Who are the two or three definitve choices for #1 at LHW?

I'll also mention two more modern day greats for the mix. Both Spinks and Foster beat the best their division had to offer and defended their titles many many times for many years, including unification wins by both. These two reigns were exceedingly dominant and worthy of much merit. To the best of my knowledge neither were ever beaten at 175 either.

 

Archie Moore, Ezzard Charles.

 

I think that Langford, Charles Moore and Tunney are all hard to exclude from the top 4 slots.

I think that the No1 slot is always going to come down to Langford or Charles.

Two names who should comfortably make the top 10 but often dont are Jack Dillon and Harry Greb.

 

I have 3 choices who separate themselves from the pack, Charles, Moore and Spinks. These 3 fighters fought in great era's and proved themselves to be superior.

 

Charles Tunney & Moore

 

I'd say that it'd be this very weight class, Pete, which would basically cover his career from from early 1909 when he was "a few pounds over the middleweight limit" to the end of 1912 when he was still being referenced as a light heavyweight champion/claimant by some.

His fight with Joe Jeannette in Sept of 1911 was referenced as being a light heavyweight championship fight too by some (Lincoln Daily News, Sept 5th, 1911, who also stated the next day that there was "little disagreement among the experts" as to Langford's claim to the light heavyweight title...AP report on Aug 28th also called it a light heavyweight championship fight), and the NY Times stated that Langford's weight was announced at 168 for that, as per Langford's word (Sept 6th, 1911).

You can check out the work he did in that time frame by checking his record at BoxRec, but take note that the two fights with McVey in 1911 were both reported to be boo'd by the crowd because they thought that he had won the first one outright (caused quite a scandal in France apparently according to the LA Times on Apr 12th, 1911...quite a few different sources state that Langford should have won), and deserved no worse than a draw in the Dec 1911 bout;

"No bout contested at Rushcutters Bay stadium in a long time has sent away so many dissatisfied spectactors as did the Langford-McVey affair. There were about 18,000 persons who paid, and a majority of these were unable to see the verdict that was given, believing that Langford was entitled to a draw." - Washington Post, Dec 27th, 1911 in an article entiled 'Hoot Fight Decision'. The same day Chicago Tribune also make note of the fans displeasure with the decision rendered.

From 1913 on is when you'll start finding the reports of him being undertrained or quite simply, as some put it, "fat".

 

Why is anyone mentioning Moore when CHarles beat him every time proving to be the better man?

I'll go with Billy Conn and Sam Langford

 

How about Tommy Loughran?

 

My sentimental favorite is Victor Galindez. I saw several of his title fights and he was a damned good, underrated guy. Despite his muscular, fireplug appearance he was a clever boxer and slick counterpuncher who could also deliver a serious whallop.

And he was a busy champion who fought the best available at the time, some of them two or more times: Peralta, Hutchins, Fourie, Ahumada, Yaqui Lopez, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Mike Rossman, Marvin Johnson.

Otherwise, Michael Spinks.

 

Ezzard Charles, Harry Greb

 

I agree with this, although it's brutal to choose to exclude Conn, Loughran, Langford and Tunney.

Mike Spinks did what no reigning LH champion had ever done. Archie Moore had incredible longevity, and would most probably have broken Joe Louis's records for number of title defenses and length of reign, if he'd gotten a LH title shot in a timely manner. Charles may well have been the greatest LH of all, even if never champion in that division.

This thread asks a bruising question though, one I was adverse to posting about for that reason, but I suppose that's precisely what makes for a great topic to discuss.

 

Moore, Foster and Spinks.

My question is what did Charles, Tunney do at LHW to justify an consensus #2 or #3?

 

Ezzard Charles
Gene Tunney
Tommy Loughran


h2h Conn would be there too...

 

Charles and Langford

Moore, Tunney and Conn would be the next three