Why isn't Freddie Steele ever mentioned as one of the great middleweights?

T,great list of a great middleweight era.
Lest we forget:
Georgie Abrams
Eddie Booker
Teddy and Tommy Yarosz
Lloyd Marshall
Nate Bolden
A hell of an era T as you post :hi:

 

Very well said, by both you and burt. I don't think Monzon, Hagler, or Hopkins, great as they were, could've ruled the division with that kind of depth for the length of time they did their own.

I think the iron-chinned Gorilla Jones may be one of the missing names you're thinking of. :good

 

yeah another thing I've stated for years, look what happened RJJ,

well just double the amount of fights he had and multiply them always against Top fighters from the same period of L-HWs, and Roy too was a big fella, so IF he was on top for a stay would have fought UP to a couple of good HWs too...

anyway just the great L-HWs of the era would have exposed him sooner than he was in his own period.

as I say these men are solidified for All-Time, the others have to be measured against them... this is why acheivement based list don't work, because lesser fighters from lesser periods don't beat these guys, they just don't.

 

Great post, and I think your "guesses" are right on the money.

Steele looks awesomely talented and impressive on film, but I think his resume is somewhat deceptive and overrated. As you noted, he beat guys like Apostoli, Garcia, and Lesnevich when they were all still inexperienced and in some cases, FAR ahead of their peaks. The one time he fought one of those guys when they were actually world class (Apostoli), he was beaten soundly and steadfastly refused to risk his title against him. Also, while I believe the '30s had some very underrated talents like Apostoli, Thil, and Yarosz, I also think fighters like Risko, Dundee, and Gorilla Jones were among the more unexceptional fighters to hold versions of the MW title.

Like you also pointed out, his run as titleholder came to a very abrupt and anti-climactic end, getting KO'd in 1 on a big upset and then never winning another fight afterward.

Given his obvious talents, Steele probably could've at least fought with any MW that ever lived. But at the same time, I think there are some very valid criticisms that could be made of him that would prevent him from being in the top 10 (I have him in my top 15).

 

Any guy who could kayo Ken Overlin,and Lesnevich,Fred Apostoli, Ceferino Garcia [2]and the tough,though not great Vince Dundee,belongs with MOST any middleweight H2H.
And that man was Freddie Steele...

 

Personally I'd rate him pretty high.
but I'd probably rate Fred Apostoli above him

 

Ditto.:good

 

not without McAvoy...

dream fight for me, Jock McAvoy vs. Freedie Steele.

 

Remember Freddie was fighting pro from the age of like 12.
Had he been brought along in a more proper way heda been even better!
As things stand both Apostoli and Gorilla Jones named him as the best fighter they ever faced. That's huge praise!

 

Yep....After studied him for a while I can see Steele in the top 10 best MWs ever......

 

Probably because he isn't as good as the best MWs? I think so, he looks good on film but not near top10 at the weight by a long shot. He has a decent legacy and everything none the less

 

Oh Freddie Steele IS among the Best, rest assured!

 

ive just recently came to this conclusion after doing a bit of reading up on him as i (shamefully) knew very very little until i read a post from Burt a year or so back and my curiosity got the better.

1 of the pluses in this great forum

 

ok

 

He should be.