Which fighters fought everyone there was to fight?

Harry Greb

Mickey Walker

Sugar Ray Robinson--It has become fashionable to accuse Robinson of ducking men who were not in his weight class--I don't think that is fair. He could be fairly criticized for not fighting Turpin in a rubber match and perhaps for not rematching Tiger Jones. He did grow a little skittish when he hit his middle thirties.

Ezzard Charles--fought them all

Emile Griffith

Ike Williams

Harold Johnson

Kid Gavilan

Joey Maxim

Teddy Yarosz

Joey Giardello

 

Bottom line is Duran faced the best of the best. You can always nitpick. Lewis faced the best whenever the best were willing to face him. A lot of guys on his record were underrated wins, such as Tucker, Jackson, Mavrovic, etc. Holy didn't need to face contenders who were not as good as the ones he did face - Bowe, Lewis, Mercer, Tyson, etc. were all better than Ruddock, Morrison, Tua, Golota, Bruno.

I'd also add Felix Trinidad to that list. His opponents were the who's who of the 147-160 divisions.

 

Mercer was crap.

 

Ezzard Charles
Archie Moore
Marvin Hagler
Roberto Duran
Ray Robinson
Joe Louis
Ali
Holyfield

 

How about Sonny Liston? he took on the guys williams, folley, machen, valdez that Cus Damato refused to throw into the ring vs floyd.



Also Oscar De La Hoya, who hasnt he fought? hes fearless

 

Ezzard defintley deserves a mention but not on the top of the list considering 5 out of his 8 title defenses were against IBC controlled C level ham and eggers instead of top young studs like clarence henry, bob baker, rocky marciano, roland lastarza.

 

Whitaker ducked noone. He even was scheduled to fight Quartey @ 147 late in his career. (Don't mention Norris @154).

 

Ona more recent note - Jose Luis Castillo was a warrior imo, a borderline great 135 pounder, i fear history will underrate him, i hope not, his wins may get unjderrated, but while he was lineal champ, he was a reall champ that fought the right guys for boxing, his correct contenders. I dont ask for anything else from the champ

 

While I agree, I rate Corrales higher than Castillo at 135lb.

 

"Personally I have a hard time considering white fighters who fought when the sport was still very segregated. Did Greb meet the premier black fighters during his era?"


Of course! He faced Jack Blackburn when Blackburn was on the downgrade and Harry hadnt yet developed into a top notcher. He faced Willie Langford, who had been a contender for the black middleweight championship, he faced Kid Norfolk twice who was ducked by the leading lhws and hws, he faced Allentown Joe Gans, and fought Tiger Flowers three times. Harry also tried to fight Battling Siki but Siki wouldnt face him.

 

I understand your logic Suzie, dont personally agree, but im glad you and i agree on the original point i made. I do hope history doesnt underrate him, if it does however, we'll probablt still be posting and we'll set all the youngsters right!! Just how the same has been done on here on the subject of Mike McCallum!! The man's not underrated anymore!! Thanks to ESB!

 

Dont like using this kind of analogy, but they dont make them like Harry Greb anymore