Who is the greatest person in boxing

Jack Johnson.

Johnson was what he need to be in his time. Joe Louis is what was needed in his. If Johnson had behaved like Louis, he would have been perceived as a good boy staying in his place. Staying in his place would not have gotten him a shot at Burns.

 

Which was what? Being a seperatist and calling Joe Louis-black America's biggest sporting hero-an uncle Tom?

I dunno. I'm an Ali fan and I think he was a very courageous guy but there's so much bandied around about him which simply isn't true.

 

Alexis Arguello seemed to me to be the nicest and most warmhearted of all the fighters that come to mind although i know there have been many.

Despite Delahoyas rep as spoiled rich prima donna he has done a lot for the East LA community,building hospitals,funding schools,building gyms,and supplying computers and grants,that many times dont get mentioned.

 

Ali has always been my favourite person in boxing. Who the greatest person is,would be impossible to say. In terms of achievement,and image,Ali would definitely be up there.

 

'Peerless' Jim Driscoll 'the peoples champion' gets my vote for the greatest person in boxing, 120,000 people attended his funeral.
Driscoll gave up a chance to fight for the World title because he had promised to fight in an exhibition to raise money for an orphanage {Nazareth House}.
The 1st World War deprived him of any further chance of fighting for the World title, he joined the army and did not box for 6 years.
Jim Driscoll has streets named after him in his home town, he has statues of himself in his hometown, at the front of his huge funeral he had 100 children from the Nazareth House orphanage and to this day nuns from the orphanage tend to his grave.
On the boxing front, Driscoll held the British version of the World featherweight title, before going to America, where is reputation as a boxer had preceded him, he easily beat every American put in front of him, Abe Atell was the World Champion at that time, Atell would only fight Jim in a 10 round no-decision contest, without his title been at stake {America had a no decision rule in place at the time, a winner only being declared if there was a KO}
Jim Driscoll dominated Atell, most observers say Jim won all 10 rounds.
Nat Fleischer commented that Driscoll was easily the best and was the best featherweight in the World.
Jim Driscoll was offered a rematch with the World title at stake {Atell had no choice as everybody knew who was the real champion} but Jim had promised to go back home to Wales to fight in an exhibition to raise money for an orphanage.
Anybody that ranks Atell above Driscoll does not know what they are talking about.
Driscolls most famous fight was a war against Freddie Welsh, Driscoll from Irish stock, living in the docks area of Cardiff fought a 'valley commando' in Freddie Welsh aka Freddie Thomas {he did not want his mother to know he was boxing}, Welsh had recently drawn with Packey McFarland {1 defeat in 100 plus fights} over 20 rounds , Welsh went onto to beat Benny Leonard in the States.
Gentleman Jim repeatedly headbutted Welsh in frustration and was disqualified as Driscoll claimed he was getting no protection from the referee, Welsh was alledgley using dirty tactics, there was rioting all over Cardiff after the fight {this may not just have been Jims supporters unhappy about the outcome, as Freddie had proberbly a lot of valley boys in town there to support him}.
Jim Driscoll was also a trainer and trained Percy Jones {Rhondda} to win a World title.

 

It's hard to pick out one individual, but I've always found something to admire in Roy Jones Jnr. Here is a man who was a brutally abused child and a frequent victim of circumstances (eg. the 1988 Olympics) but who kept his character throughout and ultimately had a reconciliation with his father. He could have easily taken the wrong path on many occasions, but
chose instead to transcend his situation.

He was also genuine in his public persona, resisting the temptation to have a lucrative mean image and instead choosing to be a role-model for millions of fans: when he beat Toney, he went with some friends to McDonalds and was so sober the next morning he decided to go for a jog, just for fun!

 

Theres only 2 answers to this thread: Muhammed Ali and Mike Tyson by a landslide, they definned boxing for generations and brought it to the mainstream. Any other answer is typical of the anorak trying to be trendy ****wittery of the Classic forum

 

Boxing was mainstream way before those two though.

 

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The one & only.... believe that **** !

 

Don't you think that boxing was as big or bigger before them?

 

Joe Louis.

Arguello, even with the auspicious ending.

 

If Ali is someone`s opinion then thats that.

I could say, Barney Ross fought too long ago blah blah but its your opinion & its as worthy as any.