Who were the best fighters, all time, from...

Europe

North America

South America

Asia

Africa

Australasia

Who would you rank as the best fighter of all time to come from each region?

 

Off the top of my head:

North America: Robinson

Europe: Lennox Lewis (although he could be considered just as easily North American

South America: Monzon

Asia: Pacquiao

Africa: Nelson

Australasia: Tszyu

 

what about the central american/caribbean area?.....that's where a lot of the arguments will be at.

Europe's a tough one......i guess historians would look at Jimmy Wilde, or Ted Lewis, or from mainland europe, Nino Benvenuti. I can't claim to know an awful lot about those guys....so i'm gonna go with Calzaghe....on achievement, it is hard to split him and Lennox, but on talent, i think Calzaghe's the best european i've seen.

I agree with Whiskey on the other regions listed.

 

Agreed you can get some good arguments regarding the Carribean.

Central America - Roberto Duran has to take the prize there.

Europe - I always ranked Ken Buchanon pretty high here, hadn't considered Calzaghe but he is up there too. I still agree with whiskey tho and rank Lennox as #1

Australia - I would lean towards Jeff Fenech.

Pac & Azumah definitely seem to be tops for their areas, altho there has got to be some good competition. (Chang, Fighting Harada, Dick Tiger?)

South America I will have to think about and get back to you. Real tough one.

Carribean? Benitez, Tito, Gomez, Santos (j/k), Kid Gavilian... there are some good arguments there too. I am also undecided on that for now

 

TBH, I never really think of the UK as 'Europe'. Historically England at least as always stood very much apart from Europe, Scotland & Ireland less so.

NA - Robinson
CA - Duran
SA - Jofre
Atr - Tszyu
Asia - Harada
Afr - Tiger
Eur - Benvenuti?
UK - Wilde

 

NA Ali
Europe Fitsimmons
Central America Arguello
SA Monzon
Asia Pacquiao
Africa Nelson

 

So you would rank Scotland & Ireland along with Europe, and UK consists of England and Wales?

 

also i am curious - if Pacquiao just decided to up and quit TODAY... would you rank him as the best fighter from Asia of all time? Or are we basing this on what we "expect" him to do.

I expect him to beat Cotto, but wouldn't tip him to beat mayweather

 

I wouldn't make an argument for it for it becoming common practice, cause it doesnae really make sense. Im just saying, in my mind that's the way I see things. England isnae really part of Europe, historically, culturally, politically or even geographically, really. Scotland has much stronger links with Europe historically stretching back to before the Enlightenment, and Ireland obviously is it's own country (occupied counties not withstanding). But in my mind England isn't really 'Europe', though as I said that's just my mind....and I am drunk right now.:laughing:

 

Good question. I'd have to think about that and it's always difficult to judge a fighters career until you've got at least 5 years of space from it. which is why I hedged my bets and went with Harada

 

Include the Carribean as seperate if you would like, I was considering doing that anyway, also I can see why people would have the UK as seperate as well from Europe

 

Fine for the Carribean make it - Mike McCallum (off the top of my head, if you include Lewis you could mibbes make a case for him over McCallum)

 

Yes.

 

He was the first guy who came into my head for the Carribean too...

MTF

 

AgREED, though I must confess that my knowledge of all those ferocius little Asian midgets is not exactly the best...

MTF :dunno:

 

Europe -- Jean Pierre Coopman (joke) ... tough pick, but Lennox Lewis would be a good pick... maybe Benny Lynch if he hadnt drunk himself out of the sport

North America -- Sugar Ray Robinson

South America -- Eder Jofre

Asia -- Manny Pacquiao (Fighting Harada was great, too)

Africa -- Dick Tiger (Azumah Nelson nipping at his heels)

Australia -- Fenech (even though I never could stand him)

Central America -- Duran

 

me too

He doesnt need to even fight Mayweather much less beat him to be the best Asian boxer of all time

 

i was more concerned with Cotto.

 

even if he were to lose to Cotto, Id still stick with Pac as number one from Asia

 

Joony what is your top ten list regarding this region? And most importantly, where does Sahaprom fit in?

 

the most interesting debates in this regional thread i think are:

Carribean: McCallum vs. Kid Gavilan

Asia: Pac vs. Harada

SA: Monzon vs. Jofre

Oz: Fenech vs. Tszyu

Africa: Tiger vs. Nelson

 

I think Pac should now be an easy choice over Fighting Harada. Harada was terrific fighter. Whirlwind style, but not stupid in his attack Only guy to defeat Jofre. Kind of fighter you wish was around today. (or in any era)

However if Pacquaio were to retire tomorrow i think he already has surpassed him.

The others are much more open to debate in my opinion.

I went with Tszyu, Nelson and Monzon off the top of my head as i posted. That's mainly because they're modern fighters i've seen more of them on tape. In the case of Kostya and Azumah i got to see them live.

I don't have any argument with the opposite of Jofre, Fenech and Tiger though.

 

for what its worth - after much thought,

i would agree on Pac over Harada.

strongly agree with Monzon over Jofre
strongly believe Fenech should be over Tszyu

lean towards Nelson over Tiger

 

I dont think McCallum is in the same class of fighter as Kid Gavilan

I always loved McCallum, he was a fun fighter to watch but hes got to be the most overrated fighter of the last 30 years in hardcore boxing circles

 

I have to agree with you there - i do rate Gavilan over McCallum too.

Where do you rate guys like Gomez, Benitez and even Tito or Santos (j/k) in comparison to McCallum?

 

i'd certainly put sahaprom in the top 10.

pacquiao has my vote for being the best asian fighter of all time followed by harada.

i would also include watanabe, galaxy, chang, yuh, ohba, gushiken, and moon.

 

what about emile griffith? isn't he originally from the caribbean too?

 

definitely forgot about griffith.... he is way up there too. fuck with Gavilan, McCallum, Griffith and all those ricans...

 

who would you rank higher: Sahaprom or Galaxy?

Think VERY carefully before you answer :warning:

 

NA- Robinson
MEX- JCC
CA- Duran
SA- Jofre
Eur- Ottke
Asia- Manny
Africa- Azuma
Carr- Gomez
Aus- Fenech
GB- Buchanon