The Ipswich Express Top 100 Fighters of All Time List

20.


Eder Jofre 70-2-4 (50)

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Best Wins: KO4 Vicente Saldivar, L15 Jose Legra, KO7 Bernardo Carraballo, KO6 & KO10 Jose Medel, TKO10 Johnny Caldwell, TKO9 Piero Rollo.

Good losses: L15 x 2 Fighting Harada.

Jofre is considered by many to be the greatest Bantamweight of all time. He made 7 defences of his title before running into Harada, the only man to defeat him as a professional. Possibly the greatest puncher at Bantamweight, with only 20 of his 70 wins going the distance.

After a 3 year retirement, Jofre moved up to Featherweight and defeated the legendary Jose Legra. He made defended this against Saldivar, crushing him in 4 rounds. He had sublime skills, coupled with a tremendous chin, never stopped in 76 professional bouts.

 

19.

Sandy Saddler 144-16-2 (103)

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Best wins: TKO5 Ray Famechon, TKO13 Flash Elorde, TKO9, TKO8, KO4 Willie Pep, TKO6 & TKO9 Lauro Salas, W10 Orlando Zulueta, TKO9 Paddy DeMarco, W10 Harold Dade, TKO2 Joe Brown.

Good Losses: L10 Flash Elorde, L15 Willie Pep, L10 Tony DeMarco.

Saddler was two time Featherweight champion who also reigned as the world's Jnr Lightweight champ. Saddler is best known for his brilliant four bout rivalry with the brilliant Willie Pep, of which he won 3 out of 4 encounters, all by stoppage. Pep was the defending Feather champ with a truly remarkable record of 143-1-1 when he was dethroned.

Saddler was probably the greatest puncher that the Featherweight division has ever known. Brown, Salas, DeMarco, Elorde and Carter would all be or were champions. The Ring recognises him as the 5th greatest puncher of all time.

 

18.

Marvin Hagler 62-3-2 (52)

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Best Wins: KO11 John Mugabi, TKO3 Thomas Hearns, TKO3 & TKO11 Mustapha Hamsho, TKO10 Juan Roldan, W15 Roberto Duran, TKO5 Vito Antuofermo, TKO3 Alan Minter, TKO2 Bobby Watts, W10 & TKO1 Ray Seales, W10 Bennie Briscoe, KO12 Mike Colbert, TKO2 & TKO12 Willie Monroe.

Good Losses: L12 Ray Leonard, D15 Vito Antuofermo, L10 Bobby Watts.

If there's a boxer past or present with a better chin than Hagler, I've never seen him. He faced some hallcious punchers during his career and survived them all. He was knocked down just once, by Juan Roldan and he even disputed that!

Hagler is remembered for his relentlessness and aggression, but he was a fighter that had every trick in the book. After being robbed in his initial tilt at the title, Hagler vowed he would never be screwed by the judges again. His shootout with Tommy Hearns is possibly the greatest fight of all time, with "Marvelous" Marvin winning in 3 breathtaking rounds.

He chased a fight with Leonard for years and was on the wrong end of a split decision loss in a fight that is still debated among boxing enthusiasts. Hagler successfully defended the Middleweight title 12 times. He is viewed by every boxing expert as one of the great Middleweights of all time.

 

Possibly so. I wonder how many others rank Gans higher because others have him higher. I think Burley is about right. I find it difficult to have him higher than I placed him.