With any top sports list I’ve read or watched, invariably there is an athlete or team that I think should be included but isn’t. My pet peeve has always been that I don’t find this out until reviewing the entire series. Rarely does the writer provide a rationale for the omission, addressing only the athletes/teams who are included on his/her particular list, as opposed to those have been excluded. The omission becomes like a “white elephant” leaving me wondering why while never getting the answer.
Bearing this in mind, I’m trying to more transparent and am willing to “take my medicine” up front, if necessary. Therefore, what follows is a list of 10 fighters I’ve excluded who I think might elicit passionate disagreement from boxing fans and enthusiasts who read this list, along with my reasoning behind the decision. Will this satisfy those who disagree with me? Of course, not. But at least I’m willing to address the question. To all of you that do disagree, I certainly respect your right to do so. Different points of view help to make the debate more enjoyable and challenging. In the end, we’re not talking about world politics here so let’s have fun with the process.
That all said, here’s the list. I have my football helmet ready and waiting. Note, boxing records cited in this series include newspaper decisions.
#1) Mike Tyson
Iron Mike was a transcendent figure and arguably the biggest superstar boxing has seen over the past 30 years. In addition to fearsome punching power, he possessed the quickest hands the division had seen since Muhammad Ali. This unique combination produced a destructive force which laid waste to the Heavyweight division in the late 1980’s.
If this list were based on ability alone, Iron Mike would certainly belong. However, it’s not. As impressive as Tyson was in his prime, the biggest names on his list of victims were an over the hill Larry Holmes and blown up Light Heavyweight Michael Spinks. Fighters like Tony Tucker, “Bonecrusher” Smith, Pinklon Thomas and Frank Bruno would be hard pressed to crack the top 50 of all-time Heavyweights.
Tyson was exposed when he finally ran into a fighter that was able to stand up to him, Buster Douglas. He was soundly thrashed by the two best Heavyweights of his era, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis. In the end, Tyson looked great against inferior opposition but never rose to the occasion when challenged. Consequently, he does not appear on my top 100 list.
#2) Sonny Liston
Liston was another intimidating, power punching Heavyweight champion who was considered unbeatable in his prime. Some still regard him as among the greatest Heavyweights who ever lived. However, in February of 1964, he ran into a guy named Cassius Clay (later known as Muhammad Ali) and the rest is history.
Liston’s reign as Heavyweight champion was brief. He held the title for less than 18 months and only made one successful title defense. The only hall of famer Sonny defeated was Patterson, who is also not on the top 100 list. He did defeat a series of good fighters on the road to the championship (Cleveland Williams comes to mind), however, none that came anywhere close to greatness.
He failed miserably against his best opponent, Ali, quitting on his stool in the first fight. No one will ever really know what happened in their second matchup. In any case, neither performance illustrated greatness. Sonny Liston, with his crushing power, would probably be a dangerous opponent for any Heavyweight in history. However, his overall accomplishments do not warrant top 100 status.
#3) Hector Camacho
The 1983-85 version of Camacho, who defeated a series of contenders at 130 and 135, destroyed Bazooka Limon and embarrassed Jose Luis Ramirez, was special. He was one of the most exciting and intriguing fighters in boxing, possessing blinding speed reminiscent of Sugar Ray Leonard, along with deceptive punching power.
However, after being serious tested by Edwin Rosario in 1986, he was never the same. Over the next few years, he avoided the best 135/140 lbs fighters of the time, a class that included Rosario, Julio Cesar Chavez, Pernell Whitaker, and Meldrick Taylor. When Camacho finally did step up in class he was thoroughly trounced; first by Chavez in September 1991, then by Felix Trinidad (January 1994) and finally by Oscar De La Hoya (September 1997).
Aside from these fights, Camacho lived a journeyman’s existence racking up a series of victories over non-descript fighters. His most notable wins were against senior citizens Sugar Ray Leonard (age 40) and Roberto Duran (age 45 and 50). In the end, his gaudy ring record of 79-6-3 (45 Kos) is deceptive. There is no way he belongs in the top 100 greatest of boxing history.
#4) Khaosai Galaxy
The “Thai Tyson” was, by far, the finest 115 pound champion in that division’s history. He held the WBA version of the title for 7 years and defended 19 times, winning 16 by knockout. Galaxy was a devastating puncher and was listed as #19 on Ring Magazine’s list of top 100 punchers of all time. Unfortunately, Galaxy’s accomplishments were largely unknown in the Western world, given that he fought nearly his entire career in the Orient. Box-Rec lists Galaxy’s record as 47-1 (41 Kos), although other sources indicate 49-1 (43 Kos).
In any case, Galaxy warrants high marks for dominance. However, one must consider this was achieved in the Super Flyweight division, a fluff division that never should have been created. He never moved up in weight and never faced anyone who comes anywhere near Boxing Hall of Fame status. Initially, Galaxy was on my list. However, in the end, I couldn’t justify including him at the expense of other all-time greats, such as Jimmy Bivins, who faced far superior opposition. Thus, I changed my mind and decided not to include Galaxy on my top 100 p4p list.
#5) Erik Morales
Morales was a 4-division world champion and certain future hall of famer. In 2012, ESPN.com ranked him #49 on their all-time pound for pound list. Over a nearly 20 year career, Morales had wins over the likes of Marco Antonio Barerra, Manny Pacquiao, Daniel Zaragoza, Junior Jones, Kevin Kelley, and Paulie Ayala among others. His career in world championship fights was an impressive 18-5 with 11 Kos. Overall, he was 52-9 (36Kos), winning his first 41 but losing 9 of his final 20 contests.
Morales is a tough omission and one of the final fighters I eliminated from the list. Where he falls a little short is in his head to head performance against the best fighters of his era, dropping 2 out of 3 each to Barerra and Pacquiao. Two of his losses to Pacquiao were by knockout. The only other hall of fame/hall of fame caliber fighter he defeated was Zaragoza, who comes nowhere near the top 100 list. In the current era, where the talent pool is thin and world championships have become cheap, this is just enough for me to keep Morales off the list.
#6) Miguel Canto
Canto was named by the Associated Press in 1999 as one of top two Flyweights of the 20th century. After starting his career with 2 losses by stoppage in his first three fights, he went on to win the WBC Flyweight championship in January 1975 with a majority decision win over Shoji Oguma. He held the title for more than 4 years and successfully defended 14 times. Among his victims were former and/or future champions such as Shoji Oguma, Betulio Gonzalez, Lupe Madera, and Antonio Avelar. Over a 13 year career, Canto achieved a record of 61-9-4 (15 Kos).
Canto enjoyed a fine career and was an all-time great at Flyweight. However, his resume is not quite top 100 worthy in my opinion. His opposition was solid but none of the fighters listed above come anywhere near top 100 status. Indeed, Canto never defeated or even faced another fighter who is in the boxing hall of fame. This, along with the fact that he never unified the Flyweight title work against him in my evaluation. In the end, Canto is another difficult omission from the list.
#7) Joe Brown
“Old Bones” Joe Brown was Lightweight champion for close to six years and made 11 successful title defenses, a division record prior to the reign of Roberto Duran. Among the fighters he defeated were Jimmy Carter, Virgil Akins, Isaac Logart, Ralph Dupas, Dave Charnley, and Wallace “Bud” Smith. In a remarkable 27 year boxing career, Brown fought more than 175 times. He was a late bloomer winning the world title at age 30 in 1956 and finally losing it just short of his 36th birthday in 1962.
“Old Bones” was a fine and durable champion. However, one must also consider that he lost 47 times over the course of his career, 11 times by stoppage. His overall winning percentage is a modest 69.4%. His only victory against a fellow hall of famer was against Jimmy Carter in 1947. Conversely, he lost to hall of famers Sandy Saddler, Nicolino Locche, and Carlos Ortiz. Brown probably does not rank among the top 10 Lightweights of all-time. In the end, “Old Bones” falls just short of top 100 status.
#8) Pancho Villa
Pancho Villa is considered by many to be among the greatest Flyweights in boxing history. At the tender age of 21, he captured the Flyweight title with a 7th round KO victory over all-time great Jimmy Wilde. Over a brief 6 and ½ year career, shortened by his untimely death at the age of 23, he compiled a record of 90-8-4 (22 Kos). Among the men he defeated were Wilde, Johnny Buff, and Bud Taylor.
Villa held the Flyweight championship for slightly over 2 years and defended 3 times. Who knows how good he would have become but his legacy was unfairly and unfortunately cut short? The brevity of his career hurts him in this evaluation but it is not the only factor that keeps him off this list. I am also taking into account his 1-4 record versus members of the IBHOF hall of fame, including 3 losses to Frankie Genaro. Indeed the one win, Wilde, was a huge accomplishment, but it is not enough to earn him a place on this list.
#9) Tiger Flowers
Tiger Flowers is regarded by some historians as an all-time great Middleweight and appears on nearly all of the top 100 p4p lists I’ve seen. Fighters he defeated include Harry Greb, Panama Joe Gans, Frank Moody, Chuck Wiggins, Pete Latzo, Jock Malone and Lou Bogash. In 2002, Ring Magazine listed him as #45 of their list of the 80 best fighters of the past 80 years. However, as much as I respect Ring Magazine, I’m just not seeing it.
Flowers, with a record of 134-17-7 (54 Kos), is deservedly in the boxing hall of fame. However, that said, he held the Middleweight title for less than one year, defending only once. His record against fellow boxing hall of famers was 2-8-3 with 5 losses by KO. The two wins, both against Greb, were disputed. Admittedly, some of his losses were against bigger men such as Kid Norfolk, Jack Delaney and Maxie Rosenbloom. However, the overall record cannot be ignored. Tiger Flowers was a fine fighter but, in my view, does not belong in the top 100.
#10) Marcel Cerdan
Marcel Cerdan is considered by some boxing experts to be among the top 10 Middleweights of all time, He compiled an amazing record of 111-4 (65 Kos) over the course of his career which lasted nearly 15 years. Cerdan won the European Welterweight and Middleweight championships before finally getting World title shot against the legendary Tony Zale in September 1948. He won by 12th round KO, capturing the Middleweight championship. Less than 9 months later, he lost the title to another legend, Jake Lamotta, forced to accept defeat due to a shoulder injury. Slated for a rematch with Lamotta, Cerdan was tragically killed in a plane crash on October 28th 1949.
In the end, it’s hard to assess Cerdan’s legacy given that many of his opponents were largely unknown. His professional record is very impressive however, he held the Middleweight title for less than 9 months. The only hall of famer he defeated was Zale, who was well past his prime. And, the only other hall of famer he faced was Lamotta to whom he lost. In the end, I just don’t see enough evidence to include Cerdan on the top 100 list.
So now that the hard part is over, we’ll move on to the all-time greats who did make the list. Stay tuned for Part 2 of my top 100 series where boxers #91-100 will be revealed.
Bearing this in mind, I’m trying to more transparent and am willing to “take my medicine” up front, if necessary. Therefore, what follows is a list of 10 fighters I’ve excluded who I think might elicit passionate disagreement from boxing fans and enthusiasts who read this list, along with my reasoning behind the decision. Will this satisfy those who disagree with me? Of course, not. But at least I’m willing to address the question. To all of you that do disagree, I certainly respect your right to do so. Different points of view help to make the debate more enjoyable and challenging. In the end, we’re not talking about world politics here so let’s have fun with the process.
That all said, here’s the list. I have my football helmet ready and waiting. Note, boxing records cited in this series include newspaper decisions.
#1) Mike Tyson
Iron Mike was a transcendent figure and arguably the biggest superstar boxing has seen over the past 30 years. In addition to fearsome punching power, he possessed the quickest hands the division had seen since Muhammad Ali. This unique combination produced a destructive force which laid waste to the Heavyweight division in the late 1980’s.
If this list were based on ability alone, Iron Mike would certainly belong. However, it’s not. As impressive as Tyson was in his prime, the biggest names on his list of victims were an over the hill Larry Holmes and blown up Light Heavyweight Michael Spinks. Fighters like Tony Tucker, “Bonecrusher” Smith, Pinklon Thomas and Frank Bruno would be hard pressed to crack the top 50 of all-time Heavyweights.
Tyson was exposed when he finally ran into a fighter that was able to stand up to him, Buster Douglas. He was soundly thrashed by the two best Heavyweights of his era, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis. In the end, Tyson looked great against inferior opposition but never rose to the occasion when challenged. Consequently, he does not appear on my top 100 list.
#2) Sonny Liston
Liston was another intimidating, power punching Heavyweight champion who was considered unbeatable in his prime. Some still regard him as among the greatest Heavyweights who ever lived. However, in February of 1964, he ran into a guy named Cassius Clay (later known as Muhammad Ali) and the rest is history.
Liston’s reign as Heavyweight champion was brief. He held the title for less than 18 months and only made one successful title defense. The only hall of famer Sonny defeated was Patterson, who is also not on the top 100 list. He did defeat a series of good fighters on the road to the championship (Cleveland Williams comes to mind), however, none that came anywhere close to greatness.
He failed miserably against his best opponent, Ali, quitting on his stool in the first fight. No one will ever really know what happened in their second matchup. In any case, neither performance illustrated greatness. Sonny Liston, with his crushing power, would probably be a dangerous opponent for any Heavyweight in history. However, his overall accomplishments do not warrant top 100 status.
#3) Hector Camacho
The 1983-85 version of Camacho, who defeated a series of contenders at 130 and 135, destroyed Bazooka Limon and embarrassed Jose Luis Ramirez, was special. He was one of the most exciting and intriguing fighters in boxing, possessing blinding speed reminiscent of Sugar Ray Leonard, along with deceptive punching power.
However, after being serious tested by Edwin Rosario in 1986, he was never the same. Over the next few years, he avoided the best 135/140 lbs fighters of the time, a class that included Rosario, Julio Cesar Chavez, Pernell Whitaker, and Meldrick Taylor. When Camacho finally did step up in class he was thoroughly trounced; first by Chavez in September 1991, then by Felix Trinidad (January 1994) and finally by Oscar De La Hoya (September 1997).
Aside from these fights, Camacho lived a journeyman’s existence racking up a series of victories over non-descript fighters. His most notable wins were against senior citizens Sugar Ray Leonard (age 40) and Roberto Duran (age 45 and 50). In the end, his gaudy ring record of 79-6-3 (45 Kos) is deceptive. There is no way he belongs in the top 100 greatest of boxing history.
#4) Khaosai Galaxy
The “Thai Tyson” was, by far, the finest 115 pound champion in that division’s history. He held the WBA version of the title for 7 years and defended 19 times, winning 16 by knockout. Galaxy was a devastating puncher and was listed as #19 on Ring Magazine’s list of top 100 punchers of all time. Unfortunately, Galaxy’s accomplishments were largely unknown in the Western world, given that he fought nearly his entire career in the Orient. Box-Rec lists Galaxy’s record as 47-1 (41 Kos), although other sources indicate 49-1 (43 Kos).
In any case, Galaxy warrants high marks for dominance. However, one must consider this was achieved in the Super Flyweight division, a fluff division that never should have been created. He never moved up in weight and never faced anyone who comes anywhere near Boxing Hall of Fame status. Initially, Galaxy was on my list. However, in the end, I couldn’t justify including him at the expense of other all-time greats, such as Jimmy Bivins, who faced far superior opposition. Thus, I changed my mind and decided not to include Galaxy on my top 100 p4p list.
#5) Erik Morales
Morales was a 4-division world champion and certain future hall of famer. In 2012, ESPN.com ranked him #49 on their all-time pound for pound list. Over a nearly 20 year career, Morales had wins over the likes of Marco Antonio Barerra, Manny Pacquiao, Daniel Zaragoza, Junior Jones, Kevin Kelley, and Paulie Ayala among others. His career in world championship fights was an impressive 18-5 with 11 Kos. Overall, he was 52-9 (36Kos), winning his first 41 but losing 9 of his final 20 contests.
Morales is a tough omission and one of the final fighters I eliminated from the list. Where he falls a little short is in his head to head performance against the best fighters of his era, dropping 2 out of 3 each to Barerra and Pacquiao. Two of his losses to Pacquiao were by knockout. The only other hall of fame/hall of fame caliber fighter he defeated was Zaragoza, who comes nowhere near the top 100 list. In the current era, where the talent pool is thin and world championships have become cheap, this is just enough for me to keep Morales off the list.
#6) Miguel Canto
Canto was named by the Associated Press in 1999 as one of top two Flyweights of the 20th century. After starting his career with 2 losses by stoppage in his first three fights, he went on to win the WBC Flyweight championship in January 1975 with a majority decision win over Shoji Oguma. He held the title for more than 4 years and successfully defended 14 times. Among his victims were former and/or future champions such as Shoji Oguma, Betulio Gonzalez, Lupe Madera, and Antonio Avelar. Over a 13 year career, Canto achieved a record of 61-9-4 (15 Kos).
Canto enjoyed a fine career and was an all-time great at Flyweight. However, his resume is not quite top 100 worthy in my opinion. His opposition was solid but none of the fighters listed above come anywhere near top 100 status. Indeed, Canto never defeated or even faced another fighter who is in the boxing hall of fame. This, along with the fact that he never unified the Flyweight title work against him in my evaluation. In the end, Canto is another difficult omission from the list.
#7) Joe Brown
“Old Bones” Joe Brown was Lightweight champion for close to six years and made 11 successful title defenses, a division record prior to the reign of Roberto Duran. Among the fighters he defeated were Jimmy Carter, Virgil Akins, Isaac Logart, Ralph Dupas, Dave Charnley, and Wallace “Bud” Smith. In a remarkable 27 year boxing career, Brown fought more than 175 times. He was a late bloomer winning the world title at age 30 in 1956 and finally losing it just short of his 36th birthday in 1962.
“Old Bones” was a fine and durable champion. However, one must also consider that he lost 47 times over the course of his career, 11 times by stoppage. His overall winning percentage is a modest 69.4%. His only victory against a fellow hall of famer was against Jimmy Carter in 1947. Conversely, he lost to hall of famers Sandy Saddler, Nicolino Locche, and Carlos Ortiz. Brown probably does not rank among the top 10 Lightweights of all-time. In the end, “Old Bones” falls just short of top 100 status.
#8) Pancho Villa
Pancho Villa is considered by many to be among the greatest Flyweights in boxing history. At the tender age of 21, he captured the Flyweight title with a 7th round KO victory over all-time great Jimmy Wilde. Over a brief 6 and ½ year career, shortened by his untimely death at the age of 23, he compiled a record of 90-8-4 (22 Kos). Among the men he defeated were Wilde, Johnny Buff, and Bud Taylor.
Villa held the Flyweight championship for slightly over 2 years and defended 3 times. Who knows how good he would have become but his legacy was unfairly and unfortunately cut short? The brevity of his career hurts him in this evaluation but it is not the only factor that keeps him off this list. I am also taking into account his 1-4 record versus members of the IBHOF hall of fame, including 3 losses to Frankie Genaro. Indeed the one win, Wilde, was a huge accomplishment, but it is not enough to earn him a place on this list.
#9) Tiger Flowers
Tiger Flowers is regarded by some historians as an all-time great Middleweight and appears on nearly all of the top 100 p4p lists I’ve seen. Fighters he defeated include Harry Greb, Panama Joe Gans, Frank Moody, Chuck Wiggins, Pete Latzo, Jock Malone and Lou Bogash. In 2002, Ring Magazine listed him as #45 of their list of the 80 best fighters of the past 80 years. However, as much as I respect Ring Magazine, I’m just not seeing it.
Flowers, with a record of 134-17-7 (54 Kos), is deservedly in the boxing hall of fame. However, that said, he held the Middleweight title for less than one year, defending only once. His record against fellow boxing hall of famers was 2-8-3 with 5 losses by KO. The two wins, both against Greb, were disputed. Admittedly, some of his losses were against bigger men such as Kid Norfolk, Jack Delaney and Maxie Rosenbloom. However, the overall record cannot be ignored. Tiger Flowers was a fine fighter but, in my view, does not belong in the top 100.
#10) Marcel Cerdan
Marcel Cerdan is considered by some boxing experts to be among the top 10 Middleweights of all time, He compiled an amazing record of 111-4 (65 Kos) over the course of his career which lasted nearly 15 years. Cerdan won the European Welterweight and Middleweight championships before finally getting World title shot against the legendary Tony Zale in September 1948. He won by 12th round KO, capturing the Middleweight championship. Less than 9 months later, he lost the title to another legend, Jake Lamotta, forced to accept defeat due to a shoulder injury. Slated for a rematch with Lamotta, Cerdan was tragically killed in a plane crash on October 28th 1949.
In the end, it’s hard to assess Cerdan’s legacy given that many of his opponents were largely unknown. His professional record is very impressive however, he held the Middleweight title for less than 9 months. The only hall of famer he defeated was Zale, who was well past his prime. And, the only other hall of famer he faced was Lamotta to whom he lost. In the end, I just don’t see enough evidence to include Cerdan on the top 100 list.
So now that the hard part is over, we’ll move on to the all-time greats who did make the list. Stay tuned for Part 2 of my top 100 series where boxers #91-100 will be revealed.