Top Fighter from Countries Around the World?

TBooze · Jul 29, 2008

Sam Dixon said:

He was Irish born, yes, but I disagree entirely with the statement about him not being Canadian, Matt, as McLarnin himself was very proud to consider himself exactly that.

After his father, Sam, had spent significant time working on the farms in and around Alberta, then he went back to Ireland where he got married and started a family with, I believe, Jimmy being the oldest boy. It wasn't but too long after that, which happened before Jimmy hit even three years of age, when Sam returned to Canada with his new family where they originally made their home on a farm right around Mortlach, Saskatchewan (which is in south-central Sask, close to Moose Jaw). A few years later, when Jimmy was around nine years of age, the family moved out to Vancouver, B.C., which is where Jimmy first took up the sport of boxing.

It was Vancouver where McLarnin learned boxing, and it's also the city where he made his home while not in training for a fight, as he kept his home out here right up until shortly after winning the welterweight title towards the end of his career when he moved down to Oakland. All throughout his fighting career he was being hailed from Vancouver, and that was consistent right the beginning of his pro career to the very end. He was always being referred to as the "Irish-born Canadian from Vancouver" and similiar wording of that nature.

In 1950, long after he retired, he was voted as "Canada's Outstanding Boxer of the Half Century" by the press up here, and when he came back home to Vancouver (where his parents and other family members still lived) to recieve the honour, he was very, very proudful of the fact that he was voted as such in this country. He also express great pride when he was also voted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, as well as the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame.

McLarnin definately considered himself Canadian, and was proud to do so, so who's to argue with him? Our country was also more than proud to have him as one of our own, as he was our "Irish-born Canadian", but he was a Canadian nonetheless.
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Excellent post, you are what you say you are; if people want to get technical, one theory is we are all Ethiopian.

Smith · Jul 29, 2008

TBooze said:

Lynch was a phenomenon no doubt, but he was around less than 10 years, the booze got to him.

Buchanan again was another beloved Scotsman, and not without reason, he was arguably most naturally talented boxer Britain (let alone Scotland) has produced. But he was unlucky in that Duran dominated era, and Ken never quite got over that defeat.

Paterson had longevity, he was world class for longer than Lynch fought and always rose to the occasion, although I would concede he lost fights he never should of.

Lynch and Buchanan are rightly icons, but Paterson deserves recognition as well IMO.
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Thanks for replying. I agree Paterson deserves recognition, in fact he is fourth on my all time Scottish list behind Buchanan, Lynch & Watt and just in front of Walter McGowan. I just feel he lost too many fights to be considered, especially against weak opposition. Whether he had weak mentality of not I don't know. I realise losses aren't all that determine a fighter, but he on average lost 1 out of every 3 fights he ever fought. That nudges him below superior talents in my eyes in Lynch and Buchanan.

TBooze · Jul 29, 2008

smith said:

Thanks for replying. I agree Paterson deserves recognition, in fact he is fourth on my all time Scottish list behind Buchanan, Lynch & Watt and just in front of Walter McGowan. I just feel he lost too many fights to be considered, especially against weak opposition. Whether he had weak mentality of not I don't know. I realise losses aren't all that determine a fighter, but he on average lost 1 out of every 3 fights he ever fought. That nudges him below superior talents in my eyes in Lynch and Buchanan.
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That is probably a fair point, but to play Devils Advocate, Paterson did rise to the occasion in the big fights. But I take your point; he probably did too often, fight down to the level of less superior opposition.

mattdonnellon · Jul 29, 2008

Sam Dixon said:

He was Irish born, yes, but I disagree entirely with the statement about him not being Canadian, Matt, as McLarnin himself was very proud to consider himself exactly that.

After his father, Sam, had spent significant time working on the farms in and around Alberta, then he went back to Ireland where he got married and started a family with, I believe, Jimmy being the oldest boy. It wasn't but too long after that, which happened before Jimmy hit even three years of age, when Sam returned to Canada with his new family where they originally made their home on a farm right around Mortlach, Saskatchewan (which is in south-central Sask, close to Moose Jaw). A few years later, when Jimmy was around nine years of age, the family moved out to Vancouver, B.C., which is where Jimmy first took up the sport of boxing.

It was Vancouver where McLarnin learned boxing, and it's also the city where he made his home while not in training for a fight, as he kept his home out here right up until shortly after winning the welterweight title towards the end of his career when he moved down to Oakland. All throughout his fighting career he was being hailed from Vancouver, and that was consistent right the beginning of his pro career to the very end. He was always being referred to as the "Irish-born Canadian from Vancouver" and similiar wording of that nature.

In 1950, long after he retired, he was voted as "Canada's Outstanding Boxer of the Half Century" by the press up here, and when he came back home to Vancouver (where his parents and other family members still lived) to recieve the honour, he was very, very proudful of the fact that he was voted as such in this country. He also express great pride when he was also voted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, as well as the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame.

McLarnin definately considered himself Canadian, and was proud to do so, so who's to argue with him? Our country was also more than proud to have him as one of our own, as he was our "Irish-born Canadian", but he was a Canadian nonetheless.
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Langford was not born of Canadian parents, didn't learn his boxing in Canada and left as soon as he was able. I consider him Canadian.
I mean what was Bugner? Hungarian, British, Australian?
Bob Fitz?
Born England, reared New Zealand, formative boxing Australia, American citizen.
Consistency needed and for me, where you are born decides the nationality.
But I can live with an opposing view.

Minotauro · Jul 29, 2008

Denmark - Battling Nelson

la-califa · Jul 30, 2008

Minotauro said:

Denmark - Battling Nelson
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Two other fighters from Denmark I can think of: Johnny Bredahl & Jorgen Hansen.

la-califa · Jul 30, 2008

smith said:

Scotland could be Benny Lynch or Ken Buchanan. Both great fighters, both arguably to some people top 100 ATG's.

I've always favoured Lynch, but recently after watching more Ken footage I'm beginning to take a shine to him more.

Take your pick of the two.
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Murray Sutherland was a talented fighter as well. Any idea's on Ireland?

Bill Butcher · Jul 30, 2008

From fighters Ive seen I`ll give you 2 from my side of the pond & 2 which should never be disputed from the other side....

My side - Scotland - Ken Buchanan
Wales - Joe Calzaghe

Other side - Panama - Roberto Duran
Nicaragua - Alexis Arguello

:thumbsup

heehoo · Sep 4, 2008

Columbia - Antonio Cervantes

Loewe · Sep 5, 2008

Bill Butcher said:

From fighters Ive seen I`ll give you 2 from my side of the pond & 2 which should never be disputed from the other side....

My side - Scotland - Ken Buchanan
Wales - Joe Calzaghe

Other side - Panama - Roberto Duran
Nicaragua - Alexis Arguello

:thumbsup
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Calzaghe over Jimmy Wilde? No wai!

robert ungurean · Sep 5, 2008

red cobra said:

Tsolt Erdei is the greatest fighter from Hungary.
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Do you think he's better than Papp?

asero · Feb 23, 2009

indonesia- john

GPater11093 · Feb 23, 2009

algeria- Marcell Cerdan
scotland- Benny Lynch or Ken Buchanan
wales- Jimmy Wilde
england- Bob Fitzimmons
Ireland- 'Non-Pareil' Jack Dempsey

mcvey · Feb 23, 2009

red cobra said: ↑

Tsolt Erdei is the greatest fighter from Hungary.
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Lazlo Papp?

GPater11093 · Feb 23, 2009

btw good idea for a thread

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