Which old timer HOF fighters are you least/most impressed with after watching footage

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by kmac, Jun 25, 2011.


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  1. kmac

    kmac On permanent vacation Full Member

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    who from this era of fighters does or doesn't impress you from watching footage of them?
    http://www.ibhof.com/pages/about/inductees/oldtimer.html

    least impressed
    bob fitzsimmons
    jack johnson, still one of the greats at heavy
    sam mcvey

    most impressed
    sam langford
    benny leonard
    gene tunney
     
    kmac, Jun 25, 2011
    kmac, Jun 25, 2011
    #1
  2. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

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    Jack Johnson was so underwhelming. I read 'Unforgiveable Blackness' and really wanted to give Johnson a chance to reinforce his record with solid ability on film, and he completly did not impress.
     
    GPater11093, Jun 25, 2011
    GPater11093, Jun 25, 2011
    #2
  3. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I agree with that, except that I wasn't terribly impressed by Langford. Would definitely add Corbett to the "least impressed" category.
     
    Bokaj, Jun 25, 2011
    Bokaj, Jun 25, 2011
    #3
  4. bodhi

    bodhi Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Most impressed: Joe Gans
    Least impressed: Jack Johnson
     
    bodhi, Jun 25, 2011
    bodhi, Jun 25, 2011
    #4
  5. amhlilhaus

    amhlilhaus Well-Known Member Full Member

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    im not very impressed with the posters in this thread.
     
    amhlilhaus, Jun 25, 2011
    amhlilhaus, Jun 25, 2011
    #5
  6. kmac

    kmac On permanent vacation Full Member

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    corbett for sure. i feel langford was a great stalking, offensive fighter from what i've seen and he was almost always the smaller man. pacquiao is sort of doing the same thing today but not near on the scale that langford did.
     
    kmac, Jun 25, 2011
    kmac, Jun 25, 2011
    #6
  7. Jorodz

    Jorodz watching Gatti Ward 1... Full Member

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    i came here to post jack johnson and was terrified for the pantsing and wet willies i'd receive as a result...thankfully a couple of cats i respect posted him first

    i echo bojak: sam langford didn't woo me

    honourable mention to charley burley
     
    Jorodz, Jun 25, 2011
    Jorodz, Jun 25, 2011
    #7
  8. Swarmer

    Swarmer Patrick Full Member

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    of the guys we have decent footage of, or a lot of? I'll try not to repeat any of the topic post's

    Least:
    Sam McVey
    Stanley Ketchel(doesn't look the destroyer his record indicates at all)
    Jim Jeffries

    Most:
    Joe Gans
    Packey McFarland
    Tommy Gibbons
    Tommy Ryan(in that sparring clip)

    Corbett looks great in the Tunney sparring footage.
     
    Swarmer, Jun 25, 2011
    Swarmer, Jun 25, 2011
    #8
  9. kmac

    kmac On permanent vacation Full Member

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    good call on gans. meant to put him in the original post.
     
    kmac, Jun 25, 2011
    kmac, Jun 25, 2011
    #9
  10. bodhi

    bodhi Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Nice from you to mention Ryan, he get´s so overlooked even on here. :thumbsup
     
    bodhi, Jun 25, 2011
    bodhi, Jun 25, 2011
    #10
  11. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    Johnson has never impressed me on film but looks spectacular compared to McVea and Jeanette.

    Leonard and Gans look great. Tunney looks thoroughly modern and scientific, but then he was at the doorstep of boxing's greatest few decades.
     
    Seamus, Jun 25, 2011
    Seamus, Jun 25, 2011
    #11
  12. Swarmer

    Swarmer Patrick Full Member

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    I'm not sure if that clip is actually him though. The IMDB of the only filmed footage of ryan is 1899 and this clip is Jeffries training for Ruhlin in 1901. So I may actually be wrong. Which makes me wonder who that is sparring with Jeffries.

    Also: The footage we do have of Wills is pretty... Uninspiring. Although it's understandable given how old he was.

    Mickey Walker, Ted Kid Lewis, and Freddie Welsh look pretty good to me as well.
     
    Swarmer, Jun 25, 2011
    Swarmer, Jun 25, 2011
    #12
  13. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Yeah, Gans looked good in what I've seen of him. Leonard looked better imo, but he also came a bit later.
     
    Bokaj, Jun 25, 2011
    Bokaj, Jun 25, 2011
    #13
  14. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    There is clearly an issue of film quality in many of these cases, and the availbale fights might not do the fighters credit in some cases.

    Having said that.

    I was not impressed by the film of Stanley Ketchel, a fighter I have to rate verry highly based on resume.

    For contrast, I was verry impresed by what I saw of Tommy Burns.

    Given that Ketchel did better vs common opponents, this is interesting to say the least.
     
    janitor, Jun 25, 2011
    janitor, Jun 25, 2011
    #14
  15. john garfield

    john garfield Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    No love for SRR?
     
    john garfield, Jun 25, 2011
    john garfield, Jun 25, 2011
    #15
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