'Barbardos Demon' Joe Walcott

[Southpaw Stinger]

Bob Fitzsimmons is another who was said to have coined it, no one really fits the phrase better then Walcott though.

I think Versatile is another guy who might have coined it.

[Perfect Plex]

Bump!!!!!!!!!!!

[Panzer]

Walcott near severed Kid Lavigne's ear in one of their fight according to an old Ring magazine article.

I quote: ''Lavigne presented one of the most revolting appearence imaginable. One that in the 50 years I have watched pugilists in action have never been duplicated''


In my book Walcott rates probably somewhere in the top 3 at welterweight.

[Wild Blue Yonda]

It always amuses me to see people rank Ray Leonard in the top 3-5 WW's of all-time, with no sign whatsoever of Walcott.

[JAB5239]

It always amuses me to see people rank Ray Leonard in the top 3-5 WW's of all-time, with no sign whatsoever of Walcott.

While Walcott certainly deserves more credit than given, Leonard earned that position by beating some of the greatest and prime welters and p4p greats.

[Steak]

most people have seen zero footage of Walcott fights. I personally just cannot rank someone if there is no footage of them to judge.

I often hear responses such as 'Look at the newspaper reports!', but I dont buy that either. Ive read enough modern day fight breakdowns to know that they can be incredibly unreliable at times, and very often in newspapers in those days could report drastically different, which makes me trust them even less.
Not to mention they had nothing to go by except what had progressed in boxing to that point. They could say something like 'Walcott was the greatest puncher in the history of the sport!' in a newspaper report, and yet have missed out on decades of boxing.
In other words, they could be 'easily impressed', so to speak.

I dont trust other peoples' opinions: If I cannot watch the fighter myself, then I simply cannot rank them, despite their accomplishments.
the only exception I can make is this: If Ive seen a fighter I was quite impressed with, and a fighter that has no footage of them beat the decisively, then to a degree I can start to rank them.
ie Gene Tunney being beat by Harry Greb.

[BigStereotype]

I had heard in passing about the guy, but a small Junior Welter knocking out heavyweights? Holy ****! That's amazing! If anybody finds any watchable footage, I would be very interested in it.

[BigStereotype]

most people have seen zero footage of Walcott fights. I personally just cannot rank someone if there is no footage of them to judge.

I often hear responses such as 'Look at the newspaper reports!', but I dont buy that either. Ive read enough modern day fight breakdowns to know that they can be incredibly unreliable at times, and very often in newspapers in those days could report drastically different, which makes me trust them even less.
Not to mention they had nothing to go by except what had progressed in boxing to that point. They could say something like 'Walcott was the greatest puncher in the history of the sport!' in a newspaper report, and yet have missed out on decades of boxing.
In other words, they could be 'easily impressed', so to speak.

I dont trust other peoples' opinions: If I cannot watch the fighter myself, then I simply cannot rank them, despite their accomplishments.
the only exception I can make is this: If Ive seen a fighter I was quite impressed with, and a fighter that has no footage of them beat the decisively, then to a degree I can start to rank them.
ie Gene Tunney being beat by Harry Greb.

I could not agree more. That's why I refuse to rate Greb. I can be amazed by a man's accomplishments, but I'm not going to put him at the top of any lists without seeing him with my own two eyes.

[Steak]

I could not agree more. That's why I refuse to rate Greb. I can be amazed by a man's accomplishments, but I'm not going to put him at the top of any lists without seeing him with my own two eyes.

exactly.

but just to clear things up as well: that doesnt mean Im ranking Greb(or Walcott) low. I simply do not know enough about them to truthfully rate them at all, if I couldnt even see them in action.

[JAB5239]

I had heard in passing about the guy, but a small Junior Welter knocking out heavyweights? Holy ****! That's amazing! If anybody finds any watchable footage, I would be very interested in it.

Walcott was a physical freak. Unbelievable strength and his reach was more than his height. Marciano was eight and a half inches taller with on two more inches in reach if that gives a little perspective. Here is a great write up.

http://coxscorner.tripod.com/walcott.html