Top 50 Fighters to Never Win a World Title

[surf-bat]

I decided to take a stab at this. I feel fairly confident with the top 10. The rest are subject to deeper debate, but they're in the ballpark I think.

1. Sam Langford
2. Mike Gibbons
3. Charley Burley
4. Packey McFarland
5. Holman Williams
6. Cocoa Kid
7. Tommy Gibbons
8. Joe Jennette
9. Lew Tendler
10. Jack Blackburn
11. Young Peter Jackson
12. Wesley Ramey
13. Eddie Booker
14. Willie Joyce
15. Wee Willie Davies
16. Kid Norfolk
17. Billy Petrolle
18. Peerless Jim Driscoll
19. Dave Shade
20. Jack Chase
21. Dave Holly
22. Leo Houck
23. Lloyd Marshall
24. Sam McVey
25. Peter Jackson
26. Bud Taylor
27. Jimmy Bivins
28. Oscar Gardner
29. Bert Lytell
30. Aaron Wade
31. Jimmy Leto
32. Harry Wills
33. Freddie Dawson
34. Lou Bogash
35. Bennie Briscoe
36. Tommy Yarosz
37. Joe Choynski
38. Joe Shugrue
39. Carl Tremaine
40. Owen Moran
41. Leach Cross
42. Bernard Docusen
43. Dave Sands
44. Al Gainer
45. George Godfrey
46. Jock McAvoy
47. Bert Gilroy
48. Benny Yanger
49. Cuddy DeMarco
50. Shorty Hogue

[surf-bat]

Bud Taylor was a mistake, btw. I forgot he won the NBA banty title.

[Woller]

I don´t really get it.

They are all very old men - What about all the great fighters from the 60ties and70ties before the world went bananas.

Now just one socalled boxing association can have at least three champions at every weight class.

(Something to doo with money I believe)

[dr_devious]

Great list, Len Harvey should be on as well

[Ambling Alp II]

Awesome list. It shows a great knowledge of the history of the sport. There are a lot of names on this list that are constantly overlooked.
Of course, there are no two people that would have it exactly the same. I would have Jeannette and Wills closer (Jeannette is #8 and Wills is #32).
Jimmy Bivins would be higher as well.

I would put Tom Sharkey and Mauro Mina in, and probably take out Yanger and Gilroy to make room for them. There are some light heavyweights from the late 1970s that you could make a good argument for as well.
However, overall this was very interesting.
Great effort

[dempseyfire]

Billy Graham needs to be on that list.

[scartissue]

Surf-Bat, outstanding list. I noticed you don't have too many post-1950, so not to replace any on your list, but to add, here are some random fighters from each weight class that came up short (junior divisions are admittedly a bit light).

Fly - Halimi Gutierrez, Fernando Cabanela, Ignacio Espinal
Bantam - Jesus Pimental, Joe Medal, Bernardo Carraballo
Feather - Percy Bassett, Art Hafey, Bernard Taylor
Jr. Light - Tyrone Everett, Ruben Navarro, Johnny Bizarro
Light - Pedro Montanez, Alfredo Urbina, Kenny Lane
Jr. Welter - Bunny Grant, Adolph Pruitt, Hector Thompson
Welter - Billy Graham, Gil Turner, Armando Muniz
Jr. Middle - Joey Giambra, Kitten Hayward, Tony Ayala
Middle - Georgie Abrams, Joey Archer, Spider Webb
Lt. Heavy - Richie Kates, Yaqui Lopez, Jorge Ahumada
Heavy - Zora Folley, Jerry Quarry, Oscar Bonavena

Like I say, just some random fighters not on your list and just for the fun of it. In a half hour, I'll probably come up with another dozen that I'll say, "Oh, I should have added this one."

[Ambling Alp II]

Some really good names on this list as well. It does make sense that most of the names were pre-1970s, given that there was usually only one champion until then.

Probably a dozen or so of these guys were truly great fighters. Then there are another 15-20 that were very good. Then you get a little lower to a lot of guys that were very close.
George Benton, Howard Davis and Jerry Martin are also worth mentioning.

[surf-bat]

Mina is an inspired choice. So is Georgie Benton and Abrams. So many to consider.....

[Crease]

Heavy - Zora Folley, Jerry Quarry, Oscar Bonavena

I'd probably include George Chuvalo, Henry Cooper & Rex Layne in that conversation as well, if we were specifically talking about Heavyweights.

[tagjohnson]

Jerry Quarry definitely needs to be on that list.

[evrenb]

Yeah quarry...cleve williams my pick...with his tools he would be champ today.

[Chauncy]

Oba Carr

[Ezzard]

well thought out list...

Maybe Jackie Blackburn and Elbows McFadden could be considered...

Just seen, Blackburn is there already...

[stevedoc]

herol graham

[cfang]

Defo Billy Graham

[Ettt9350]

Tommy Farr

[giacomino]

I would throw in Lazlo Papp and Jorge Jose Fernandez

[Bodyshot3]

British only....

Dave Charnley
Colin Jones
Kirk Laing
Billy Hardy
Kevin Finnegan
Mike Watson
Henry Wharton
Johnny Owen
Michael Brodie
Ray Close

Charnley, Close, Jones and Watson the stand-out candidates.

[Controversial]

British only....

Dave Charnley
Colin Jones
Kirk Laing
Billy Hardy
Kevin Finnegan
Mike Watson
Henry Wharton
Johnny Owen
Michael Brodie
Ray Close

Charnley, Close, Jones and Watson the stand-out candidates.

No Herol Graham?

[elmersalsa]

It is really hard to put a top 50 of fighters that never won a worl crown.

My top ten would be:
Sam Langford
Charley Burley
Packey McFarland
Holman Williams
Peter Jackson

These guys make the top 100 p4p in my view. The only fighters that never won a world crown and are considerate all tim greats by many speak something. Langford to me, is the third best fighter of all time behind Sugar Ray Robinson#2 and Henry Armstrong at #1

The other half of the top ten:
Billy Petrolle
Jim Driscoll
Joe Jeannette
Jimmy Bivins
Cocoa Kid
Baby Arizmendi

[Ambling Alp II]

I think that would be a "Top 11"

[hhaehre]

Hedgemon Lewis could be a top 50 candidate as could Ernie Lopez

[drunkenpiper36]

Not sure if they're top 50. but Harold brazier, Jerry Quarry and George Chuvalo are good shouts.

[kennethb]

Reckon Tony Mundine (Fighter of the Year 1972?) & Hector Thompson should be on this list.