BoxRec

In modern day boxing, my top 3 worst fighters to fight for a world title (WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF) would be:

1. Peter Manfredo JR...
(A decent boxer, but he was throughly un-deserving of a title shot against Calzaghe...
He was granted a title shot for more commercial reasons rather than the quality of his boxing...

2. Chris Arreola...
The stand-alone reason this guy got a title shot was because he was undefeated...
The only notable name on his record was Jameel McCline...

And when you think of the likes of Gerry Cooney, Earnie Shavers and Ken Norton have fought for the title, it's a bloody disgrace.

My no 3 could be a list of boxers, give me time to think aboput it.

Crease wrote:And when you think of the likes of Gerry Cooney, Earnie Shavers and Ken Norton have fought for the title, it's a bloody disgrace.

Yes, those guys, especially Norton, were just dreadful.

matthewcb wrote:What about:
Richard Dunn
Dave Zyglewicz

Zyglewicz is a possibility, but I don't think Frazier's title was legit until he met Ellis in '70.

You misunderstand me John L,

What I mean is that; Cooney, Shavers and Norton are good fighters who were awarded a shot at the WBC title... Yet, were never fortunate enough to win it.

When you think of the likes of Arreola and Johnston are getting title shots for the same belt, it is a disgrace and a sad endictment on today's world heavyweight boxing scene. :(

Crease wrote:You misunderstand me John L,

What I mean is that; Cooney, Shavers and Norton are good fighters who were awarded a shot at the WBC title... Yet, were never fortunate enough to win it.

When you think of the likes of Arreola and Johnston are getting title shots for the same belt, it is a disgrace and a sad endictment on today's world heavyweight boxing scene. :(

Yes, I did misunderstand.

the worst? i'd say its a toss up between the two guys Burns fought on the same night, the guy Jeffries kayoed under 50 seconds with body blows, or Tom McNeeley

HomicideHenry wrote:the worst? i'd say its a toss up between the two guys Burns fought on the same night, the guy Jeffries kayoed under 50 seconds with body blows, or Tom McNeeley

I don't think the two guys Burns beat in one night were title fights.

I fractured two discs in my lower back lumber 2 & 3 in an accident a few years ago. At the same time I broke both legs and my left wrist.

My wrist was by far the most painful. I couldn't really feel much pain at all in my lower back, so I wouldn't discount Tyson's alledged injury on the basis of him continuing to go ahead with a fight.

Maybe it was a made up excuse, but it is very possible for someone to box with a broken back

JDC wrote:I fractured two discs in my lower back lumber 2 & 3 in an accident a few years ago. At the same time I broke both legs and my left wrist.

My wrist was by far the most painful. I couldn't really feel much pain at all in my lower back, so I wouldn't discount Tyson's alledged injury on the basis of him continuing to go ahead with a fight.

Maybe it was a made up excuse, but it is very possible for someone to box with a broken back

I believe it is possible IF no nerves are pinched but if you have a pinched nerve you'll have a hard time getting through a game of chess.

If we're counting Foreman's lineal reign post Axel Schultz (and I do), then Crawford Grimsley has to make the list. And where does Joe "King" Roman rank among title challengers? I know he at least came close to making the top ten at some point.

Is the WBO "legit" for the purposes of this thread? If so, then 1) Tim Tomashek, 2) Damon Reed, 3) Willi Fischer

Outside of the WBO, Owen Beck is a bad one that hasn't been mentioned yet.

I dont know much of Rademacher but it was his debut fight? More a case of bad matchmaking surely.

It was a case of good match making, on Cus part :)
Maximum returns for minimum risk...

Rademacher was a good fighter, and a top amateur.
He just was a no body as a pro when he fought for
the title.

hands down...Jack Roper

Terry Danials
Tommy Farr

Honerable mention Jesse Ferguson

Most of Larry Holmes title fights from 1978-1984

fourreal wrote:hands down...Jack Roper

Terry Danials
Tommy Farr

Honerable mention Jesse Ferguson

Tommy Farr??? You are sorely mistaken.

Brutu wrote:Most of Larry Holmes title fights from 1978-1984

Yeah, he should have fought Gorilla Monsoon instead of Ken Norton.

Collins2000 wrote:

Brutu wrote:Most of Larry Holmes title fights from 1978-1984

Yeah, he should have fought Gorilla Monsoon instead of Ken Norton.

Andre the Giant clearly was in title contention, perhaps HH and Brutu
can figure where McCellan, Shaw, Bartley Gorman, Monsoon and Andre
all fit into the TRUE HW picture...

pfffttt after all who was Shavers, Weaver, Smith, Berbick, Witherspoon,
Cooney, Ali, Spinks, etc compared to the likes of those great men ?:)

I think Scott Frank on his worst night would have bested all of those Gypsies,
'wrasslers' and London tuff's had he ever met them under any rules..

Robinson wrote:

Collins2000 wrote:

Brutu wrote:Most of Larry Holmes title fights from 1978-1984

Yeah, he should have fought Gorilla Monsoon instead of Ken Norton.

Andre the Giant clearly was in title contention, perhaps HH and Brutu
can figure where McCellan, Shaw, Bartley Gorman, Monsoon and Andre
all fit into the TRUE HW picture...

pfffttt after all who was Shavers, Weaver, Smith, Berbick, Witherspoon,
Cooney, Ali, Spinks, etc compared to the likes of those great men ?:)

I think Scott Frank on his worst night would have bested all of those Gypsies,
'wrasslers' and London tuff's had he ever met them under any rules..

Without a doubt, under Marquis of Queensbury rules.

But let's not spoil their wank material.

fourreal wrote:hands down...Jack Roper

Terry Danials
Tommy Farr

Honerable mention Jesse Ferguson

Farr!? LMAO. You better not be, "FourReal."

fourreal wrote:Honerable mention Jesse Ferguson

Yeah, he was pretty poor, although at least he'd beaten a genuine top 10 - if not top 5 - guy prior to his shot - something that Beck sure hadn't done.

Robinson wrote: I think Scott Frank on his worst night would have bested all of those Gypsies,
'wrasslers' and London tuff's had he ever met them under any rules..

He he, whenever someone starts to fantasize about Gorman, Shaw, Mclean etc. I always direct them to the Cooper-Savage fight. That fight is just about the perfect example of what happens when self proclaimed tough guy meets trained professional boxer.

Goodnight, Irene wrote:

fourreal wrote:hands down...Jack Roper

Terry Danials
Tommy Farr

Honerable mention Jesse Ferguson

Farr!? LMAO. You better not be, "FourReal."

I know it is a double sin around here to bash a Joe Louis opponent, but I stand my choice of Farr

Farr had as much guts as any heavyweight in history, (Which is the only reason we even know his name) but he was also little more then a likeable pug. One of the original “gatekeepers”

While probably over rated based on his performance aginst Louis, to call Farr one of the 3 worst HWs to fight for a HW title is pretty indefensible.