BoxRec

Further to my earlier post about Elmer Ray it got me thinking who had the longest unbeaten run without ever getting a title shot.

Elmer Ray had a 50 win (44 ko) winning streak over 3 years and never got a shot at the title.

Harry 'Kid' Matthews had a 52 fight streak - 51 wins (36 ko) with 1 draw over nearly 6 years and never got a title shot (although he lost to Marciano in the title eliminator)

Anyone got any others?

Blimey, no responses. I thought a few of you would have had some more to add.........maybe there are no others?

Had to think about it a little bit. Young Griffo was unbeaten in the first 104 bouts of his career before getting a title shot. I know its going back a ways, but hes the best I could come up with. Some of those fights were NC but he didnt lose.

expug wrote:Had to think about it a little bit. Young Griffo was unbeaten in the first 104 bouts of his career before getting a title shot. I know its going back a ways, but hes the best I could come up with. Some of those fights were NC but he didnt lose.

Nice one expug.

I did mean the longest winning streak without EVER getting a title shot though.

Ahh sorry about that. Should have read your post better. Back to the drawing board.

Think I found the winner.

Packy McFarland went 102 fights - 94 wins , 7 draws and 1 NC without ever getting a shot at a title.

Good call . I should have known this one. Hes from right down the road. Seamus is from his neighborhood. The Back of the Yards its called , right in the midst of Chicagos Union Stockyards.

Didn't Yori Boy Campas have something like 50 wins before he finally got a shot?

Decagon wrote:Buck Smith won over 100 fights in a row at one point, and he never got a title shot.

Buck Smith........I forgot all about him. Your right he went 107 fights - 101 wins and 6 NC's without ever getting a world title shot

Packey's lack of a title shot is more of a shame than Buck Smith's as Packey took on all comers and faught many more contenders then Smith did. Also it was said that Packey lost the desire to KO his opponents and would purposely not knock people out later on in his career. Which led to the more newspaper decisions he gained later on.

As a curiosity, and a valuable information, Jaime Giné, Argentinian and South American Lightweight Champion, between 1954 to 1960, from the opening of his pro career, fought 87 times, winning 81 (32 by K.O.), drawing 6 and losing none; his first lost was against Nicolino Locche. This is a record for all South America of fighters who never fought for a Worl Title; in his moment, he was rated world number 7 by The Ring Magazine

Yory boy has to be one of the top ones in the last two decades.

Just thought I would bump this one up.
Good question.
It would be interesting to find out details as to why these boxers never got a shot.

What about dear old Brian Nielson, he had a long list of tomato cans and faded names picking up bonus payments.