How Great is Sam Langford?

[Shabba Rank$]

How great is Sam Langford in your opinion?

[McGrain]

For me, he's the greatest fighter that ever lived.

He out-boxed and out-generalled one of the greatest boxer-generals in history, taking a points victory from Gans at the mdoern light-welter limit as a mere teenager.

From here, he made it all the way to HW, scoring a one-punch KO over one of the greatest HW's that ever boxed in the form of Harry Wills. Past prime, near blind, he has a two round knockout over Tiger Flowers who is in contention for a top 10 spot at MW. In between he outboxed or outfought some of the greatest fighters of the era, including Barbados Joe Walcott, Sam McVey, Jeff Clark, Kid Norfolk, Joe Jeanette and Jack O'Brien.

No former lightweight can be spoken of as a candidate for top 20 honours at HW, no other fighter can lay claim to the pure quality of names in so many divisions.

All he has for company are Greb and Robinson and arguably Armstrong.

[Chief2ndzOnly!]

He's an ATG as far as I'm conserned.

[NChristo]

Langford is easily top 5 ATG imo.

For me, he's the greatest fighter that ever lived.

He out-boxed and out-generalled one of the greatest boxer-generals in history, taking a points victory from Gans at the mdoern light-welter limit as a mere teenager.

Gans had to travel by train directly after his fight Dave Holly and travel 300 miles to fight Langford and Gans still dominated him for the first 3 or something rounds and even had Langford scared.
Must've thought that Langford would of been another easy win which is why he took he fight directly after seeing as Langford was only 16(or 17 can't remember)-0.

[McGrain]

Langford is easily top 5 ATG imo.




Gans had to travel by train directly after his fight Dave Holly and travel 300 miles to fight Langford and Gans still dominated him for the first 3 or something rounds and even had Langford scared.
Must've thought that Langford would of been another easy win which is why he took he fight directly after seeing as Langford was only 16(or 17 can't remember)-0.

Sources on rounds 1-3 are varied.

Pawtucket Evening News - "Langford was better in 6 of the 15 rounds, the rest were about even."

NY Sun - "In rounds 1-3 nothing was done by either".

The Evening World - "Gans was outfought and outgeneralled in every round they fought...Langford betrayed no sign of fear. He immediatly went for the champion."



Baltimore Sun and the Boston Journal saw the first three to Gans.

Pawtucket Evening News and the NY Sun saw the first three as even.

The Evening World saw the first three to Langford.


I've never read or heard any indication that Langford was scared, but i'd be interested to see anything you have on that.

But Langford was probably 17 and Gans was probably the p4p #1.

[NChristo]

I'll try and find the article, Gans opened the first round with 2 left hooks and an uppercut and after that Langford tried his best to avoid him until round 5 or so, something along them lines anyway.

[boxing boy]

He is in the top 10 p4p,what a great fighter.

[Shabba Rank$]

I was asking the question because I see a lot of people that don't even have Langford in their top 10 atg...

He's #2 right behind SRR imo.

[Benny Leonard]

ATG Fighter. One of the best P4P. Maybe you can even argue the best considering who he fought and wanted to fight but was refused.

[Obama]

I was asking the question because I see a lot of people that don't even have Langford in their top 10 atg...

He's #2 right behind SRR imo.

That's my top 2 as well, same order.