The 10 Best Fighters of the 1950s

[elmersalsa]

The 1950s was the beginning of the Golden Era of Boxing, especially in the middleweight and welterweight talented classes. Those two weight classes alone, were so flooded with extraordinary talent, that it was very hard to make it to the top. Some boxers had mafia connections. But, even with all those connections, you had to fight, and fight very well, at least to be a top ranked fighter. The United States dominated the sport in this decade, especially in weight classes above welterweight. It was another decade of excellent and unforgettable boxers and great fights. The 1950s was the beginning of a new music genre: Rock and Roll. And while great musicians like Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly, Bill Haley and Little Richard were rocking and rolling Americans around the clock, great boxers like Sugar Ray Robinson, Archie Moore and Rocky Marciano made most of the boxing headlines rocking their foes.

It was the beginning of television. In boxing for example, the great Cuban welterweight champion Kid Gavilan, fought on American tv audiences nationwide and live, at least 30 times! He was almost the same star as the members of top rated tv shows like "I Love Lucy", "Leave it to Beaver", "Father Knows Best" and the unforgettable of them all, "The Honeymooners".

New York City dominated baseball. Especially, the hated New York Yankees, with their great teams led by manager Casey Sengel and players like Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Elston Howard and Whitey Ford, won 6 world series crowns and 8 pennants in the decade. In the decade, only the year 1959 was the only time that a team from NYC was not playing in the World Series. New Yorkers bragged about who was the best centerfielder in baseball. Was it Mickey, Willie (Mays) or the Duke (Snider). They also argued who had the best catcher, Yogi or Roy Campanella of Brooklyn Dodgers.

US President Dwight D. Eisnhower was president for almost the whole decade and America had a war with Korea. It was also the beginning of interstate highways and suburbs. But, boxing in the '50s, was as popular as baseball in America than any other sport. Now? These two sports don't make the number one list in many people, especially boxing. How much times have changed. Boxing is replaced by MMA or UFC, now. And baseball which was the darling America's Pastime is replaced by American football, whether is NFL or NCAA. Even the NBA is more popular than boxing and baseball, now. World football and MLS and probably NHL hockey will soon take over these two sports that in the '50s, were the sports of our forefathers.

These are the top 10 best fighters of the 1950s decade in my view:

1. Sugar Ray Robinson
2. Rocky Marciano
3. Archie Moore
4. Pascual Perez
5. Kid Gavilan
6. Carmen Basilio
7. Joe Brown
8. Gene Fullmer
9. Sandy Saddler
10. Jersey Joe Walcott

Honorary Mention:

Floyd Patterson: Won the Olympic gold medal at middleweight at the '52 Helsinki Games. Became at the time, the youngest boxer to win the world heavyweight championship at age 21. Beat the great Archie Moore for the vacant title left by The Rock in '56. Beat a novice amateur first fight in the pros Pete Rademacher for a world title defense in '57? Ridiculous! I wonder who sanctioned that fight? Got hammered and brutally humiliated by Ingemar Johansson of Sweden in 3 rounds in '59, proving that Floyd was not a real great champion at heavyweight after all. He was too small to begin with. And he also lost to Joey Maxim by UD. Some say that it was controversial. It doesn't matter. Patterson does not belong with the '50s elite.

Ingemar Johansson: Gifted puncher that won the world heavyweight championship for Sweden in '59 by thrashing Patterson in 3. Also was The Ring Fighter of the Year in '58 and '59. He also stopped American heavyweight contender Eddie Machen.

Jimmy Carruthers: He was Australia's best boxer for some time. Became the world bantam champion in '52 and retired undefeated king in '54.

Carl "Bobo" Olson: The Hawaiian brawler Beat the great Kid Gavilan for his middlewight crown title challenge in '54 by UD. He also beat Englishman Randy Turpin in '53 for the vacant crown owned by Sugar Ray. But Robinson beat him so many times in the decade that he's somewhat forgotten by many.

Harold Johnson: Extraordinary boxer with adequate style. Was one of the best boxers of the decade when he beat the great Ol' Mongoose. But, Archie, like Sugar Ray did Olson, beat him three times in this decade.

Jimmy Carter: Was a three-time world lightweight champion. He beat a faded great champ like Ike Williams for his first reign in '51. But, he is accused of some mafia connections. Are his wins legit?

[Crease]

Joey Maxim and Jimmy Bivins are worth a mention.

[elmersalsa]

Joey Maxim and Jimmy Bivins are worth a mention.

Yes, you're right about Joey Maxim, but, Jimmy Bivins? Mmmmm ...He was done by 1950

[Scypion]

Floyd Patterson fought Joey Maxim when he was only 19 years old. The decision went to Maxim, but many thought that Patterson got screwed. One big boxing guy (from Ring Magazine I think) said it was a bad decision. Maxim was recently the Light Heavyweight champion, so the judges were probably expecting him to win against a 19 year old kid.

It was Patterson's only pro loss until he fought Ingemar.

[elmersalsa]

The great Pascual Perez from Argentina was 54-1-1 in the '50s decade. He was definitely one of the greatest flyweight boxers of all time. He held the flyweight crown for six years and made 11 successful title defenses in the decade, despite starting late at as a pro at age 26. The Terrier was Olympic champion in '48 in Stockholm.
A top 50 ATG pound per pound in my book.