Was Sam Langford more avoided at middleweight than at heavyweight?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by janitor, Jan 5, 2011.


  1. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    There seems to have been interest in matching him with Billy Papke, Frank Klaus, twin Sullivan and obviously Stanley Ketchel.
     
  2. burt bienstock

    burt bienstock Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    One VERY logical middleweight Sam was not keen to fight, was Jack 'the
    giant killer"Dillon. They were both powerful and feared , but for whatever
    reasons, never met.Tis a shame.What a titanic battle that would have been...
     
  3. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    In the sense that, he gave the champion all he could handle and may have got a shade (I think he got a shade), you could argue yes.

    At least Johnson beat him and then refused to face him. If you arguably best the champ in a non-title fight then can't get the title fight, something is amiss.
     
  4. Cmoyle

    Cmoyle Active Member Full Member

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    "One VERY logical middleweight Sam was not keen to fight, was Jack 'the
    giant killer"Dillon."

    Burt, did you come across this somewhere? I never ran across any articles about the possibility of matching the two, or anything about Sam being reluctant to face Dillon, during my own research.
     
  5. burt bienstock

    burt bienstock Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    C,yes I can recall in an old Ring Magazine ,that a contributor who was around those days,claimed that Sam Langford was reluctant to fight middleweight [at that time] Jack Dillon. Dillon at his 160lb prime was much
    feared those days..Dillon got his nickname by taking on bigger men as Al Weinert, Tom Cowler [Corbetts protege],Fireman Jim Flynn , and licking them often, hence his name 'Giant Killer". It was so logical that Sam Langford, and Jack Dillon, to have met, but the contention of that old writer,whose name escapes me,eluded to Langford not wanting the matchup. That would have solved many questions, for sure...
     
  6. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker

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  7. burt bienstock

    burt bienstock Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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  8. PowerPuncher

    PowerPuncher Loyal Member Full Member

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    'Fight Dillon, are you nuts? Are you trying to kill me? F*ck that I don't care if it makes me MW Champ I want to face that big ***** Jack Johnson for chump change instead'
     
  9. Boucher

    Boucher Well-Known Member Full Member

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    In 1910 when this match was mooted in the piece, Dillon was good but would be better, he had beaten a couple of boys who would later be names ,but they were green when he beat them.
    Langford had allready beaten rated heavyweights by 1910,I think he thoroughly thrashes Dillon at this time.
     
  10. Cmoyle

    Cmoyle Active Member Full Member

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    Interesting, but in 1910 I'd go with Sam.
     
  11. burt bienstock

    burt bienstock Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Who can tell? But photos of Jack Dillon portray's him as sawed off shotgun with a crewcut,on top. Omnimous looking guy was Dillon.What a titanic
    slugfest between the two, both in their 160 pound primes ! Oh yes...
    As great as these two were. Bob Fitz ,at his best would have licked both
    at 160 pounds.At those halycon days Fitz was held in the highest regard ...A "fighting machine on stilts, was old Fitz...