Who became the best in boxing following Ali's suspension?

[DeeMoney]

This stems from a different thread I had, in April 1967 Muhammad Ali refused induction into the draft, and in turn was suspended from boxing for three years. Most consider him to have been the best pound for pound fighter in all of boxing at the time, by which I mean relative to his weight class (I know some of you measure it differently, but for the sake of this poll & discussion just run with it).

My question is, after Ali is taken out of the sport who took his spot as the best in the world at that time (and if you want to add on for how long)? There were a handful of older all time greats who were on the back end of their careers, and their were a number of other all time greats who were ascending but not quite to their primes yet.

Who do you think, for how long, and why?

[The D3vil]

It'd have to be Ortiz.

Griffin lost to Benvenutti in '67

Benvenutti lost to Griffith in '67

Jofre was basically done by '67

Frazier & Monzon's heyday was the '70s

Tiger lost to Griffith in '66

[Anomalocaris]

It'd have to be Ortiz.

Griffin lost to Benvenutti in '67

Benvenutti lost to Griffith in '67

Jofre was basically done by '67

Frazier & Monzon's heyday was the '70s

Tiger lost to Griffith in '66

I wish you would get rid of that gif mate - whoever she is - it disturbs my thoughts.

[DeeMoney]

I wish you would get rid of that gif mate - whoever she is - it disturbs my thoughts.

Yeah I have to make sure to be careful when scrolling past his posts, otherwise my wife might question what I am looking at.

[billeau2]

The heavyweights were legitimately a real powerful force at that time. But Frazier ascending may not be enough to give it to Joe, especially since he did not beat Ali yet. I would go with Ortiz but frankly I could not site any particular reason other than the generation cashing out.

[Willow The Wisp]

P4P in Q-1, 1967 (April 1) ?

1. Muhammad Ali, 28-0-0
2. Nicolino Locche, 66-2-13
3. Carlos Ortiz, 49-5-1
4. Vicente Saldivar, 31-1-0
5. **** Tiger, 53-17-3
6. Emile Griffith, 52-7-0
7. Fighting Harada, 46-3-0
8. Nino Benvenuti, 71-1-0
9. Curtis Cokes, 45-8-3
10. Flash Elorde, 82-21-2

[Willie Pep 229]

This stems from a different thread I had, in April 1967 Muhammad Ali refused induction into the draft, and in turn was suspended from boxing for three years. Most consider him to have been the best pound for pound fighter in all of boxing at the time, by which I mean relative to his weight class (I know some of you measure it differently, but for the sake of this poll & discussion just run with it).

My question is, after Ali is taken out of the sport who took his spot as the best in the world at that time (and if you want to add on for how long)? There were a handful of older all time greats who were on the back end of their careers, and their were a number of other all time greats who were ascending but not quite to their primes yet.

Who do you think, for how long, and why?

I don't do the greatest thing too well but I like the 'fame' argument.

To fill the "Ali Gap" between 1967-1971 . . .

Frazier was the bad-azz; was the go to guy when you wanted to say 'that's one bad-azz you don't want to mess with.' We expected him to clear the field and he did.

Benvenuti kept the game alive on Saturday afternoon televised sports; Nino was the matinee idle that got casuals to watch.

Ortiz, Jofre, Napoles where unknown to the casual American audience and seldom to never on TV.

The Quarry-Ellis-Patterson fight-offs got much attention but they never moved the fan meter.

Monzon won the title in late '70 and wasn't yet a popular factor during the Ali gap. Even the Benvenuti rematch in summer '71 was more about Nino than Monzon.

P.S. Monzon had to wait a long time for a title shot; and then had to show several years of dominance as MW Champion before American TV would give him his due. Circa 1976

[EDIT] I forgot Griffith. He was kind of a Charley Burley type but more cursed. Even when he won titles it didn't bring him the stardom he probably deserved.

He was for that generation best known for Paret's death.

He needed Benvenuti's matinee stardom (white skin) to get a big fight.

A victim of systemic racism, being a foreigner,* and the Paret mess probably held back his TV career, (and TV was all there actually was, unless you were a heavyweight.)

* I know, American ****** Islands.

LOL They censored "vir gin"

[JAB5239]

Yeah I have to make sure to be careful when scrolling past his posts, otherwise my wife might question what I am looking at.

Lmao......my wife has seen it and actually accused me of being on something other than a boxing site.

[Willie Pep 229]

Lmao......my wife has seen it and actually accused me of being on something other than a boxing site.

I was on line in DD when I caught someone looking over my shoulder at it.

What annoyed me was, if I try to explain it I'll only make it weird. LOL

[QueensburyRules]

This stems from a different thread I had, in April 1967 Muhammad Ali refused induction into the draft, and in turn was suspended from boxing for three years. Most consider him to have been the best pound for pound fighter in all of boxing at the time, by which I mean relative to his weight class (I know some of you measure it differently, but for the sake of this poll & discussion just run with it).

My question is, after Ali is taken out of the sport who took his spot as the best in the world at that time (and if you want to add on for how long)? There were a handful of older all time greats who were on the back end of their careers, and their were a number of other all time greats who were ascending but not quite to their primes yet.

Who do you think, for how long, and why?

- - Joe took over by beating guys Ali avoided and then a major league whoopin' on Ali hisself.

No contest...