What it says on the tin. Who are the best fighters that never got a chance at a world title? Some obvious ones are Langford Wills Burley Up for consideration Holman Williams Packey McFarland Jem Driscoll Peter Jackson Lloyd Marshall Bert Lytell Joe Jeannette Whom do you say?
Though Langford did fight Walcott for the Welter title. Didn't he get a version of the heavyweight title? Peter Jackson arguably did too.
Any of the black murderer's row that you've already mentioned plus Eddie Booker, the man Archie Moore called the best he ever fought (along with Charley Burley).
Not already mentioned... Jimmy Bivins Jack Chase Dave Sands James Scott Ike Ibeabuchi Cocoa Kid Sammy Goss Percy Bassett Art Hafey Dwight Hawkins Famoso Gomez Halimi Gutierrez Jimmy Warnock Toluco Lopez Bunty Doran
I counted them which is why I did not add Eddie Machen to the list since he did fight Terrell for the WBA title. I also didn't include Tiger Jack Fox to the list because he did fight Bettina for the vacant NY recognized world title. I normally don't count a state recognized title but NY held a lot of sway back in the day.
I’d second James Scott. At one point he had beaten Eddie Mustafa Muhammad and Yaqui Lopez and was clearly the top contender. But the powers that be decided (correctly) that a champion could not be compelled to fight him in the Rahway, NJ, prison and he couldn’t get a furlough to fight in Atlantic City.
This list is getting bigger. I just thought of Jack Blackburn, Les Darcy, Wes Ramey and Alfredo Urbina.
