BoxRec

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/features/fifty

they did texas first and had jack johnson as the best. this is a long list. who are some suggestions for the best fighter ever from each state?

This was pulled from another boxing web site. Depending upon their birth place, where they lived during their professional careers or where they themselves called home here is a starter list which will certainly be debated. 8 states are unknown
1. Delaware Al Trubuani
2. Pennsylvania -Harry Greb
3. New Jersey -Marvin Hagler
4. Georgia -Sugar Ray Robinson
5. Connecticut -Willie Pep
6. Massachusetts -Rocky Marciano
7. Maryland -Ray Leonard
8. South Carolina -Joe Frazier
9. New Hampshire
10. Virginia -Sweet Pea Whitaker
11. New York Mike Tyson, Gene Tunney or Benny Leonard
12. North Carolina
13. Rhode Island -Vinnie Pazienza
14. Vermont
15. Kentucky -Muhammad Ali
16. Tennessee Tommy Hearns
17. Ohio -James Jeffries
18. Louisiana -Tony Canzoneri
19. Indiana -Marvin Johnson
20. Mississippi -Archie Moore
21. Illinois Ken Norton
22. Alabama -Joe Louis
23. Maine -Joey Gamache
24. Missouri -Henry Armstrong
25. Arkansas- Sonny Liston
26. Michigan -Floyd Mayweather Jr
27. Florida -Roy Jones Jr
28. Texas -George Foreman
29. Iowa -Michael Nunn
30. Wisconsin
31. California -Oscar De La Hoya
32. Minnesota -Tommy Gibbons
33. Oregon- Denny Moyer
34. Kansas -Jess Willard
35. West Virginia
36. Nevada
37. Nebraska -Max Baer
38. Colorado -Jack Dempsey
39. North Dakota- Virgil Hill
40. South Dakota- Pat Jefferson
41. Montana- Marvin Camel
42. Washington- Freddie Steele
43. Idaho- Kenny Keene
44. Wyoming
45. Utah -Gene Fulmer
46. Oklahoma -Sean O'Grady
47. New Mexico -Bob Foster
48. Arizona -Michael Cabajal
49. Alaska -
50. Hawaii -BoBo Olson

So it is within this list that Joey finally avenges his loss to Arturo.

Nice list.
I gotta go with Tony Zale as the Indiana representative though.

I certainly would not argue with Freddie Steele (WA). Who would you nominate for those states with no selection currently? Wyoming? That's a tough one, I guess. How about Cowboy Eddie Anderson? Alaska? I'm stumped. (Matt, any ideas?)

Why did ESPN leave North Carolina blank? Without checking, off the top of my head, Ray Leonard, Floyd Patterson, and Bonecrusher Smith were born in N.C.

I can't think of anyone from W.V., Vt., N.H., or Wi. but there have probably been some good ones from those states too.

The Live free or die state has no credible candidate?

Hold it. The list above has Foreman as the Texas pick, instead of Jack Johnson.

Hold on there feller's.

This is a list that was compiled on another boxing site and is NOT the ESPN complilation. It is open to change and debate however it is a good list. The reason that there are open states is because nobody thought of someone for those state yet.

Ric wrote:I certainly would not argue with Freddie Steele (WA). Who would you nominate for those states with no selection currently? Wyoming? That's a tough one, I guess. How about Cowboy Eddie Anderson? Alaska? I'm stumped. (Matt, any ideas?)

Alsaka could be Greg Haugen who got his professional start there or even Michael Arms who also started there. Arms was born in Madison, Wisconson so he could represent that state.

Billy Wallace was from Alaska, and would be my pick as he was top 10. He is so obscure for the purposes of ESPN, that I would expect them to offer up Cody Koch. Haugen is a good pick too, since he has roots there.

Wisconsin's best? Eric Morel maybe.

BoxBuzz wrote:The Live free or die state has no credible candidate?

Norman Conrad might be NH's best candidate. He has two draws with Al Gainer, and wins over George Nichols and Tony Shucco.

Buster Beaupre is a name to throw out there for Vermont.

How old is Pat Jefferson?
I think we in the same gym class in 1973
at the school near the Air Force Base near Rapid City.
As I remember there wasnt a lot of boxers in South Dakota at the time.

Eddie McGoorty was probably the best fighter to ever come out of Wisconsin. He gave Jack Dillon is 1st ever loss, than later KO'd him in 4. He also beat Battling Levinsky twice, along with several top contenders of the day.

Brutu wrote:How old is Pat Jefferson?
I think we in the same gym class in 1973
at the school near the Air Force Base near Rapid City.
As I remember there wasnt a lot of boxers in South Dakota at the time.

He is probably around 50 yers old now. I saw Jefferson on TV a few times in the mid-80's. He fought on the Hagler-Hearns card and was the victim of one of the worst decision robberies ever. Also saw him break his ankle versus Arguallo and lose after fighting a tactical and credible match.

Good call on McGoorty. Patsy Sweeney is the fighter ESPN named for New Hampshire. A good choice, I think.

Ken Norton the best fighter from Illinois ??? He's not even in the top 3. Packey McFarland, Jimmy Barry and Jackie Fields were all better.

Seamus wrote:Ken Norton the best fighter from Illinois ??? He's not even in the top 3. Packey McFarland, Jimmy Barry and Jackie Fields were all better.

And don't forget Barney Ross

I think you really have to go by what state a fighter was born in, or else you'll have endless arguments. Barney Ross was born in NY, but lived in Chicago for years. Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis were born down South, but both lived in Chicago for some time as well. So is Louis an Alabama, Michigan or Illinois fighter ?

The list can be modified, refined, debated and changed. I thought that it is a good start. You can be sure that ESPN is watching this forum so we will have some influence.
I will bold the states where there should be no debate and then the rest we can continue to refine and fill in the blanks.


1. Delaware Al Trubuani
2. Pennsylvania -Harry Greb
3. New Jersey -Marvin Hagler
4. Georgia -Sugar Ray Robinson
5. Connecticut -Willie Pep
6. Massachusetts -Rocky Marciano
7. Maryland -Ray Leonard
8. South Carolina -Joe Frazier
9. New Hampshire
10. Virginia -Sweet Pea Whitaker
11. New York Mike Tyson, Gene Tunney or Benny Leonard
12. North Carolina
13. Rhode Island -Vinnie Pazienza
14. Vermont
15. Kentucky -Muhammad Ali
16. Tennessee Tommy Hearns
17. Ohio -
18. Louisiana -Tony Canzoneri
19. Indiana -Marvin Johnson
20. Mississippi -Archie Moore
21. Illinois Ken Norton
22. Alabama -Joe Louis
23. Maine -Joey Gamache
24. Missouri -Henry Armstrong
25. Arkansas- Sonny Liston
26. Michigan -Joe Louis
27. Florida -Roy Jones Jr
28. Texas -Jack Johnson
29. Iowa -Michael Nunn
30. Wisconsin
31. California -James J. Jefferies
32. Minnesota -Mike Gibbons
33. Oregon- Denny Moyer
34. Kansas -Jess Willard
35. West Virginia
36. Nevada - Floyd Mayweather Jr.
37. Nebraska -Max Baer
38. Colorado -Jack Dempsey
39. North Dakota- Virgil Hill
40. South Dakota- Pat Jefferson
41. Montana- Stanley Ketchel
42. Washington- Freddie Steele
43. Idaho- Kenny Keene
44. Wyoming- Eddie Anderson
45. Utah -Gene Fulmer
46. Oklahoma -Sean O'Grady
47. New Mexico -Bob Foster
48. Arizona -Michael Carbajal
49. Alaska -
50. Hawaii -BoBo Olson

Do disrespect intended to Marvin Johnson, who was a very good exciting champion and always humble in interviews, but there's no way he can be rated above Jack Dillon.

I meant NO disprespect. Gotta stop reading HeadKrasher's posts, they're contagious.

ESPN has Patsy Sweeney as the best from NH.

Stanley Ketchel wins Montana, as ESPN opts to go for where a fighter was based.

tegenm wrote:Stanley Ketchel wins Montana, as ESPN opts to go for where a fighter was based.

The "Michigan Assassin" represents Montana. Okay at least we know the criteria.
That would move Joe Louis to Michigan and bump Floyd Maywetaher to Nevada.