The Best of the Rest?

[K-DOGG]

Who was the best paper titlist of all time? C'mon, we've had enough of them now, we can really debate this, or maybe even put together a fantasy tournement. I'll list the ones I remember; and if I forget anyone, just let me know. I won't include the paper titlists who went on to win lineal recognition because that disqulifies them, 'kay. Here we go...I'll seperate them by belt and the four "Multi-Paper Titlists" are in their own league...

(I added the stats to help us remember their best as "champ")


WBA

Ernie Terrell (1965-67) 27 yrs old/6'6", 210 Lbs 38-4 (17)
Jimmy Ellis (1968-70) 28 yrs old/6'1", 198 Lbs 27-5 (12)
John Tate (1979-80) 24 yrs old/6'4", 235 Lbs 20-0 (15)
Mike Weaver (1980-82) 30 yrs old/6'1", 215 Lbs 24-9 (16)
Michale Dokes (1982-83) 25 yrs old/6'3", 218 Lbs 26-0-1 (14)
Gerrie Coetzee (1983-84) 28 yrs old/6'2", 218 Lbs 29-3-1 (18)
Greg Page (1984-85) 27 yrs old/6'2", 235 Lbs 24-3 (19)
Tony Tubbs (1985-86) 27 yrs old/6'3", 230 Lbs 21-0 (14)
James Smith (1986-87) 33 yrs old/6'4", 230 Lbs 18-5 (13)
Bruce Seldon (1995-96) 28 yrs old/6'2", 233 Lbs 33-3 (29)
John Ruiz (2001-03/2003-05) 32 yr/6'2", 235 Lbs 40-5-1 (28)
Roy Jones Jr. (2003) 32 yrs old/5'11", 193 Lbs 48-1 (38)
James Toney* (2005)* 36 yrs old/5'9" 233 Lbs 69-4-2 (43)
Nicolay Valuev (2005- ) 32 yrs old/7'0", 320 Lbs 44-0 (32)


WBC

Ken Norton (1978) 34 yrs old/6'3", 220 Lbs 40-4 (32)
Pinklon Thomas (1984-86) 27 yrs old/6'3", 220 Lbs 26-0-1 (21)
Trevor Berbick (1986) 32 yrs old/6'2", 218 Lbs 32-4-1 (23)
Oliver McCall (1994-95) 30 yrs old/6'2", 231 Lbs 25-5 (17)
Frank Bruno (1995-96) 34 yrs old/6'3", 247 Lbs 40-4 (38)


IBF

Tony Tucker (1987) 28 yrs old/6'5", 221 Lbs 35-0 (29)
Francois Botha* (1995)* 27 yrs old/6'2", 222 Lbs 35-0 (24)


WBO

Francesco Damiani (1989-91) 32 yrs/6'3", 229 Lbs 27-0 (23)
Ray Mercer (1991-92) 30 yrs/6'1", 225 Lbs 18-0 (13)
Tommy Morrison (1993) 24 yrs/6'2", 226 Lbs 38-1 (33)
Michael Bentt (1993-94) 30 yrs/6'3", 226 Lbs 11-1 (6)
Herbie Hide (1994-95/1997-99) 26 yrs/6'2", 222 Lbs 29-1 (28)
Corrie Sanders (2003-04) 37 yrs/6'4", 225 Lbs 38-2 (28)
Lamon Brewster (2004-06) 32 yrs/6'0", 224 Lbs 33-2 (29)
Sergei Liakhovich (2006- ) 30 yrs/6'4", 238 Lbs 23-1 (14)


WBC/WBA

Tim Witherspoon (1984/1986) 28 yrs/6'3", 227 Lbs 25-2 (17)


WBO/IBF

Wladimir Klitschko (2000-03/2006) 30 yrs/6'6", 241 Lbs 46-3 (41)
&
Chris Byrd (2000/2002-06) 33 yrs old/6'0", 210 Lbs 37-2-1 (19)


WBO/WBC

Vitali Klitschko (2004-05) 34 yrs old/6'7", 245 Lbs 35-2 (34)





There they are....Who's the best of the rest?

[PATO 1]

Carlos Maussa

[Galindezs]

Thomas, Tubbs or Tucker.

[K-DOGG]

Carlos Maussa

The jr welterweight?

[THE REAL NINJA]

Just about any of the 80's guys could have been if they stayed off the rock but I think Vitali beats more of the ppl on the list then the rest...I'll take a look again later and see ..

[Kid Achilles]

Vitali when he was healthy and on top of his game was an incredible volume punching heayvweight, especially given his size. I've never seen such a big man so adept at applying steady pressure throughout the course of a fight. The result was one of the most impressive KO percentages a heavyweight has ended a career with.

Vitali it is. Extremely underrated heavyweight IMO. Next to Lennox Lewis he was the best man over 6'4" I've seen and that includes Bowe. Strength, skill, good reflexes, heart, focus, good P4P handspeed, and an iron chin, he had it all.

[THE REAL NINJA]

I find picking the last place guy even harder

[K-DOGG]

I find picking the last place guy even harder

Right now my vote in that regard, would probably be Botha.

[LondonRingRules]

paper titlest

** Jimmy Barry hands down. Little Tiger retired 58-0-10 with the last 8 draws coming his last 2 years after killing Walter Croot in the ring.

The first paper titlest known, he also held the banty title and had an incredible 38 KOs, an astounding feat considering some of his bouts were bare knuckled and this was the NC era where half the fights were not scored because of legal regulations. Quite a physical speciman for a little guy too.

[K-DOGG]

On potential, from the list of paper-heavyies, Dokes, Spoon, Page, Tubbs, and both Klitschkos are about even. Morrison,Mercer, and Brewster had enough power to put any of them on queer street. And Ruiz (yeah I know....can't believe I'm admitting it), Norton, Berbick, Coetzee, Damiani, Byrd, Jones, & Toney all were capable of finding a way to win against all odds....they are the unlikely dark horses.


Any suggestions on how to organize a mythical tournament?

I'm thinking....start off with organizational champs on teams, so to speak. True the WBA has more than anyone else; but we can divide the multi-belt holders out amoung the short changed "teams" or have them on their own team due to their distinction of having more than one belt a piece.


Ideas?