The greatest British fighter P4P ever, Calzaghe or Lewis?

[Don Gorgon]

Lewis for me.

Of all time, I don't know enough about Wilde and Fitzsimmons to choose them to be honest.

[Yogi]

bob fitszimmons.....

Along with the likes of 'Kid' Lewis and Wilde, that's a good choice if the British think of him as one of their own.

"Fitz was far and away the best fighting man, pound for pound, the game ever produced. Pound for pound he never had his equal."

That partically quote was from what many back then considered the greatest sportswriter of the early 20th century, Grantland Rice, and was published in, amongst other places, the Lima Daily News on Jan 1st, 1918.

An opininion based comment, no doubt, but it just goes to show what some of the respected sports writers of the day thought of him as a fighter after his days were over (Fitz died a few months before that quote was given), but if anybody was to look over the archives at such sights as the Brooklyn Daily Eagle and researched Fitz and his fights, those are opinions that were shared by many from even his fighting days.

Also take note of the date of 1918, and next time someone tries to pass on the myth that the "pound for pound" term was somehow invented or coined for Robinson, well, don't believe it because it's a completely false statement, as in addition to that Fitzsimmons reference (and many between references to fighters in between those eras where the term was used...Canzoneri, McLarnin, Ross, Armstrong, Kid Chocolate, etc., etc.) I've found articles dating back to about a dozen years before 1918 where the term was used in correlation with certain fighters like Gans and Ketchel, and have also found the term to be in existence in other industries such as farming, shipping, usually in comparing goods, and those go back to nearly 100 years before Robinson's time.

[1g5a22]

Along with the likes of 'Kid' Lewis and Wilde, that's a good choice if the British think of him as one of their own.

"Fitz was far and away the best fighting man, pound for pound, the game ever produced. Pound for pound he never had his equal."

That partically quote was from what many back then considered the greatest sportswriter of the early 20th century, Grantland Rice, and was published in, amongst other places, the Lima Daily News on Jan 1st, 1918.

An opininion based comment, no doubt, but it just goes to show what some of the respected sports writers of the day thought of him as a fighter after his days were over (Fitz died a few months before that quote was given), but if anybody was to look over the archives at such sights as the Brooklyn Daily Eagle and researched Fitz and his fights, those are opinions that were shared by many from even his fighting days.

Also take note of the date of 1918, and next time someone tries to pass on the myth that the "pound for pound" term was somehow invented or coined for Robinson, well, don't believe it because it's a completely false statement, as in addition to that Fitzsimmons reference (and many between references to fighters in between those eras where the term was used...Canzoneri, McLarnin, Ross, Armstrong, Kid Chocolate, etc., etc.) I've found articles dating back to about a dozen years before 1918 where the term was used in correlation with certain fighters like Gans and Ketchel, and have also found the term to be in existence in other industries such as farming, shipping, usually in comparing goods, and those go back to nearly 100 years before Robinson's time.

why would we not condsider him our own,he was a cornishman was he not?? im curently reading his bio,,what a fighter man!
without doubt the greatest lightheavyweight ever and could certainly be considered an aLl time great AT HW and MW too,the first man to win 3 belts in 3 weights

and the man who coined the phrase "the bigger they are the harder they fall"
he was simply one of a kind,blessed with a natural talent that few could equal
the freckle faced miner who conquered the world.

[kadyo's]

Now that somebody ask though a poll, I say lennox lewis for the simple reason that he demolished a better opposition. All I see in calz resume' are lacy and hopkins and hopkins was a fight that made calz looked bad.

[Yogi]

why would we not condsider him our own,he was a cornishman was he not??

He was born there in Britain, and as a non-Brit I do consider him a British fighter. But I've also corresponded with some British fans/historians who don't really consider him to be a true British fighter because of him leaving that country at such a young age, and going to New Zealand to be raised and later Australia to learn his craft as a fighter.

I've also came across opinions of British writers, such as Harry Mullan, who share that similiar view and said something along the lines that Fitzsimmons' only link to Britain was "an accident of birth" or something very similiar.

Like I said, I think of him as being British, but apparently that is not a unanimous view shared by those to judge that best, which is the Brits themselves.

P.S. Enjoy the book.

[1g5a22]

He was born there in Britain, and as a non-Brit I do consider him a British fighter. But I've also corresponded with some British fans/historians who don't really consider him to be a true British fighter because of him leaving that country at such a young age, and going to New Zealand to be raised and later Australia to learn his craft as a fighter.

I've also came across opinions of British writers, such as Harry Mullan, who share that similiar view and said something along the lines that Fitzsimmons' only link to Britain was "an accident of birth" or something very similiar.

Like I said, I think of him as being British, but apparently that is not a unanimous view shared by those to judge that best, which is the Brits themselves.

P.S. Enjoy the book.

appreciate your thoughts,and the book is excellent.

[aussieboxer2320]

id say jimmy wilde