Which of these decades had the best HW challengers that NEVER won a title?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Ken Ashcroft, Apr 4, 2017.


  1. Ken Ashcroft

    Ken Ashcroft Boxing Addict Full Member

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    From the 1960s to the 2000s (though you can add earlier decades if you want). Two conditions are no past or future champions,only title challengers that were never able to win a title in their career and each boxer has to be placed in the decade that they first challenged for the title. Here's some names that I managed to find:

    1960s
    Tom McNeely
    Eddie Machen
    George Chuvalo
    Henry Cooper
    Cleveland Williams
    Zora Folley
    Jerry Quarry
    Karl Mildenberger
    Doug Jones

    1970s
    Bob Foster
    Chuck Wepner
    Ron Lyle
    Joe Bugner
    Jimmy Young
    Earnie Shavers
    Jean Pierre Coopman
    Alfredo Evangelista
    Ossie Ocasio

    1980s
    Leroy Jones
    James Tillis
    Renaldo Snipes
    Gerry Cooney
    Tex Cobb
    Marvis Frazier
    Carl Williams
    Tyrell Biggs
    David Bey

    1990s
    Bert Cooper
    Jesse Ferguson
    Andrew Golota
    Phil Jackson
    Vaughn Bean
    Joe Hipp
    Jeremy Williams
    Zeljko Mavrovic

    2000s
    David Tua
    Michael Grant
    Kirk Johnson
    Jameel McCline
    Danny Williams
    James Toney
    Monte Barett
    Chris Arreola
    Eddie Chambers

    Feel free to add any notable names that have been forgotten.
     
    Ken Ashcroft, Apr 4, 2017
    Ken Ashcroft, Apr 4, 2017
    #1
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  2. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    I would say that the guys from the 60s are the best qualitatively.

    Some of them probably would have held titles, if the titles has been fragmented as they were in the 80s and 90s.
     
    janitor, Apr 5, 2017
    janitor, Apr 5, 2017
    #2
  3. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    Its between the 60's and 70's for me. And Jerry Quarry could very reasonably qualify for both periods.
     
    mr. magoo, Apr 5, 2017
    mr. magoo, Apr 5, 2017
    #3
  4. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    Machen and Quarry are the two names that come to mind for me.
     
    janitor, Apr 5, 2017
    janitor, Apr 5, 2017
    #4
  5. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

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    1990's Ike Ibeabuchi
     
    Mendoza, Apr 5, 2017
    Mendoza, Apr 5, 2017
    #5
  6. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    Yes, Machen was an excellent contender in the late 50's and early 60's.
     
    mr. magoo, Apr 5, 2017
    mr. magoo, Apr 5, 2017
    #6
  7. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    Sixty s and seventy s stand out for me with the contenders u mentioned. Quarry, shavers, young and bugner are names that in other eras would probably have picked up a belt.
     
    Fergy, Apr 5, 2017
    Fergy, Apr 5, 2017
    #7
  8. Ken Ashcroft

    Ken Ashcroft Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Grant (2000), Tua (2000) and Johnson (2002) all first challenged for the title in the 2000s. Krasniqi, Sam, Brock, Donald, Mason, Ruddock and Stewart, as far as I'm aware never actually fought for any version of the HW title. Zolkin did but wasn't Schulz IBF champ for a brief period?

    I didn't whether to include Bonavena and Matthis in the lists because when they fought Joe Frazier, Joe was only recognised by the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) as champion so I wasn't sure whether that counted as being for a 'world title'.

    Ike Ibeabuchi is another highly rated contender who had fine wins against the likes of Byrd and Tua but never managed to challenged for this title which in his case was due to him going to jail.

    Still, really appreciate your (and everyone else's) responses.
     
    Ken Ashcroft, Apr 5, 2017
    Ken Ashcroft, Apr 5, 2017
    #8
  9. Ken Ashcroft

    Ken Ashcroft Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Unfortunately Ike never got to challenge for the title.
     
    Ken Ashcroft, Apr 5, 2017
    Ken Ashcroft, Apr 5, 2017
    #9
  10. scartissue

    scartissue Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    But does that exclude them? The name of this thread are those who never won a title, not those who fought for and lost.
     
    scartissue, Apr 5, 2017
    scartissue, Apr 5, 2017
    #10
  11. Ken Ashcroft

    Ken Ashcroft Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Sorry but it is challengers not contenders in the thread title and I did try to make it clear in the opening post that the conditions are title challengers that never won the title and that they are placed in the decade that they first challenged for the title (as some did challenged for the title several times and in different decades)

    Apologies for any confusion.
     
    Ken Ashcroft, Apr 5, 2017
    Ken Ashcroft, Apr 5, 2017
    #11
  12. heerko koois

    heerko koois Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    1980,s
    Gary Mason
    Horace Notice
    Mitch Green
     
    heerko koois, Apr 5, 2017
    heerko koois, Apr 5, 2017
    #12
  13. scartissue

    scartissue Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    You're right. My bad.
     
    scartissue, Apr 5, 2017
    scartissue, Apr 5, 2017
    #13