Henry Armstrong, his legacy?

[NYDominican]

Professional boxings great Hurricane Hank, Henry Armstrong.


How do you think Henry ranks all time in the featherweight division?


His performance in the featherweight division, did this make him one of the top 5 featherweights of all time?


If so, why?



How do you think Armstrong ranks all time in the lightweight division?


Henrys performance in the lightweight division, did this make him one of the top 5 lightweights of all time?


If so, why?

[NYDominican]

How do you think Henry ranks all time in the welterweight division?


His performance in the welterweight division, should he be ranked in the top 5 of all time?


If so, why?



How do you think Henry Armstrong ranks all time in boxings "Pound for Pound" category?


Why?

[elmersalsa]

To me, the greatest fighter that ever lived. No doubt about it. His accomplishments were so extraordinary that he made a career between the years 1937 to 1940. He went 46-1 in that time frame in which the only loss was to Lou Ambers in a terrific fight. He was deducted two points for fouling and that made the difference on that fight. He had beaten Ambers earlier for the lightweight crown. The ONLY MAN in history to gain 3 world titles simultaneously.

The year 1937 got to be one of the greatest years for a fighter. He won all of his 27 bouts that year by knockout? Are you serious? That is an amazing feat. Jumped from feather to welter to capture the welter crown. Twenty pounds he had to go. Was he crazy or something?

[Ezzard]

Arguably the greatest boxer and greatest sportsman of all time...

[gilgamesh]

Definitely remembered as one of the very best of all time and his feat of being a Champion in 3 weight classes at the same time during the era of only 8 weight divisions is undoubtedly one of the most remarkable feats by any fighter in the history of the sport.

He also drew with the Middleweight Champion and made 19 defenses of the Welterweight crown in 2 years time....absolutely astonishing.

[Tuan_Jim]

Simply one of the greatest ever, a genie in the ring.

If you haven't read his story, as told by himself, in Heller's 'In This Corner: 40 World Champs tell Their Story' then you are in for a treat. It is absolutely filmic.

I would suspect more than half the people on current scene forums who rave about Floyd have never heard of Armstrong, let alone a Charley Burley.

[tonyevs]

Truly a great fighter.
But rather an odd situation that you could not put him in the top 5 or possibly even the top 10 of all time, in any of the divisions he held the worlds title in.
Look at the guys he beat for the title and then look at the guys he lost the title to.

[Chuck1052]

At his peak, Henry Armstrong was one of the top three or four fighters in history. It should be pointed out that Armstrong was a terrific fighter as early as 1933, but had a very tough time making a decent living at the time. Before 1940, black boxers weren't permitted to fight at the Hollywood Legion Stadium, by far the most successful and stable boxing venue in California during the 1930s. At the same time, the number of weekly boxing shows staged at the Olympic Auditorium decreased dramatically by 1933 because the attendance declined by a huge amount during the depths of the "Great Depression." Armstrong still was very active, but received very small purses.

Note- On November 3, 1933 in Pismo Beach, California, Henry Armstrong won a decision in a ten-round bout with a Filipino fighter named Kid Moro. But Armstrong's record on BoxRec lists the result of the bout as a draw. During each year at the time, there were a large number of young Filipino men who worked in the agricultural fields in the vicinity of Pismo Beach, especially when there was harvesting to be done. As a result, Pismo Beach was one of several California boxing venues which were dependent on Filipino fans who would go to great lengths to see Filipino boxers in action. This meant that at main events on Pismo Beach boxing cards usually featured at least one Filipino fighter.

- Chuck Johnston

[NYDominican]

At his peak, Henry Armstrong was one of the top three or four fighters in history. It should be pointed out that Armstrong was a terrific fighter as early as 1933, but had a very tough time making a decent living at the time. Before 1940, black boxers weren't permitted to fight at the Hollywood Legion Stadium, by far the most successful and stable boxing venue in California during the 1930s. At the same time, the number of weekly boxing shows staged at the Olympic Auditorium decreased dramatically by 1933 because the attendance declined by a huge amount during the depths of the "Great Depression." Armstrong still was very active, but received very small purses.

Note- On November 3, 1933 in Pismo Beach, California, Henry Armstrong won a decision in a ten-round bout with a Filipino fighter named Kid Moro. But Armstrong's record on BoxRec lists the result of the bout as a draw. During each year at the time, there were a large number of young Filipino men who worked in the agricultural fields in the vicinity of Pismo Beach, especially when there was harvesting to be done. As a result, Pismo Beach was one of several California boxing venues which were dependent on Filipino fans who would go to great lengths to see Filipino boxers in action. This meant that at main events on Pismo Beach boxing cards usually featured at least one Filipino fighter.

- Chuck Johnston

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Out of your 10 points above. ------ I totally see 9 of them.


Chuck, regarding your 1st point above. About Henrys ranking. -------

Do you think that Henry Armstrongs fight against Sugar Ray Robinson? Where Sugar Ray totally dominated over Henry.


Henry Armstrongs fight against Fritzie Zivic? Where Henry lost. Henry received quite a beating.


That these 2 fights and losses knock Henry out of the top 5?


Maybe knock Henry out of the top 10?

[gilgamesh]

At his peak, Henry Armstrong was one of the top three or four fighters in history. It should be pointed out that Armstrong was a terrific fighter as early as 1933, but had a very tough time making a decent living at the time. Before 1940, black boxers weren't permitted to fight at the Hollywood Legion Stadium, by far the most successful and stable boxing venue in California during the 1930s. At the same time, the number of weekly boxing shows staged at the Olympic Auditorium decreased dramatically by 1933 because the attendance declined by a huge amount during the depths of the "Great Depression." Armstrong still was very active, but received very small purses.

Note- On November 3, 1933 in Pismo Beach, California, Henry Armstrong won a decision in a ten-round bout with a Filipino fighter named Kid Moro. But Armstrong's record on BoxRec lists the result of the bout as a draw. During each year at the time, there were a large number of young Filipino men who worked in the agricultural fields in the vicinity of Pismo Beach, especially when there was harvesting to be done. As a result, Pismo Beach was one of several California boxing venues which were dependent on Filipino fans who would go to great lengths to see Filipino boxers in action. This meant that at main events on Pismo Beach boxing cards usually featured at least one Filipino fighter.

- Chuck Johnston

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Out of your 10 points above. ------ I totally see 9 of them.


Chuck, regarding your 1st point above. About Henrys ranking. -------

Do you think that Henry Armstrongs fight against Sugar Ray Robinson? Where Sugar Ray totally dominated over Henry.


Henry Armstrongs fight against Fritzie Zivic? Where Henry lost. Henry received quite a beating.


That these 2 fights and losses knock Henry out of the top 5?


Maybe knock Henry out of the top 10?

He was past his best days when he fought both Robinson and Zivic...no those losses don't knock him out of the Top 5 to me.

[yancey]

Among really rarified air, with the greatest of the greats.

[dempseyfire]

Not the greatest, but definitely lb for lb top 10 and the greatest pressure fighter of all time.

[elmersalsa]

To me, the greatest fighter ever.

[Chuck1052]

I believe that fighting so often and facing fighters weighing from 126 to 160 pounds from 1936 to 1940 took quite a bit out of Henry Armstrong. While Armstrong was still a very effective fighter during the first five years of the 1940s, I believe that he had seen his best days as a fighter by that time. At his peak, he was tremendous during the years of 1937 and 1938, which may have been the most incredible two-year period for a fighter in boxing history.

- Chuck Johnston

[elmersalsa]

I believe that fighting so often and facing fighters weighing from 126 to 160 pounds from 1936 to 1940 took quite a bit out of Henry Armstrong. While Armstrong was still a very effective fighter during the first five years of the 1940s, I believe that he had seen his best days as a fighter by that time. At his peak, he was tremendous during the years of 1937 and 1938, which may have been the most incredible two-year period for a fighter in boxing history.

- Chuck Johnston

You got that right....IN that time frame, he went like 56-1 or 46-1, something like that, beating everybody. The only top fighter that he did not face of his time was the great Freddie Miller.

He also defended the world welterweight title 11 times in one year and 3 times in a month, which is a world record I believe.