They Could've been contenders

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by chatty, Mar 17, 2011.


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  1. chatty

    chatty Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I'm reading a book called They Could've been contenders at the minute by Jim McNeill. Its a good book going over some boxers who had the potential to win world titles and for whatever reason didnt.

    So how many of these could have actually won world titles if they had got the oportunity.

    Try to remember who was the champions at there time (if you can) and whether they could have defeated them. Judge on era as well as talent.

    They are:

    Peter Jackson
    Jack Blackburn
    Charley Burley
    Joe Baksi
    Lazlo Papp
    Kirkland Laing
    Tony Janiro
    Mitch Green
    Tony Ayala Jnr
    Tommy Cambell
    Billy Collins
    Willie Classen
    Sam Langford
    Harry Wills
    Jimmy Bivins
    Luther McCarty
    Les Darcy
    Gyspey Joe Harris
    Mickey Rourke
    Rahaman Ali
    Rex Layne
    Teofilo Stevenson

    Some are easier than others to determine but theres a few iffy ones in there that would have had tough fights.:good
     
    chatty, Mar 17, 2011
    chatty, Mar 17, 2011
    #1
  2. thistle1

    thistle1 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    thistle1, Mar 17, 2011
    thistle1, Mar 17, 2011
    #2
  3. thistle1

    thistle1 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    thistle1, Mar 17, 2011
    thistle1, Mar 17, 2011
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  4. eslubin

    eslubin Active Member Full Member

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    Jackson proved being polite and deferential wasn't enough to get him to the top. Johnson did as he pleased and ultimately made it. Proving you have to raise your expectations and not lower your standard if you want to succeed. Thats a lubin food for thought moment! lol

    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TroTAs25RkU[/ame]

    www.youtube.com/eslubin
     
    eslubin, Mar 17, 2011
    eslubin, Mar 17, 2011
    #4
  5. DonBoxer

    DonBoxer The Lion! Full Member

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    Mickey Rourke should not be on that list.
    8 fights.
    6 (4) wins.
    2 draws.
    Only ever faced one man with a winning record and that was a draw.

    His last fight was 1994 and i am guessing this is when he was closest to his boxing best. Fought at Super Middle and Light Heavy , both belts were vacant in 1994 but the top fighters on the ring rankings were...

    SMW
    Roy Jones Jr.
    Nigel Benn
    Chris Eubank
    Frankie Liles
    Vinny Pazienza

    LHW
    Virgil Hill
    Mike McCallum
    Henry Maske
    James Toney
    Charles Williams

    ... would kill him.

    Although he could have fought Sly in 1990 if he made his debut earlier. Maybe even trashed Morrison in an upset after Rocky beats him on the streets.
     
    DonBoxer, Mar 17, 2011
    DonBoxer, Mar 17, 2011
    #5
  6. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

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    In boxing it is posible to have all the credentials of a champion without being one because of having the wrong management. Even a super talent wont make it if he is not nursed along.
    Peter Jackson -yes

    Jack Blackburn- no
    Charley Burley-no
    Joe Baksi-no way!
    Lazlo Papp-posibly
    Kirkland Laing-no. wrong brain.
    Tony Janiro -no, but he earned well anyway.
    Mitch Green -no, wrong temperment.
    Tony Ayala Jnr -no way (same as green)
    Billy Collins - no. sadly it was far too early to judge.
    Sam Langford- yes.
    Harry Wills - No but he earned well.
    Jimmy Bivins- yes, would have schooled mills.
    Luther McCarty- same as collins
    Les Darcy-no.
    Gyspey Joe Harris
    Mickey Rourke ??????
    Rahaman Ali????
    Rex Layne- not after marciano.
    Teofilo Stevenson -different sport.




    joe baksi was a genuine contender but just one among many just as good. He made waves and stood out on tour in the UK so the british press went crazy for him as they did for nino valdes later on but in america they were no big deal. The british press had both valdes and baksi down as certain champions but were left with egg on their face when both blew eliminators for world titles.

    even so baksi earned well against woodcock and mills.
     
    choklab, Mar 17, 2011
    choklab, Mar 17, 2011
    #6
  7. Titan1

    Titan1 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    So Many hype up STevenson.He was a great amateur, but I'm still not sold on him as a pro, he couldn't even deal with Igor Vysotsky.
     
    Titan1, Mar 17, 2011
    Titan1, Mar 17, 2011
    #7
  8. eslubin

    eslubin Active Member Full Member

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    Jack Blackburn was one of the greatest fighters of all time!!!!!!! If he hadn't gone to prison he'd be more known for it. He was a perfect boxer on par with a young Langford til he grew. And he didn't have careful management feeding him stiffs on his way up. He fought killers like Langford... Gans... Holly... Duane. Many times. Really great fighters. Nat Fleischer ranked him the #1 welterweight of all time and I am inclined to agree!

    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TroTAs25RkU[/ame]

    www.youtube.com/eslubin
     
    eslubin, Mar 17, 2011
    eslubin, Mar 17, 2011
    #8
  9. heerko koois

    heerko koois Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Bep van klaveren , alex blanchard, mark kaylor, gary mason, horace notice , chris pyatt
     
    heerko koois, Mar 17, 2011
    heerko koois, Mar 17, 2011
    #9
  10. sweet_scientist

    sweet_scientist Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Every single boxing champ today could have been a contender in a better era :good
     
    sweet_scientist, Mar 18, 2011
    sweet_scientist, Mar 18, 2011
    #10
  11. johnmaff36

    johnmaff36 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Chris Pyatt was WBO middleweight champ. Beat kalambay and lost to Collins:good
     
    johnmaff36, Mar 18, 2011
    johnmaff36, Mar 18, 2011
    #11
  12. heerko koois

    heerko koois Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I don,t rate the wbo at all .....:twisted:
     
    heerko koois, Mar 18, 2011
    heerko koois, Mar 18, 2011
    #12
  13. chatty

    chatty Boxing Addict Full Member

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    haha. I know Rourke and such should not be on the list but its in the book so i just put everyone who has a chapter about them in. As i said some are easy to determine such as Rourke being a no go and Langford being a winner but some are tough such as Blackburn/Ayala as they spent there probable peak time in jail.
     
    chatty, Mar 18, 2011
    chatty, Mar 18, 2011
    #13
  14. junior-soprano

    junior-soprano Active Member Full Member

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    als je blanchard zegt dan zeker koopmans. die toch een klasse beter was
     
    junior-soprano, Mar 18, 2011
    junior-soprano, Mar 18, 2011
    #14
  15. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    janitor, Mar 18, 2011
    janitor, Mar 18, 2011
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