Razor thin this. Gains (116-22-5) has that wonderful TKO2 over a young Max Schmeling, and a revenge win over Godfrey by DQ (legitimate). Other decent wins are over a creaking Mike McTigue, Jack Renault, Jack London and Primo Carnera. Troubling losses are scattered throughout his prime, most notably against Neusel, Foord and Len Harvey. 6'1, short of reach, weighed around 190 at or around his best. Godfrey (96-21) was bigger at 6'3 and about 225-235lbs. He doesn't have a Schmeling type win, but he does have Gains in the more legitimate win, probably, of their series, listed as a knockout when Gains failed to answer the bell. Probably the draw with Langford listed on Boxrec early in his career never happened, though the two may have fought an exhibition as they trained together. Bill Tate was a regular victim, and he beat a creaking Fred Fulton (KO5). He beat Jack Renault, although he lost that series. Tiger Jack Fox was a nice late career win and Paulo Uzcudun, too, is a good win. He has some troubling losses too, including to John Risko and had a propensity to get himself DQ'd which doesn't help his paper record. Sorry, and thoughts?
more examples of just how good fighters at the Top or swimming around it really are! without great knowledge of the two of them though going on memory at the hieght of my own studies in & around such periods, I think Gains would get the nod here... though I might be wrong.
I get the idea that Godfrey was better in the ring, but the parity lay in the fact that Gains was better managed and more astute generaly. I have never given Gains that much credit for beating a teenage Max Schmeling.
I don’t think that Primo Carnera had peaked at the time he thought Larry Gains, but I think it is fair to say that he was world class by then (unlike Schmeling). So yes, that is probably enough to tip it towards Gains on paper.
Gains book was a good read. He rated Godfrey and Jack Dempsey as the best two he ever shared a ring with. He rated Godfrey as equal to Dempsey, though he only sparred Dempsey.
