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he would've been a great champion, he's a true legend.

Great question.

I kind of cheated since he never went pro, but I will say Felix Savon.

or Charley Burley?

Great question.

I kind of cheated since he never went pro, but I will say Felix Savon.

You can say the same about Teófilo Stevenson.

From a British and recent point of view Herol Bomber Graham.

Great clips, I like Langford's style

I've always liked that video, and as per thread title, get rid of that "to never hold a world title" part of the statement and I'm in complete agreement with it.

once again ceboxer, you showed your lack of boxing knowledge, Langford is one of the worst fighters ever, he's way too small to be a heavyweight and his chin was horrible.

that title belongs to this man, the greatest fighter ever

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** I thought his bout with Lang was for the pillow fight championship of the world, no?

Sammy got his butt kicked by BillyGoat Flynn in that head butting contest. Billy Goat held the title for a long time, or at least until someone in New Mexico invented cabrito.

I've always liked that video, and as per thread title, get rid of that "to never hold a world title" part of the statement and I'm in complete agreement with it.

Its good to see you again Yogi.

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he would've been a great champion, he's a true legend.

Can't argue with you! Langford was an AWESOME fighter.

Poet

once again ceboxer, you showed your lack of boxing knowledge, Langford is one of the worst fighters ever, he's way too small to be a heavyweight and his chin was horrible.

that title belongs to this man, the greatest fighter ever

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Are you smoking crack?

Poet

I think Earnie Shavers as far as heavyweights go...

Are you smoking crack?

Poet

no, I mean what I say. How does no one on boxingscene see that Butterbean is the greatest of all time? It amazes me how little boxing knowledge everyone on site, especially ceboxer15 have. Everyone agreed with everything I had to say on another boxing forum, they obivously know their boxing.

no, I mean what I say. How does no one on boxingscene see that Butterbean is the greatest of all time? It amazes me how little boxing knowledge everyone on site, especially ceboxer15 have. Everyone agreed with everything I had to say on another boxing forum, they obivously know their boxing.

what website was that?

Without question the greatest fighter to never hold a world title was Charlie Burley. He was so good the champions straight up refused to face him.

Without question the greatest fighter to never hold a world title was Charlie Burley. He was so good the champions straight up refused to face him.


Sam Langford, Harry Wills, Charley Burley, Jimmy Bivins, Joey Archer, Tom Sharkey and Lew Tendler are some that should be considered.

I think Earnie Shavers as far as heavyweights go...
The Ring (magazine) in its 1998 holiday issue ranked Ernie Shavers #33 in its list of the "50 Greatest Heavyweights of All Time." The list includes fighters who held some form of World Championships. It also includes Ken Norton, who never won a belt inside the ring (he was awarded the WBC crown after Leon Spinks refused to defend against him and instead faced Ali in a rematch.) Norton was ranked #22. Shavers KO'd Norton in the first round when they met in Vegas in '79.

In 2003, The Ring ranked Shavers as the 10th in its list of 100 biggest punchers of all time.

I think Shavers should be among the top ten greatest who never wore a crown.

The top spot? I think it's a toss up between Burley and Langford.

butterbean?get the **** out of here! it's burley.i think langford is overrated a bit.he beat gans,and got knockout by the greatest clincher of all time in jack johnson.

I've never heard of Burley, what era did he fight? I was gonna cheat by saving Savon and Teofilio Steveson like some guy stated earlier. I'd had to agree it to be Langford. ....Butterbean is a fat piece of crap and would get murdered by any heavyweight in the Top 10 currently.

Sam Langford looks like Jack Johnson

There are journeymen who have briefly held word titles, but there are no "great" fighters who have never held a world title. There are some very good fighters who have never won a world title, however. Among those would be Earnie Shavers.

I've never heard of Burley, what era did he fight? I was gonna cheat by saving Savon and Teofilio Steveson like some guy stated earlier. I'd had to agree it to be Langford. ....Butterbean is a fat piece of crap and would get murdered by any heavyweight in the Top 10 currently.
Introducing.... CHARLEY BURLEY!

http://charleyburley.com/page21.htm
http://www.ibhof.com/burley.htm
http://www.charleyburley.com/http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/2602/wasn-much-charley-burley-color/ (http://www.charleyburley.com/http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/2602/wasn-much-charley-burley-color/)

Appreciate Grayfist

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he would've been a great champion, he's a true legend.

i like that 1920's song they added on the highlight.

Appreciate Grayfist
No sweat, Konfusious....

No sweat, Konfusious....

Speaking of Charley Burley..I just finished a book entitled Charley Burley and The Black Murderers Row. Anyone interested in Burley should pick it up because it's great!

Speaking of Charley Burley..I just finished a book entitled Charley Burley and The Black Murderers Row. Anyone interested in Burley should pick it up because it's great!

Yup...;)....

Yup...;)....

There is this book too gray -

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41QIDyOqLRL._SS500_.jpg

It's very good as well.

Yup, I have come accross the site that sells it. I have it bookmarked.

http://www.theburleybook.com/

But, I haven't been able to get a copy yet. Maybe, in a couple of days...

Thanks for the reminder Hawk...

YOUNG FIRPO.

i dont think this guy is the greatest uncrowned champion of all time but hes definitely up there.

YOUNG FIRPO.

i dont think this guy is the greatest uncrowned champion of all time but hes definitely up there.Do you mean Argentina's Luis Angel "The Wild Bull of the Pampas" Firpo (who got KO'd by Jack Dempsey), or some guy whose first name is "Young?"

Joe Bugner.

Charley Burley and Pedro Montanez

I'd go with Jimmy Young should have won a belt
http://www.phillyboxinghistory.com/boxers/boxer_young.htm

Also Gypsy Joe Harris was forced to retire after they discovered he was blind in one eye
http://www.phillyboxinghistory.com/records/record_harris.htm

Sam "The Boston Tar Baby" Langford falls definitely into this category! But hey, Sammy knows that the belt don't make him, he makes the belt what it is.
Didn't Sammy go 90 odd fights and still didn't get a shot???? What daylight robbery that is!

Charles Duane Burley is another outstanding talent that never won a title. Hence the myth that Great Sugar Ray Robinson ducked him! That's telling you something.

Thats a very hard question as there are so many brilliant fantastic champions who were never 'champions'. Especially back when, if you were black, they might not give you a shot if they thought you were too dangerous and would embarrass the white champ. Pathetic. Really, really pathetic.

Of course there are the usual suspects like Langford, Burley (great fighter), Stribling etc. The guy I think was the best though to never win a title was Patrick McFarland.

This guy had 104 fights and only one loss! He fought many Hall of Famers and beat them, but, the big problem was he fought in the ridiculous time of when, if yo didn't win by KO it was declared a No Contest! Supposedly he fought many, many of these against a lot of opponents and champions and 'won' them, just not by KO.

He was a lightweight fighter who also beat the Hall of Fame middleweight Mike Gibbons and fought (and beat) about seven other HOF'ers. The most frustrating thing though was the No Decisions. He lost his seventh pro bout then didn't lost again for about fifty fights when the ND law came in. After that came in he had something like 50 fights with 30 of them being ruled ND's.

does les darcy rate a mention? or tucan mcginty?

does les darcy rate a mention? or tucan mcginty?

McGinty has to be on the list, top five or six at least

Post Buster Douglas loss Tyson. As uncomparable as he was to 80's Mike Tyson, with all the belts floating around and shots he had, it's a wonder another world belt didnt end up in his hands at some point.

Post Buster Douglas loss Tyson. As uncomparable as he was to 80's Mike Tyson, with all the belts floating around and shots he had, it's a wonder another world belt didnt end up in his hands at some point.

He held the WBA and WBC titles after his incarceration.

Probably not the best fighter but I read about Bernard Mays recently and thought he had marvelous potential but couldn't get his life together outside of the ring and never won a title.

does les darcy rate a mention? or tucan mcginty?

Christ, of course! Les Darcy...the greatest Australian fighter ever...in potential anyway and, like Sal Sanchez, would of undoubtedly become one of the greatest ever fighters, but sadly his career was cut short as when he finally got to America to start his destruction of the boxing world he got septicemia from an old tooth that had not been fixed and died from the complications at the tender age of 24.
:(

im sure he was only 21.. as he had just become eligible for the war..

one of boxing's forgotten greats.

I know historical context is an important factor when assesing a fighters merit but when i watch most of those old fighters they look, well, aweful hahaha

adding a few aussies in:

dave sands ( died in acar crash age 26, rated #3 MW in the world at the time, beat bobo olsen on points in a 10 rounder)

and les darcy

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he would've been a great champion, he's a true legend.



In more modern times, Eddie Machen was certainly a contender for the best non-champion award. He gave Sonny Liston a boxing lesson then got screwed by the judges. Like Jersey Joe Walcott, he would occasionally make mistakes then pay for them dearly. To be a great champion you not only need to be good, you need to be lucky.

In more modern times, Eddie Machen was certainly a contender for the best non-champion award. He gave Sonny Liston a boxing lesson then got screwed by the judges. Like Jersey Joe Walcott, he would occasionally make mistakes then pay for them dearly. To be a great champion you not only need to be good, you need to be lucky.

Machen did not give Liston a boxing lesson. He lost virtually every round, even taking into account the points Liston lost for low blows (one of which was questionable and which Machen milked for all it was worth). Even Machen himself conceded that Liston was the rightful winner, although he thought it was closer than the scores suggested.

Machen did not give Liston a boxing lesson. He lost virtually every round, even taking into account the points Liston lost for low blows (one of which was questionable and which Machen milked for all it was worth). Even Machen himself conceded that Liston was the rightful winner, although he thought it was closer than the scores suggested.


I have never seen a quote where Machen conceded defeat to Liston. Got a link? All I have seen is the fight on video where Machen clearly out boxes Liston and rarely if ever takes a heavy hit. What I also didn't fail to notice is that in the later rounds Liston was acting like an *******. It was very much the same way MIke Tyson would act when a difficult opponent wouldn't go down. These bully-boys who depend on intimidation start to show their true colors when they have to endure adversity.

I have never seen a quote where Machen conceded defeat to Liston. Got a link? All I have seen is the fight on video where Machen clearly out boxes Liston and rarely if ever takes a heavy hit. What I also didn't fail to notice is that in the later rounds Liston was acting like an *******. It was very much the same way MIke Tyson would act when a difficult opponent wouldn't go down. These bully-boys who depend on intimidation start to show their true colors when they have to endure adversity.

All I see on the fight video is a boxer whose only goal was to avoid getting knocked out, to the extent that the pro-Machen crowd were pro-Liston by the end of the night. Machen was a talented fighter, and if he'd put as much effort into winning as he had taunting Liston, he might have stood a better chance. As it was, he lost handily, winning three or four rounds at most, and I must say you're the first person I've come across who thought Machen won.

No I don't have a link, it was in an interview some years ago. He said Liston was a better boxer than he expected, and thought he would gas if he could take him past 5/6 rounds, but it didn't happen.

Sam Langford
Young Griffo
Charley Burley

David Tua... He was one of the most prominent boxers of his age, but he didn't have the chance of fighting for the world title apart from the match against Lennox Lewis. Maybe, he didn't have a good manager or promoter. His style was almost same with Tyson's.

Sam Langford was a great fighter and the best fighter never to win a title. Very sad because he paid for the consequnces of ''Jack Johnson' behaviour and reign.

Charley Burley without a doubt.

Danny Williams.

/Thread.