BoxRec

Who have been the greatest heavyweights in history, unlucky enough to never bag themselves a world title?

well from the Multi Title years, the Alphabet Titles, I'd say Jeremy Williams, and the Canadian Kirk Johnson. Two legit Contenders who, could have should have been Belt Holders.

also the 'infamous' Ike.

from History, a good few I'm sure... dozens really, of great Contenders who could have won, or upset given a chance.

Tommy Farr for one, could have, given that he held Louis to task for 15 rounds when other's couldn't.

Sam Langford (although not really a HW), Jimmy Young, Earnie Shavers, Ron Lyle, Elmer Ray, Sam McVey, Peter Jackson, Harry Wills and Joe Jeanette all spring to mind.

The list can be continued.

Gerry Cooney. He was no worse, than Dokes or Weaver, or Page, or Coetzee. He could be a champion, if he targeted some other belt-holder, but not the main guy Larry Holmes.

Donovan Ruddock and David Tua should be mentioned.

Andrew Golota was a competitor worthy of the title, especially considering the fact he had 2 controversial title bouts in a row, where he arguably won. That were Byrd and Ruiz bouts.

Alexander Povetkin for the moment, as he is still active and has some chances to pull out the championship.

Bearcat Obie Walker "colored heavyweight champion", one of my favourite old-timers, must have been an amazing heavyweight, built like a bulldozer, never knocked out/down (despite facing elmer ray like 5+ times, leroy haynes & george godfrey!) Brutal record! After "cleaning out" the european scene, he called out joe louis. Never got a shot. There's only guess two pictures of him and a couple of articles. Always wondered why he's not ranked higher in the best 30's heavy lists, would like to find more about him.

Of those who have not yet been mentioned, I would say

Jimmy Bivins
Zora folley
Eddie Machen
Jerry Quarry
Oscar Bonavena
Bob Baker
Ernie Schaff

Joe Jeannette
Larry Gains
Earl Walls
George Chuvalo

Cleveland "Big Cat" Williams

Jerry Quarry and maybe Oscar Bonavena. Gerry Cooney was a good fighter, but let's not get carried away with overrating him. He wouldn't beat Dokes and Page.

scorpio83 wrote: ↑09 Aug 2018, 05:38 Cleveland "Big Cat" Williams

one of the most overrated too

Peter Jackson

Joe Choynski

Tom Sharkey

Sam Langford

Joe Jeanette

Sam McVey

Ken Norton.

adislav123 wrote: ↑08 Aug 2018, 19:44 Bearcat Obie Walker "colored heavyweight champion", one of my favourite old-timers, must have been an amazing heavyweight, built like a bulldozer, never knocked out/down (despite facing elmer ray like 5+ times, leroy haynes & george godfrey!) Brutal record! After "cleaning out" the european scene, he called out joe louis. Never got a shot. There's only guess two pictures of him and a couple of articles. Always wondered why he's not ranked higher in the best 30's heavy lists, would like to find more about him.

Good to see this man remembered but he is a long way short of being an outstanding Heavyweight. He did not clean up in Europe. He lost to Larry Gains and to future British champ Jack London. Walker was decent yes but not one of the outstanding 1930s contenders, in my opinion.

I have an excellent photo of him against Gains and I will post this later today.

Miles Templeton

Syntax Error wrote: ↑11 Aug 2018, 01:21 Ken Norton.

He can't be mentioned, cause he eventually was awarded the belt after winning the eliminator, as Spinks chose the rematch vs Ali.

DrDuke wrote: ↑11 Aug 2018, 04:52

Syntax Error wrote: ↑11 Aug 2018, 01:21 Ken Norton.

He can't be mentioned, cause he eventually was awarded the belt after winning the eliminator, as Spinks chose the rematch vs Ali.

Yes Dr. Duke, despite the fact that Norton failed to win 2 World Heavyweight Title challenges to George Foreman and Muhammad Ali, he was awarded the WBC Heavyweight Title 4 months after beating Jimmy Young in their title elimination bout to earn his right against the winner of the first Muhammad Ali vs. Leon Spinks fight. After he awarded his WBC Heavyweight title, Ken Norton would lose his title in a classic match up to Larry Holmes.

DrDuke wrote: ↑11 Aug 2018, 04:52

Syntax Error wrote: ↑11 Aug 2018, 01:21 Ken Norton.

He can't be mentioned, cause he eventually was awarded the belt after winning the eliminator, as Spinks chose the rematch vs Ali.

I was being a tad facetious & taking the title of the thread literally.

Yes, a WBS organisation sent him one of their spurious belts in the post, but he never actually ever won a world title fight.

Razor Ruddock was better than most of the belt holders of the 80s

Miles Templeton, could you please be so kind and post that picture of walker and gains, thank you very much. I respect your opinion on obie walker rating him decent, not excellent. In my opinion he was excellent ( never knocked down by anybody). Of his first 4 fights against violent elmer ray he won 2, drew the other 2, ray was ranked top 3 at that point of time. (edit.: wrong, ray was ranked that high years later ) Would like to see newspaper articles on how that loss against london turned out that you mentioned.

adislav123 wrote: ↑12 Aug 2018, 13:34 Miles Templeton, could you please be so kind and post that picture of walker and gains, thank you very much. I respect your opinion on obie walker rating him decent, not excellent. In my opinion he was excellent ( never knocked down by anybody). Of his first 4 fights against violent elmer ray he won 2, drew the other 2, ray was ranked top 3 at that point of time. Would like to see newspaper articles on how that loss against london turned out that you mentioned.

My pleasure.

Walker is on the left, as I am sure you know

Miles Templeton

adislav123 wrote: ↑12 Aug 2018, 13:34 Miles Templeton, could you please be so kind and post that picture of walker and gains, thank you very much. I respect your opinion on obie walker rating him decent, not excellent. In my opinion he was excellent ( never knocked down by anybody). Of his first 4 fights against violent elmer ray he won 2, drew the other 2, ray was ranked top 3 at that point of time. Would like to see newspaper articles on how that loss against london turned out that you mentioned.

Opinions, that's what its all about. We can all disagree on something like this without causing a massive fall-out, which I see all the time on these forums. So silly. I also respect your opinion my friend. Walker was good, of that there is no doubt, I just don't think he was one of the "Greatest heavyweights never to win a world title" (the thread title).

I am also going to post the two fight reports for the Gains fight and the Jack London contest. You will have to excuse the references to the men in less than politically correct terms, this was how boing was reported here in the UK eighty-odd years ago.

It seems that Walker did not get a fair crack of the whip from the referee in these two contests but he should have been good enough to beat both of these men, regardless, if he was an ATG. Gains was a very good fighter, London less so (at least in World terms).

Miles Templeton

This is the Walker Gains report:

And this is the reports for the London contest:

amazing! Thanks a lot! Made my day!

It's a pleasure!

Buster Mathis Sr. and he box like the Tony Tubbs in the 1960s. Had Mathis have a heart to box on, then he would have a good resume to his boxing career.

Jerry Quarry
Earnie Shavers
George Chuvalo