BoxRec

The concensus two greatest HW's ever, & a tournament for their eight greatest losing title challengers (four from each reign) to participate in. Who was the best unsuccessful challenger? All opponents are taken at the point in their careers when they first challenged for the title, not necessarily their primes.

The combatants...

Billy Conn (1941)
Joe Frazier (1975)
Sonny Liston (1965)
Kenny Norton (1976)
Lou Nova (1941)
Bob Pastor (1939)
Floyd Patterson (1965)
Joe Walcott (1948)

The draw...

Conn vs. Walcott
Frazier vs. Patterson
Liston vs. Pastor
Norton vs. Nova

Preliminary Round:

Walcott UD15 Conn
Frazier TKO7 Patterson
Liston KO6 Pastor (Could've gone with a Pastor decision, too)
Norton UD15 Nova

Quarter-Finals:

Walcott MD15 Norton (Close call)
Liston TKO5 Frazier (Even closer call)

Tournament Final:

Walcott TKO13 Liston (Exhaustion-induced, an early Liston victory a distinct possibility).

Just missing the initial cut: Tommy Farr, Max Schmeling, Ron Lyle, Jimmy Young.

Just missing the initial cut: Tommy Farr, Max Schmeling, Ron Lyle, Jimmy Young.

Why???????????????????????????

Conn vs. Walcott
Walcott KO 12

Frazier vs. Patterson
Frazier KO 9

Liston vs. Pastor
Liston UD 15

Norton vs. Nova
Nova SD 15

Second Round

Walcott vs Nova
Walcott KO 11

Liston vs Frazier
Frazier KO 13

Final
Walcott vs Frazier

Joe Frazier emerges with a UD15

Conn - Walcott
Huge P15

Frazier - Patterson
Ko 3 (Sorry Floyd)

Liston - Pastor
Ko 2

Norton - Nova
Rsc 6

2nd Round

Frazier - Conn
Rsc 4 (Ellis fight once again)

Liston - Norton
KO2 (Foreman - Norton all over again)

Final
Frazier - Liston
KO2 Easy, Liston cannot handle the shorter armed Frazier in close.

HomicideHenry wrote:

Just missing the initial cut: Tommy Farr, Max Schmeling, Ron Lyle, Jimmy Young.

Why???????????????????????????

I had to peg it back to four men from each champion. It wasn't an easy decision to leave those fellows out (particularly a prime Young).

How about these match up's....
using GI's formula..

The men as they were when they faced the champ (Louis-Ali)

12 round eliminators. Stage One matches ...

Bob Foster Vs James J Braddock

Sonny Liston (1964) Vs Max Baer

Henry Cooper (1963) Vs Tommy Farr

Doug Jones Vs John Henry Lewis

Floyd Patterson (1965) Vs Jack Sharkey

George Chuvalo (1965) Vs Tony Galento

Ernie Terrel Vs Buddy Baer (1941)

Jerry Quarry (1970) Vs Bob Pastor

Oscar Bonavena Vs Abe Simon

Joe Frazier (1971) vs Jersey Joe Walcott (1947)

Joe Bugner (1972) vs Lou Nova

Ken Norton (1973) Vs Ezzard Charles

George Foreman Vs Max Schmelling (1936)

Ron Lyle Vs Primo Carnera

Jimmy Young Vs Billy Conn (1941)

Earnie Shavers Vs Rocky Marciano

Leon Spinks (first fight) Vs Cesar Brion

Ill post the results later :P how do you guys see it..