The giant killers

I know he’s an easy pick but I think Joe Louis was the ultimate Giant Slayer. Not because he beat the MOST big men but because the ones he beat were world class for his time and all beaten emphatically

 

This.

 

For a career HW, Jack Dempsey is an obvious example with wins over Willard and Firpo.

If you permit me non career HWs, I'll add:

• 150lbs 5ft 9ins Charley Burley vs 220lbs 6ft 4ins Jay Turner
• Natural MW/small LHW 5ft 8ins Jack Dillon vs c.194lbs Jim Flynn x 4, 195lbs Porky Flynn and 205lbs Frank Moran
• 5ft 9ins Natural LHW Jimmy Bivins vs 195lbs Lee Savold, 202-210lbs Lee Murray x 3, 209lbs Sid Peak, 214lbs Johnny Shkor, 214lbs Johnny Haynes and 222lbs Turkey Thompson.
• 5ft 7ins former WW and by this stage natural MW Mickey Walker vs 194lbs Johnny Risko x 2, 195lbs King Levinsky, 197lbs Paulino Uzcudun, 209lbs Jack Gagnon, 210lbs Bearcat Wright and 223lbs Arthur De Kuh.

 

Absolutely, Morris and Fulton count too.

Yes, allied with his excellent work in and around LHW, Bivins feats against larger fighters mark him out as a lock for any well researched top 50 p4p list, imo.

Bivins run from June 42 to February 46 is up there with Tommy Gibbons from his debut in 11 until Greb avenged a previous defeat in 20, as one of the most underappreciated runs in boxing history, imo. Bivins went 26-0-1 during this period and he beat:

Ezzard Charles, Archie Moore, c.15lbs heavier Lee Murray x 2, 20lbs heavier Lee Savold, Antonio Christoforidis, c.10lbs heavier Tami Mauriello x 2, Lloyd Marshall, Joey Maxim, 7lbs heavier Bob Pastor, Oakland Billy Smith, Mellio Bettina (1-0-1) and Curtis Sheppard.

That's an absurd, ATG run of form.

 

Langford.

I wanna say Fitz, but his era and best wins were mostly filled with smaller guys (although most still outweighed him).

 

I also wonder how Tunney would have faired against some of the bigger heavyweights that came after him. Tunney vs Max Baer would have been fascinating.

 

Good picks

 

The depth of knowledge you guys have about fighters who retired before you were born always amazes me. It's very impressive.

 

That’s just a bloody ridiculous run!

Imagine if he was fighting today and that was his entire career record, people would be queuing up to call him the greatest of all time. And I’d think they’d have a point!

As it is, and when it happened, it’s an insane run to beat the no. 1 and 2 all-time at light heavyweight as well other all-time great light heavies and some tough heavyweights too. Crazy.

 

Turkey Thompson vs Ben Moroz.

 

Exactly Jel, it's one of the very best runs in boxing history, imo.

To be balanced he probably caught Charles and Moore before their absolute peaks, but Charles had already beaten Burley and Maxim twice each and at 31, in his 88th pro fight, I don't consider that Moore was green.

Both Charles and Moore avenged their losses to Jimmy from 1947 onwards and with their greater longevity (mind you, who could match Archie for longevity?), they probably both rank higher than Bivins at LHW and p4p, but I don't think either had a run as incredible as that.

Bivins prime may not have lasted especially long, but oh my he must have been some fighter during it.

 

This means that Bob Pastor could KO prime Riddick Bowe. Don't say it can't be done. Ray was like 6'8 and 250 pounds. Bigger than Bowe.