TOP TEN LIST OF FIGHTERS WITH THE BIGGEST HEARTS!!!

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 27 Nov 2006, 08:19

1. Ad Wolgast
2. Battling Nelson
3. Carmen Basilio
4. Joe Frazier
5. Saad Muhammad
6. Danny Lopez
7. Bobby Chacon
8. Muhammad Ali
9. Evander Holifield
10. Arturo Gatti
................................just off the top of my head this was, pretty hard to put together... any comments and other lists, I know people are going to comment on Marcinao not making the top 10 but I feel that the guys in my list showed outstanding heart over a longer period of time and against better opposition pound for pound.... some who just missed my top ten are Marciano, Dempsey, Robinson, Gomez, Pryorr, Hearns, Olivares and Gavilan...

JC · Post by JC » 27 Nov 2006, 08:41

Looks a pretty good list to me, Hagler should also be considered, he never had to get up off the floor like some of the others mentioned but he just soaked up whatever you threw at him and came back more determined.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 27 Nov 2006, 09:00

J-C wrote:Looks a pretty good list to me, Hagler should also be considered, he never had to get up off the floor like some of the others mentioned but he just soaked up whatever you threw at him and came back more determined.

I agree Hagler had a huge heart but again he gets pipped by these guys imo...

kick asner · Post by **kick asner** » 27 Nov 2006, 09:34

Braddock deserves consideration for fighting with a broken hand.

Archie Moore demonstrated a lot of heart when he was knocked down three times in the first round against Yvonne Durrelle and came back to win by KO.

Rocky Graziano showed a lot of heart in all three of the Zale fights.

Jake Lamatta was out on his feet in his last fight against Robinson and still kept fighting.

Ray Mancinni
Marciano
Cornelious "Boza" Edwards
Marvin Johnson
George Chuvalo
Vito Antufurmo

DoubleM · Post by **DoubleM** » 27 Nov 2006, 12:06

Archie Moore would top my list. He came back from both in-fight traumas and also career-ending losses multiple times, and fought absolutely anyone.

dr_devious · Post by **dr_devious** » 27 Nov 2006, 12:17

All fighters have a lot of heart for getting in the ring and fighting!
My list (not in any particular order) would include Muhammed Ali, Mickey Ward, Marcos Villasana, Carlos Palomino, Erik Morales, Carl Thompson, Ray Mercer, Marvin Hagler, Jake La Motta, George Chuvalo, Chuck Wepner, Matthew Saad Mohammed, Larry Holmes, Rocky Marciano, Ace Hudkins, Juan Manuel Marquez, Azumah (and Battling) Nelson, Ad Wolgast, Razor Ruddock, Arturo Gatti, Alan Minter

Ezzard · Post by **Ezzard** » 27 Nov 2006, 13:05

dr_devious wrote:All fighters have a lot of heart for getting in the ring and fighting!
My list (not in any particular order) would include Muhammed Ali, Mickey Ward, Marcos Villasana, Carlos Palomino, Erik Morales, Carl Thompson, Ray Mercer, Marvin Hagler, Jake La Motta, George Chuvalo, Chuck Wepner, Matthew Saad Mohammed, Larry Holmes, Rocky Marciano, Ace Hudkins, Juan Manuel Marquez, Azumah (and Battling) Nelson, Ad Wolgast, Razor Ruddock, Arturo Gatti, Alan Minter

Just went down to my local post office and Alan was about 4 or 5 people in front of me in the queue. I wanted to get hold of him and try and instigate a chat but he didn't hang around.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 27 Nov 2006, 13:47

Iran Barkley is another fighter who comes to my mind... great heart!...

BoxBuzz · Post by **BoxBuzz** » 27 Nov 2006, 14:03

What about Zab? He get's KTFO and he comes back dancing and putting in a request to the referee to allow him to continue in spite of being unconcsious.

ON an even more serious note...their have been fighters KO'd and I have watched as they continued with their defense or offense in the horizontal postion completely out. That says they have been spending serious time training and have no "quit" in them.

Thunder and Lightning · Post by **Thunder and Lightning** » 27 Nov 2006, 14:19

I belive Floyd Patterson should be considerd from the way he got up after taking real bombs against Johansson, Liston and others.

The Durable Dane · Post by **The Durable Dane** » 27 Nov 2006, 14:56

Battling Nelson 8)

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 27 Nov 2006, 16:18

BoxBuzz wrote:What about Zab? He get's KTFO and he comes back dancing and putting in a request to the referee to allow him to continue in spite of being unconcsious.

ON an even more serious note...their have been fighters KO'd and I have watched as they continued with their defense or offense in the horizontal postion completely out. That says they have been spending serious time training and have no "quit" in them.

Sorry but this is a serious thread!!... :x :x :x

8)

thedon44 · Post by **thedon44** » 27 Nov 2006, 19:41

tex Cobbv had more heart than any one i ever seen he took more punsihment from ali and punches than anyone in one fight yet never went down and just kept taking them..And what makes him have the most heart is not just being able to take all that punishment or not being knocked out ..It wa being the worst fighter with not one ounce of boxing skills ..he was the worst i ever seen in the ring ..So it took more heart to get in the ring with his credentials and abitlitys >.Especially to fight ali and take non stop pnches which i am sure he knew he was going to get having watched ali beat on fighters who were far more talented than Cobb was...

BoxBuzz · Post by **BoxBuzz** » 27 Nov 2006, 20:03

In this catagory George Chuvalo may be a stand out. Not only did he absorb incredible punshment but unlike Cobb and some others never looked all that dramatic in the process.....Cobb would take the beating and start to look very haggard, beaten and weary...Chuvalo would take the same punishment and appear as if it was a walk in the park or as if he had another appointment right after this beating and could hardly be bothered with these jabs, hooks and crosses.

Sometimes heart does not have to be dramatically displayed as in the case of Wepner and Cobb and Lamotta. Chuvalo can't be the only guy in this catagory....does Barkley sort of fit this description as well? And Holyfield...sort of had the look of a winner even when he was getting bested.

Borinken25 · Post by **Borinken25** » 27 Nov 2006, 22:31

Wilfredo Gomez always did show great heart. He once told his corner that if they stop the fight he would kill them. No matter what your opinion of him he always show his willingness to fight.

Expug · Post by **Expug** » 27 Nov 2006, 23:52

Mickey Walker had a ton of heart.
He fought Heavyweights and he was really only a welter/middle.
Even when he was getting hammered by Schmeling,he just kept getting up and throwing that hook.
Afterwards his manager Jack Kearns told him, "well Mickey , I guess this was one we just couldnt win".
Walker told him,"speak for yourself Kearns.Your the one who threw in the towel".

generic screen name · Post by **generic screen name** » 28 Nov 2006, 01:40

I was just thinking about this today. I'd put Julio Cesar Chavez up there also, with Jake LaMotta. Don't forget Muhammad Ali, who took tons of punishment against guys like Holmes and Foreman, and wasn't broken down.

As for fighters that I saw live in my lifetime, I have to say Evander Holyfield, he always forced guys to raise their level. Bowe and Moorer fought their best fights against Holyfield. When people underestimated Evander he just came back and made them pay.

Jaclem · Post by **Jaclem** » 28 Nov 2006, 03:37

..the listing of greb..excellent choice....makes me think of gene tunney...who took a terrible battering from greb and stayed in there...and improved in their remaining fights. when greb picked tunney to beat dempsey, he mentioned his heart as well as his skills.

i can't think of anyone offhand to add to the illustrious names already posted.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 28 Nov 2006, 08:24

Decagon wrote:It's stupid to rank Arturo Gatti above Ray Robinson. Gatti had heart in the ring, but nowhere else. Robinson trained his ass off year after year, and the only time he was ever stopped was by a guy 20 pounds heavier than him in 110-degree heat.

Oh go back to bed Dec... your act is getting boring!... 8)
Anyone with half a brain who has read my post properly will know that this list is on HEART alone in the ring, and not all round ability, or how hard they trained!... (how hard did Ali train for many of his later fights??) and I know theres lots of other fighters that could have made my top ten and even mentioned Robinson, so I dont see why you're wetting your pants over it. Obviously I know you have a pathological hatred of Gatti, I suppose if I'd put Mancini in the top ten instead you'd be sending me flowers...

DoubleM · Post by **DoubleM** » 28 Nov 2006, 09:35

Someone like Archie Moore had more heart than Arturo Gatti. Why? One of them stood there and took their beating like a man, the other took their beating like a man but also fought back like a man.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 28 Nov 2006, 10:10

DoubleM wrote:Someone like Archie Moore had more heart than Arturo Gatti. Why? One of them stood there and took their beating like a man, the other took their beating like a man but also fought back like a man.

Rather silly example really, when did Arturo not fight back like a man??... how many fights of his have you even seen!...

The Great John L · Post by **The Great John L** » 28 Nov 2006, 10:23

In no particular order

Ad Wolgast
George Chuvalo
Vito Antufuermo
Joe Frazier
Carmen Basilio
Jess Willard
Saad Muhammed
Boza Edwards
Battling Nelson
Jerry Quarry

Borinken25 · Post by **Borinken25** » 28 Nov 2006, 16:14

I agree with silkov on this one. Gatti was an Ok fighter and his ability is not what is in question. He did display heart and his ability as a boxer doesn't change the fact the he always gave it all in the ring. As a matter of fact I think he experienced limited succes because of his heart, not his ability as a boxer.

chance · Post by **chance** » 28 Nov 2006, 17:03

I noticed vinny Paz didn't make anyone's list. That guy had a huge heart, even came back and fought again after a broken neck. Always exciting. I've never seen someone bleed so much in a winning performance.

DoubleM · Post by **DoubleM** » 28 Nov 2006, 17:47

silkov wrote:
DoubleM wrote:Someone like Archie Moore had more heart than Arturo Gatti. Why? One of them stood there and took their beating like a man, the other took their beating like a man but also fought back like a man.
Rather silly example really, when did Arturo not fight back like a man??... how many fights of his have you even seen!...

Why is it a silly example? Some fighters will take their beating and be content settling for a loss, others will take their beating but refuse to lose.

TOP TEN LIST OF FIGHTERS WITH THE BIGGEST HEARTS!!!

TOP TEN LIST OF FIGHTERS WITH THE BIGGEST HEARTS!!!

greatest heart