Who are the 5 LEAST deserving Boxers who were inducted into the Hall of Fame?

[raskat]

I have my top 5, but I don't want to influence anybody's opinion here (subconsciously). I will only give 2 of my top 5 and later will I post my whole top 5.
The 2 names I will give right now are Arturo Gatti and Barry McGuigan. Gatti is a warrior so you can make a case that he deserves to be in the HOF. I just meant if you compare the accomplishments you would have to say Gatti's resumè is not on the level of most of the other Hall of Famers.

McGuigan has a great win against Eusebio Pedroza and then 2 title defences. Don't get me wrong, McGuigan was a terrific fighter, but he is still in my top 5 of that list.
What are your top 5 of the "least deserving Hall of Famers"?

[NChristo]

Jess Willard is the number 1.

[raskat]

Jess Willard is the number 1.

A lot of fighters actually got in the HOF mainly because of one big win. Willard is the perfect example (Jack Johnson win). Randy Turpin is also an example, and I am saying that as a big Turpin fan. Turpin was a beautiful boxer with a great jab and a good career, but the bottom line is he got in the HOF cause he beat Sugar Ray Robinson.
Joey Maxim also got into the HOF and I believe he got there mainly because he beat Sugar Ray Robinson at Light Heavyweight.
But it is always difficult to say, because back then politics were dirty just as they are now. That is why Charley Burley never got a title shot, but he is in the HOF.
So that tells us that the HOF doesn't ignore people just because they were never World Champion.

[jabsRstiff]

Jess Willard
Ingemar Johannson
James Braddock

In fact, it looks like if you held the heavyweight crown prior to the 70's you were an automatic inductee.

[IronDanHamza]

Absolutely stunned shocked that there is 3 replies to this thread and not a single mention of Willie Pastrano.

[Scott9945]

Absolutely stunned shocked that there is 3 replies to this thread and not a single mention of Willie Pastrano.

The same Willie Pastrano that someone recently told us would beat Roy Jones?

[Ray Corso]

I didn't say he would, I said he could! In over 80 bouts he was stopped twice
lost 12 or 13 bouts, and was considered one of the finest pure boxer ever!
He was trained by Angelo Dundee and fought the likes of Archie Moore and Harold Johnson, Rex Layne (as a heavy) Bobby Dykes and Joey Maxim. He was extremely difficult to hit cleanly and his overall defense was excellant.

Floyd Paterson is in the HoF, is his record or accomplishments better or as good as Pastrano's? Not sure about that! Close. Ray.
nice avitar pic scott, is that you?

[Barry Halls]

What makes one undeserving?
I think they value fame and contribution towards boxing just as much as resume if not more.

[Ray Corso]

Gatti's there because he gave everything he had in dramatic fashion. Its as much or more a Hall of Famous as anything else! Its not the Hall of ATG's. Real fans understand effort and style as much as talent and skills. People who can only read a record and compare opponents don't understand the intangables that some boxers have to offer. Yiu know the one dimentional fans that prefer to berate instead of appaud. Ray

[jabsRstiff]

Gatti's there because he gave everything he had in dramatic fashion. Its as much or more a Hall of Famous as anything else! Its not the Hall of ATG's. Real fans understand effort and style as much as talent and skills. People who can only read a record and compare opponents don't understand the intangables that some boxers have to offer. Yiu know the one dimentional fans that prefer to berate instead of appaud. Ray

Gatti lacks the victories and accomplishments to be in the Hall of Fame. His wars did not come against the best available fighters, they came against fringe contenders.


Was he great for the game? Absolutely....the wars he did have were unbelievable examples of blood and guts, you had to enjoy them. But, they'd have been far more enjoyable and impressive had they come against the better foes he could have faced.

I liked Gatti and frequently rooted for him. I just don't think he was good enough to be what I believed was to honor the greats.