Cory Tell All Sports: Boxing History Book

Boxing History Book

Cory Tell All Sports Boxing History Lists:

Top Ten Pound For Pound Boxers Of All-Time:

1. Muhammad Ali (Heavyweight from 1960-1967, 1970-1981)
Record: 56 wins (37 knockouts, 19 decisions); 5 losses (1 technical knockout, 4 decisions)
Honors: WBA/WBC Heavyweight Champion (1964-1967, 1974-1978, 1978-1980); 1-time Olympic Light Heavyweight Gold Medalist (1960)
Memorable Performances: Cassius Clay vs. Sonny Liston I in 1964 - Ali victory by TKO in the 7th round with Ali shouting "I'm the Greatest" after becoming the World Heavyweight Champion; Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier in "Super Fight II" in 1974 - Ali victory by unanimous decision after 15 rounds to avenge his loss in the "Fight of the Century" in 1971; Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman in the "Rumble in the Jungle" in 1974 - Ali victory by KO in the 8th round using his rope-a-dope style, become the first fighter to beat George Foreman; Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier in the "Thrilla in Manila" in 1975 - Ali victory by TKO in the 14th round surviving a brutal fight to retain the Heavyweight title

2. Sugar Ray Robinson (Featherweight, Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight, and Light Heavyweight from 1940-1952, 1955-1965)
Record: 173 wins (108 knockouts, 65 decisions); 19 losses (1 knockout, 18 decisions); 6 draws; 2 no contests
Honors: Welterweight Champion (1946-1951); Middleweight Champion (1951, 1951, 1955-1957, 1957, 1958)
Memorable Performances: Sugar Ray Robinson vs. Jake LaMotta VI in 1951 - Sugar Ray victory by TKO in 13th round for the Middleweight title in his 84th consecutive fight without a defeat; Sugar Ray Robinson vs. Gene Fullmer II in 1957 - Sugar Ray victory by KO in the 5th round to avenge his loss to Fuller 4 months before; Sugar Ray Robinson vs. Carmen Basilio II in 1958 - Sugar Ray victory by split decision after 15 rounds to become the first 5-time divisional champion

3. Henry Armstrong (Featherweight, Lightweight, Welterweight, and Middleweight from 1931-1945)
Record: 150 wins (101 knockouts, 49 decisions); 21 losses (2 disqualifications, 2 knockout, 17 decisions); 10 draws
Honors: Featherweight Champion (1937); Welterweight Champion (1938); Lightweight Champion (1938)
Memorable Performances: Henry Armstrong vs. Petey Sarron in 1937 - Armstrong victory by KO to win the featherweight title; Henry Armstrong vs. Chalky Wright in 1938 - Armstrong victory by KO in the 3rd round; Henry Armstrong vs. Lou Ambers in 1938 - Armstrong victory by split decision to become the first boxer to simultaneously hold three divisional championships

4. Willie Pep (Featherweight from 1940-1959, 1965-1966)
Record: 229 wins (65 knockouts, 164 decisions); 11 losses; 1 draw
Honors: NBA Featherweight Champion (1946-1948, 1949-1950)
Memorable Performances: Willie Pep vs. Chalky Wright in 1942 - Pep victory by unanimous decision after 15 rounds to improve his record to 54-0; Willie Pep vs. Chalky Wright II in 1944 - Pep victory by unanimous decision after 15 rounds; Willie Pep vs. Sandy Saddler II in 1949 - Pep victory by unanimous decision after 15 rounds to avenge 1948 loss to Saddler

5. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (Super Featherweight, Lightweight, Light Welterweight, Welterweight, Light Middleweight from 1996-2007, 2009-2015, 2017)
Record: 50 wins (27 knockouts, 23 decisions); 0 losses
Honors: WBC Super Featherweight Champion (1998-2002); WBC Lightweight Champion (2002-2003); WBC Light Welterweight Champion (2005-2006); WBC Welterweight Champion (2006-2008, 2011-2015); WBC Light Middleweight Champion (2007, 2013-2015); 1-time Olympic Featherweight Bronze Medalist (1996)
Memorable Performances: Floyd Mayweather vs. Oscar De La Hoya in 2007 - Mayweather victory by split decision after 12 rounds for the Light Middleweight title after De La Hoya connected on just 20% of all his punches; Floyd Mayweather vs. Miguel Cotto in 2012 - Mayweather victory by unanimous decision after 12 rounds; Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao - Mayweather victory by unanimous decision after 12 rounds in the then most profitable boxing match of all-time

6. Joe Louis (Heavyweight from 1934-1942, 1944, 1946-1951)
Record: 66 wins (52 knockouts, 11 decisions, 1 disqualification); 3 losses (2 knockouts, 1 decision); 1 no contest
Honors: Heavyweight Champion (1937-1949)
Memorable Performances: Joe Louis vs. Max Baer in 1935 - Louis victory by KO in the 4th round in a dominating performance against the former World Heavyweight Champion; Joe Louis vs. Tommy Farr - Louis victory by unanimous decision after 15 rounds in his first Heavyweight title defense; Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling II in 1938 - Louis victory by TKO over the German in the 1st round on the eve of WWII; Joe Louis vs. Billy Conn in 1941 - Louis victory by KO in the 13th round as apart of his record 25 consecutive heavyweight title defenses

7. Roberto Duran (Lightweight, Light Welterweight, Welterweight, Light Middleweight, Middleweight, Super Middleweight from 1968-1984, 1986-2001)
Record: 103 wins (70 knockouts, 32 decisions, 1 retirement); 16 losses (4 knockouts, 12 decisions)
Honors: WBA Lightweight Champion (1972-1979); WBC Welterweight Champion (1980, WBA Light Middleweight Title (1983-1984); WBC Middleweight Champion (1989); NBA Super Middleweight Champion (2000-2001)
Memorable Performances: Roberto Duran vs. Sugar Ray Leonard I in "The Brawl in Montreal" in 1980 - Duran victory by unanimous decision after 15 rounds to win the Welterweight title; Roberto Duran vs. Iran Barkley in 1989 - Duran victory by split decision after 12 rounds to win the Middleweight title; Roberto Duran vs. Pat Lawlor in 2000 - Duran victory by unanimous decision to win the NBA Super Middleweight title at the age of 49 in his 5th decade of boxing

8. Harry Greb (Welterweight, Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, Heavyweight from 1913-1926)
Record: 261 wins (48 knockouts, 213 decisions); 17 losses (2 knockouts, 15 decisions); 19 draws; 1 no contest
Honors: American Light Heavyweight Champion (1922-1923); Middleweight Champion (1923-1926)
Memorable Performances: Harry Greb vs. Tommy Gibbons IV in 1922 - Greb victory on points after 15 rounds to give Gibbons 1 of his 5 career losses; Harry Greb vs. Gene Tunney I in 1922 - Greb victory by unanimous decision after 15 rounds for the American Light Heavyweight title in Tunney's only career loss; Harry Greb vs. Johnny Wilson I in 1923 - Greb victory on points after 15 rounds to win the Middleweight title; Harry Greb vs. Mickey Walker in 1925 - Greb victory by unanimous decision after 15 rounds to retain the Middleweight title

9. Jack Johnson (Heavyweight from 1898-1910, 1912-1916, 1918-1921, 1923-1924, 1926, 1928, 1931-1932, 1938)
Record: 73 wins (40 knockouts, 30 decisions, 3 disqualifications); 13 losses (7 knockouts, 5 decisions, 1 disqualification); 10 draws; 5 no contests
Honors: Colored Heavyweight Champion (1903-1908); Heavyweight Champion (1908-1915)
Memorable Performances: Jack Johnson vs. Sam Langford in 1906 - Johnson victory by decision after 15 rounds to retain the Colored Heavyweight title; Jack Johnson vs. Tommy Burns in 1908 - Johnson victory by decision after 14 rounds to become the first black Heavyweight Champion after following Burns around the world to get the fight; Jack Johnson vs. the "Great White Hope" James Jeffries in the "Fight of the Century" in 1910 - Johnson victory by TKO in the 15th round to retain the Heavyweight title

10. Benny Leonard (Lightweight, Welterweight from 1912-1924, 1931-1932)
Record: 183 wins (70 knockouts, 113 decisions); 24 losses; 8 draws; 4 no contests
Honors: World Lightweight Champion (1916, 1917-1925)
Memorable Performances: Benny Leonard vs. Freddie Welsh III in 1917 - Leonard victory by TKO in the 9th round to win the World Lightweight Title after losing to Welsh for the championship in 1916; Benny Leonard vs. Rocky Kansas III in 1922 - Leonard victory by unanimous decision after 15 rounds to retain the Lightweight title

Honorable Mention: 11. Jack Dempsey, 12. Rocky Marciano, 13. Archie Moore, 14. Sugar Ray Leonard, 15. Joe Gans

Most Memorable Boxing Moments/Fights Of All-Time:

1. Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III in the "Thrilla in Manila" in 1975 for the World Heavyweight Title
Match Result: Muhammad Ali victory over Joe Frazier by technical knockout in the 14th round
Match Stats: Unofficial scorecards after 14 rounds: referee - Muhammad Ali 66 - Joe Frazier 60, judge #1 - Muhammad Ali 66 - Joe Frazier 62, judge #2 - Muhammad Ali 67 - Joe Frazier 62
Significance: After losing the "Fight of the Century" in 1971 against Joe Frazier but winning "Super Fight II" in 1974, Ali won the rubber match in 1975 between the two boxers in one of the most physically grueling contests of all-time. In a fight Ali said was the "closest thing to dying that I know of," Frazier's trainer Eddie Futch decided to stop the fight just before Ali was ready to give up on the match. Ali retained the World Heavyweight title and the victory improved his overall record to 49-2, cementing his place as one of the greatest boxers of all-time.

2. Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier I in the "Fight of the Century" in 1971 for the World Heavyweight Title
Match Result: Joe Frazier victory over Muhammad Ali by unanimous decision after 15 rounds
Match Stats: Scorecards after 14 rounds: referee - Joe Frazier 9 - Muhammad Ali 6; judge #1 - Joe Frazier 9 - Muhammad Ali 6; judge #2 - Joe Frazier 11 - Muhammad Ali 4
Significance: In a fight to decide the true World Heavyweight champion between the two undefeated boxers, Joe Frazier caught Ali with his left hooks and body blows to win the title bout. Frazier was able to outlast the tiring Ali, as he won 4 or 5 of the final 6 rounds on all of the respective match scorecards. Since Ali had been stripped of the World Heavyweight title in 1967 due to his refusal to be drafted into the Vietnam War, Frazier had to win the fight against Ali to give the title he won while Ali was out of boxing for 3 years legitimacy. By doing so, Frazier gave Ali his first career loss and improved his overall boxing record to 27-0.

Honorable Mention: 3. Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Tommy Hearns I in "The Showdown" in 1981; 4. Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman in the "Rumble in the Jungle" in 1974; 5. Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Meldrick Taylor I in "Thunder Meets Lightning" in 1990

No comments:

About Me

About Me:

Welcome to my blog, Cory Tell All Sports. Before you begin to read my posts and sports opinions, you should get to know to know some things about me and learn about my favorite teams. You can keep up to date with my blog activity by following me on twitter at https://twitter.com/ctellallsports and by listening to the podcasts that I record with my friends and family on SoundCloud at https://soundcloud.com/ctellallsports or at http://corytellallsports.blogspot.com/search/label/Telling%20It%20All%20Podcast

My Teams:

My dad and his father were die hard Colts fans when they lived in Baltimore. My grandfather witnessed back-to-back NFL Championships when the Colts beat the Giants in 1958 in "The Greatest Game Ever Played" (I love watching that Alan Ameche TD run in OT) and then again in 1959 behind the play of Johnny Unitas. On my dad's 9th birthday on January 12, 1969, he had to watch Joe Namath come through on his guarantee to defeat the heavily favored Colts in Super Bowl III. However, my dad got his childhood wish of seeing the Colts win the Super Bowl, as they knocked off the Cowboys in Super Bowl V two seasons later due to a long John Mackey TD reception and a Jim O'Brien game-winning FG in the final minute. My dad continued to keep tabs on his Colts when he was at graduate school in the Baltimore area. During the 2000s, I had to undergo years of anguish and disappointing playoff defeats like my dad experienced (the loss to the Steelers in the 2005 playoffs still hurts). However, Peyton Manning (with the help of Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Dwight Freeney, and the rest of the squad) finally led my Colts to a Super Bowl. I could not have been happier after the Colts came back from a 21-3 deficit against the Patriots in the AFC Championship game behind an 80-yard game-winning drive TD in the end of the 4th quarter and then went on to beat the Bears in Super Bowl XLI. The Tracy Porter interception against the Saints in the Super Bowl during the 2009 season still gives me nightmares, but the 14-year run with Peyton Manning was a magical one. While it was obviously upsetting to see the only Colts quarterback that I have ever known leave Indianapolis in 2012, it was time to move on to the future with Andrew Luck.

When I was a little kid, I went to Boston every summer on my way up to, and back from, camp in Maine. My family went to a bunch of Red Sox games and I fell in love with Fenway Park and the team. Although any Red Sox playoff success was hard to believe for a tortured Sox fan during the early 2000s, Boston won five World Series prior to trading Babe Ruth to the Yankees in 1920. We do not have to talk about what happened over the next eight decades from Ted Williams having to play hurt during a 7 game World Series loss to the Cardinals in 1946 to the Bucky Dent home run for the Yankees in the 1978 tie-breaker game to the Bill Buckner error in game 6 of the 1986 World Series against the Mets. After Aaron Boone hit his walk-off home run in game 7 of the 2003 ALCS against the Sox, I thought I would never see a World Series win. Although all the heartbreak felt like perpetual despair, the struggle for a title made it feel so sweet when the Sox overcame the Yankees in the ALCS after being down 3-0. I will never forget Dave Roberts stealing second base off Mariano Rivera and Bill Mueller driving him home to tie the score in game 4, Big Papi's walk-off home run in extra innings of that contest or walk-off hit in game 5, Curt Schilling's bloody sock performance in game 6, or Johnny Damon's grand slam in game 7. The feeling of finally reaching the mountain top in 2004 by sweeping the Cardinals in the World Series was the pinnacle of my sporting fandom. To make things even better, my beloved Sox came back from 3-1 down against the Indians in the ALCS before sweeping the Rockies in the World Series in 2007 and then had the "Boston Strong" World Series season in 2013.

My love of the New Jersey Devils comes from knowing many of their players and coaches since several of them live in my local New Jersey area. Although I was disappointed over the firing of John MacLean in 2010 and the team's lack of recent success, I will never forget the dominance of the Devils from the late 1990s to the early 2000s. After winning the Stanley Cup for the first time in 1995, the Devils made three of four Stanley Cups from 2000 to 2003, winning in 2000 and 2003. The Stanley Cup in 2000 was incredible because the Devils came back from a 3-1 deficit in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Flyers and then won the cup by beating the Stars in game 6 in 2 OT thanks to a series-clinching goal by Jason Arnott. I will never forget the excitement of the Stanley Cup Finals three years later when the Devils beat the Ducks in a thrilling 7 game series, once again behind the play of legendary net-minder Martin Brodeur along with veterans Scott Niedermayer, Scott Stevens, and Patrik Elias. Although the Devils came up a little short in 2012, I will never forget the overtime goals in games 6 and 7 against the Panthers in the first round, beating the Rangers in the Conference Finals, and getting to the Stanley Cup behind a 40-year old Martin Brodeur.

When I was in London with my family for a vacation, I begged my parents to take me to a soccer game (or as they call it in the UK, a football match). There were no games in London at the time because of an international break, so at the very least, I wanted to buy some team gear. There were Chelsea shirts everywhere in the city and I fell in love with the Chelsea blue. Little did I know that Chelsea, a club that had limited success in English football prior to the arrival of Gianluca Vialli and Gianfranco Zola in the late 1990s, had been taken over in 2003 by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. Abramovich injected millions of dollars into the club, and transformed the Blues into a top English, and European, side. I feel as though I am Chelsea's good luck charm as the team has won the Premier League five times since my trip to London in 2003 and also won four FA Cup titles, three League Cup titles, and a Europa League (my impact may have been less than the likes of club legends Petr Cech, John Terry, Claude Makelele, Frank Lampard, and Didier Drogba). I will admit that John Terry's slip in the penalty shoot-out against Manchester United in the 2008 Champions League Final is still hard to watch. However, my Blues finally won the Champions League in 2012 with their improbable victory over Bayern Munich in penalty kicks, thanks to a late Drogba goal to tie the game, after having already overcome a 3-1 first leg deficit against Napoli in the round of 16 and beating title holders and favorites Barcelona in the semifinals.

Although I do not have one favorite NBA team, I like watching the league as much as any other sport. The level of play in the NBA is exceptionally high, and the modern game is so enjoyable to watch because of how teams spread the floor offensively to give their best players space to operate. It has been a pleasure to grow up during the era of LeBron James, one of the five greatest players in the history of the NBA, and I have marveled at Stephen Curry's shooting ability ever since his days at Davidson. The star power in the NBA with players like LeBron, Curry, Durant, Kawhi, Westbrook, and Harden cannot be matched by any of the other professional sports leagues in the world. The NBA has had so many unforgettable moments over the last 5 years from the Ray Allen three in game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals to Klay Thompson's 11-three pointers in the Warriors miraculous win against the Thunder in game 6 of the 2016 Western Conference Finals to the Cavaliers coming back from 3-1 down to beat the Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals behind an all-time performance from LeBron James.

The Lafayette Leopards have a special place in my heart (my dad went to college there), but I loved the Maryland Terrapins as a little kid. I was not close to being born during the Lefty Driesell years when the Terps had Tom McMillen, Len Elmore, and John Lucas during the 1970s and Adrian Branch and Len Bias during the 1980s, and I was too young for the Steve Francis teams of the late 1990s. I faintly remember the Terps Final Four run in 2001, which ended when they squandered a 22-point first half lead in a loss to Duke in the National Semifinals (as if blowing a 10-point lead to the Blue Devils in the miracle minute earlier that season was not enough). Although I was just 7 years old the following season, I remember my dad telling me not to celebrate too early when the Terps took a big lead over Kansas in the National Semifinals (the Duke losses had conditioned my dad to fear for the worst) and I recall being in Maryland for the team's victory over Indiana in the NCAA Championship Game. Maryland's title team with Juan Dixon, Steve Blake, Byron Mouton, Lonny Baxter, and Chris Wilcox was so special to me because it was the first time I was alive to see one of my favorite teams win a championship. Although the Maryland football team has not enjoyed the same success as the basketball team (even with their flashy Under Armour uniforms), the football program should continue to rebuild. However, as a student at Johns Hopkins, I'm on the side of the Blue Jays when the Maryland schools meet on the lacrosse field.

Now you know everything about me and my favorite teams!

Cory Tell All Sports

Images

Pages

TELLING IT ALL PODCAST

Sections

Pages

Boxing History Book

No comments:

Post a Comment