Most failed attempts before finally winning a major world title?

[famicommander]

We're about to watch Carlos Canizales make his 4th attempt at winning a major world title (not counting his reign as WBA secondary belt holder).

He got a draw against Ryoichi Taguchi, he got a majority decision loss against Kenshiro Teraji, and he got robbed blind in Thailand against Pradsabri. Now he has the rematch in Venezuela, and if he wins he'll have finally won a major belt after 3 failed challenges.

So it begs the question, who tried and failed the most times before finally breaking through? No secondary or interim belts, no IBO or other silly organizations. Just lineal titles, TBRB/Ring titles, or the top belts of the major alphabet soups.

I know Frank Bruno won the WBC heavyweight title against McCall on his 4th attempt (after losses to Terrible Tim Witherspoon, Mike Tyson, and Lennox Lewis respectively in his first three tries).

Is there anyone who won it on their 5th attempt?

[famicommander]

Canizales just knocked out Pradabsri at the end of the 5th round, finally winning a major belt on his 4th try.

[Willie Pep 229]

Jersey Joe Walcott is the poster child of that nightmare, for us old guys anyway.

Four failed tries, won it on the 5th try.

Louis SD loss '47
Louis KO loss '48
Charles UD loss '49
Charles UD loss '51

Charles UD win '51

[famicommander]

Jersey Joe Walcott is the poster child of that nightmare, for us old guys anyway.

Four failed tries, won it on the 5th try.

Louis SD loss '47
Louis KO loss '48
Charles UD loss '49
Charles UD loss '51

Charles UD win '51

Wow. I knew he had some losses before he got it done, but 5 tries is insane. And that was back before there were a billion belts out there to seek out.

Nice bit of history there. That's gotta be the record, right?

Can you think of anyone else besides Bruno and Canizales that even got it on the 4th?

[Bronson66]

We're about to watch Carlos Canizales make his 4th attempt at winning a major world title (not counting his reign as WBA secondary belt holder).

He got a draw against Ryoichi Taguchi, he got a majority decision loss against Kenshiro Teraji, and he got robbed blind in Thailand against Pradsabri. Now he has the rematch in Venezuela, and if he wins he'll have finally won a major belt after 3 failed challenges.

So it begs the question, who tried and failed the most times before finally breaking through? No secondary or interim belts, no IBO or other silly organizations. Just lineal titles, TBRB/Ring titles, or the top belts of the major alphabet soups.

I know Frank Bruno won the WBC heavyweight title against McCall on his 4th attempt (after losses to Terrible Tim Witherspoon, Mike Tyson, and Lennox Lewis respectively in his first three tries).

Is there anyone who won it on their 5th attempt?

Jersey Joe Walcott.Louisx2 Charles x2. Charles 3 won it.

[Bronson66]

Jersey Joe Walcott is the poster child of that nightmare, for us old guys anyway.

Four failed tries, won it on the 5th try.

Louis SD loss '47
Louis KO loss '48
Charles UD loss '49
Charles UD loss '51

Charles UD win '51

Posted before I saw you had beaten me to it!

[QueensburyRules]

Jersey Joe Walcott is the poster child of that nightmare, for us old guys anyway.

Four failed tries, won it on the 5th try.

Louis SD loss '47
Louis KO loss '48
Charles UD loss '49
Charles UD loss '51

Charles UD win '51

- - JJ when he finally got to pursue boxing on a full time basis instead of filler between his regular job showed his natural talents that included other worldly footwork

Archie came along about the same time and conditions, but had even more talent such that he became a force much earlier.

[Bronson66]

- - JJ when he finally got to pursue boxing on a full time basis instead of filler between his regular job showed his natural talents that included other worldly footwork

Archie came along about the same time and conditions, but had even more talent such that he became a force much earlier.

The difference perhaps being ,Walcott was managed by a guy who had mob ties,and Old Arch wasn't.

[QueensburyRules]

The difference perhaps being ,Walcott was managed by a guy who had mob ties,and Old Arch wasn't.

- - All fighters then had to deal with mob fighters, a fact of life.

Shoeless Joe Jackson one of the best baseball players of all time got kicked out of Baseball for refusing to throw a World Series match.

The mob was just as infected in baseball then, but now they underground with select judges, commishes, refs in boxing.

[Bronson66]

- - All fighters then had to deal with mob fighters, a fact of life.

Shoeless Joe Jackson one of the best baseball players of all time got kicked out of Baseball for refusing to throw a World Series match.

The mob was just as infected in baseball then, but now they underground with select judges, commishes, refs in boxing.

Joseph Jefferson Jackson (July 16, 1887 – December 5, 1951), nicknamed "Shoeless Joe", was an American professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the early 20th century. His .356 career batting average is the fourth-highest in MLB history.^[1] Jackson is often remembered for his association with the Black Sox Scandal, in which eight members of the 1919 Chicago White Sox participated in a conspiracy to fix the World Series. As a result, Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis permanently banned Jackson and the other seven players from professional baseball after the 1920 season.

What time of day do you start drinking?