the lightweight title until 1908.

 

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He wasn't 2 pounds over the lightweight limit, he was 2 pounds over the stipulated weight limit for this fight (138 lbs), although some (like Boston Journal) indeed claimed the title for Langford. Gans wasn't that silly to participate in title fights with this little preparation for the fight. The same Globe report stated that:

"Gans, according to the club physician was not in the pink of condition. Both boxers were subjected to a minute examination before they entered the ring. Gans' stomach bothered him not a little."

 

All three guys have great resume but right now I feel Langford is the best next week it might he one of them his list of wins is amazing:

Joe Gans (a prime Gans against a green Langford)
Joe Walcott
Jeff Clark
Jack Blackburn
Kid Norfolk
George 'Elbows' McFadden
Sam McVey
Harry Wills
Tiger Flowers (Langford was almost totally blind at this point and still managed to stop ATG middle Flowers)
Bill Tate
Joe Jeannette
Jack Johnson (he lost but as a light middle he took an ATG heavy the distance)
Gunboat Smith
George Godfrey (Godfrey was green at the time)
Fireman Jim Flynn
Young Peter Jackson
Philadelphia Jack O'Brien
Dixie Kid
Stanley Ketchel (just checked boxrec again and its down as a win for Langford.)

I probably missing a few he beat ATG in every weight he fought from lightweight to heavy not to mention most of those names he beat on more then one occassion. You could make an argument for Greb or Charles having the best resume but right now I'm leaning towards Sam.

 

With that list the argument is pretty much over

 

Gans already had plenty of mileage on him by the time he took on the bigger Langford. Still a hell of a win though.

I don't know if I'd give his resume the edge over Greb's though.

 

I forgot Ketchel

 

If you honestly believe that, how can you have him anything but #1. What were those ahead of him capable of..relative to this accomplishment?

 

Take away Peter´s flub and he isn´t that huge anymore. Holyfield and Ruiz in their primes wouldn´t also fit in here. Rahman does so.

 

Had he fought in a more media friendly age I think he'd be number 1. His record is outstanding. I sometimes wonder if it can be true? I mean why hasn't there been another one like him since? That's how good his record is.

From 190 to 135 he beat the best fighters of his era. By the time he got to 160 up to 190 I wouldn't bet on anyone against him.