Which of the lineal heavyweight champions would Sam Langford have beaten?

Possibly a detached retina.

There was speculation at the time that Langford had tanked it, that's all I know. Out-of-shape makes sense, no point training too hard for a fight you're going to lose.

 

I'm not saying it consitutes evidence. But he's not going to be in shape if it's a tank job either.
Yes, he was often said to be out of shape.
Also, he's believed to have deliberately underperformed, (esp. against white fighters), often too.

 

I don't see evidence in this case, I'm just relaying what I read in a couple of contemporary articles.
It doesn't seem unreasonable at all, knowing Langford's reputation as an exploited fighter who had to fight handcuffed sometimes, and Fulton's rep and a "suspect-chinned" white heavyweight being groomed for a title shot.

Fixed fights do exist, mismatches do exist, professional losers do exist. Professional boxing is a little bit dodgy. Some fighters just turn up to lose and get paid. That's just the way things are.

 

I've never really thought of myself as holding an extreme view on the matter.
I think most fights are legit, or not outright 'fixed'.
But I also think most outright fixes have gone unsdiscovered/unproven.

 

Langford beats them all

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxJOy_taioQ[/ame]

www.youtube.com/eslubin

 

Has anyone gone back and tried to pinpoint where they think Sam eyesight really started to go?

 

Sorry but I don't see a 5'6 fighter - no matter how great - standing much of a chance against Wlad, let alone Lewis. Wlad has a vulnerability at the bottom of his face, but I doubt it will be a factor; just like it hasn't been during any of his fights the last straight seven years. Power may be the equalizer, but you still have to land it. Fulton is terrible yet he manages to gives Langford a horrific beating in the same year that Sam knocked out many big names. What gives?

Wlad is just too good at fighting tall, cautious and controlling the range. His opposition may not be great, but how many opponents connected with a solid shot during the last seven years? How many other heavyweights can say that, even the ones who fought poor opposition? Byrd and Chambers may not carry that much power, but they sure as hell as are fast and land their punches against every other opponent. But not Wlad.

Look at how helpless Tua was against Lewis. And mind you, Tua is 5'10, so he still has as much height on Langford as Ali had on Frazier. And Lewis, unlike Wlad, does not have a weak chin, I'm confident about that. I just rewatched his war with Gary Mason (RIP) and he took bombs without flinching. Whatever Langford punch comes through he'll take, and return ten times. That is not even taking into account the fact that there's no way Langford retains his power when having to punch a foot up in the air. There's a reason that Fulton, known for his inability to take a punch, still gave Langford a beating.

I'd make Langford favorite over guys like Patterson, Schmeling, L. Spinks, Sharkey and perhaps a few others. Jeffries and M. Spinks would be a 50/50 fight, Johnson the slight favorite.

Langford vs Tunney and Michael Spinks would be interesting fights. Although both won the heavyweight crown, they're career lightheavies and rank close to Langford on any solid LHW list.

 

Don't get me started on this 'fix' thing again.