Who are some of the best fighters who never received a title shot?

Bad Bennie got three challenges. Monzon decisioned him over 15 rounds in 1972, Rodrigo Valdez stopped him in seven rounds for the WBC MW Title in 1974, and he lost a 15 round decision to Valdez for Monzon's vacated undisputed championship in 1977.

 

i know petrolle has always been known as one of the best never to win a title,and that he'd fought canzaneri,just didn't know it was actually for the title.thanks very much for that du.:good

 

Packey McFarland
Sam Langford
Charles Burley

 

Casper Ortega by all accounts was worthy of a title shot in his prime,

 

You're quite welcome.

Like Jack Kid Berg, Billy Petrolle won a ten round decision over Canzi in 1930 (Tony's only two defeats in 13 outings that year). But when Canzi rematched both Berg and The Fargo Express with his LW Title on the line over 15 rounds, he just stepped his performance up a notch. He certainly wasn't shy about rematching tough opponents.

 

Great list :good

Langford and Burley without a doubt. But, too many people here don't know about Mcfarland.

Packey McFarland never got a title shot because he wouldn't lay down for the mob. So instead he beat most of the champs at feather, light, & welterweight in non-title fights...repeatedly. He also beat most of the top contenders too. He pissed off the mob and still managed to lose only once in a 110 fights. Despite having bad hands most of his career and facing plenty of top opposition. Truly great fighter.

 

Holman Williams, Sam Langford, Lloyd Marshall, Elmer Ray, Joe Jeannette and Jimmy Bivins.

 

Eddie Machen is a name that comes to mind.

 

The first two that come to mind are Langford and Burley. I would put money on Dempsey over Wills but that doesn't mean he did not merit a title shot or that it would not have been a very entertaining fight. One of the problems with accessing these early black heavies is the fact they mostly fought each other, over and over again, rarely before a camera, and in less than optimal conditions.

While we all agree Langford was an alltime great, is Jeff Clark also a "could have been" just because he kept losing company with Langford and Wills? McVey also, by all accounts, was a powerful but very limited fighter. While he had some good wins, and I would rate him as good though not title-quality, is his status not bolstered merely because he got beat unnumbered times by Langford? Not that I envy a man who had to step in the ring a dozen times with Langford. Likewise, George Godfrey, on the receiving end of beatings by some very good fighters, did not beat very many himself.

Sometimes I think there is a tendancy to stretch the potential of the unprovable in these and other old-timers. I know this is heresy in these parts and I do not intend to denegrate the fantastic legacy of these fighters.

 

Ortega got a shot at Emile Griffith and the welter crown.

 

To all those who put down Langford: According to the BBB of C year books, Langford claimed a world title at Middleweight (1907-11) and Light Heavyweight (1911-13). Also there is his Heavyweight title wins (1909-11; 1912-14; 1914-15; 1916-17; 1917-18 ).

This is a tough topic, because some will say, they were only coloured/black titles (at Heavyweight). Well (to them people) if we are only including legitmate World Championships, then there is dozens of excellent to great fighters who never got title shots...

 

Laszlo Papp.

 

Ike Ibeauchi

 

Yes and according to Mendoza he was avoided by Jack Johnson ,the bloody coward!