The 10 greatest fighters to NEVER win a title

[1SILVA]

I would scratch Ibeabuch, Davis, Carter and probably Scott, though I think he could have been a force had he the right mindset. Arguments could be made for Jimmy young and possibly Benny Briscoe. Murata.....I have no idea about. Just looking at his record I would say no, but we all know records can be deceiving. Maybe one of you guys could fill me in about him.

Ibeabuchi was a wrecking machine before he went to prison. Carter did get a title shot and he was fading when he went to prison, but he defeated guys like George Benton and Emile Griffith. Murata fought to draws with both Pintor and Chandler when they were the champions. Davis lost very close decisions to Jim Watt and Edwin Rosario in their hometowns. Scott beat Eddie Gregory and Yaqui Lopez when they were the top contenders for the 175 pound title.

[JAB5239]

1 - Sam Langford
2 - Charley Burley
3 - Packey McFarland
4 - Holman Williams
5 - Harry Wills
6 - Lloyd Marshall
7 - Jack Blackburn
8 - Peter Jackson
9 - Young Stribling
10- Kid Norfolk

HM for Eddie Booker.

Bivins won "duration" versions of the title during WW2. If you include him I would add him at #3 with everyone below moving down a slot.

Excellent list!!

[JAB5239]

[QUOTE]

Ibeabuchi was a wrecking machine before he went to prison.

With all due respect, Ibeabuchi is hugely overrated. His accomplishments pale in comparison to the hype. Tua and Byrd are good wins, but Ike never proved he could handle a top notch big man. Both Byrd and Tua, while being good fighters, were somewhat limited. If this list was about potential arguments could be made. But for the purpose of this thread.....I just cant see it.

Carter did get a title shot and he was fading when he went to prison, but he defeated guys like George Benton and Emile Griffith.

Two good wins, especially the ko of Griffith. But overall he just didn't beat enough big names for (me) to consider him. Tough guy though, and fun to watch.

Murata fought to draws with both Pintor and Chandler when they were the champions.

Like Carter, just not enough big wins. He was probably a good fighter, just not good enough compared to a lot of the other names I've read.

Is there any footage of him?

[JAB5239]

I agree with you about James Scott, Jab. He would have been a force. He beat both Eddie Mustafa Muhammad and Yaqui Lopez convincingly. His problem was he got old and ran out of time.

Certainly would have been interesting to see how he would have turned out had he not been handicapped by fighting behind prison walls.

[JAB5239]

[QUOTE]

If this list was about potential arguments could be made.




FONT][/COLOR]

Laszlo Papp would also fall into this catagory.

[Yogi]

Murata.....I have no idea about. Just looking at his record I would say no, but we all know records can be deceiving. Maybe one of you guys could fill me in about him.

I somewhat vaguely remember watching him from back in the day, and while it's been quite awhile, I remember Murata as a fairly decent fighter for a time (one of the better bantamweights for a couple years). Had a fairly aggressive counterpunching style, from what I remember, with a lot of his punching work being downstairs to the body and largely with the left hook. I think he came inside quite often with his head down and unprotected, though, which left him volunerable to the uppercuts Chandler used to wear him down and stop him in their rematch.

Besides that, don't really remember much else besides him being one of the WBA's favourite sons from those days.

[Silencers]

Howard Davis Jr. deserves a mention, maybe not one of the greatest of all time not to win a title but he was a very good fighter.

[Kid McCoy]

1. Sam Langford
2. Charley Burley
3. Harry Wills
4. Lloyd Marshall
5. Peter Jackson
6. Holman Williams
7. Young Stribling
8. Earnie Shavers
9. Kid Norfolk
10. Young Firpo

Honorable mention: Herol Graham. The greatest British boxer never to win a World Title. Oh why oh why, did you stick your chin out to the mighty hand of Julian Jackson. Ringside officials were actually going to call the fight off at the end of round 4 due to the pasting he was giving Jackson. Such a shame.

Pretty fair list, although I wouldn't have Shavers in there, since he did get beaten by a lot of the top guys he faced. Of all the 70s heavyweights, I think Jimmy Young is most deserving of being on the list. Beat Foreman and Lyle convincingly, and imo got jobbed against Ali, Norton and Shavers. Pretty good going, overall.

Best Brit never to win a world title - how about Jock McAvoy? KO'd middleweight champ Ed Babe Risko in one round in a non-title fight, although for obvious reasons Risko's people would never let them meet with the title on the line.

[TheGreatA]

Pretty fair list, although I wouldn't have Shavers in there, since he did get beaten by a lot of the top guys he faced. Of all the 70s heavyweights, I think Jimmy Young is most deserving of being on the list. Beat Foreman and Lyle convincingly, and imo got jobbed against Ali, Norton and Shavers. Pretty good going, overall.

Best Brit never to win a world title - how about Jock McAvoy? KO'd middleweight champ Ed Babe Risko in one round in a non-title fight, although for obvious reasons Risko's people would never let them meet with the title on the line.

I agree about Jimmy Young, with better luck he could claim wins over Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Ken Norton, Ron Lyle and Earnie Shavers!

He is one of those fighters who didn't always do enough though, lacked the dedication to stay at the top for a long time.

[JAB5239]

I somewhat vaguely remember watching him from back in the day, and while it's been quite awhile, I remember Murata as a fairly decent fighter for a time (one of the better bantamweights for a couple years). Had a fairly aggressive counterpunching style, from what I remember, with a lot of his punching work being downstairs to the body and largely with the left hook. I think he came inside quite often with his head down and unprotected, though, which left him volunerable to the uppercuts Chandler used to wear him down and stop him in their rematch.

Besides that, don't really remember much else besides him being one of the WBA's favourite sons from those days.

Thanks for the information Yogi.