How about the original Golden Boy, Art Aragon?
Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
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elmersalsa
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 15824
- Joined: 02 Feb 2003, 03:50
Re: Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
Livingstone Bramble
Rodrigo Valdez
Rodrigo Valdez
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Caractacus
- Middleweight
- Posts: 18792
- Joined: 13 Jun 2014, 16:47
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Caractacus
- Middleweight
- Posts: 18792
- Joined: 13 Jun 2014, 16:47
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writehooks
- Cruiserweight
- Posts: 181
- Joined: 17 Mar 2011, 13:12
Re: Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
How about Jack "The Giant Killer" Dillon? Bulked up to take the LH title from Battling Levinsky in 1914 and held it for two years before Levinsky won it back. Faced many alltime greats, especially at middleweight, including 12 bouts with George Chip, five against Billy Miske, three with Al McCoy and two with Harry Greb ...
Re: Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
Yes, a great fighter hardly mentioned anymorewritehooks wrote: ↑25 Nov 2025, 21:47 How about Jack "The Giant Killer" Dillon? Bulked up to take the LH title from Battling Levinsky in 1914 and held it for two years before Levinsky won it back. Faced many alltime greats, especially at middleweight, including 12 bouts with George Chip, five against Billy Miske, three with Al McCoy and two with Harry Greb ...
Re: Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
elmersalsa wrote: ↑23 Oct 2025, 12:24 Julio "El Diablito" Valdez of Dominican Republic.
Samuel Serrano of Puerto Rico.
Who remembers their epic fight at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico?
It was February 1979.
I get it. Terrible, terrible fight. Even their streetfight at the end of the 15th round was awful.
Re: Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
Eddie Melo.
Canadian can’t miss prospect
Couldn’t get past his first couple losses.
Wound up a mob enforcer and gunned down.
Canadian can’t miss prospect
Couldn’t get past his first couple losses.
Wound up a mob enforcer and gunned down.
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elmersalsa
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 15824
- Joined: 02 Feb 2003, 03:50
Re: Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
Jerome Coffee
Paddy DeMarco. He should be in the hall of fame.
Paddy DeMarco. He should be in the hall of fame.
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Caractacus
- Middleweight
- Posts: 18792
- Joined: 13 Jun 2014, 16:47
Re: Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
an entire book about Jack Dillon by Mark Allen Baker was just published a few months ago.Expug wrote: ↑25 Nov 2025, 22:14Yes, a great fighter hardly mentioned anymorewritehooks wrote: ↑25 Nov 2025, 21:47 How about Jack "The Giant Killer" Dillon? Bulked up to take the LH title from Battling Levinsky in 1914 and held it for two years before Levinsky won it back. Faced many alltime greats, especially at middleweight, including 12 bouts with George Chip, five against Billy Miske, three with Al McCoy and two with Harry Greb ...
Has anyone here read it ?
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Caractacus
- Middleweight
- Posts: 18792
- Joined: 13 Jun 2014, 16:47
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Caractacus
- Middleweight
- Posts: 18792
- Joined: 13 Jun 2014, 16:47
Re: Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
Contender Sailor Tom Sharkey-he was like the Rocky Marciano of his day.
he sort of fought like the Marciano style before Charlie Goldman had changed it up to bob & weave
(Sharkey just apparently bobbed up and down)
5 ft 8.5-190 lbs
he sort of fought like the Marciano style before Charlie Goldman had changed it up to bob & weave
(Sharkey just apparently bobbed up and down)
5 ft 8.5-190 lbs
Re: Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
Great stuff.Caractacus wrote: ↑26 Dec 2025, 15:14 Contender Sailor Tom Sharkey-he was like the Rocky Marciano of his day.
he sort of fought like the Marciano style before Charlie Goldman had changed it up to bob & weave
(Sharkey just apparently bobbed up and down)
5 ft 8.5-190 lbs
I’ve always been fascinated by this guy.
Tougher than a nickel steak.
Re: Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
"The Nebraska Wildcat" Ace Hudkins
Described by Sportswriter Paul Gallico thusly "The perfect prizefighter to me, next to Dempsey was a Nebraskan Middleweight by the name of Ace Hudkins. He wasn't the best fighter in the world. Indeed he was never a World Champion, but he was tough, hard, combative, cantankerous, mean, nasty, foul, courageous, acrimonious and filled at all times with a lust for battle. If there was a kindly trait in Hudkins. I never knew it"
Described by Sportswriter Paul Gallico thusly "The perfect prizefighter to me, next to Dempsey was a Nebraskan Middleweight by the name of Ace Hudkins. He wasn't the best fighter in the world. Indeed he was never a World Champion, but he was tough, hard, combative, cantankerous, mean, nasty, foul, courageous, acrimonious and filled at all times with a lust for battle. If there was a kindly trait in Hudkins. I never knew it"
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keithmoonhangover
- Cruiserweight
- Posts: 17151
- Joined: 16 Sep 2010, 10:42
Re: Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
I nominate Mike 'The Bounty' Hunter.
He had wins over Dwight Muhammad Qawi, Pinklon Thomas, Jimmy Thunder and Tyrell Biggs.
He had wins over Dwight Muhammad Qawi, Pinklon Thomas, Jimmy Thunder and Tyrell Biggs.
Re: Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
Going a bit retro but Charley Burley and a man who gave him a fair bit of trouble, Holman Williams should always be in consideration.
Actually, you can add all of the fighters from 'Murderer's Row'. All were Elite level.
Actually, you can add all of the fighters from 'Murderer's Row'. All were Elite level.
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Caractacus
- Middleweight
- Posts: 18792
- Joined: 13 Jun 2014, 16:47
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keithmoonhangover
- Cruiserweight
- Posts: 17151
- Joined: 16 Sep 2010, 10:42
Re: Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
Caractacus wrote: ↑22 Jan 2026, 13:47 Al "Bummy" Davis
( from Brownsville NYC)
https://www.maxboxing.com/news/the-rede ... -a-fighter
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Ambling Alp II
- Super Middleweight
- Posts: 15315
- Joined: 04 Nov 2012, 18:31
Re: Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
He had quite a story, didn't he?
Re: Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
His fight with Fritzie Zivic must’ve been quite a hoot.
Either guy could start a brawl in an empty room.
Great match making putting those two together.
Days of yore…
Either guy could start a brawl in an empty room.
Great match making putting those two together.
Days of yore…
Re: Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
I'm honestly amazed that fight didn't end in Disqualification. There was probably so many fouls the referee didn't know who to disqualify
Re: Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
The first time they fought I believe the ref tossed Bummy in the second round.
Zivic thumbed him and Bummy went berserk and hit Fritzie low about ten times.
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Ambling Alp II
- Super Middleweight
- Posts: 15315
- Joined: 04 Nov 2012, 18:31
Re: Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
He actually has a decision over Oliver McCall as well. Just 6 rounds when they were on their way up.keithmoonhangover wrote: ↑21 Jan 2026, 10:13 I nominate Mike 'The Bounty' Hunter.
He had wins over Dwight Muhammad Qawi, Pinklon Thomas, Jimmy Thunder and Tyrell Biggs.
He had a couple of wild fights against Alxander Zolkin as well. Not a lot of skill but fun to watch.
Re: Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
S.T Gordon another guy. I don’t think he fought amateur at all and got thrown in the deep end pretty quick.
Beat some good fighters including Trevor Berbick and Yaqui Lopez.
Beat some good fighters including Trevor Berbick and Yaqui Lopez.
Re: Forgotten champs, contenders, and others
Gordon destroyed Carlos De Leon in two rounds for the WBA cruiserweight title back in 1982. It can only be described as one of the greatest title-winning displays of the decade, even better than Tyson-Berbick.