GIANT HEAVYWEIGHTS: Bigger Isn't Necessarily Better

[HomicideHenry]

CHARLES FREEMAN: Some reported he was in excess of 7'6" but this immense Heavyweight of the bare-knuckle era was more around 6'10". He was originally a circus performer who stunned audiences with doing backward somersaults 23 times in a row, and reportedly even one handedly lifted 400 pounds over his head. Ben Caunt, a former British Heavyweight champion, saw Freeman and began to promote him in England. Freeman had only a few bouts as a fighter, winning what was the very first WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT championship under the London prize Ring rules with a 107th round KO of British champion William Perry. Freeman later retired, and became a huge celebrity, dying of alcoholism at a relatively young age.

JIM CULLEY: "The Fighting Demon" or "The Tipperary Giant" was 7'4" in height, and was also a professional wrestler in the 1940's. Culley came to the United States, though he had size and strength he lacked mobility and skill, and flopped by KO in three rounds by Earl Pierce, a relatively unknown fighter.

Ewart Potgieter: At 7'2" the "Vrybum Giant" from South Africa had at least 14 professional fights at Heavyweight, and he was possibly the best of the 7' boxers, as he fought a 10-round draw against James J. Parker, a man who gave #1 contender Nino Valdes a very difficult time in the ring.

John Rankin: Rankin was transformed into a fighter by opportunists who happened upon him when he was working as a hotel doorman in New Orleans. An African-American who stood 7-foot-4, weighed 300 pounds, wore a size 18½ shoe and had a reach of 90 inches, he was promoted as nothing more than a sideshow. In November of 1967, he scored a four-round decision in the Crescent City over Willie Lee, who was outweighed by 102¼ pounds.

Gogea Mitu: A 7-foot-4, 330-pound Romanian, he had a limited number of fights that were recorded, but it is known that in 1935 he was knocked out in four rounds by George Godfrey, one of the leading black heavyweights of the '20s and '30s, who had a draw with an aging Sam Langford and wins over the likes of Paulino Uzcudun, Tiger Jack Fox and Jack Roper.

Luis Alberto Gonzalez: Gonzalez came to Miami from Colombia in 1985. He stood just a shade over 7 feet, and moved rather well in the ring for someone his size. However, his health was somewhat questionable even as he turned pro, and after running up six wins over opponents with a combined record of 2-23, he was discovered to have a heart murmur and was barred from fighting by the Florida commission.

Gil Anderson: Anderson, of Richmond, Calif., listed at 7 feet, had at least two fights in the Golden State in 1954, both knockout wins. The second fight was scheduled for eight rounds, indicating Anderson probably had more experience than that.

Tom Payne: Payne has become a tragic figure, although initially he was an historic one. The 7-foot-2 center was the first black basketball player ever signed by Adolph Rupp at the University of Kentucky and later participated in 29 games with the NBA's Atlanta Hawks in the 1971-72 season. He was soon in trouble with the law, though, enduring the first of three rape convictions — all in different states. In between jail terms, he found the time to become a boxer, first in amateur competition (he was banned from Golden Gloves tournaments because he was too tall), and then as a pro, chalking up a 2-2 record from 1984-85.

Carl "The Eclipse" Chancellor: Chancellor a record-setting discus thrower in college, engaged in 11 pro fights between 1988-98, compiling a record of 3-6-2. Chancellor was 7-foot-1 and fought at a relatively svelte 296 pounds in 1989. But he eventually ballooned to well over 400 pounds. In fact, he officially weighed in at 430 pounds in July of 1993 when he lost a decision to Carl McGrew. He may have scaled at an even higher weight in his career, except that on at least one occasion, the local commission did not have an apparatus capable of recording that much poundage.

Mike "The Giant" White: White was often said to be a 7-footer, but was actually 6-foot-10. The Michigan native fought a host of leading heavyweights, including Michael Moorer, Pierre Coetzer and Jorge Luis Gonzalez, and scored a come-from-behind, ninth-round TKO over former heavyweight champion Buster Douglas in December of 1983.

Marcellus Brown: A 7-footer out of Benton Harbor, Mich. has fought world champions Tommy Morrison, Trevor Berbick and Lamon Brewster. Of his 15 pro losses, nine were knockout defeats in the first three rounds. Amazingly, Brown, who weighed 273 pounds for his last fight against Yanqui Diaz (September of 2004), weighed in at just 197 for a bout against John Morton in March of 1990.

Coincidentally, Morton went on to become the pro debut opponent for Valuev, making him one of a select group of boxers to have fought TWO 7-footers.

Julius Long: The Detroit native, known as "The Towering Inferno," is still active as a pro fighter. Standing at an even 7-foot, Long previously campaigned at around 270-280 pounds but more recently came down into the 230s. He sports a 14-7 record and holds a win over previously undefeated Russian Nicolay Popov. Long has also been beaten by the likes of Tye Fields, Rob Calloway, Leo Nolan and Audley Harrison. He is the brother of Grant Long, who played 15 years for five different NBA teams, and nephew of John Long, a 13-year NBA veteran, yet towers over both of those hoopsters.

Fernand Contat and Ted Evans: Two other giants, if they had ever turned pro, would have, by all accounts, become record-setters. Contat, a French strongman of the 1930s, was said to be 7-foot-8 and 415 pounds, and trained to become a fighter, but never got into a bout. Perhaps promoters used him purely as a publicity gag or just couldn't find anyone who would fight him.

Evans, a Brit, stood a reported 7-foot-6 and was actively in training to be a boxer in 1946. That never happened; Evans later became part of Ringling Bros. circus and died after making an appearance at Madison Square Garden in 1959.


I know there is always the argument now these days, how the smaller men from the older eras would have a tougher time against the men of later eras, as they are so much "bigger" than they were.

My own person look is this, the division has not gotten "bigger" but HEAVIER. Could Nicolay Valuev, who is now the WBA champion, try and prove or better yet disprove that taller men can fight?

With this look back at these tall fighters from the passed, 6'10" and more...are we looking at yet another failed Heavyweight in Valuev? Or are we really looking (up) at the future of the Heavyweight division?

Valuev is the tallest, then we have other giants like McBride, Klitschko, McCline...the list seems to get longer and longer of Heavyweights in excess of 250 pounds and over 6'5". Is this necessarily any good for the division?

Myself I think not. Because in the 70's (the most talked about era in Heavyweight history) a Heavyweight was a finely tuned athlete at 215 pounds. And usually the biggest of men, failed to do anything in the division.

Now we have giants everywhere...and it seems like smaller men like James Toney are giving the bigger men harder fights.

What is everybody's take on this?

[generic screen name]

Freeman had only a few bouts as a fighter, winning what was the very first WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT championship under the London prize Ring rules with a 107th round KO of British champion William Perry.

Wow he beat The Fridge several decades before he was born! Impressive

[HomicideHenry]

not the NFL lineman who later fought in wrestling matches and Toughman contests lol

[pound per pound]

CHARLES FREEMAN: Some reported he was in excess of 7'6" but this immense Heavyweight of the bare-knuckle era was more around 6'10". He was originally a circus performer who stunned audiences with doing backward somersaults 23 times in a row, and reportedly even one handedly lifted 400 pounds over his head. Ben Caunt, a former British Heavyweight champion, saw Freeman and began to promote him in England. Freeman had only a few bouts as a fighter, winning what was the very first WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT championship under the London prize Ring rules with a 107th round KO of British champion William Perry. Freeman later retired, and became a huge celebrity, dying of alcoholism at a relatively young age.

JIM CULLEY: "The Fighting Demon" or "The Tipperary Giant" was 7'4" in height, and was also a professional wrestler in the 1940's. Culley came to the United States, though he had size and strength he lacked mobility and skill, and flopped by KO in three rounds by Earl Pierce, a relatively unknown fighter.

Ewart Potgieter: At 7'2" the "Vrybum Giant" from South Africa had at least 14 professional fights at Heavyweight, and he was possibly the best of the 7' boxers, as he fought a 10-round draw against James J. Parker, a man who gave #1 contender Nino Valdes a very difficult time in the ring.

John Rankin: Rankin was transformed into a fighter by opportunists who happened upon him when he was working as a hotel doorman in New Orleans. An African-American who stood 7-foot-4, weighed 300 pounds, wore a size 18½ shoe and had a reach of 90 inches, he was promoted as nothing more than a sideshow. In November of 1967, he scored a four-round decision in the Crescent City over Willie Lee, who was outweighed by 102¼ pounds.

Gogea Mitu: A 7-foot-4, 330-pound Romanian, he had a limited number of fights that were recorded, but it is known that in 1935 he was knocked out in four rounds by George Godfrey, one of the leading black heavyweights of the '20s and '30s, who had a draw with an aging Sam Langford and wins over the likes of Paulino Uzcudun, Tiger Jack Fox and Jack Roper.

Luis Alberto Gonzalez: Gonzalez came to Miami from Colombia in 1985. He stood just a shade over 7 feet, and moved rather well in the ring for someone his size. However, his health was somewhat questionable even as he turned pro, and after running up six wins over opponents with a combined record of 2-23, he was discovered to have a heart murmur and was barred from fighting by the Florida commission.

Gil Anderson: Anderson, of Richmond, Calif., listed at 7 feet, had at least two fights in the Golden State in 1954, both knockout wins. The second fight was scheduled for eight rounds, indicating Anderson probably had more experience than that.

Tom Payne: Payne has become a tragic figure, although initially he was an historic one. The 7-foot-2 center was the first black basketball player ever signed by Adolph Rupp at the University of Kentucky and later participated in 29 games with the NBA's Atlanta Hawks in the 1971-72 season. He was soon in trouble with the law, though, enduring the first of three rape convictions — all in different states. In between jail terms, he found the time to become a boxer, first in amateur competition (he was banned from Golden Gloves tournaments because he was too tall), and then as a pro, chalking up a 2-2 record from 1984-85.

Carl "The Eclipse" Chancellor: Chancellor a record-setting discus thrower in college, engaged in 11 pro fights between 1988-98, compiling a record of 3-6-2. Chancellor was 7-foot-1 and fought at a relatively svelte 296 pounds in 1989. But he eventually ballooned to well over 400 pounds. In fact, he officially weighed in at 430 pounds in July of 1993 when he lost a decision to Carl McGrew. He may have scaled at an even higher weight in his career, except that on at least one occasion, the local commission did not have an apparatus capable of recording that much poundage.

Mike "The Giant" White: White was often said to be a 7-footer, but was actually 6-foot-10. The Michigan native fought a host of leading heavyweights, including Michael Moorer, Pierre Coetzer and Jorge Luis Gonzalez, and scored a come-from-behind, ninth-round TKO over former heavyweight champion Buster Douglas in December of 1983.

Marcellus Brown: A 7-footer out of Benton Harbor, Mich. has fought world champions Tommy Morrison, Trevor Berbick and Lamon Brewster. Of his 15 pro losses, nine were knockout defeats in the first three rounds. Amazingly, Brown, who weighed 273 pounds for his last fight against Yanqui Diaz (September of 2004), weighed in at just 197 for a bout against John Morton in March of 1990.

Coincidentally, Morton went on to become the pro debut opponent for Valuev, making him one of a select group of boxers to have fought TWO 7-footers.

Julius Long: The Detroit native, known as "The Towering Inferno," is still active as a pro fighter. Standing at an even 7-foot, Long previously campaigned at around 270-280 pounds but more recently came down into the 230s. He sports a 14-7 record and holds a win over previously undefeated Russian Nicolay Popov. Long has also been beaten by the likes of Tye Fields, Rob Calloway, Leo Nolan and Audley Harrison. He is the brother of Grant Long, who played 15 years for five different NBA teams, and nephew of John Long, a 13-year NBA veteran, yet towers over both of those hoopsters.

Fernand Contat and Ted Evans: Two other giants, if they had ever turned pro, would have, by all accounts, become record-setters. Contat, a French strongman of the 1930s, was said to be 7-foot-8 and 415 pounds, and trained to become a fighter, but never got into a bout. Perhaps promoters used him purely as a publicity gag or just couldn't find anyone who would fight him.

Evans, a Brit, stood a reported 7-foot-6 and was actively in training to be a boxer in 1946. That never happened; Evans later became part of Ringling Bros. circus and died after making an appearance at Madison Square Garden in 1959.


I know there is always the argument now these days, how the smaller men from the older eras would have a tougher time against the men of later eras, as they are so much "bigger" than they were.

My own person look is this, the division has not gotten "bigger" but HEAVIER. Could Nicolay Valuev, who is now the WBA champion, try and prove or better yet disprove that taller men can fight?

With this look back at these tall fighters from the passed, 6'10" and more...are we looking at yet another failed Heavyweight in Valuev? Or are we really looking (up) at the future of the Heavyweight division?

Valuev is the tallest, then we have other giants like McBride, Klitschko, McCline...the list seems to get longer and longer of Heavyweights in excess of 250 pounds and over 6'5". Is this necessarily any good for the division?

Myself I think not. Because in the 70's (the most talked about era in Heavyweight history) a Heavyweight was a finely tuned athlete at 215 pounds. And usually the biggest of men, failed to do anything in the division.

Now we have giants everywhere...and it seems like smaller men like James Toney are giving the bigger men harder fights.

What is everybody's take on this?

Well done IrishRufusMurphy. I enjoyed this read.

My take on heavyweights is, size is an asset so long as it doesn't hinder agility, and stamina. Conversly lack of size is a handcap as it is not easy to give up height, weight and reach when the skills are near even.

These giants over 6'9" seem to be a bit to slow, and for the most part were only in boxing because they were extremely big.

However, in the past 15 years we have seen several large heavies ranging from 6'5" to 6'8" that can really fight. Fighters like Bowe, Lewis, V. Klitschko, and W. Klitschko are / were skilled big men and champions.

I tend to beleive future heavyweight champions will be 210 pounds in weight or greater. Is there a current heavyweight ranked in the top 50 that fights under 210 pounds? Maybe 1 or 2. That's it. See my point?

One mistake historians tend to make is lumping modern large fighters with skills with histories past giants. This is an apples to oranges comparison. Aside from size, the fighters are completely different.

[BrocktonBlockbuster49]

Bowe, Lewis, V. Klitschko, and W. Klitschko are / were skilled big men and champions.

please dont compare the klitschkos to bowe and lewis

[pundit]

Bowe, Lewis, V. Klitschko, and W. Klitschko are / were skilled big men and champions.

please dont compare the klitschkos to bowe and lewis

You hit Brockton's weak spot head on....

[BrocktonBlockbuster49]

wlad has the skills and tools to match lewis and bowe, but he has a glass jaw. vitali is just plain out overated

[HomicideHenry]

Lewis had great skills, he virtually had it all...except for a big ego and a questioble chin and a bad work habit...if he felt someone was beneath him he wouldn't train properly.

Vitali Klitschko's skills were amatuer at best, but he could take a punch, had a reach and knew how to use it and he could hit hard, plus he had heart, but he, was an excuse maker and he really only wanted to face Lewis again...and when that didn't happen he quit.

Just like he did with Chris Byrd...Klitschko became Quit-schko.

Wladimir Klitschko skills were very good for a man his size, he could hit hard as well, had alot of heart and ambition, still does, but when exposed by Corrie Sanders...he never really has been the same again.

Wlad Klitschko reminds me of Bombardier Billy Wells, Wells was a towering figure in his era and had skills and could hit, but when former "white hope" hopeful Gunner Moir blasted him on the chin...word was out...if you wanted to beat Wells hit him on the chin.

[Brutu]

Gogea Mitu(1935)


http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=6156

[crusader]

I tend to beleive future heavyweight champions will be 210 pounds in weight or greater. Is there a current heavyweight ranked in the top 50 that fights under 210 pounds? Maybe 1 or 2. That's it. See my point?

There a few names that could easily make CW if they were in shape though. Outside the K brothers and Valuev the top heavyweights aren't giants, but they are definitly getting bigger in terms of average weight.

6'3 Haye at around 216
6'3 Arreolla, who would be about 225 if he was in good shape.
6'3 Johnson, who is a mix of fat and muscle at 240 and could probably drop 10 pounds
6'2 Povetkin, who weighs in at around 220
6'2 Peter at around 240, although he has some weight he could drop
6'2 Ruiz who is now hovering at around 240, but has been appearing soft lately, and formerly came in at around 225
6'1 Boystov, at 220
6'1 Chagaev at 220 with some excessive padding around his sides
6'1 Chambers at 210, with a few pounds to lose, could make cruiser
6'1 Solis who has come in at 271, and is ranging on obese
6'1 Adamek, who is in shape at 220

My knowledge of older boxing is limited, and I will admit that, but one thing I notice about the heavyweights off past generations is that the vast majority of them were in great shape. Not all of them, but certainly more than the fighters of today.

Most off the guys I have listed, would all be 10-50 pounds lighter if they came into the fight in the same condition there predecessors did. I think this exagerates the increase in size we have seen among heavyweights.

[Ezzard]

I tend to beleive future heavyweight champions will be 210 pounds in weight or greater. Is there a current heavyweight ranked in the top 50 that fights under 210 pounds? Maybe 1 or 2. That's it. See my point?

There a few names that could easily make CW if they were in shape though. Outside the K brothers and Valuev the top heavyweights aren't giants, but they are definitly getting bigger in terms of average weight.

6'3 Haye at around 216
6'3 Arreolla, who would be about 225 if he was in good shape.
6'3 Johnson, who is a mix of fat and muscle at 240 and could probably drop 10 pounds
6'2 Povetkin, who weighs in at around 220
6'2 Peter at around 240, although he has some weight he could drop
6'2 Ruiz who is now hovering at around 240, but has been appearing soft lately, and formerly came in at around 225
6'1 Boystov, at 220
6'1 Chagaev at 220 with some excessive padding around his sides
6'1 Chambers at 210, with a few pounds to lose, could make cruiser
6'1 Solis who has come in at 271, and is ranging on obese
6'1 Adamek, who is in shape at 220

My knowledge of older boxing is limited, and I will admit that, but one thing I notice about the heavyweights off past generations is that the vast majority of them were in great shape. Not all of them, but certainly more than the fighters of today.

Most off the guys I have listed, would all be 10-50 pounds lighter if they came into the fight in the same condition there predecessors did. I think this exagerates the increase in size we have seen among heavyweights.

I agree. The prevalence of steroids has also changed the average weight to height ratio.

[Goodnight, Irene]

I think a better point to make would be, "Smaller isn't necessarily better," since most of the giants, including today's crop, suck, & are muscled out of the all-timers' position within the division's history by guys between 200-220lbs.

[jaclem2]

...the reports of lennox lewis' height varied from time to time....but there's no question he counts here as one of the big boys. i think he was the most gifted of the group...but only when motivated and in shape...which he was more often than he wasn't.

[granberry]

Jess Willard was 6' 6 1/2".

He weighed 232 when he fought Jack Johnson in the best condition of his (Willard's) career.

[dempseyfire]

I tend to beleive future heavyweight champions will be 210 pounds in weight or greater. Is there a current heavyweight ranked in the top 50 that fights under 210 pounds? Maybe 1 or 2. That's it. See my point?

There a few names that could easily make CW if they were in shape though. Outside the K brothers and Valuev the top heavyweights aren't giants, but they are definitly getting bigger in terms of average weight.

6'3 Haye at around 216
6'3 Arreolla, who would be about 225 if he was in good shape.
6'3 Johnson, who is a mix of fat and muscle at 240 and could probably drop 10 pounds
6'2 Povetkin, who weighs in at around 220
6'2 Peter at around 240, although he has some weight he could drop
6'2 Ruiz who is now hovering at around 240, but has been appearing soft lately, and formerly came in at around 225
6'1 Boystov, at 220
6'1 Chagaev at 220 with some excessive padding around his sides
6'1 Chambers at 210, with a few pounds to lose, could make cruiser
6'1 Solis who has come in at 271, and is ranging on obese
6'1 Adamek, who is in shape at 220

My knowledge of older boxing is limited, and I will admit that, but one thing I notice about the heavyweights off past generations is that the vast majority of them were in great shape. Not all of them, but certainly more than the fighters of today.

Most off the guys I have listed, would all be 10-50 pounds lighter if they came into the fight in the same condition there predecessors did. I think this exagerates the increase in size we have seen among heavyweights.

Plus some of those heights are off. Chagaev, Solis, Peter, and Chambers are not taller than 6ft . . .their promotional teams exaggerated their heights but when actually measured by the likes of HBO and Showtime they were shown to be an inch or two shorter than listed. Boxrec used to have the correct heights for them I don't know why they changed them.

[granberry]

Joe Frazier was 5' 9" at the absolute tallest.

I have stood next to him many times.

[Collins2000]

Joe Frazier was 5' 9" at the absolute tallest.

I have stood next to him many times.

Did you try to sneak a peek?

LOL

[Collins2000]

collins is the severely retarded nephew of the owner of boxrec, who allows collins to turn boxrec into his own personal toilet.

Please don't talk about Uncle SHEP like that. He's a great guy who never forgets my birthday.

LOL

[jaclem2]

...one reason his birthday is so easy to remember is that i'm starting to think the first one wasn't all that long ago.

(actually, there is really only one birthday...the rest are celebrations of it. i do hope if collins has any parties thrown for him he's not afraid of clowns and balloons.)

[Collins2000]

...one reason his birthday is so easy to remember is that i'm starting to think the first one wasn't all that long ago.

(actually, there is really only one birthday...the rest are celebrations of it. i do hope if collins has any parties thrown for him he's not afraid of clowns and balloons.)

Jaclem2, Please!

Your attempts at humour border on pathetic.

I'm not a guy who takes himself too seriously but come on, man, this stuff is ridiculous.

Hey, drag your yourself out from under your rock and into those "name that tune: threads I put up. Plenty of pictures still unidentified. An expert like yourself ought to have no problem nailing the ones still outstanding. Not.

[jaclem2]

...hey collins...as soon as a i saw we were on the forum at the same time i just thought i'd mess with you a little. i don't take these threads all that seriously either.

as far as my attempts at humor....well, the did provide me with my income when i worked clubs and wrote for other comics....but what did they know.


i recognize very few of those pictures you put here (and thanks for doing so) so i don't contribute answers. i did recognize cerdan, but hollman fooled me, and i should have gotten him. i do better on the ones taken during the actual fights, but i just haven't seen that many still photos.

[Collins2000]

...hey collins...as soon as a i saw we were on the forum at the same time i just thought i'd mess with you a little. i don't take these threads all that seriously either.

as far as my attempts at humor....well, the did provide me with my income when i worked clubs and wrote for other comics....but what did they know.


i recognize very few of those pictures you put here (and thanks for doing so) so i don't contribute answers. i did recognize cerdan, but hollman fooled me, and i should have gotten him. i do better on the ones taken during the actual fights, but i just haven't seen that many still photos.

No problems, jaclem2.

I'm always up for a reasonable chat. (Throw in the occasional joke every now and then if you like but give me some warning that you are attempting humour so I can play along. )

[jaclem2]

...hey collins...i'm not saying i want us to go and pick out the furniture.....just that i get a kick out of some posts and responses.....yours among them.

..ah..as for my "attempts" at humor....if i have to let you KNOW when i'm just fooling around, maybe your sense of humor needs some fine tuning.

my kidding about your being a punk kid is just a little riposte at your making me sound older than ernest borgnine.