Most Underrated Fighter of All-Time!!

[Hard Boiled HK]

Recently I think, ESPN interviewed him and they started talking about the Ali fight and rabbit punches during the fight. Wepner said he was used to the rabbit punches Ali was throwing because back in Bayonne the sparred with a big rabbit puncher (my trainer) so he was used to it in the fight. The thing is, my trainer got so pissed and offended because he never threw rabbit punches in a fight or sparring.

Wepner usually just says things to make himself not look as bad on tv and to the public.

He even apologized to my trainer about what he said on tv. He said he said it only to not look bad.

Yeah the rabbit punches in that fight was ridiculous. Thanks for the example.

[butterfly1964]

Sonny Liston. People don't realize how great he was. They just see an old, undertrained, and disinterested Liston lose to Ali, and they think he's trash. He was smart, very skilled, powerful, quick, a sort of Joe Louis type fighter, only stronger, with a better chin. Liston has a great chance against any heavyweight in history, including Muhammad Ali.

[sleazyfellow]

my pick is ezzard charles, he was a very good lightheavy and a decent hwyweight, ppl just seem to remember him losing to marciano and being "chinny" but i think he was good all around fighter, like joe louis...for me its either him or jersey joe that r the most underappreciated fighters cause they came right after joe louis 12 year reign as champ

[hellfire508]

Sonny Liston. People don't realize how great he was. They just see an old, undertrained, and disinterested Liston lose to Ali, and they think he's trash. He was smart, very skilled, powerful, quick, a sort of Joe Louis type fighter, only stronger, with a better chin. Liston has a great chance against any heavyweight in history, including Muhammad Ali.

I disagree. I think Liston is rated accordingly. He is underrated by some, but most people acknowledge his abilities. As for his fights with Ali, he didn't actually look that bad in the first fight. He was working pretty well, but he was bewildered by the movement of Ali. Sonny was used to throwing, hitting, and knocking the stuffing out of his opponents. Against Ali, he was throwing, and hitting, but hitting air. The evasive skills of Ali in this fight were amazing. Sonny seemed helpless, doubling, tripling on the jabs, and Ali just casually made him miss my inches. Remember, Sonny was coming off the biggest wins of his career over Floyd Patterson, two first round KOs. Sonny was past his best, but was by no means gone, he was still a brilliant fighter. In this case, it was more of a stlyes mismatch.

[Yogi]

During my readings of various all-time rankings on the net I have found that Charles is generally rated as the #1 175 pounder of all-time, Pryor the #1 140 pounder, and Jofre the #1 118 pounder.

Now the question I have is...

When fighters are most often given the #1 position of all-time in their respective divisions by those compiling such lists, how is even possible for them to be underrated by us boxing fans in general?

[Abe Attell]

maybe not so much by historians but people on this board rarely talk about Sam Langford

Probably the true "Pound for Pound" best fighter

http://www.iabpff.org/regions/site/sam1.html
http://coxscorner.tripod.com/langford.html

[butterfly1964]

I disagree. I think Liston is rated accordingly. He is underrated by some, but most people acknowledge his abilities. As for his fights with Ali, he didn't actually look that bad in the first fight. He was working pretty well, but he was bewildered by the movement of Ali. Sonny was used to throwing, hitting, and knocking the stuffing out of his opponents. Against Ali, he was throwing, and hitting, but hitting air. The evasive skills of Ali in this fight were amazing. Sonny seemed helpless, doubling, tripling on the jabs, and Ali just casually made him miss my inches. Remember, Sonny was coming off the biggest wins of his career over Floyd Patterson, two first round KOs. Sonny was past his best, but was by no means gone, he was still a brilliant fighter. In this case, it was more of a stlyes mismatch.

He would have looked better if he was about 4 years younger, and was in better shape.

[BKM-]

Gerald Mcclellan. He could have banged and beat the greats like Leonard, hearns, Hagler, Jones JR etc. he just didnt get the chance to show it for years to come.

That is why i pick him.