The best who weren't champs.

[Expug]

For discussion,give some names and some background on fighters who never won a title but who you thought were great.

I'll get it join with a couple:
Billy Petrolle,"The Fargo Express" fought the best of his day.

Billy Graham,"The Uncrowned Champ".
Ill come back with a bit more on these two
Lets hear some picks...

[gilgamesh]

Charley Burley: Supposedly ducked by Sugar Ray Robinson and defeated Archie Moore. Burley is one of the finest fighters never to be crowned champion, and he fought a who's who of All Time greats in his era.

Sam Langford: A Legend of course and apparently one of the most freakishly strong men ever to grace the squared circle, but he was never a recognized World Champion in any weight class he competed in.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Eddie Booker & Wesley Mouzon. Two great fighters that had their careers cut way short after proving that they could handle the best in the world.

[Goodnight, Irene]

The magnificent Jimmy Bivins.

[JDC]

Herol Bomber Graham

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca8_AJCLp2w

[JC]

Jem Driscoll

[dempseyfire]

Jem Driscoll

Technically, Driscoll did win what would be akin to an ABC belt today when he won the Featherweight championship of the world as recognized by the UK in 1912.

Some great picks here (Langford to me is the epitome of uncrowned champion) I'd add in:
Harry 'Kid' Matthews . . could've won the 175 lb championship in several eras. Unfortunately moved up to heavyweight and fought Rocky Marciano.

Owen Moran

Joe Choynski

To a lesser extent, Eddie Cotton, as he was robbed vs Torres and should have been champion (and I don't think he would've lost to Tiger, although Foster would've flattened him)

[Ezzard]

Lloyd Marshall
Owen Moran
Packey McFarland

[BoxBuzz]

I saw Bivins and Burley and agree....Quarry comes to mind....very under rated...though perhaps not so on this board.

Was there anyone in the 90's or since when there were/are SO MANY titleists that somehow 1 talent truly missed his chance? lol, If I'm not mistaken EVERYONE got/gets to be champ these days.

[BoxBuzz]

Charley Burley: Supposedly ducked by Sugar Ray Robinson and defeated Archie Moore. Burley is one of the finest fighters never to be crowned champion, and he fought a who's who of All Time greats in his era.

Sam Langford: A Legend of course and apparently one of the most freakishly strong men ever to grace the squared circle, but he was never a recognized World Champion in any weight class he competed in.

True...though they each got the best of the other on different occasions.

[JDC]

I saw Bivins and Burley and agree....Quarry comes to mind....very under rated...though perhaps not so on this board.

Was there anyone in the 90's or since when there were/are SO MANY titleists that somehow 1 talent truly missed his chance? lol, If I'm not mistaken EVERYONE got/gets to be champ these days.

Audley

...in seriousness, Ryan Rhodes should have got one, imo.

[Expug]

Ace Hudkins comes to mind.
What a tough guy he was.

[BoxBuzz]

Couple of clarifications.....I did not see Burley or Bivens fight.....I saw their names posted on this thread and agree they should be included. I'm not that old.......well almost.....

And...Burley has the win over Moore....close decision....never a second bout as I recall. I think Bivens and Moore traded wins/losses...as my mind clears and I become more awake....lol.

[Bricks]

Herol Bomber Graham

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca8_AJCLp2w

I tend to think Graham was never going to beat Hagler or the very best of the post 87 shakeup such as Nunn, but he pushed Mccallum and kalambay to the wire. Graham is very frustrating for me to discuss. He lost fairly and squarly to Jackson and wasnt really winning that overwhelmingly . Against Kalambay no one really knew Sumbu was that good and Herol lost fair and square against Mccallum it was a draw really and despite his advanced age and inactivity, he had brewer beaten but blew it. So when in 85-87 u got Hagler and 87-90 Nunn,Mccallum and Kalambay and 91-92 Toney, and he wasnt any better than them than was he that good that he didnt win a championship. The other men of this time who did like olympian Tate,Barkley, Duran, were all probably better than Herol at this time.

all that said an incredible boxer who would have been champion any time post Hopkins. he is just way way better than Martinez and he should be satisfied with being one of Britains best not to win a title. A classy man and champion outside the ring.

[Ambling Alp]

A few more to consider:
Tommy Gibbons
Mike Gibbons
Lew Tendler

[Adamj1987]

A few more to consider:
Tommy Gibbons
Mike Gibbons
Lew Tendler

great name

[Marlin Starfish]

This guy

http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/blog/?p=11106#more-11106

Excuse the sloppy writing, I'm learning on the go.

[beaujack]

Ace Hudkins comes to mind.
What a tough guy he was.

Was he ever ? My dad saw the young Nebraska Wildcat ko a young sensational puncher Ruby Goldstein and ruin Goldstein's career...William Muldoon a boxing commisioner and former wrestling champ who saw them all from Sullivan on called Ace Hudkins a wild Neanderthal Man...Tough S.O.B.
Another great fighter not a champ was Lew Tendler...

[AngryGoon38]

"Rueben Castillo" is quite underrated imo. Was ahead on the cards past midway through his 15 round gallant effort loss vs the Great "Salvador Sanchez". Still narrowly ahead after 10 rounds as i recall/recollect. I saw the fight on live tv back in 1980 at age 10 and i remember it being very competitive until the very late rounds. Fights still on a youtube channel i believe,i'll have to check it out again. I watched clips of it on yt a few years ago. Very valiant effort and no shame in the loss obviously. A greenish Azumah Nelson gave a similiar effort two years later but of course he went on to become one of the greatest Jr Lw's of all time.

Anyway,Castillo, He was very quick and skillfull and very game down the stretch even as Sanchez rallied. Sanchez always seemed to grow stronger down the stretch with his tireless tenacity. Just about anyone else in there that day though and Castillo would've become a champ back at that time. :geek2:

[yancey]

Joey Archer may qualify for this thread topic, but it might be a bit of a stretch.

I figure him to be very skillful boxer though not a great fighter. He sorely lacked punching power.

He did come very close to capturing the middleweight title in back to back disputed decision losses to Emile Griffith circa 1966.

[Tomasino]

I saw Bivins and Burley and agree....Quarry comes to mind....very under rated...though perhaps not so on this board.

Was there anyone in the 90's or since when there were/are SO MANY titleists that somehow 1 talent truly missed his chance? lol, If I'm not mistaken EVERYONE got/gets to be champ these days.

Audley

...in seriousness, Ryan Rhodes should have got one, imo.

He had his chance against a very overrated Canelo. No way is he one of "the best who were not champs". Does not belong on this thread.

[Tomasino]

Harry Wills

[orbtastic]

Did anyone mention Holman Williams?

[Expug]

Jack Blackburn deserves a shout.

[Expug]

Two lesser known and not often talked about:
Benny Valgar
Charley White