The Ring onlines 'Greatest British fighters' top 10

[whiskey]

http://www.thering-online.com/blog/161/ ... f_alltime/

By Michael Rosenthal ( [email protected] ) 22-Dec-2008

1. Jimmy Wilde (137-5-2, 99 KOs; 1910-23): One of biggest punchers pound-for-pound ever

2. Ted “Kid” Lewis (232-44-24, 80 KOs; 1909-29): Second greatest Jewish fighter after Benny Leonard

3. Jackie “Kid” Berg (157-26-9, 61 KOs; 1924-45): Fought and beat many of America’s best

4. Joe Calzghe (46-0, 32 KOs; 1993-present): Perfect record is impressive but had few meaningful victories

5. Jim Driscoll (63-4-6, 39 KOs; 1901-19): Went 3-0 against the great George Dixon and beat Abe Attell

6. Benny Lynch (81-12-15, 34 KOs; 1931-38): Alcoholism curtailed his career and life

7. Ken Buchanan (61-8, 27 KOs; 1965-82): Had misfortune of being a contemporary of Roberto Duran

8. Lennox Lewis (41-2-1, 32 KOs; 1989-2003): Greatest British heavyweight of all-time

9. Owen Moran (65-19-8, 19 KOs; 1900-16): Had wars with some of the best little men ever

10. Randy Turpin (66-8-1, 45 KOs; 1946-64): Only the second man to beat the great Sugar Ray Robinson.

Five more: John Conteh, Nasem Hamed, Lloyd Honeygan, Barry McGuigan and Freddie Mills.

Note: Bob Fitzsimmons and Freddie Welsh, both British by birth, fought primarily outside Europe.




The guy was so eager to write Joe's name in his list, he forgot to spell it correctly

(And this dude is the 'Editor' ! )

[Captain Hook]

Lennox should be top three, and Howard Winstone should surely be in there.

[EddieShredder]

Having Lennox so far down is a crime.

For me, he's still well above Calzaghe.

[housesecond]

Lewis would have to go above calzaghe fo me too.

[tonyevs]

I can understand him leaving Bob Fitzsimmons out, he never saw himself as British anyway ... the Brits only claimed him because he was champ. But Freddie Welsh whilst doing his fighting outside of his country, actually learnt the fundamentals at home and never forgot his roots.

And how does McGuigan get mentioned and not Benn,Eubank,Graham ... in my opinion Paul Hodkinson achieved as much ..

[E]

The list is a good one. Lewis is so overrated by this forum. He got knocked out cold by 2 journeymen.

His opponents are very good but not exceptional.

[Exoddus]

Shannon Briggs put Lewis in big trouble in the first round of their fight. Lewis was lucky it was late on in the round or he *may* have lost that fight.

[fluxstuff]

How can Joe be above Lennox...?

[E]

How can Joe be above Lennox...?

Because pound 4 pound he's better

[REAL_DEAL]

wheres M.T.G?

One above you.

[brian13]

Joe Calzaghe is the list , then why isn't Hatton in it because no way Calzaghe deserves to be on the list

[gobbles]

Joe Calzaghe is the list , then why isn't Hatton in it because no way Calzaghe deserves to be on the list

Even to say Calzaghe doesn't deserve to be on the list shows you to be a complete idiot. I can understand people saying Lewis should be higher, but Owen Moran higher???? Benny Lynch, higher?????? But I am sure you have no idea who Owen Moran was, let alone have no idea how to rate the opponents he faced.

The guy obviously knows nothing, though, because he can't even spell Lloyd Honeyghan or Naseem Hamed. Jack "Kid" Berg is also very fringe - couple of good wins in the US, but some big defeats. George Dixon was ancient when he boxed Driscoll in six-rounders.

[ratman]

Shannon Briggs put Lewis in big trouble in the first round of their fight. Lewis was lucky it was late on in the round or he *may* have lost that fight.

but what was the outcome ?

[josh fg]

How can Joe be above Lennox...?

Because pound 4 pound he's better

What on his record indicates that he is better P4P. Lewis fought more top fighters closer to there primes and did all he could to unify the titles at the first oppertunity.

[pasty_spud]

only a fool would put calzaghe above lennox lewis

[yiddo14]

The list is a good one. Lewis is so overrated by this forum. He got knocked out cold by 2 journeymen.

His opponents are very good but not exceptional.

I wish I was a two time Heavyweight Champion Of The World "journeyman"

Lewis should be higher, top 3.

[gobbles]

How can Joe be above Lennox...?

Because pound 4 pound he's better

What on his record indicates that he is better P4P. Lewis fought more top fighters closer to there primes and did all he could to unify the titles at the first oppertunity.

Like who?

Tyson was completely washed up and far further gone than Jones (before anyone tries to makes that association), Holyfield was five years past his best, he got lucky against Klitschko, a negative display against Tua. What's left? Briggs? Golota? Bruno? His best win was possibly Ruddock.

I'm not knocking Lewis, but he missed the best fight out there for him with Bowe and fought safety first after McCall.

He could have had the Bowe fight if he had accepted the short end of the purse when Bowe was champion and he accepted step-aside money from Tyson, so to say he "did all he could to unify the titles at the first opportunity" is total rubbish.

Plus anyone who calls people fools putting Calzaghe above Lewis is just revealing their own ignorance.

Some people on this board are amazing - slag off Joe Calzaghe and call Peter Buckley "a legend".

[whiskey]

Gobbles mate, I think it's you who needs some enlightenment :-

Lennox Lewis's record reads like a modern who's who of Heavyweight boxing.

He cleared out the domestic, European and World stage of everyone who would face him.

He picked up the British & Commonwealth, European, IBO, IBF, WBA, WBC World titles - and defended them.

Kiltchko, Tyson, Holyfield, Tua, Mercer, Morrision, Rahman, Botha, Grant, Mason, Bruno, Briggs, Golota...

He boxed in the Royal Albert Hall to the Thomas & Mack, from South Africa to Atlantic City... Caesar's, Mandalay, The Staples Centre, Madison Square Garden 3 times... Conneticut, Tennessee, Dublin, California, Atlanta, Ontanario Canada... EVEN WALES.

*Lewis-Tyson was the highest-grossing event in pay-per-view history with an estimated $103 million in revenue. The previous record was set by Tyson-Holyfield II at $99 million.
*Lewis-Tyson had the highest gross gate revenue at $17.5 million. The previous record was set by Lewis-Holyfield II at $16.8 million.
*Lewis-Tyson had the largest international-television revenue guarantee.
*Lewis-Tyson had the highest grossing closed circuit sales for any pay-per-view event.

Meanwhile Calzaghe took 11+ years to face a fellow belt holder, the now-proven BUM Jeff Lacy after languishing in Wales fighting people at the twilight of their careers. Then he argued against fighting Mikkel...then managed yet another dull 12 round points win.

Sorry but Joe don't hold a candle to Lewis, who has mixed it it far more dangerous class and done it around the globe.

Lewis has defeats, but at Heavyweight one punch can turn it around - he rematched and destroyed his losses.

[EddieShredder]

Gobbles mate, I think it's you who needs some enlightenment :-

Lennox Lewis's record reads like a modern who's who of Heavyweight boxing.

He cleared out the domestic, European and World stage of everyone who would face him.

He picked up the British & Commonwealth, European, IBO, IBF, WBA, WBC World titles - and defended them.

Kiltchko, Tyson, Holyfield, Tua, Mercer, Morrision, Rahman, Botha, Grant, Mason, Bruno, Briggs, Golota...

He boxed in the Royal Albert Hall to the Thomas & Mack, from South Africa to Atlantic City... Caesar's, Mandalay, The Staples Centre, Madison Square Garden 3 times... Conneticut, Tennessee, Dublin, California, Atlanta, Ontanario Canada... EVEN WALES.

*Lewis-Tyson was the highest-grossing event in pay-per-view history with an estimated $103 million in revenue. The previous record was set by Tyson-Holyfield II at $99 million.
*Lewis-Tyson had the highest gross gate revenue at $17.5 million. The previous record was set by Lewis-Holyfield II at $16.8 million.
*Lewis-Tyson had the largest international-television revenue guarantee.
*Lewis-Tyson had the highest grossing closed circuit sales for any pay-per-view event.

Meanwhile Calzaghe took 11+ years to face a fellow belt holder, the now-proven BUM Jeff Lacy after languishing in Wales fighting people at the twilight of their careers. Then he argued against fighting Mikkel...then managed yet another dull 12 round points win.

Sorry but Joe don't hold a candle to Lewis, who has mixed it it far more dangerous class and done it around the globe.

Lewis has defeats, but at Heavyweight one punch can turn it around - he rematched and destroyed his losses.

Nothing to add Lewis

[gobbles]

Gobbles mate, I think it's you who needs some enlightenment :-

Lennox Lewis's record reads like a modern who's who of Heavyweight boxing.

He cleared out the domestic, European and World stage of everyone who would face him.

He picked up the British & Commonwealth, European, IBO, IBF, WBA, WBC World titles - and defended them.

Kiltchko, Tyson, Holyfield, Tua, Mercer, Morrision, Rahman, Botha, Grant, Mason, Bruno, Briggs, Golota...

He boxed in the Royal Albert Hall to the Thomas & Mack, from South Africa to Atlantic City... Caesar's, Mandalay, The Staples Centre, Madison Square Garden 3 times... Conneticut, Tennessee, Dublin, California, Atlanta, Ontanario Canada... EVEN WALES.

*Lewis-Tyson was the highest-grossing event in pay-per-view history with an estimated $103 million in revenue. The previous record was set by Tyson-Holyfield II at $99 million.
*Lewis-Tyson had the highest gross gate revenue at $17.5 million. The previous record was set by Lewis-Holyfield II at $16.8 million.
*Lewis-Tyson had the largest international-television revenue guarantee.
*Lewis-Tyson had the highest grossing closed circuit sales for any pay-per-view event.

Meanwhile Calzaghe took 11+ years to face a fellow belt holder, the now-proven BUM Jeff Lacy after languishing in Wales fighting people at the twilight of their careers. Then he argued against fighting Mikkel...then managed yet another dull 12 round points win.

Sorry but Joe don't hold a candle to Lewis, who has mixed it it far more dangerous class and done it around the globe.

Lewis has defeats, but at Heavyweight one punch can turn it around - he rematched and destroyed his losses.

Now-proven BUM???!!! What a big tough guy you are GOmez. How dare you call any boxer a bum. A big man hides behind his keyboard and slags off boxers who get in the ring and put their lives on the line. And you have the cheek to take a sign-in name of a fighter like Wilfredo Gomez. I look up to you and your anal self-importance.
Let's see, Lacy boxed in the Olympics, won a world title and has two career defeats, to Calzaghe and Taylor. And you are talking pay-per-view receipts?! Tyson did pretty good figures against McBride too.
Lacy was a very decent fighter who was never going to be the same after Calzaghe beat him that way.
He took 11+ years to face a fellow belt holder, you can't even count? What a total idiot you are, go hide under your rock.

[whiskey]

Now-proven BUM???!!! What a big tough guy you are GOmez. How dare you call any boxer a bum. A big man hides behind his keyboard and slags off boxers who get in the ring and put their lives on the line. And you have the cheek to take a sign-in name of a fighter like Wilfredo Gomez. I look up to you and your anal self-importance.
Let's see, Lacy boxed in the Olympics, won a world title and has two career defeats, to Calzaghe and Taylor. And you are talking pay-per-view receipts?! Tyson did pretty good figures against McBride too.
Lacy was a very decent fighter who was never going to be the same after Calzaghe beat him that way.
He took 11+ years to face a fellow belt holder, you can't even count? What a total idiot you are, go hide under your rock.

Epic Meltdown

[Autobarn]

Have to go with Lennox over Calzaghe. Lenbox has a very storied career. Yes he made a couple of silly mistakes and seemed to fall asleep in his biggest fights (Holyfield). Joe was too cautious to even make mistakes, despite being a very very good fighter.

I actually think 2008 has put question marks on Joe's legacy. 2006 and 2007 "proved" the old "I was always that good".

2008 made us wonder, "were you really now", after cracks shown in sloppy fights with Hopkins and Jones.

[gobbles]

Now-proven BUM???!!! What a big tough guy you are GOmez. How dare you call any boxer a bum. A big man hides behind his keyboard and slags off boxers who get in the ring and put their lives on the line. And you have the cheek to take a sign-in name of a fighter like Wilfredo Gomez. I look up to you and your anal self-importance.
Let's see, Lacy boxed in the Olympics, won a world title and has two career defeats, to Calzaghe and Taylor. And you are talking pay-per-view receipts?! Tyson did pretty good figures against McBride too.
Lacy was a very decent fighter who was never going to be the same after Calzaghe beat him that way.
He took 11+ years to face a fellow belt holder, you can't even count? What a total idiot you are, go hide under your rock.

Epic Meltdown

Using smiley faces, does not really improve your arguments - unless you are 12.

[Zelley]

There is much discussion about Lennox Lewis, but should he be classified as a British Boxer or a Canadian boxer, or both.

If he is to be classified as a British boxer, then should his amateur bouts including
his performance in the 1984 and 1988 Olympics be discounted.
Also, what about Jimmy McLarnin who was born in Belfast, raised in Canada and fought
mainly in California and New York.

Selecting Jimmy Wilde (the Mighty Atom from Wales) is a safe choice.
It would be interesting to see how folks rate one Tancy Lee who
was one of a rare few that defeated Jimmy. Tancy was the first of four boxers to defeat Wilde.
The others were Pal Moore and Pete Herman in London and Pancho Villa in New York.
Of importance both Tancy Lee and Pal Moore were defeated by the mighty Welsh atom in return engagements.

[dondada]

Lewis well above Joe. Anyone claiming the pair have similar CVs is on very shaky ground.