which fighters accomplished the most before getting a title shot?

[jamamb]

which fighters accomplished the most before getting a world title shot?

[Controversial]

SRR must be up there, a pro over 6 years and went 73-1-1 before his shot.

[Onetimeonly]

Hagler is a little known one. Obviously Archie Moore.

[gilgamesh]

Yeah Archie was the first name that came to mind for me too.

[oogiebe]

Carlos Monzon was 67-3-9 and hadn't lost in six years when he upended Nino Benvenuti.

[DrDuke]

In retrospective Tua's run was quite impressive before the shot at Lewis. 37-1 with KOs over Ruiz, Maskaev, Izon, Rahman and very close loss to Ibeabuchi.

[Onetimeonly]

That's not very much in heavyweight history. He got schooled by rahman. Tua is so romanticized.

[oogiebe]

That's not very much in heavyweight history. He got schooled by rahman. Tua is so romanticized.

I love Tua, only because he crushed Ruiz. (Ruiz' most exciting fight! LMAO)

[APerno]

SRR run was extended because of the War, he was ranked the #1 WW in 1941 and would have likely gotten a shot in '42 or '43 instead of December '46, but it was certainly a long over due shot.

[Onetimeonly]

I think ezzard is the top guy here.

[oogiebe]

I think ezzard is the top guy here.

How so?

[gilgamesh]

I think ezzard is the top guy here.

How so?

Ezzard beat a 100 plus fight veteran in his 3rd bout. Noted contenders Teddy Yarosz, Anton Christoforidis, Charley Burley 2x (often considered the greatest to never win a title), Joey Maxim 3x, Archie Moore 3x, Jimmy Bivins 3x, Heavyweight contender Elmer Ray.

Pretty solid list of great fighters to have beaten before ever getting a shot.

I mean you have 5 wins over guys who are considered ATG's, and then guys like Bivins and Maxim aren't far from ATG status. They were certainly very good at worst, and gave a lot of guys in their day a hard night.

[oogiebe]

I think ezzard is the top guy here.

How so?

Ezzard beat a 100 plus fight veteran in his 3rd bout. Noted contenders Teddy Yarosz, Anton Christoforidis, Charley Burley 2x (often considered the greatest to never win a title), Joey Maxim 3x, Archie Moore 3x, Jimmy Bivins 3x, Heavyweight contender Elmer Ray.

Pretty solid list of great fighters to have beaten before ever getting a shot.

I mean you have 5 wins over guys who are considered ATG's, and then guys like Bivins and Maxim aren't far from ATG status. They were certainly very good at worst, and gave a lot of guys in their day a hard night.

In the days of the 100+ fight careers, I'm hardly impressed by Remo Fernandez. Charles is up there, but not because of that.

[Onetimeonly]

I think ezzard is the top guy here.

How so?

Gil covered it well. I'll just add he's considered the greatest Lt heavy ever by many and never fought for that title.

[Bundana]

Harry Greb entered his first world title fight with a 216-13-16-1 record… which included more than 25 wins against future HOFers.

[oogiebe]

Harry Greb entered his first world title fight with a 216-13-16-1 record… which included more than 25 wins against future HOFers.

wow!!! winner

[tiny_acres]

Harry Greb entered his first world title fight with a 216-13-16-1 record… which included more than 25 wins against future HOFers.

Holy cow!!!!
And people think politics is something new to the sport. This guy was screwed big time waiting that long.

[DrDuke]

That's not very much in heavyweight history. He got schooled by rahman. Tua is so romanticized.

I'm not a fan of him, but I still liked to watch him. This "romanticizing" can be understood, cause Tua was an exciting KO artist and provided some spectacular comebacks in highly dramatic fights.

[oogiebe]

Harry Greb entered his first world title fight with a 216-13-16-1 record… which included more than 25 wins against future HOFers.

Holy cow!!!!
And people think politics is something new to the sport. This guy was screwed big time waiting that long.

...and he's the only guy to beat Gene Tunney...

[Onetimeonly]

That's not very much in heavyweight history. He got schooled by rahman. Tua is so romanticized.

I'm not a fan of him, but I still liked to watch him. This "romanticizing" can be understood, cause Tua was an exciting KO artist and provided some spectacular comebacks in highly dramatic fights.

He did have spectacular comebacks against maskaev and oquendo. The bs against rock too. That's exactly why his name shouldn't be in this thread.

[Nile4000]

Joe Louis.

[HomicideHenry]

Ought to be a thread about the greatest who never got a shot... "Honey" Roy Palmer just kidding... Sam Langford would certainly be up there on that list.

Marcel Cerdan was 107-3-0 before his title shot with Tony Zale. Battling Levinsky, 286 bouts, had 94 fights before his first title shot (according to CBZ).