10 Greatest Light Heavyweights

[Southpaw16BF]

Just for the hell of it I'll repost my own list:

ATGs

01. Ezzard Charles
02. Archie Moore
03. Gene Tunney
04. Bob Foster
05. Michael Spinks
06. Roy Jones Jr.
07. Billy Conn
08. John Henry Lewis
09. Tommy Loughran
10. Tommy Gibbons
11. Maxie Rosenbloom
12. Mauro Mina
13. Jack Dillon
14. Young Stribling


Some Near Greats (Alphabetical)

Jimmy Bivins
Eddie Booker
Georges Carpentier
Joe Choynski
Jack Delaney
Chris Ewbank
Tiger Jack Fox
Victor Galindez
Virgil Hill
Harold Johnson
Joe Knight
Battling Levinsky
Frankie Liles
Llloyd Marshall
Harry Matthews
Joey Maxim
Michael Moorer
Matthew Saad Muhammad
Kid Norfolk
Philadelphia Jack O'Brien
Willie Pastrano
Graciano Rocchiagiani
Antonio Tarver
**** Tiger
Jose Torres
Tommy Yarosz

Poet

I dont know if it was a mistake, but i really do think Dwight Muhhamed Qawi, formally known as Dwight Braxton at least derserves a mention, on the nearly list at LHW.

He was WBC LHW champion, taking it off Matthew Saad Muhammad with a TKO win, he would defend it 4 times and would also defeat Muhammad again.

Before losing it to your number #5 choice Michael Spinks on UD.

He would then move up to cruiserweight and win the WBA title and make one defence of that against former Heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, stopping him in 6.

And then would lose his title in a true battle and one of the most excting and brutal fights of all time against Evander Holyfield, on a SD, in which alot of people thought he should of got.

After this his weight gained out of control, and he would go on to get stopped by Evander Holyfield and George Foreman, and challeged once more for the WBA 190 title getting beat on SD against Robert Daniels.


Great fighter in his prime.

Here's a thread i done about him a while back
http://www.boxingscene.com/forums/sh...+Muhammad+Qawi

[StarshipTrooper]

I dont know if it was a mistake, but i really do think Dwight Muhhamed Qawi, formally known as Dwight Braxton at least derserves a mention, on the nearly list at LHW.

He was WBC LHW champion, taking it off Matthew Saad Muhammad with a TKO win, he would defend it 4 times and would also defeat Muhammad again.

Before losing it to your number #5 choice Michael Spinks on UD.

He would then move up to cruiserweight and win the WBA title and make one defence of that against former Heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, stopping him in 6.

And then would lose his title in a true battle and one of the most excting and brutal fights of all time against Evander Holyfield, on a SD, in which alot of people thought he should of got.

After this his weight gained out of control, and he would go on to get stopped by Evander Holyfield and George Foreman, and challeged once more for the WBA 190 title getting beat on SD against Robert Daniels.


Great fighter in his prime.

Here's a thread i done about him a while back
http://www.boxingscene.com/forums/sh...+Muhammad+Qawi

You're quite right of course. That was an oversight: He should have been in the "Near Great" which unfortunately was put together in a lot more haste than the "ATG" segment. I do, in fact, hold him in higher regard than both Saad Muhammed and Galindez for example.

Poet

[JAB5239]

This is a list I posted about a year ago. I'd probably change a few things around now though.

Alright, this is my first actual 175 top 10 that I've put a bit of time into. Its actually alot different than past ones I've put together with fighters I thought I knew about. Tell me what you think, and if you have one yourself, post it. Constructive criticism welcome.

1. Archie Moore -185-23-11(131) More career ko's than any fight in history. Fought such names as durelle, Maxim, Lowry, Lytell, chase, Holman Williams, Marshall, Johnson, satterfield and Johnson.

2. Gene Tunney -81-1-3(48) fought some of the best fighters in history, some multiple times. Has such greats on his resume as Greb, Carpentier, Delaney, Levinski and Loughran. Moved up to heavyweight and beat Jack Dempsey twice.

3. Ezzard charles - 90-25-1(51) In my opinion p4p the best guy on the list. Beat fighters such as Moore, Marshall, Maxim and Bivins. Was also a heavyweight champion.

4. Tommy Gibbons - 94-5-3(48) Fought a who's who of great fighters from the early twentieth century including Kid Norfolk, Tunney, Greb, Carpentier, Miske, Levinski and Meehan.

5. Bob Foster - 56-8-1(46) In my opinion the hardest hitting fighter ever below heavyweight. His comp wasn't as good as most on this list, but he was 15-0 in lightheavy title fights. capeable of beating any fighter on this list IMO.

6. Micheal Spinks - 31-1(21) Won gold at the 1976 olympics. Held the title 4 years before moving up to beat Larry Holmes for the heavyweight championship. Beat top lightheavies John Conteh, Eddie Mustapha Muhammed, Qawi, Lopez and Johnson.

7. Billy Conn - 64-12-1(15) Conn is another fighter I rank relatively high p4p. He was an excellent middleweight before moving up to 175, and almost beat Joe Louis in a bid for the heavyweight title. Fought such notable fighters at 175 as gus Lesnivich, Bettina, Krieger, and Freddie Apostoli.

8. Tommy Loughran - 116-30-13(17) One of the best fighters of the roaring twenties. Fought the great Harry Greb to a draw. Also fough such top fighters from that period Young Stribling, Jimmy Slattery, McTigue, Delaney and Carpentier.

9. Mike McTigue - 108-46-13(52) The only fighter on this list not in the Hall of fame, and still somewhat of a question mark in my mind. But Mctigue fought a who's who of his era with mixed result. Among some of the names are Levinski, Loughran, siki, Stribling, Walker, Flower and Delaney.

10. Philidelphia Jack O'Brien - 134-11-23(54) Another question mark in my opinion, but I have seen him ranked highly by some notable historians. Made his bones against some top fighters from the early 20th century. Marvin Hart, who would go on to win the heavyweight title. Peter Maher and Joe choynski who were both rated fighter at 175b and heavy. And he also fought the great Jack Johnson to a draw while being out weighed by almost 45lbs.

[1SILVA]

I've read quite a few cringeworthy lists in recent years. Many of them from supposed credible historians of the sport. In order to get myself posting on this forum I thought I'd throw up my personal list of the greatest Light Heavyweights to have ever graced the historical sport of Boxing. I'm usually the sort of person who goes into detail with this sort of thing but for now I'm going to just throw up my top 10 list and perhaps go into to detail about my selections if called out on any of the specific choices.

10. Maxie Rosenbloom
9. Billy Conn
8. Jimmy Bivins
7. Yolande Pompey
6. Gene Tunney
5. Tommy Loughran
4. Michael Spinks
3. Bob Foster
2. Archie Moore
1. Ezzard Charles

If anybody has any queries with regards to my list then feel free to question me and I'll gladly explain my choice(s).

Great list. Ezzard Charles only lost one fight at 175. Can someone explain to me how the greatest 175 pounder never received one title shot at all?

[TheGreatA]

Great list. Ezzard Charles only lost one fight at 175. Can someone explain to me how the greatest 175 pounder never received one title shot at all?

Gus Lesnevich was the champ but he campaigned mostly at heavyweight after coming back from the Second World War in 1946.

He chose to defend his title twice against the manufactured Billy Fox and the British light heavyweight Freddie Mills who beat him in the rematch.

Lesnevich later challenged Charles for Charles' heavyweight title and lost in 7 rounds.

[Southpaw16BF]

Bob Foster - 56-8-1(46) In my opinion the hardest hitting fighter ever below heavyweight. His comp wasn't as good as most on this list, but he was 15-0 in lightheavy title fights. capeable of beating any fighter on this list IMO.

Do people seem to forget, Foster did draw in a LHW Title fight against Jorge Ahumada, do he was past his best. He would retire in September 1974, but would comeback and have 7 more fights, losing his last two both by stoppage, before hanging the gloves up for good in 1978.

[Obama]

I've read quite a few cringeworthy lists in recent years. Many of them from supposed credible historians of the sport. In order to get myself posting on this forum I thought I'd throw up my personal list of the greatest Light Heavyweights to have ever graced the historical sport of Boxing. I'm usually the sort of person who goes into detail with this sort of thing but for now I'm going to just throw up my top 10 list and perhaps go into to detail about my selections if called out on any of the specific choices.

10. Maxie Rosenbloom
9. Billy Conn
8. Jimmy Bivins
7. Yolande Pompey
6. Gene Tunney
5. Tommy Loughran
4. Michael Spinks
3. Bob Foster
2. Archie Moore
1. Ezzard Charles

If anybody has any queries with regards to my list then feel free to question me and I'll gladly explain my choice(s).

It's a good list otherwise but why would you have Yolande Pompey as number 7? Is that a mistake?

When I later read Pompey should have been Harold Johnson, I was pleased. Johnson is my #3 under Moore and Charles.

Another name that I haven't see in ppl's lists that I'm curious why not (although I don't rate him in the top 10) is John Henry Lewis. His LHW record was amazing, and he never lost his title.

Edit: Finally did see him in 1 guy's list.

[JAB5239]

When I later read Pompey should have been Harold Johnson, I was pleased. Johnson is my #3 under Moore and Charles.

Another name that I haven't see in ppl's lists that I'm curious why not (although I don't rate him in the top 10) is John Henry Lewis. His LHW record was amazing, and he never lost his title.

Edit: Finally did see him in 1 guy's list.

JHL was a fine fighter, but 175 is very deep historicaly. He doesn't make my top 10 either, but he would probably make the top 15, or 20.

[CCobra]

When I later read Pompey should have been Harold Johnson, I was pleased. Johnson is my #3 under Moore and Charles.

Another name that I haven't see in ppl's lists that I'm curious why not (although I don't rate him in the top 10) is John Henry Lewis. His LHW record was amazing, and he never lost his title.

Edit: Finally did see him in 1 guy's list.

Pompey was a mistake. I listed down 20 LHW and then cut and paste them into the positions they best deserved and I had Pompey in their originally and then forgot to replace him with Johnson.

As for John Henry Lewis, he does indeed have a fine record but he sits on the edges of my top 10. He's definitely in the top 15 with the likes of Michael Moorer & Joey Maxim (who roots deep at 15). For anybody wondering where I rank the 'great' Roy Jones Jr, he ranks just outside my top 20 and perhaps may make the top 20 based on merit alone.

[Obama]

I'm not sure RJJ would even make my top 20 tbh. He should have stayed at SMW, at least with that joke of a division he could have been #1. Wasn't much else him to do at LHW other than fight Darius M, or give James Toney his rematch (who was robbed by Griffin twice imo).