HOF Schedules

This is one of those things that a fighter really can't do intentionally. I mean how many fighters do we REALLY know in the middle of their careers are HOFers? Not many. Of course fighters can try to fight for glory more than money and that helps. There can be no question that facing great fighter after great fighter is more difficult in terms of winning, surviving and wear and tear than only facing a great fighter occasionally. Of course to do this one must have HOF fighters in one's general vicinity.

But looking backwards what men have done impressive things facing HOFers. These are in no order at all, nor is it comprehensive, just guys who come to mind. I'll begin with the guy who always freaks me out.

Jimmy McLarnin-The first Manny Pacquiao. In 68 fights he faced HOFers twenty-one times. Here's the impressive part. Because he had terrible hands, McLarnin averaged only two fights a year over the last six years of his career. In his last 13 fights? He fought HOFers a dozen times. He goes 7-5 against names like Ambers, Ross, Canzoneri, Corbett and Petrolle. It is just sick.

Muhammad Ali-From the 1971 Fight of the Century until the third Norton fight, a period of less than five years, Ali fought HOFers eight times and went 6-2. Only Joe Louis has done anything close.

Joe Louis-In the five years between Max Baer and Billy Conn, Louis went 6-1 against HOFers. All six wins were by KO. Geepers!

Manny Pacquiao-From his win over Marco Antonio Barerra through his next scheduled fight, a period of eight years, Manny is going to have gone something like 6-1-1 and 8-1-1 against HOFers. Depends if you think men like Mosley and Hatton belong. By the standards of the last 20 years? This is beyond extraordinary.

Oscar de la Hoya-Oscar has probably faced ten or so HOFers (again depends on Mosley). In the four years between fighting JCC and the first fight with Mosley, Oscar went 3-2. Pretty damned good.

Archie Moore-The Mongoose fought HOFers twenty five times over twenty eight years. But even within that he had one unreal burst. In the four years between 1944 and 1947 Archie went 4-6 against names like Ezzard Charles, Lloyd Marshall, Charley Burly and Jimmy Bivins. What makes this even more impressive are the quality of the other names he was facing in those years, Eddie Booker, Jack Chase, Billy Smith, Bert Lytell and Curtis Sheppard, the Black Murderers Row.

Ezzard Charles-From 1946-1950 the Cobra went 11-0 against HOFers. Ezzard was pretty good.

Carlos Ortiz-From 1964-1967, a period of three years, the great lightweight went 6-1-1 against names like Laguna, Elorde, Ramos and Locche. Gaaaaawd.

Henry Armstrong-From the middle of 1937 until the middle of 1939, Homicide Hank went 7-0 against HOFers. He would fight HOFers on 18 occasions before he was done.

Benny Leonard-From 1916 through 1922 the Ghetto Wizard went 18-4 against HOFers. That was probably the greatest lightweight era ever and Leonard was the best.

Harry Greb-From 1918-1925 Greb went 21-8-2. Seven of those losses happened after Greb lost vision in one eye. That's fighting almost four HOFers a year for eight years.

Sugar Ray Leonard-Over a period of 20 months, Leonard fought Benitez, Hearns and Duran twice and went 3-1. Extraordinary.

Then of course there is Joe Grim., He fought Philly Jack, Barbados Walcott, Bob Fitzsimmons, and Joe Gans twice in twelve months. Grim lost them all but, true to his reputation, he was never knocked out.