BoxRec

I'd say Azumah Nelson because of his longevity at Feather and then S.Feather. Some damn good one down the years though.

Dick Tiger. No question. He came from nothing in his native Africa, to become one of THE greatest champions of his weight and era of all times.

Well I'd go for Nelson myself... Tiger was a great fighter himself, but Nelson was at the top for longer and pound for pound was the better fighter... he could box and he could fight... great all round fighter and also very clever... they didnt call him the proffessor for nothing!....

My knowledge of African boxing and it's history is limited, but from what I do know I would have to say Dick Tiger was the best fighter that the continent ever produced.
Azumah Nelson, Hogan Bassey and Brian Micthell were also standouts.
Ike Quartey, John Mugabi and Cornelius Boza-Edwards were all good fighters as well.
Other good and more recent names that come to mind are Jake Matlala, Welcome Ncita, Thulane Malinga, Ike Ibeabuchi and Kassim Ouma (Samuel Peter not yet).

However, modern boxing has existed in Africa for well over 100 years.
I am sure there are many great fighters whoose names have been lost in time.

-KOKid-

It would be hard to go against Azumah Nelson!

Azumah for me.

I'm a big fan of Nelson's.

silkov wrote:Well I'd go for Nelson myself... Tiger was a great fighter himself, but Nelson was at the top for longer and pound for pound was the better fighter... he could box and he could fight... great all round fighter and also very clever... they didnt call him the proffessor for nothing!....

Well said. He was at one stage the longest reigning world champ.

Decagon wrote:It's hard to judge. Tiger was fighting at the highest level to as advanced an age as Nelson was, but he stayed in Africa longer, and didn't fight for a title until he was 33.

But Nelson started at the highest level far earlier and was a champion far longer... Tiger was a late developer while Nelson was fighting Salvadore Sanchez in just his 15th pro fight!.... I like Tiger immensely but Nelson was without doubt the better fighter imo...

Nelsons generally very underrated, as is Tiger as well...

AYube Kalule would rank way up their, I always thought Sumbe Kulambay was African but Boxrec says Italian.

Azumah Nelson must be head and shoulders above any other African fighter lb 4 lb

The Professor gets my vote!! Nelson reigns supreme over Africa!!

kick asner wrote:AYube Kalule would rank way up their, I always thought Sumbe Kulambay was African but Boxrec says Italian.

kalambay was from Zaire.

In terms of talent and how good they were at peak, i rate him and Tiger over Nelson, who's greatness for me was in his longevity.

Arbachakov wrote:

kick asner wrote:AYube Kalule would rank way up their, I always thought Sumbe Kulambay was African but Boxrec says Italian.

kalambay was from Zaire.

In terms of talent and how good they were at peak, i rate him and Tiger over Nelson, who's greatness for me was in his longevity.

What about all the top fighters Nelson beat?.... dont really see how you can rate Kalambay and Tiger higher...

Dick Tiger, Nelson, Kalambay are all great fighters. Gerrie Coetzee should be up there as well.

silkov wrote:

Arbachakov wrote:

kick asner wrote:AYube Kalule would rank way up their, I always thought Sumbe Kulambay was African but Boxrec says Italian.

kalambay was from Zaire.

In terms of talent and how good they were at peak, i rate him and Tiger over Nelson, who's greatness for me was in his longevity.

What about all the top fighters Nelson beat?.... dont really see how you can rate Kalambay and Tiger higher...

Tiger beat better fighters than Nelson beat. Tiger beat Giardello, Fullmer,Torres, and Benevenuti among others. It's hard rating Tiger because he lost some fights early in his career to ordinary fighters. If you don't hold that against him too much, Tiger should be ranked much higher than Azumah Nelson.

Some other good African fighters were Joe Goddard, Pierre Fourie, Ike Quartey and Battling Siki.

Ambling Alp wrote:

silkov wrote:

Arbachakov wrote: kalambay was from Zaire.

In terms of talent and how good they were at peak, i rate him and Tiger over Nelson, who's greatness for me was in his longevity.

What about all the top fighters Nelson beat?.... dont really see how you can rate Kalambay and Tiger higher...

Tiger beat better fighters than Nelson beat. Tiger beat Giardello, Fullmer,Torres, and Benevenuti among others. It's hard rating Tiger because he lost some fights early in his career to ordinary fighters. If you don't hold that against him too much, Tiger should be ranked much higher than Azumah Nelson.

Some other good African fighters were Joe Goddard, Pierre Fourie, Ike Quartey and Battling Siki.

I think is the first time in many discussions that I agree with Alp. Dick Tiger was the greatest African fighter of all time. He is a top 50 all time great. Something that I do not see in Nelson.

Azumah Nelson followed very, very closely by Dick Tiger.

Dick Tiger, Azumah Nelson, Hogan Bassey, Ike Quartey, Willie Toweel, Floyd Robertson, John Mugabi...

No votes for Frans Botha?

I have to go with Azumah Nelson.

Azumah Nelson was a great champion. So was Dick Tiger. But Azumah got chance early in his career.

Tiger had to wait for the games of ping pong between Paul Pender and Terry Downes and Gene Fullmer and Carmen Basilio/Ray Robinson to end before he had his.

Like many other good challengers, meanwhile he wasted a lot of of youth and time waiting for a title tilt. And after that, again he had to wait ions to have a chance to regain it from Joey Giardiello. I say Dick Tiger!

I also thought that the young Love Allottey from Ghana had a lot of potential. Sadly he did not make the best out of his opportunities against Floyd Robertson and Flash Elorde.

Joe Goddard was Australian!

As to Nelson...the fighters and competition he beat stands right up with that which Tiger beat! Tiger might have a little edge in that he won title in two of the tradional classes while Nelson won titles in a tradional and then a jr. class, but overall the manner in which Nelson beat and hung with some true all-time greats...no one is going to be far ahead of him!

Giardello was a hell of a fighter, but he was not the caliber of a Jeff Fenech in his prime. Nino Benvenuti was another very, very good fighter, but great...I don't think so.

Also, Nelson never lost as ugly as Tiger did against bob Foster, which Foster is a true all-time great, but overall Tiger might be right there with Nelson, but he is not ahead of him!

I must admit I have always had a lot of sympathy for the Tiger Man also for the tragedies that affected him in life, like the Nigeria/Biafra civil war and his early death.

No doubt...I feel the same about Kassim Ouma, but I'm not going to give him extra history points...though Tiger earned his points in the ring, but I just don't think he is a better fighter than Azumah Nelson...just as good...it's a very close call!