Via Ken Hissner: In this writer’s mind are “Sugar” Ray Robinson, Henry “Homicide Hank” Armstrong, Harry “Pittsburgh Windmill” Greb, Sam “The Boston Bonecrusher” Langford, and Willie “Will o’ the Wisp” Pep.
Following the above are Joe “The Brown Bomber” Louis, Muhammad “The Greatest” Ali, Mickey “Toy Bulldog” Walker, Julio “JC” Cesar Chavez, Benny “The Ghetto Wizard” Leonard, Joe “Old Master” Gans, Charley Burley, “Sugar” Ray Leonard, Tommy “Hit Man” Hear some names.
Robinson is 174-19-6 with 109 stops holding both the welterweight and welterweight titles. There can be only a dozen defense and is better at welterweight than middleweight and like most, staying too long.
Armstrong is 149-21-10 with 99 stops. He won the featherweight, lightweight, and lightweight titles in that order. That’s when there are ten contenders and only one champion.
Greb was 108-8-3 with 49 stops, and he fought with one eye. He was the only person to beat heavyweight champion at light heavyweight Gene Tunney, and he was the middleweight champion.
Langford is 178-30-38 with 126 cuts. The only boxer Jack Dempsey says he’s scared. He fought from 140 to 170 with the best.
Pep is 229-11-1 with 65 saves. He’s the featherweight champion. He’s one of the hardest to hit.
Louis is 66-3 with 52 saves. He has defended his heavyweight title 25 times.
Ali is 56-5 with 37 stops. He’s definitely one of the fastest.
Walker is 93-19-4 with 59 saves. He has held both welterweight and welterweight titles.
Chavez is 107-6-2 with 85 saves. He held the ultralight, lightweight and junior lightweight titles.
Leonard is 89-6-1 with 70 stops. He’s the lightweight champion.
Gans are 145-10-16 with 100 stops. He’s the lightweight champion.
Burley is 83-12-2 with 50 saves. He held the black welterweight title.
Leonard is 36-3-1 with 25 stops. He is a 1976 Olympic gold medalist. He holds the middleweight, lightweight, middleweight, supermiddleweight and light heavyweight titles.
Hearns is 61-5-1 with 48 stops. He has held the middleweight, lightweight, middleweight, super-middleweight and light heavyweight titles.
There were others like Oscar “Golden Boy” De La Hoya, Felix “Tito” Trinidad, Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker, Carlos Monzon, Archie “Old Mongoose” Moore, Floyd “Money” Mayweather, Rocky Marciano and Jack Dempsey, arriving. a few names. Who is your choice?
