Professor Chuck Marbry
THE ELITE 175 LB. BOXERS
Liberty, NC– For any fight fan, there are always a few “magic” numbers, ten, as in Top Ten. Eight, as in the Original Eight Weight Classes, in addition to ‘Pound For Pound.’ Professor Marbry’s GOAT (Greatest of All Time) list’s are limited to the original eight weight classes, because I am proudly Old School, and I believe that when boxing had eight weight classes instead if seventeen, the field couldn’t help but consist of more talent.
HEAVYWEIGHT LIST GOT PRAISE & SOME HEAT TOO!
The response to my heavyweight GOAT list was good, and not everyone agreed with me, which was good. It did create some thought and discussion, which was my goal. Plus it was fun. So, without further ado, here is my GOAT list for light heavyweights (175 lbs):
GROUP OF HONORABLE MENTIONS
Just missing the top ten: Bob Fitzsimmons (made the heavyweight list), Matthew Saad Muhammad, Harold Johnson, Jack Dillon, John Henry Lewis, Jack Delaney, Roy Jones Jr., Harry Greb (made the heavyweight list)
TOP TEN LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS OF ALL TIME!
#10– Jimmy “Black Dynamite” Bivens turned pro as a middleweight, won his first 19 fights including a points win over rated (and avoided) Charley Burley in his 15th pro fight. Bivens had a non-title win over champion Gus Lesnevich in 1942, but the title “froze” when the champion entered the US Coast Guard in 1943. Bivens was as good as any light heavy from 1940-1943. Official record is 86-25-1, 31 KOs.
Bob Foster-Muhammad Ali
#9– Bob Foster won the Silver in the 1959 Pan Am Games, turned pro in 1961. Foster had 23 knockouts in his first 33 fights. He won the World title with a 4th round KO of Dick Tiger, the only KO of Tiger’s career. Foster fought until 1978, was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. When he quit, Bob was 56-8-1, 46 KOs.
#8– Georges “The Orchid Man” Carpentier began his professional career at age 14, and fought in all eight weight classes. He won the French welterweight (147 lbs) title, The European wtitle, The European light heavyweight (175) title and the “White” heavyweight title” over Gunboat Smith. Carpentier did not fight during 1915-1918 during WWI. He then won the World light heavyweight championship from Battling Levinsky on October 12, 1920.
FOUGHT DEMPSEY TWICE!
Carpentier is remembered for his two bouts with Jack Dempsey, the first being the fist million dollar gate, for which Carpentier only weighed 172 pounds and was KO’d in the 4th round. The “Orchid Man” has a final record of 88-14-6, 1 no-decision, 56 KOs.
#7– Jack “Philadelphia” O’Brien scored only one knockout in his first 31 fights. He won the light heavyweight title with a 13th round KO of Bob Fitzsimmons, and held the title for seven years without ever defending it. He twice challenged Tommy Burns for the World heavyweight championship, fought to a draw, and dropped a 20 round decision. O’Brien has a complete record of 100-6-16, 57 no-decisions, 51 KO’s.
#6– Dick Tiger began his professional career in Nigeria in 1952, and his early career is sketchy at best. He moved to England in 1955, and lost four consecutive fights in 1955 and 1956. He got back on track and won the British Empire middleweight (160) title in 1958. Tiger moved to the US in 1959, and won the NBA World middleweight title from Gene Fulmer in 1962. He then won the World title on December 16, 1966 via decision over Jose Torres. He finished with 61-17-3, 26 knockouts.
#5– Tommy Loughran fought six bouts with Harry Greb, which is enough right there to put Loughran on any top ten list. His record against Greb, 1 win, 2 losses, 1 draw, 2 no decisions. Loughran won the World light heavyweight championship on October 7, 1927 from Mike McTique by decision. He defended the title six times before moving up to the heavyweight ranks. Loughran was stopped by Jack Sharkey, decisioned Max Baer, decisioned Sharkey in a rematch and challenged Primo Carnera for the heavyweight title on March 1, 1934 and was outweighed by 86 pounds, 270 to 184, the biggest difference difference to date, and Loughran lost by decision. Loughran retired having defeated 10 champions in all weight classes from welterweight to heavyweight, and has a complete record of 94-23-9 draws, 45 no decisions, 1 no-contest, with 17 knockouts.
Michael Spinks
#4– Michael “The Spinks Jinx” Spinks is arguably the most controversial inclusion. He is in perhaps the last great light heavyweight class of the 20th Century, and the case can be argued that he is the best of that bunch. He was undefeated at 175 and he was able to beat Larry Holmes, then the best heavyweight of the day. Spinks retired at 30-1, 21 KO’s.
#3- Victor Galindez had two recorded amateur fights, yet he was a Silver Medalist in the 1967 Pan Am Games and lost in the 1968 Olympics. As a professional, Galindez was an exciting brawler who always came to fight. He won the Argentina title, the light heavyweight championship of South America, and the WBA title twice. His official record stands at 55-9-4, 34 knockouts.
#2– Billy “The Steel City Kid” Conn began fighting professionally in 1935, and lost six of 18 fights in his first year, but won 19 of 19 his second year. He won the vacant World title over Melio Bettina via decision on July 13, 1939. Conn gave up the light heavyweight belt to campaign as a heavyweight in May 1941; challenged thenheavyweight king Joe Louis on June 16, 1941 and was easily ahead on points going into the 13th round when he got caught by a Louis right hand with two seconds left in the round. He lost a rematch with Louis by an 8th round KO. Conn ended up 63-12-1, 14 KOs.
“OLD MONGOOSE” TOPS THE LIST
Archie “The Old Mongoose” Moore began boxing sometime in the mid 1930’s, although both his personal and boxing history are a bit sketchy. His earliest official recorded bout was in 1935. The Mongoose started as a middleweight in the St. Louis area. He moved to San Diego in 1938, before going to Australia in 1940. He fought in South America in 1951, finally got a title shot in 1952 at the age of 39 and won the light heavyweight title from Joey Maxim. Challenged Rocky Marciano for the heavyweight championship on September 21, 1955 and was KO’d in the nine. Moore won eight non-title bouts in ten weeks in 1956 in a tune-up for light heavyweight defense. “The Old Mongoose” has more recorded knockouts than any other boxer in history at 131 KO’s! Completed (known) record of 183-24-10, 1 no-contest, 131 KOs.
Professor Chuck Marbry