Top 10 fighters Foreman beat ?

One guy who would do prety well at this ironicaly is Jack Sharkey.

His best 10 would beat those of some all time greats.

1. Max Schmeling
2. Harry Wills
3. Primo Carnera
4. George Godfrey
5. Tommy Loughran
6. Young Stribling
7. Johny Risko
8. Jack Renault
9. Jack Delaney
10. Mike McTigure

No fat on that top 10 if you look at the era.

 

Foreman changed the direction of Boone Kirkman's career. Managed by the legendary Jack Hurley Kirkman's only loss up to meeting Big George was by a cut to Doug Jones which he avenged by stopping Jones when they met later.
Kirkman was a ranked contender and a huge draw in Seattle in the late 60's and early 70's regularly filling the Coliseum with over 10.000 seats.
Foreman blew through Boone in two rounds knocking him down several times until referee Arthur Mercante stopped it. Kirkman who was lobbying for a world title fight in his hometown at the time never regained his stature again. Though he did beat Jimmy Ellis to raise the pulse rate he fought and got stopped by both Ken Norton and Ron Lyle all in Seattle.

 

I don't know if I would call Cockell, the #2 contender and British Empire champion, the bottom of the barrel. Savold was sort of a poor man's Jack Sharkey--at first glance his record is umimpressive, but he fought almost everyone and logged a surprising number of good wins over the years. He was growing gray at the snout but had only lost in recent years to Louis.
I wouldn't consider Savold near the bottom of the barrel.

Bernie Reynolds should probably be the tenth man. He beat Shkor, was rated as high as #6, and came into the Marciano fight off a comeback knockout of future contender James J Parker.

 

Chuvalo, Machen,and Jones should replace Stander, Zyglewizc, and Daniels.
Sorry--I see this recommendation has already been made and carried out.

 

Liston's top ten:
1. Patterson
2. Machen
3. Folley
4. Williams
5. Valdes
6. Harris
7. Bethea
8. DeJohn
9. Clark
10. Summerlin

 

Jeffries top ten:
1. Fitzsimmons
2. Corbett
3. Jackson
4. Sharkey
5. Ruhlin
6. Armstrong
7. Goddard
8. Munroe
9. Griffin
10. Everett

 

Johnson's top ten:
1. Jeffries
2. Langford
3. Fitzsimmons
4. Jeannette
5. McVea
6. Burns
7. Moran
8. Ketchel
9. Denver Ed Martin
10. Tom Cowler

 

Harry Wills top ten:
1. Langford
2. McVea
3. Jeannette
4. Fulton
5. Jeff Clarke
6. Firpo
7. Kid Norfolk
8. Gunboat Smith
9. Charley Weinert
10. Tut Jackson

 

Damn!
when you have Oquendo by tight decision in your top ten wins, you know something's up.

 

I am not saying that Cockle was a bum or that he was no good but I do think that he rather rode up the rankings on Archie Moores coat taills.

Moore was on a bit of a rampage at the time and eliminated a lot of the more dangerous oponents that Cockle would have otherwise had to go through to get a title shot like Valdez and Baker.

 

The other top contenders lost to other men besides Moore, though. Cockell was 20-2 from Feb 1950 when he lost to heavy Aaron Wilson while a lightheavy through 1954. He was undefeated since the Turpin fight in 1952,
further back than any of the other contenders could claim. Not counting their defeats by Moore, Valdes from 1950 to 1954 was 18-3-1, Baker 26-4-1, Henry 24-4, and Satterfield 15-8. Satterfield lost to Moore in 1949.

I agree that Cockell would almost certainly have lost to Moore also.

 

I think did a fine job with Big George’s top ten wins. For my money A. Rodrigues' record was full of fluff, and should not rate among Foreman’s best 10 wins. I would replace Rodriguez with Cooney.

 

He did beat Briggs. Foreman just didn't get the decision. :verysad

Gregorio Peralto was the fellow who showed up Foreman's weakness early on. Slick defensive boxers who kept moving gave George fits. And Peralta was mostly a pesky fighter, not particularly great in any aspect. Jimmy Young exploited Big George's vulnerability at least as well as did Ali, maybe better considering Young reportedly had trouble breaking eggs to make an omelet.