BoxRec

Never knew they recognized Junior Lightweights in 1925. I heard 'traditional eight' so often I believed it was purely a 'corruption' of the 1960s. - The Ring Magazine had just come into existence with its first rankings that year ('24), guess no one noticed.

The Light Heavyweight Division was stacked -- with Tunney, Stribling, Norfolk, McTigue, Berlenbach, Loughran, and Delaney... Jack Delaney and Jimmy Slattery were Middleweights at the time... Interesting.

But you don't punish a boxer for inactivity by knocking down his ranking -- but then "compliment" him with the top ranking.. Makes no sense.. If you're going to punish Dempsey and Leonard for not fighting, rank the guys who deserve it number 1 -- so everyone knows who tops the division.

The Ring Magazine rankings for 1924

Think there is a chance that all Rickard did was to copy Nat Fleischer's list and put his own name on it?

For HW and LHW, the only difference between the lists is that Fleischer denotes McTigue as LHW Champion, otherwise they are identical; not impossible but improbable.

I must admit I didn't know enough to recognize that the LHW division was deep; never heard of the Champion (McTigue) but not surprised that he (Fleischer) put Tunney at the top anyway.


The Ring Magazine rankings for 1924

Heavyweights

Jack Dempsey, Champion
Harry Wills
Tommy Gibbons
Charley Weinert
Quintin Romero Rojas
Jack Renault
Luis Angel Firpo
George Godfrey
Jim Maloney
Erminio Spalla

Light-Heavyweight

Gene Tunney
Young Stribling
Kid Norfolk
Mike McTigue, Champion
Ad Stone
Jeff Smith
Paul Berlenbach
Tony (Young) Marullo
Tommy Loughran
Jimmy Delaney

I was under the impression that it was Rickard who actually compiled the Ring rankings for the first few years of the mag.

sweetsci wrote: ↑29 Nov 2017, 19:05 I was under the impression that it was Rickard who actually compiled the Ring rankings for the first few years of the mag.

That is interesting; if so, it explains these lists. Someone on this board once said they had the number 1 issue from 1924 - they could see if the ratings are credited to Rickard or Fleischer or staff. Boy I would love to read a Ring from the 1920s.

APerno wrote: ↑28 Nov 2017, 21:14 Never knew they recognized Junior Lightweights in 1925. I heard 'traditional eight' so often I believed it was purely a 'corruption' of the 1960s. - The Ring Magazine had just come into existence with its first rankings that year ('24), guess no one noticed.

Yeah the Jr lightweight title existed back then. It went on until the 1930s, then stopped. Then it came back in the late 1950s. The Jr. Welterweight division was around then as well, and it too disappeared for a while. like that as well interesting that Rickard did not rate that weight class.

At a quick glance Light heavy look's the deepest.

Agree. It was loaded. At least 5 made it to the HOF. One of the deepest eras the history of the division.

I see greb beat the welter 1, the lt heavy 1 and the heavy 3 - tbe :)

cfang wrote: ↑01 Dec 2017, 17:22 I see greb beat the welter 1, the lt heavy 1 and the heavy 3 - tbe :)

Yea, that is impressive.

sweetsci wrote: ↑29 Nov 2017, 19:05 I was under the impression that it was Rickard who actually compiled the Ring rankings for the first few years of the mag.

The first Ring ratings were done by Nat Fleischer, but Rickard was asked to lend his name to them and had the right of review.