Printable View
I want to put together a list of the greatest old champs. In order, of course. We have quite a few fighters that are timeless and find new ways to win. These guys show guts and whit when they possibly didn't have the reflexes anymore.
Archie Moore
B-Hop
Big George Foreman
Holyfield
RJJ
Tommy Hearns, maybe? (he won the vacant IBO cruiserweight at 41 yrs old)
You guys got any others?
Larry Holmes he should of won the world title at 45.Quote:
Originally Posted by JonnyFolds
Carl Thompson
Dennis Andries
Matt Skelton
Were all still winning past the 40 mark.
Infact wasn't Carl Thompson 40 when he beat David Haye ?Quote:
Originally Posted by Fenster
JCC wasn't too bad past 40 he beat Willy Wise in the rematch, and beat good fighters like Frankie Randall, Ivan Robinson.
I can't include fighters Like RJJ, Holyfield etc. In truth just because they fought past 40 they pretty much were embaressments of their former selves.
When speaking of Great fighters past 40 I only think of names like Hopkins, Foreman, Moore, etc......Fighters that were among the elite regardless of age
I almost put JCC in there.. but Frankie randall was 43 when they fought.. Ivan Robinson was a complete bum by then, and Willy Wise? well that's the one I actually give him credit for beating past 40yrs.
What is your list, then.. top to bottom?
In no particular orderQuote:
Originally Posted by JonnyFolds
George Foreman
Bernard Hopkins
Archie Moore
Willie Pep
Larry Holmes
Bob Fitzsimmons (Though I have never seen him fight I know he was LHW champ at 40 still)
It is a bit of a warped list:
It sort of goes
1: The Ol Mongoose, Ageless Archie Moore.......
The rest......
Which see's Hopkins as a clear #2, then Foreman, Fitzsimmons and Ray Robinson fighting it our for third place.
The rest is really quite weak, I would say the likes of Eder Jofre with a couple of decent wins gets there, Holmes too, and as mentioned maybe even Holyfield, pads out a top 10.
The criteria for Pep's opponent selection at 40, consisted of: Having a pulse...... And for some, I still think they might have failed that test!Quote:
Originally Posted by DaxxKahn
The truth was post Lulu Perez in 1954, no one knew if Pep was on the level, or being controlled by outside forces, and that really hurt Will 'o
The Wisp, later in his career, not least because he was not allowed to fight in New York City.
After having 200 bouts and still being able to get in the ring and fight past 40 shows somethingQuote:
Originally Posted by BritkidThe criteria for Pep's opponent selection at 40, consisted of: Having a pulse...... And for some, I still think they might have failed that test!Quote:
Originally Posted by DaxxKahn
The truth was post Lulu Perez in 1954, no one knew if Pep was on the level, or being controlled by outside forces, and that really hurt Will 'o
The Wisp, later in his career, not least because he was not allowed to fight in New York City.
Sadly for Willie it showed he had blown his fortune, and needed the money....Quote:
Originally Posted by DaxxKahnAfter having 200 bouts and still being able to get in the ring and fight past 40 shows somethingQuote:
Originally Posted by BritkidThe criteria for Pep's opponent selection at 40, consisted of: Having a pulse...... And for some, I still think they might have failed that test!Quote:
Originally Posted by DaxxKahn
The truth was post Lulu Perez in 1954, no one knew if Pep was on the level, or being controlled by outside forces, and that really hurt Will 'o
The Wisp, later in his career, not least because he was not allowed to fight in New York City.
Agreed after all those bouts he should have been living well....Quote:
Originally Posted by BritkidSadly for Willie it showed he had blown his fortune, and needed the money....Quote:
Originally Posted by DaxxKahnAfter having 200 bouts and still being able to get in the ring and fight past 40 shows somethingQuote:
Originally Posted by Britkid
Can you imagine fighters today with that many bouts....Top level fighters
Too right; some (naive) people say, today, a Lil Floyd could of beaten a Ray Robinson....Quote:
Originally Posted by DaxxKahnAgreed after all those bouts he should have been living well....Quote:
Originally Posted by BritkidSadly for Willie it showed he had blown his fortune, and needed the money....Quote:
Originally Posted by DaxxKahn
Can you imagine fighters today with that many bouts....Top level fighters
But as you suggest, let us level the playing field, and ask who sees a Floyd Mayweather Jr beating Ray Robinson, after Mayweather has 201 pro fights in his legs ala Sugar Ray?
I think he could've beaten SRR. I just don't think he would've & those are 2 very different things. SRR was unbelievable at MW, & I remember this guy Mick who runs my gym saying that SRR at MW was 25% of what he was at WW.Quote:
Originally Posted by BritkidToo right; some (naive) people say, today, a Lil Floyd could of beaten a Ray Robinson....Quote:
Originally Posted by DaxxKahnAgreed after all those bouts he should have been living well....Quote:
Originally Posted by Britkid
Can you imagine fighters today with that many bouts....Top level fighters
But as you suggest, let us level the playing field, and ask who sees a Floyd Mayweather Jr beating Ray Robinson, after Mayweather has 201 pro fights in his legs ala Sugar Ray?
The fact that Pep & SRR, in some people's eyes the 2 best of all time, had to fight on so long was a true shame. I don't consider either man great in their 40s, the only fighters I think get that are
Archie Moore
Bernard Hopkins
George Foreman
I don't think you can give it to guys who were great still being able to beat weaker opposition like Holyfield, Holmes, SRR. Don't know enough about Fitzsimmons to judge