I don’t think you get to ATG status without skills. There’s a difference between being skilled and being polished, slick, textbook or easy on the eyes. Monzon had skill but I find him dreadfully boring. Bernard Hopkins and Sammy Angott could spoil and make an ugly fight of it with anyone, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t need skills to do so. I suspect if we ever did get film of Greb that he’d be an eyesore but a relentless one. Then there are the supernaturally gifted of athleticism, speed and reflex like Ali and Roy Jr who weren’t conventional, but what they did was not without skill. Those skills may not have translated had they been of normal reflex, speed or athleticism, but they fought the way they fought and evolved the way they did because they were fighting with those gifts.
As mentioned by another poster Rocky did indeed develop his own style. You think I don’t know Rocky had skill. For ****s sake he was a world champion. But the reason I mentioned Buster was he had more PURE boxing skills than a lot of champions in the HOF. Does that make him a HOFer? No. Could Rocky have beaten Buster? That’s a post for another day. I’m not disputing Rocks skills. But he’s not the best boxer or even close.
Might as well put Jesse Ferguson in there. How about Hector Mercedes. At least he’s got a claim to fame like Tunney Hunsacker.
I have no control who goes in or not, but the thing is Firpo got in I suppose because of the Dempsey fight. Perhaps down the road Douglas gets in because he upset Tyson. I am now of the mind if Luis Firpo can get it, ANYONE can be a hofer.
There lies the problem. Instead of an annual induction how about an annual show of existing members only and ind have an induction when merited. It would make it more exclusive and meaningful then.
He was what Emanual Steward said he was, short, clumsy and awkward. The greatest overacheiver in history
Anyone who preemptively and generically calls out anyone else by calling them an idiot for an answer they might give and have every right to give in their own opinion, is the actual idiot. They’re even more so an idiot since they didn’t even offer an answer to the question itself. I’m making that call now. As to the actual question itself, I agree with the earlier nomination of Jim Jeffries - no disrespect to the man or his fans - I like most if not all of the old timers - and Jim is no exception.
Anyone? Then the Hoff, as in David, should be in the HOF. Dude is a legend - particularly among Germans. Likely even more popular than Max Schmeling.
Why is including Marciano an indication of idiocy? It wasn't "least skilled boxers ever", it's least skilled ALL TIME GREAT boxers. Heavyweights are kinda at the bottom of the P4P skill list by default and off the top of my head, imo Fury, Wlad, Lewis, Tyson, Holyfield, Holmes, Ali, Charles, Langford, Patterson, Moore and Joe Louis are all more skilled than him. Liston and Foreman would probably be ahead of him too. Is thinking that Marciano is one of the least skilled ALL TIME GREATs really that blasphemous?
Of the fighters that are at least around top 10 in a weight class, Foreman and Marciano must of course count among the least skilled. And that of course shouldn't be confused with lacking any skill. Ketchel seems a pretty good choice as well, since he was known for his power rather than hi skill. As was Jeffries. So I don't see what's at all controversial about these picks as least skilled ATGs. I can see Ali's name being thrown in the hat as well, as he did many things wrong and relied heavily on physical assets. RJJ as well. Don't know if I'd agree, but of course ATGs that relied the most on physical assets rather than textbook skills must be in the conversation at least.
I think Foreman is a debatable shout and no less curious than Ali or RJJ being included in the conversation. But it does beg a question as to what is and is not included in one's assessment of boxing skill, as well as how it is measured?