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Originally posted by Yogi
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That'd be my choice as the number one light heavyweight fighter of all-time, as his best work was done while weighing in within the light heavyweight limits, which was basically from 1908, when some reports listed him as 165, to 1912 when he was still being referred to as a light heavyweight by the press. After that is when you'll see the frequent reports about him being "fat", "out of shape", and things of that nature. Also during those years is when the newspaper men seemed to have the highest opinion of him as a fighter, as you'll see him being called the greatest black fighter of all-time during those years, predictions where he's favoured over other elite fighters of the time like Ketchel, as well as some comparisions (in mythical matchups and such) to what many early newspapermen thought was the greatest fighter up to that point, Bob Fitzsimmons.
A couple of quick things about his record during those years;
BoxRec lists a newspaper loss to Jim Barry in Sept of 1907 for Langford, but don't believe that as they're usage of the NY Times is quite selective and puzzling considering that's the only source out of the five or so that I've seen which stated Barry won the fight, including Barry's hometown paper which gave the fight to Langford.
Those three NC that BoxRec lists in late 1907/early 1908 for the Langford/Barry fights, well the first two of those were reported to have gone to Langford by the papers of the day, with the last one being called even or a "draw" (I've only seen one report for the last one, though). Just something to throw in there seeing as how BoxRec doesn't have them listed.
BoxRec lists a newspaper draw over six with Joe Jeannette in Sept of 1908, but again, the NY Times are the only one who I saw report it as such, as the rest I've seen voted for Langford (who weighed 165 for the fight), including two other papers out of New York, which was basically Jeannette's home territory.
Although Sandy Ferguson was reported to have had a good last couple of rounds against Langford in 1909 to earn a "draw", that fight was reported as a bad decision due to Langford being very dominate over the first ten rounds, including the reports consistently giving him every round from the third to the tenth.
The "draw" against McVey in early 1911 was also reportedly not an accurate account of what took place in the fight in France, with reports coming out of that country stating that the decision caused quite a scandal because some believed that the fighters took part in a "frame up" by agreeing to a pre-arranged draw (i.e. "In view of fact that Boston scrapper had much the better of mill, many are inclined to think that something had been arranged beforehand." - Apr 3rd, 1911, Washington Post).
Just a couple of examples where BoxRec doesn't tell nearly the whole story of Langford's fights during those years, and even the newspaper "draw" that Fireman Flynn was given credit for in early 1910 by that site may not have been accurate considering they're using a source that's outdated by nearly a year (i.e. "A little black fighter, Sam Langford, beat the local heavyweight, Jim Flynn, in ten rounds last night at McCarey's Naud Junction fight house" - Feb 9th, 1910, Los Angeles Times, which was reported from the site of where the fight took place).
If you want some expanded sources on any of that jusk ask.
A couple of quick things about his record during those years;
BoxRec lists a newspaper loss to Jim Barry in Sept of 1907 for Langford, but don't believe that as they're usage of the NY Times is quite selective and puzzling considering that's the only source out of the five or so that I've seen which stated Barry won the fight, including Barry's hometown paper which gave the fight to Langford.
Those three NC that BoxRec lists in late 1907/early 1908 for the Langford/Barry fights, well the first two of those were reported to have gone to Langford by the papers of the day, with the last one being called even or a "draw" (I've only seen one report for the last one, though). Just something to throw in there seeing as how BoxRec doesn't have them listed.
BoxRec lists a newspaper draw over six with Joe Jeannette in Sept of 1908, but again, the NY Times are the only one who I saw report it as such, as the rest I've seen voted for Langford (who weighed 165 for the fight), including two other papers out of New York, which was basically Jeannette's home territory.
Although Sandy Ferguson was reported to have had a good last couple of rounds against Langford in 1909 to earn a "draw", that fight was reported as a bad decision due to Langford being very dominate over the first ten rounds, including the reports consistently giving him every round from the third to the tenth.
The "draw" against McVey in early 1911 was also reportedly not an accurate account of what took place in the fight in France, with reports coming out of that country stating that the decision caused quite a scandal because some believed that the fighters took part in a "frame up" by agreeing to a pre-arranged draw (i.e. "In view of fact that Boston scrapper had much the better of mill, many are inclined to think that something had been arranged beforehand." - Apr 3rd, 1911, Washington Post).
Just a couple of examples where BoxRec doesn't tell nearly the whole story of Langford's fights during those years, and even the newspaper "draw" that Fireman Flynn was given credit for in early 1910 by that site may not have been accurate considering they're using a source that's outdated by nearly a year (i.e. "A little black fighter, Sam Langford, beat the local heavyweight, Jim Flynn, in ten rounds last night at McCarey's Naud Junction fight house" - Feb 9th, 1910, Los Angeles Times, which was reported from the site of where the fight took place).
If you want some expanded sources on any of that jusk ask.
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