Who Do You Think Is Australia's Best Boxers Of All-time

Geez, all these replies and not one mentions the names of Young Griffo or Les Darcy, which are probably the two most famous Australian fighters in the historical sense of things... And heck, throw the names of Dave Sands into the mix, as well, and while you're at it add Jimmy Carruthers' name somewhere on a list/ranking of fighters from Australia.Hi Yogi! I confess having some reservations about tossing in Young Griffo to the short list of Aussie greatest, but won't really argue against his being put there. Griffo won a world title (Featherweight) that was only recognized in Britain and Australia. He was quite a character. He figured in such incidents as: 1. A 70-round non-title fight against Young Pluto that reportedly started at 8pm and ended at 2:00 o'clock dawn! 2. Just hours prior to facing the Irishman "Spider" Weir in Chicago, he was declared missing! The police later located him in what was called a "low dive", drunk! He was hustled to a steam bath and made to stay there until he was just a little sober. Not in any condition for a long night, he trashed Weir from the opening bell and KO'd "Spider" in the third round! If one finds that amazing, then, more amazing is the report that most of the time, Griffo was drunk when he fought! Now, consider that 70-round fight and alcohol... 3. In St. Louis, MO, facing Tom Tracy, Griffo perfunctorily exchanged tentative shots with his opponent in the first round, then, suddently turned around, went to the ropes and made a speech! He said the taxi he took to the arena collided with a streetcar and he became so bruised that he could not continue. Scheduled for 6 rounds, the fight was declared a No Contest, Round 1. From 1893 on, Griffo fought dozens of times in the US (before that he fought almost exclusively in Australia) but never for a widely accepted world title. He instead earned quite a name for himself with his adventures, another one of which is the story told about his penchant for going into a bar, placing a handkerchief on the floor and challenging anyone to knock him off the kerchief. It is said that Griffo is the "forgotten genius of boxing". Americans at the time used to call him the "most clever fighter to come to American shores." Griffo was a natural. He may be the best Australia has produced. If only he had won a world title more widely recognized.... Apologies are in order for overlooking Les Darcy. The oversight cannot be justified by his rather short career and that he only held the Australian version of the World Middleweight title along with the Australian Heavyweight title. Darcy is held in high esteem by boxing experts. He trashed all middleweights who visited Australia to face him. But with all that said, I add that I view Darcy as a case of "what could have been, more than what really was." Politics--not only boxing politics-- prevented him from pursuing a career that would have showcased further the type of figher he was--great. He was driven out of Australia by fans who turned against him for his failure to enlist in the Armed Forces for WWI (ala Ali?) He went to the US hidden in the belly of an oil tanker, stayed in New York and tried to get a license to ply his trade. But the NY governor at the time disapproved his application. A US tour put together by Tex Rickard failed to materialize when governors of other states followed NY's example. Darcy tried to make up, as he took an oath of allegiance to the US and enlisted in the US Army. Weeks later he died. An infected tooth ( Pancho Villa?) His remains were shipped back to Australia and received with mourning. Darcy is in Canastota. Jimmy Carruthers (first incarnation) had a four year career, winning both the World Bantamweight crown and the British Empire Bantamweight belt in his first fight vs. South African Vic Toweel by first round KO. His first defense was against the same Toweel. It ended in the 10th. His second defense was against Pappy Gault, whose best achievement was the North American belt which he defended successfully only once. Carruther's next and final defense was against the Thai Songkitrat. He won by UD, then retired. His second incarnation came 7 years later as a Jr. Light- Light; it resulted in a record of 2 wins and 4 losses; three of the 4 losses were in his first three come-back fights. The middleweight Dave Sands has a first round KO win over Commonwealth and BBBofC titlist Dick Turpin, a decision W over Robert Villemain--a French top contender who had SD loses to Kid Gavilan, Bobo Olson and Jake LaMota and went the distance with the great Sugar Ray Robinson--and two wins by PTS over Hall of Famer Bobo Olson. Along with having held the Australian middleweight crown, Sands held the AustralAsian LightHeavy and Australian Heavy belts. But he never got a world title.

Geez, all these replies and not one mentions the names of Young Griffo or Les Darcy, which are probably the two most famous Australian fighters in the historical sense of things... And heck, throw the names of Dave Sands into the mix, as well, and while you're at it add Jimmy Carruthers' name somewhere on a list/ranking of fighters from Australia.

bit late i mentioned the other champ 2 or 3 posts above. Im just wondering if st clair will stay motivated enough to hold onto his title, i sure hope so.

Tyzu for now... BUT if VIC DARCHINYAN continues this undefeated KO streak, if he goes on to beat the likes of Jorge Arce and such, then VIC could very well be the best fighter ever out of Australia, although he is Armenian. ;) VIC is currently the only World Champion Australia has. i thought you knew a lot about boxing!!.. WRONG Vic is not the only world champion australia has!!!........I'm not even going to tell you who the other champion is..........i'll let you figure that out for yourself!

Tszyu hands down. I tought Tszyu was russian? and then moved to Australia.

just a note there is 2 australian world champs atm not one, gary st clair won a title not long ago.

Lionel Rose as Bantamweight has wins over Fighting Harada (by MD, in Tokyo, with an all-Japanese judging panel) and Chuchu Castillo. Harada had defeated the great Eder Jofre twice. The Castillo SD was very controversial: Rose went to the canvass in the 10th. Fans rioted when the decision was announced, setting fires and overturing cars in the parking lot. The knock on Rose is his lack of power: 12 KOs in 42 wins. Nonetheless, he was undisputed Bantamweight champ (both WBC and WBA; no IBF or WBO at the time). Fenech has wins over Carlos Zarate and Daniel Zaragoza and had a draw with and then a loss to Azumah Nelson. In 1986 he won the IBF Bantamweight title, gave it up to move to SuperBantam and won the WBC crown from a Thai fighter. He made two title defenses, one of which was over Carlos Zarate who had come back from a 7 year-hiatus; Zarate took the prolonged vacation in disgust after he was declared loser in a fight against Lupe Pintor whom he knocked down in the 4th round. Fenech then tested the Featherweight waters by facing Osmar Avila (35-3, 7 KOs at the time) whom he took out in the first round. Encouraged, he went for the vacant WBC 126-lbs. crown and bested Victor Callejas for his third title. After three defenses, he went up to SuperFeather and tried to take the title from Azumah Nelson. The result was a very controversial draw as it appeared to many that Fenech had Nelson on the verge of being stopped. (Nelson later claimed he had a bout of malaria just weeks before the fight and was not in good shape). The following year, Nelson and Fenech met again, with the Australian a heavy pre-fight favorite. Nelson dropped Fenech in the 1st, 3rd and the 8th before referee Arthur Mercante, Sr. called a halt. It was The Ring magazine's Upset of the Year, 1992. After the fight Nelson said, "Fenech is a boy, I am a man." So, who's the greatest Ausie champ? Fenech has more titles and more title fights but Rose was undisputed at Bantamweight when he ruled, and took the title from a Hall of Famer (Harada was inducted to the IBHOF in 1995). Fenech won over a Hall of Famer, Carlos Zarate (inducted 1994) but it was a come-backing Zarate that he faced. He had a draw with another HOFer (Nelson, inducted, 2004) and a loss to the very same Hall of Famer. Rose lost his Bantamweight title to Ruben Olivarez, who was inducted to the Hall in 1991. Fenech is in the Hall; Rose is not. As for Johnny Famechon, he held the WBC Featherweight title for a year, highlighted by two wins over Fighting Harada (Harada's 60th and 62nd fights; the 62nd was also his last ring appearance). But a curious story is told about Famechon's first win over Harada: Willi Pep, the ref and sole judge originally called the fight a draw, but quickly changed his decision in favor of Famechon amid lusty boos from the crowd. The curious story about Johnny doesn't end there: It appears that Famechon somehow never got his belt while he reigned. That belt was found decades later in a souvenir shop in New York. The WBC bought it and gave it to Johnny-- many, many years late. And then there Tzyu. Oh well, we know his story and there is much to be said in his favor.

Kostya then fenech. many great aussie fighters but these 2 stand out although some current ones are pretty good too.

Mick Dundee............

Tszyu hands down.

Well it sure as hell aint Robbie Peden! Fenech and Tszyu would be my choice.

It's Kostya Tszyu. Definately. Guy was brilliant.

Jeff Fenech said Kostya Tszyu.

its actually a big month for australian fighters (based in australia anyway). We have Vic Making his defense, Bika taking on Joe and Briggs v adamak II.

Jeff Fenech definitely. Fenech is I believe a 3 division titlist who had alot of balls. He came to fight every night and was only really dominated by Azumah Nelson.

Tyzu for now... BUT if VIC DARCHINYAN continues this undefeated KO streak, if he goes on to beat the likes of Jorge Arce and such, then VIC could very well be the best fighter ever out of Australia, although he is Armenian. ;) VIC is currently the only World Champion Australia has.

Jeff Fenech

Glenn Kelly...... lol, naw that be Kostya Tszyu

Johnny Famechon and Lionel Rose are up there too.

kostya tszyu definately