Underrated fighters.

Louis didn't breeze through Carnera in a round either.

My problem with the opening sentence is that I don't think Morrison would've recovered. Carnera was going down and hobbling around and getting twatted about. Morrison's hands had dropped and he was getting smacked up, head knocking back and all sorts.

And, as I say, the opposition ain't comparable.

Morrison would have a decent enough chance with Carnera regardless, if his stamina holds up.

 

Morrison rose to the occasion and had his greatest hour against George Fore IMO...more so than even his most spectacular knockout. He vindicated himself by fight a smart as hell fight and showed himself better than I ever thought he was previously....and remember, this was BEFORE Big George went on to shock the world against Moorer.Morrison was smarter than MM...that much was proven...just a shame he didn't stick to that style he used so successfully.

 

Sammy Angott - First man ever to beat Willie Pep as a pro (and the pre-plane crash version), also beat Bob Montgomery 3 out of 3, and KO'd Ike Williams (and lost two other close, split decisions), all of which should virtually guarantee him a spot among the top 10 all-time LWs IMO, yet he often appears to be overlooked - perhaps the lasting stigma of his supposedly "boring" style? I'd probably favor Angott H2H over Arguello and Canzoneri, maybe even Chavez, and I think fights with Ross or Ortiz would've been toss-ups.

Willie Ritchie - Another overlooked LW champ IMO, should be in at least the top 15 at that weight, maybe even creeping into the bottom of the top 10 IMO. Won the title from fellow HOFer Wolgast when he basically made him quit (foul out), and had a few other good wins before losing on a controversial decision to Welsh in England. Later beat Welsh and also credited with winning a 4-round ND from the almighty Leonard when considered past his prime.

Mike Gibbons - May have been one of the best P4P fighters in the world in 1916 and 1917. Beat a "who's who" of top fighters in and around 160 during those years, and usually in dominant fashion. He's even credited with beating a certain fellow named Harry Greb during that time. Should be in at least the top 15, if not top 10 all-time MWs IMO.

 

I feel like people have really soured on Sugar Shane over the years. :verysad

 

Ayub Kalule
Buster Drayton
Shigeo nakajima
Raul Perez
Joey Archer
Most of the borderline great featherweights between Hogan Kid Bassey and Marcel, not named Saldivar ie Moore, Ramos, Laguna, Winstone, Famechon, Legra..even Seki etc an exceptional era.

I don't think Lora gets mentioned all the time for stuff like this.He might be more likely to come up in threads like this than in ones actually discussing him for sure, but he's still a rarely talked about fighter in general.Often getting a passing mention in the token "underrated fighter" thread that pops up a few times a year doesn't mean a fighter ceases to be under-discussed or oft-dismissed.

 

Julio Cesar Vasquez

 

I can think of a few modern(ish) heavyweights.

Chris Byrd - incredible defensive skills, pin point accuracy, very underrated heart. Would have been a problem for many ATGs. Criminally underrated.

Francesco Damiani - most people who've seen him fight recognise his skills, but he never really gets the respect he deserves. Very good textbook boxer.

Eddie Chambers - tricksy fighter like Young. Excellent defence and sharp counter punching. One of the more underrated modern heavies.

Gary Mason - huge puncher, and unlike a lot of sluggers, very good at mixing it up. His body attack was brutal, and it's a testament to Lennox's toughness that he wasn't busted up by it when they fought.

Sultan Ibragimov - blazing fast hands, superb technician. Lacked a little power and retired too soon, but aside from the Wlad fight what we have on him shows a very classy boxer.

John Ruiz - ugly as sin to watch, but he almost always gave fighters problems. Probably one of the smarter heavies out there, and a man who wrung every inch of ability out of his body.

Corrie Sanders - could have been one of the best had he taken boxing as seriously as he took his golfing career. Incredible natural talent, and a heart to go along with it. His problem was always his lack of professionalism.

Oleg Maskaev - very skilled boxer. Was matched horrendously tough in his early career, but bounced back time and again. Amazing perseverance. Brutal power, especially in that right hand of his.

 

not a bad post... :smoke

 

i still think that tommy morrison is criminally underrated, he was much better h2h than many people say about him

 

frazier beats holmes? good fight, but larry would detonate jabs on his forehead for 15 rds. dont see it

 

I don't know if anyone mentioned him already, but Bob Pastor might be a little underrated. He fought and beat a lot of men that others preferred to avoid and doesn't get as much recognition as one of Joe Louis's better opponents.

 

John Henry Lewis. Probably the most criminally underrated light-heavyweight champ of them all.

 

no, he would not land on joe, he would avoid his jab with the bobbing and weaving,a past prime norton had too much stamina for a peak holmes, so imagine a peak frazier... a frazier 70-71 would kick the ass of larry, too much stamina, pressure ,heart ,power in the late rounds, too tough

 

Khaokor Galaxy
Marcel Thil
Santos Laciar
Mauro Mina
Orzubek Nazarov
Gato Gonzalez
Raton Macias
Eddie Perkins
Eijiro Murata
George Benton
Joe Brown
Eddie Booker
Shuhei Tsuchiya

 

this is probably true.
only serious fans & historians really know about him, and from everything I understand he is no doubt one of the very best fighters period, nevermind just at L-HW.

but the same is true for hundreds of fighters though, hundreds of them!