Best year for a fighter

[I Feel Fine]

I was looking at some of the years that fighters who won the Ring "Fighter of the Year" award had. Some were puzzling, like Tunney winning it in a year where all he did was beat Heeney, or Louis winning it the year he lost to Schmeling. Others were sensational, like Henry Amrstrong going undefeated in something like 28 fights in the year he won the award, winning the Featherweight title and defending it once in the process, or Robinson beating Zivic, Servo, Angott and LaMotta in the same year, also going undefeated in multiple fights.

So, of all the fighters who have won the Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year award, who had the best year? Or it could be someone who didn't win the award, but had a year that you felt was possibly the best in boxing history.

[Ambling Alp]

Armstrong and Robinson's years were great choices. It's really hard to pick just one, but here are some other truly great years:

1899 James Jeffries- Beat Bob Fitzsimmons and Tom Sharkey. (Magazine didn't exist yet.)

1906 Joe Gans - Beat Mike Twin Sullivan,Dave Holly and Battling Nelson. (Magazine didn't exist yet.)

1922 Harry Greb- Beat Tunney,Tommy Gibbons and won a newspaper decision over Tommy Loughran. (Won award.)

1948 Ezzard Charles- (7-0) Beat Jimmy Bivins,Elmer Ray, and Archie Moore. (Didn't win award.)

1952 Archie Moore - (6-0) Beat Harold Johnson and Joey Maxim (Didn't win award.)

1954 Archie Moore - (4-0) Beat Harold Johnson and Joey Maxim (Didn't win award.)

1966 Muhammad Ali (5-0) 5 title defenses. (Didn't win award. Not given that year.)

1971 Carlos Monzon (5-0) Beat Emile Griffith and Nino Benvenuti (Didn't win award.)

1974 Muhammad Ali (2-0) Beat Joe Frazier and George Foreman (Won award.)

1981 Michael Spinks (4-0) Beat Marvin Johnson and Eddie Mustapha Muhammad (Didn't win award.)

[Matt]

Harry Greb's 1919. He went 45-0, if you count newspaper decisions. His opposition was incredible as well.

[banjo]

kostya tszyu beat mitchell, urkal and judah in 2001 yet didn't win the award

[Seamus]

1917 Benny Leonard. Beat Richie Mitchell, Freddie Welsh, Johnny Kilbane and Jack Britton

1936 Jimmy McLarnin. In 46 days beat Tony Canzoneri and Lou Ambers

[nobudius]

So far, the Greb years that have been mentioned are unbelievable. Upon first glance, they really, really, really stand out.

[generic screen name]

I think thats what keeps Greb alive. Nobody has film on him but his resume is really remarkable.

[dagosd2000]

I think thats what keeps Greb alive. Nobody has film on him but his resume is really remarkable.

Another thing about Greb:his two losses to Tiger Flowers. All the papers and just about everyone at ringside had the "Windmill" winning. Then Flowres fights Walker and loses his title in a very controversial decision.

[elmersalsa]

I gotta say Henry Armstrong in 1937. Won 27 fights that year, 26 by KO...Won the featherweight title with spectacular fashion...He was really a terror that year.

Another IMPRESSIVE year for me was Thomas Hearns in 1980...He won all of his 6 fights, all by KO and also won the welter crown by a devastating KO finish of Pipino Cuevas.

Another great year I would say Muhammad Ali in 1966, but did not win the award. He defended the heavweight title outside the US in countries places like Frankfurt (Germany), Toronto (Canada), and London (England twice) against Karl Middleberger, Henry Cooper, Brian London, Cleveland Williams and George Chuvalo...His victory against a dangerous puncher like Big Cat Williams was one of the most complete wins of his career. That was Ali at his very best.

One year that was OVERRATED was when Ali won the award in 1978. I think Wilfredo Gomez or Roberto Duran should have won it that year.

But I will never see a year like Armstrong had...Never in my lifetime.