10 Most Historically Important Boxers?

[DeeMoney]

Who were the 10 most Historically Important Boxers? By which you can take it to mean important within the world of boxing (ie changed the sport) or in regards to society as a whole (changed the world); just show your work in this regards to keep things apples to apples.

Also, for the sake of argument lets keep it to the post Marques of Queensberry era.

[Willie Pep 229]

The ten most important fighters; based on their impact on the fight game.

1. Jack Dempsey
2. Joe Louis
3. Muhammad Ali
4. John L. Sullivan
5. James J. Corbett
6. Jack Johnson
7. Sugar Ray Leonard
8. Mike Tyson
9. Lennox Lewis
10. Rocky Marciano

A very short explanation:

1. Dempsey: A new explosive style created the first million dollar gate; ushered in the Golden Age of Sport.

2. Louis: Taught 'white society' to embrace the athletic prowess of the Black man.

3. Ali: The triumph of the individual fighter over the system.

4. Sullivan: America's first sports hero; they legitimized the fight game around him.

5. Corbett: Learn the martial art of boxing or don't expect to succeed. Thugs no longer need apply.

6. Johnson: Made (for better or worst) prize fighting part of the national consciousness.

7. Leonard: Brought about economic parity for the little guys.

8. Tyson: There is no such thing as bad press.

9. Lewis: Taught America to embrace a new international domination of the game.

10. Marciano: The definitive white hope; for the first television generation he kept white audiences interested in the game.



P.S. #11 Primo Carnera: first "marketed" fighter; not necessarily a good thing but still important to the game.

[JeBron Lamez]

The ten most important fighters; based on their impact on the fight game.

1. Jack Dempsey
2. Joe Louis
3. Muhammad Ali
4. John L. Sullivan
5. James J. Corbett
6. Jack Johnson
7. Sugar Ray Leonard
8. Mike Tyson
9. Lennox Lewis
10. Rocky Marciano

Good list, personally I gotta bump Lewis for (ironically) your own namesake, and Leonard gets bumped for Robinson.

Pep over Lewis because Pep's impact was huge, he revolutionised style itself & brought switch-hitting to mainstream consciousness.

Also, America has never exactly "embrace(d)" international anything, ever, so Lewis can't be credited with anything like that plus big, big champions from outside of America have always existed.

Robinson over Leonard because SRR was a role model for pretty much everything except how to conduct one's personal life lol. He also had a huge impact on fighter negotiations, his jumping all over the weight classes on relatively short notice was legendary & he taught the world how to be a superstar before Ali.

First name I looked for on your list was Corbett & your reason for including him is perfectly worded, Sir.

[Willie Pep 229]

Good list, personally I gotta bump Lewis for (ironically) your own namesake, and Leonard gets bumped for Robinson.

Pep over Lewis because Pep's impact was huge, he revolutionised style itself & brought switch-hitting to mainstream consciousness.

Also, America has never exactly "embrace(d)" international anything, ever, so Lewis can't be credited with anything like that plus big, big champions from outside of America have always existed.

Robinson over Leonard because SRR was a role model for pretty much everything except how to conduct one's personal life lol. He also had a huge impact on fighter negotiations, his jumping all over the weight classes on relatively short notice was legendary & he taught the world how to be a superstar before Ali.

First name I looked for on your list was Corbett & your reason for including him is perfectly worded, Sir.

Good stuff. SRR more important than SRL. Yeah, I see it.

P.S. What about the international game today?

I do understand your Willie Pep argument. But I also suspect we likely agree that in the past 25 years we have seen the fight game more internationalized than ever before. So how do we acknowledge that?

That may be why I forced Lewis' name on to the list.

[JeBron Lamez]

Good stuff. SRR more important than SRL. Yeah, I see it.

P.S. What about the international game today?

I do understand your Willie Pep argument. But I also suspect we likely agree that in the past 25 years we have seen the fight game more internationalized than ever before. So how do we acknowledge that?

That may be why I forced Lewis' name on to the list.

For the record, I love Lennox Lewis & not just because I'm a Brit but because he was mustard.

Now I don't yet know where you're from but I suspect the USA because the thing is with your take on international boxing is that boxing has been global forever. Due to America's awesome modern history of boxing & broadcast, it's understandable to the rest of us why the rest of the world seems to have been rendered invisible to y'all.

The truth is that many Central & South American countries, African countries, Thailand, The Phillipines, Britain, Ireland, France, Italy, Eastern European nations & Russia (in their many different historical configurations) have all always produced star fighters & held big boxing events.

Merging into significant international events is not that new either, I mean SRR lost to Randy Turpin in London in 1951 & we've got the footage.

You mentioned Carnera who was not American, Schmelling wasn't American, Duran wasn't American & of course neither was Chavez.

A big factor in America's contribution to the international fight game is guys like SRR, Ali & others going abroad for fights either against fellow Americans or foreign guys so it's important that I also recognise that.

[Marchegiano]

Onomastos of Symnra - Brought it to the masses

Theaganese of Thasos - Who was studied

James Figg - Brought it to the masses

Tom Pipes - Challenged old honor ideas with contemporary sporting ideas

Jack Broughton - Who did the studying

Daniel Mendoza - Defense, promotion, sales

Tom Cribb - Brought it to the masses also first belt

Bill Fuller - Introduced sparring as a training tool

Jem Ward - I do hate his exaltation but his reign is super important for boxing history as is. Took it from the masses who then started a competing "league" for lack of any better term.

Tom Hyer - Brought it to the masses

Tom Sayers - First attempt at any "world"

Jem Mace - Pushed for QB

John L Sullivan - Consolidation, Brought it to the masses, Excluded blacks

CC Smith - The exclusion of black fighters forcing again a separate league

Tommy Burns - First world tour, people really understate the popularity of Tommy and how powerful Canada was at the time. Like Jem starting America, what came after was not by chance but rather design

Jack Dempsey - Brought it to the masses

Joe Louis - It is only after Joe controls the title boxing starts to resemble a sport in more than in name alone.





I'm nearly doubled but I do not feel there is any fluff or that anyone is more vital than anyone else.

[JeBron Lamez]

I'm nearly doubled but I do not feel there is any fluff or that anyone is more vital than anyone else.

Wow. Just phenomenal BUT...

...imvho, in the spirit of the thing you could at least pick just the one guy (& yeah yeah different eras I know I know) as the bringingest it to the massesest guy.

[Marchegiano]

Wow. Just phenomenal BUT...

...imvho, in the spirit of the thing you could at least pick just the one guy (& yeah yeah different eras I know I know) as the bringingest it to the massesest guy.

you ain't wrong.


Also I was super HW centered. That could be Floyd Mayweather Jr.

[QueensburyRules]

- - Has to be a Heavy for the first set since all divisions live and die based on the heavies, hence John L for starters and the Ks for the last.

Let usual mugs fill in the rest.

[Bronson66]

Wow. Just phenomenal BUT...

...imvho, in the spirit of the thing you could at least pick just the one guy (& yeah yeah different eras I know I know) as the bringingest it to the massesest guy.

The OP specified post Marquess Of Queensberry.