How good was Sam Langford?

[FrankJack]

I'm aware that Jack dempsey and Jack Johnson were fearful of facing him (or so I've heard). but, does anyone have any further info on this man? I know they say he was the greatest to never win a title, but just how good was he? Any details are appreciated

[greeh]

I'm aware that Jack dempsey and Jack Johnson were fearful of facing him (or so I've heard). but, does anyone have any further info on this man? I know they say he was the greatest to never win a title, but just how good was he? Any details are appreciated

Maybe the greatest of all-time. A sure lock for any of the first five spots on any decent all-time list. Incredible resume and achievements.

/greeh

[FrankJack]

Could he be a top five without ever winning a championship? Not saying that he isn't, but don't we sometimes use that as a measure to compare and contrast resumes? Or, in his case, are we looking at the number of former champs or future champs and halll of famers that he defeated? I am very interested in his story. Also, if any fans here are familiar with a good autobiography of him please let me know the title so I can look for it.

[Daddy T]

if dempsey had fought him it would have answered a lot of questions

[$Bullsfam$]

They should make a movie about him thats how great historians rank him. Like seriously this is a gold mind hiding right under the noses of hollywood.

From what I understand he fought half or almost full blind too right or am I thinking of Tiger?


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[LeG00N]

Literally one of the most overrated "underrated" fighters of all time. One of his best wins was against Harry Wills (who is overrated himself) he fought him over 20 times and only got the W twice.

His other big win was against a tired Joe Gans. He beat him the day after Gans had already fought. He had to travel 300 miles to fight Langford who already had the size advantage. Nowadays people would literally laugh and give Langford no credit for that win.

His mystic is mainly based on Johnson "ducking" him when he was the HW champ, getting 2 wins over an overrated Harry Wills and beating a tired unprepared smaller Joe Gans. People call both ATG's and the fact one was a Lightweight and the other was a Heavyweight make the overrated wins appear better than they actually are.

Truth is Langford was getting knocked out by club fighters and he gets overrated by people that overrate and romanticize "black and white" fighters.

[Ben Bolt]

From what I understand he fought half or almost full blind too right or am I thinking of Tiger?

BoxRec: "By the end of his career, Langford could barely see. His eyes failing, Langford would fight on the inside so he could feel his opponent and know where his arms were. At the end of a round, he'd use the ropes to feel his way back to his corner."

Book review:
http://chatafrik.com/special/review/...e#.Un-U9uLQGtE

[Barn]

He was a great fighter but I agree that old-time romanticizing and a feeling of guilt at his boxing misfortunate has led to him perhaps being ranked higher than I feel he should be.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

great fighter,,, but yes may get overblown sometimes, especially if you think he is a lock for top five ATG,,,,

I think he is def top 12 but hard for me to say he was better than SRR, ali, srl, armstrong, greb, ezzard, moore, duran, etc,,,,

He was good and we would have known alot more about him if he had gotten the big fights like dempsey, etc,,,,

[Humean]

Great in his era, but it was not a great era except in the imaginations of too many boxing fanatics, and is grossly overrated when people make their all time lists because of their flights of fancy.