History of p4p

[wmute]

1) who was the term invented for? (I am pretty sure it was NOT Robinson, but I dont remember)

2) when did the ring mag started having their list.

3) If YOU could go back in history and throw the definition p4p for the first time on a fighter, who would that be? (Gans, Langford, B Leonard, Armstrong, Ross...)

[THE REAL NINJA]

#1. It was Robinson some writer needed a word to explain how good he was and someone said that Robinson could beat any man p4p or so the story goes.

#2. I have no clue but i'm sure it would be easy to find out.

#3. I would pick Sam Langford .

[Yogi]

1. It wasn't Robinson who the term was first invented for as I've seen contemporary reports using that term to describe the likes of Tony Canzoneri, Kid Chocolate, Henry Armstrong, Barney Ross, and Jimmy McLarnin all in the decade previous to when Robinson hit the scene. The term was also in existence in the time before that generation of boxers, and while some may claim the earliest use of it was in conjuction with Benny Leonard, this is the earliest reference that I've ever personally come across;

"Fitz was far and away the best fighting man, pound for pound, the game ever produced. Pound for pound he never had his equal." - Lima Daily News, Jan 1st, 1918

Again that's only the earliest reference I've directly saw, but it may have been Benny Leonard who it was first used for, or even someone earlier, as the term itself was not a new one as it was a fairly popular one in the farming industry even as far back as the 1850's.

2. I would assume it was around 1989 that The Ring started printing a monthly p4p rating, but I believe KO ****zine was the first to do so on a monthly basis and I can remember that they started printed those at least as far back as 1985 if not even 1984 (Called the "Dirty Dozen", I believe). Of course they also had their annual "best fighters" poll that was taken every year from 1980 on, and I believe was printed in in their year end awards issues. It also wasn't uncommon to see a "best fighters" ranking as a feature article on occasion before KO began their p4p rankings, as I can remember one in particular being published in Boxing Illustrated in the summer of 1981 (they had a top 25 ranking in a feature).

3. Maybe Mendoza if including the bareknuckle era, but I don't know the bare knuckle history all that well so I'm only guessing (Sayers, maybe? *shrugs*). Gloved era I'd probably go with Fitzsimmons and maybe follow him with George Dixon.

[THE REAL NINJA]

I'm sure the term was used before his time but the story is that Ray was the reason that they started rating people in p4p terms.