BoxRec

What fighter do you think fought the toughest competition throughout the majority of their career? There will probably be a few nominations. Off the top of my head I’ll throw Oscar De La Hoya out there.

Archie Moore

Controversial wrote: ↑18 Dec 2022, 20:00 What fighter do you think fought the toughest competition throughout the majority of their career? There will probably be a few nominations. Off the top of my head I’ll throw Oscar De La Hoya out there.

De La Hoya is a great shout.

Carl Froch faced a lot of stiff competition.

Holyfield is the only one of his era that fought Lewis, Bowe and Tyson, and he fought 'em all more than once, then aside from them he fought Holmes, Foreman, Moorer (2x), Qawi, Mercer, Rahman. Pretty f*cking stiff competition for sure.

Fritzie Zivic and Tony Canzoneri. Guys like that fought basically everyone that was in or around their weight class that was of any note. I'm sure that could be said about a great deal of them old school cats, but those 2 names spring to mind for some reason.

keithmoonhangover wrote: ↑18 Dec 2022, 21:16

Controversial wrote: ↑18 Dec 2022, 20:00 What fighter do you think fought the toughest competition throughout the majority of their career? There will probably be a few nominations. Off the top of my head I’ll throw Oscar De La Hoya out there.

De La Hoya is a great shout.

I was just looking at his record, he puts a lot of fighters to shame with their padded out records fighting guys who were 0-16, 1-10 etc .

Boxed pro from aged 19 years 9 months and stopped aged 35 years 10 months.
45 fights (39-6). Went 31-0 before first loss.

Only lost to reigning or former world champs, all of which are in the IBHOF. Trinidad, Mosley x2, Hopkins, Mayweather and Pacquiao (3 losses were by SD/MD)

Not one single opponent had a losing record (i.e. more losses than wins)
23 opponents were unbeaten in at least their previous 6 fights when he fought them, he beat 17 of them.
Only 4 opponents had lost their previous fight when he fought them.
The most losses any of his opponents had when he fought them was 13 (Narciso Valenzuela Romo was 34-13-2)
Fought 9 unbeaten fighters, beat 6 of them.
Beat a former world champ in his 8th fight (Troy Dorsey)

Fought for world title in his 12th fight and every bout after that was for a world title with the exception of 3 who were still against former world champions (Pacquiao, Forbes and Gatti)

Fought 24 world champions (2 of them twice)

Fought 9 fighters who are in the IBHOF (beat Chavez x2, Whitaker, Camacho, Gatti and lost to Trinidad, Mosley x2, Hopkins, Mayweather, Pacquiao)

8 world titles in 6 divisions (includes 3 of the traditional weight divisions lightweight, welterweight and middleweight)

Combined records of all his opponents when he fought them is 1565-122-45. Now I know anyone can pick apart any record or career but that is pretty impressive, 35 of his 45 fights were either world title fights or against other champs.


.

Muhammad Ali warrants a mention.

When he returned in 1970, he was not the same, but he literally walked into a murderer's row of opponents and fought them all over the next decade.

On top of the fact that his opposition was largely stiff, but the fact that he couldn't punch very hard meant he was often in long fights and they certainly took their toll on him in the end.

So many candidates and across the eras....but guys like Dennis Andries and especially Glen Johnson spring to mind.

Johnson in particular got it all thrown at him and for year after remorseless year.

Hopkins, Roy Jones, Tarver, Froch, Bute, Cloud, Dawson, Ottke, Groves, Griffin, Woods and many others. Nearly always on the other blokes turf. Well a worth look, Johnson had it tough and got some results

Elmer called, he said, Roberto Duran had the toughest career of any boxer in the history of the known universe.

You do have to take into consideration that Duran was always a lightweight even after he weighed more than 135. Only fighter to ever move up in weight class.

Some of those mentioned like De la hoya fought the best of their era.
You could say that for Ray Leonard beat 8 guys in the top 10 before fighting for the title. (Don'
t think anyone has done that since.) He then fought Benitez, Duran, Hearns, and Hagler.


But if you go further back, you can find guys that had more.

Ray Robinson might be the guy- Fought Gavilan, LaMotta, Turpin, Olson, Basilio, Fullmer multiple times. Graziano and Giardello once. Many other very good fighters.

Archie Moore was mentioned and he has to be up there as well.

Please don't mention Roberto Duran!

Syntax Error wrote: ↑20 Dec 2022, 14:46 Please don't mention Roberto Duran!

He didn't take a single shot in his entire career and (technically) didn't lose a single fight.

Syntax Error wrote: ↑19 Dec 2022, 08:46 Muhammad Ali warrants a mention.

When he returned in 1970, he was not the same, but he literally walked into a murderer's row of opponents and fought them all over the next decade.

On top of the fact that his opposition was largely stiff, but the fact that he couldn't punch very hard meant he was often in long fights and they certainly took their toll on him in the end.

It almost goes without saying when it comes to Ali at this point, but just for the f*ck of it.

Frazier 3x, Norton 3x, Foreman, Floyd Patterson, Larry Holmes, Earnie Shavers, Sonny Liston 2x, Quarry 2x, Ron Lyle, Bonavena, Chuvalo

Everyone of his era you can think of.

keithmoonhangover wrote: ↑21 Dec 2022, 06:32

Syntax Error wrote: ↑20 Dec 2022, 14:46 Please don't mention Roberto Duran!

He didn't take a single shot in his entire career and (technically) didn't lose a single fight.

I'm also led to believe that he once beat the mighty and incomparable Iran Barkley at the age of 37.

gilgamesh wrote: ↑21 Dec 2022, 13:46

Syntax Error wrote: ↑19 Dec 2022, 08:46 Muhammad Ali warrants a mention.

When he returned in 1970, he was not the same, but he literally walked into a murderer's row of opponents and fought them all over the next decade.

On top of the fact that his opposition was largely stiff, but the fact that he couldn't punch very hard meant he was often in long fights and they certainly took their toll on him in the end.

It almost goes without saying when it comes to Ali at this point, but just for the f*ck of it.

Frazier 3x, Norton 3x, Foreman, Floyd Patterson, Larry Holmes, Earnie Shavers, Sonny Liston 2x, Quarry 2x, Ron Lyle, Bonavena, Chuvalo

Everyone of his era you can think of.

The best competition in heavyweight history.

Bad Bennie Briscoe fought everyone over seemingly 100 years.

I think there's been some good shouts evander, dlh, froch. Obvious I know but harry grab takes some beating - he fought everyone and also guys divisions higher - tunney x5, walker, flowers, rosenbloom, wilson, loughran, brennan, norfolk, both gibbons and he beat all these guys. he fought 16 hall of famers.

Greb has to be up there.

How about Ezzard Charles? Burley 2x, Maxim 4x, Moore 3x, Bivins 4x, Walcott 4x, Marshall 3x Marciano 2x., Harold Johnson.

Very good fighters like Ken Overlin, 2x Teddy Yarosz, Elmer Ray 2x.

Ambling Alp II wrote: ↑22 Dec 2022, 13:53 Greb has to be up there.

How about Ezzard Charles? Burley 2x, Maxim 4x, Moore 3x, Bivins 4x, Walcott 4x, Marshall 3x Marciano 2x., Harold Johnson.

Very good fighters like Ken Overlin, 2x Teddy Yarosz, Elmer Ray 2x.

Yes indeed, that's why people in the know rate those 2 guys higher than people not in the know.

They had 2 of the toughest schedules of any fighter in any era, and fought 'em all. Greb and Charles.

Not the toughest, but Amir Khan took a lot of punishment in a relatively short career.

Soldier Bartfield came to mind.

Jack Britton x7
Mike O'Dowd x3
Kid Lewis x6
Mike Gibbons x3
Harry Greb x5
Billy Papke
Benny Leonard x4
Mickey Walker x3
Jimmy Slattery

Count them up for yourself. There are so many I probably miscounted,

Henry Clark

Ezzard wrote: ↑23 Dec 2022, 12:22 Soldier Bartfield came to mind.

Jack Britton x7
Mike O'Dowd x3
Kid Lewis x6
Mike Gibbons x3
Harry Greb x5
Billy Papke
Benny Leonard x4
Mickey Walker x3
Jimmy Slattery

Count them up for yourself. There are so many I probably miscounted,

That's some serious competition. There may be other guys who weren't great themselves but fought tremendous competition.

Sam Langford gets my vote.

He would have to be up there as well.