Great Fighters Never to Win a Tille

[boxinghistorian]

I was doing a story the other day on Sam Langford, one of the greatest fighters never to win a World Title and it got me thinking. Who else falls into this category ! any Ideas?

[Deno1986]

I always say Micky Ward but he was one of my favourite fighters so I am a bit biased! Jerry Quarry is another great fighter who never won a World Title.

[bjermaine]

Charley Burley

[boxing_fanatic_87]

There will probably never be another fighter who has this distinction in these days of having mediocre paper champions, any fighter who is great will surely win at least a belt.

George Godfrey, shamefully ducked by Jack Dempsey.

[Hookie74]

Charley Burley, Jimmy Bivins, Oba Carr,

[Hookie74]

Harry Wills, Sam McVea, Joe Jeannette, Sam Langford

[Hookie74]

In 290 pro bouts Young Stribling went 225-13-15 (128) 3NC. He also went 32-2 in Newspaper Decisions.

He fought for the Light Heavyweight (L15 Paul Berlenbach) and Heavyweight (LKOby15 Max Schmeling... his only KO loss) World Titles.

[Hookie74]

Ken Norton was the WBC HW champ for a short time in 1978 but he went 0-3 in World Title Bouts. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

[TerribleTim2]

David Tua

[danieljenkins]

Herol the bomer Graham

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Billy Graham
Holman Williams
Cocoa Kid
Lloyd marshall

Personal Favorites would be Howard Davis & Razor Ruddock, though neither would live up to the title of the thread.

[BoxBuzz]

I'd give Jerry Quarry a nod in this category.

[Goodnight, Irene]

In 290 pro bouts Young Stribling went 225-13-15 (128) 3NC. He also went 32-2 in Newspaper Decisions.

He fought for the Light Heavyweight (L15 Paul Berlenbach) and Heavyweight (LKOby15 Max Schmeling... his only KO loss) World Titles.

Good shout.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

George Godfrey, shamefully ducked by Jack Dempsey.

- Ah, heh, hah, hoh, ho, pure comedy.

Part of the schtick of Jack Johnson ducking Dempsey, and Corbett ducking Johnson.

Henceforth passed on as Wills ducking Louis, Ali ducking Tyson, and so on and so forth, quack-quack.

Funnier than a barrel of 'roided monkeys!

[jimglen]

one of them right here - http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/w0906-glen.html and his nemisis McAvoy too!

[EriqS]

Bennie Briscoe
Earnie Shavers

[BoxBuzz]

Second that Briscoe nod....

[Mr E]

Assuming you mean 'never to win a piece of any title,' as opposed to 'never to win a linear title,' here are my thoughts:

Heavyweight: Peter Jackson, Joe Jeannette, Sam Langford, Sam McVey, Harry Wills, Luis Angel Firpo, George Godfrey, Elmer Violent Ray, Jerry Quarry, Jimmy Young, Ike Ibeabuchi.

Light-Heavyweight: Joe Choynski, Kid Norfolk, Tommy Gibbons, Young Stribling, Tiger Jack Fox, Jimmy Bivins, Lloyd Marshall.

Middleweight: Charley Mitchell, Mike Gibbons, Ace Hudkins, Charley Burley, Holman Williams, Bad Bennie Briscoe.

Welterweight: Young Peter Jackson, Packy McFarland, Cocoa Kid, Charley Burley, Billy Graham

Lightweight: Dave Holly, Leach Cross, Lew Tendler, Tyrone Everett

Featherweight: Owen Moran, Baby Arizmendi

[Mr E]

There will probably never be another fighter who has this distinction in these days of having mediocre paper champions, any fighter who is great will surely win at least a belt.

George Godfrey, shamefully ducked by Jack Dempsey.

Dempsey "ducking" a guy whom he regularly battered from pilar to post during sparring sessions and exhibitions? No way. Godfrey didn't really hit his stride until sometime toward the end of Dempsey's self-imposed, "allow-my-contract-with-Kearns-to-expire" exile, and it's hard to argue Godfrey (as opposed to Harry Wills for example), deserved the title shot Tunney received.

Tunney and Schmeling could both be accused of avoiding Godfrey, however, though I severely doubt he would have beaten either one of them, especially Tunney.

[enrique]

Kid Tunero beat four world champions -including Ezzard Charles- and a score of European champions but was never a world champion himself.

[Ezzard]

Assuming you mean 'never to win a piece of any title,' as opposed to 'never to win a linear title,' here are my thoughts:

Heavyweight: Peter Jackson, Joe Jeannette, Sam Langford, Sam McVey, Harry Wills, Luis Angel Firpo, George Godfrey, Elmer Violent Ray, Jerry Quarry, Jimmy Young, Ike Ibeabuchi.

Light-Heavyweight: Joe Choynski, Kid Norfolk, Tommy Gibbons, Young Stribling, Tiger Jack Fox, Jimmy Bivins, Lloyd Marshall.

Middleweight: Charley Mitchell, Mike Gibbons, Ace Hudkins, Charley Burley, Holman Williams, Bad Bennie Briscoe.

Welterweight: Young Peter Jackson, Packy McFarland, Cocoa Kid, Charley Burley, Billy Graham

Lightweight: Dave Holly, Leach Cross, Lew Tendler, Tyrone Everett

Featherweight: Owen Moran, Baby Arizmendi

Great lists, Mr E.

A lot of people here dismiss Firpo but he makes your list. I always considered him to be a tough contender, not as bad as some make out, but I wouldn't expect him to be in this company. I'm interested in your opinion.

[The Great John L]

Angel Rodriguez

[jimglen]

Kid Tunero a great fighter sure, and he gets more memory and press than a lot of others... yet McAvoy slaughtered him!

see what I mean.

[Mr E]

Assuming you mean 'never to win a piece of any title,' as opposed to 'never to win a linear title,' here are my thoughts:

Heavyweight: Peter Jackson, Joe Jeannette, Sam Langford, Sam McVey, Harry Wills, Luis Angel Firpo, George Godfrey, Elmer Violent Ray, Jerry Quarry, Jimmy Young, Ike Ibeabuchi.

Light-Heavyweight: Joe Choynski, Kid Norfolk, Tommy Gibbons, Young Stribling, Tiger Jack Fox, Jimmy Bivins, Lloyd Marshall.

Middleweight: Charley Mitchell, Mike Gibbons, Ace Hudkins, Charley Burley, Holman Williams, Bad Bennie Briscoe.

Welterweight: Young Peter Jackson, Packy McFarland, Cocoa Kid, Charley Burley, Billy Graham

Lightweight: Dave Holly, Leach Cross, Lew Tendler, Tyrone Everett

Featherweight: Owen Moran, Baby Arizmendi

Great lists, Mr E.

A lot of people here dismiss Firpo but he makes your list. I always considered him to be a tough contender, not as bad as some make out, but I wouldn't expect him to be in this company. I'm interested in your opinion.

Candidly, I'm a little unsure about that one, but I have always regarded Firpo as having been under-rated. I view him as a faster version of Max Baer and I think his sheer strength and energy would have upended several champions that night at the Polo Grounds in 1923. Not sure Ray, Quarry, or Young belong on the list either, but they all have something to recommend them. Worth talking about, at any rate.

[skelp]

Joe Jeanette, Harry Wills - Heavyweights in 1900s.

Harry Greb - Beat and Drew with Gene Tunney. Never won the Heavyweight Title.

Donovan "Razor" Ruddock - Canadian Heavyweight Champ 1990s.

Herol "Bomber" Graham - British Super Middleweight of 1980/90s

Michael Watson - British Super Middleweight of 1980/90s