The Golden Age of Light Heavyweights

[The Old LefHook]

This golden age happens to coincide with the years of my own most passionate interest in boxing, that is, between the ages of twenty and forty.

From Bob Foster through Michael Spinks (1968-1988) was the golden era. It has to be, just by the volume of excellent men competing at the weight and the longevity of the era itself.

Without Foster and Spinks the water of the talent pool was still deep. Matt Franklin, Eddie Gregory, Dwight Braxton, Jorge Ahumada, Victor Galindez, Indian Yaqui Lopez, James Scott.

I know I forgot a few. Help me out. Without a doubt every man I named competes comfortably in any era, pushing any light heavyweight champion to his limit, or outright beating him. If you were LH champ during those two decades, you beat some good un's to get there.

[Bundana]

John Conteh deserves a mention.

[soul_survivor]

No Conteh? Guy was arguably the third best light heavy around that time and possibly the most skilled.

However, I dunno if it was the golden age. A couple decades earlier there were the likes of Moore, Charles and co competing, with some moves up to HW too.

Anyway, there hasn't really been a great LHW era in my life time, with 168 taking over as THE division above MW.

[TBear]

T'was a golden age, let's not forget Marvin Johnson.

[billeau2]

This golden age happens to coincide with the years of my own most passionate interest in boxing, that is, between the ages of twenty and forty.

From Bob Foster through Michael Spinks (1968-1988) was the golden era. It has to be, just by the volume of excellent men competing at the weight and the longevity of the era itself.

Without Foster and Spinks the water of the talent pool was still deep. Matt Franklin, Eddie Gregory, Dwight Braxton, Jorge Ahumada, Victor Galindez, Indian Yaqui Lopez, James Scott.

I know I forgot a few. Help me out. Without a doubt every man I named competes comfortably in any era, pushing any light heavyweight champion to his limit, or outright beating him. If you were LH champ during those two decades, you beat some good un's to get there.

I don't get anymore names that trigger an obvious mention but there are two points that bare mentioning:

The reason why we arguably have "golden" times in the light heavyweight division... a chronically underestimated division in my opinion, when it comes to the best talent in the sport, is that we need a certain dynamic in the Heavyweight/Cruiserweight division for the light heavies to shine: Otherwise a talented light heavyweight becomes an Evander Holyfield...vis a vis a heavyweight!

Bob Foster was kept in the division after beating Quarry by the great Ali and Frazier, who would not let Foster climb the ladder...Tunney on the other hand, considered by some of us the best, certainly one of the best, light heavyweights ever...had the misfortune to beat Dempsey! ( yes I am being sarcastic lol) and today people do not rightfully place him in the ranks, because: as great a heavyweight as he was, he was one of the best light heavies.

So, when we have a mediocre or bad heavyweight picture, or too many alphabet soups, the talented light heavies fight bad heavyweights and it destroys the division. A great golden age needs a stable heavyweight stable!

And... very talented light heavies are always ready to pull low hanging fruit from the heavies, Archie Moore, Evander Holyfield, Ezzard Charles, Michael Moore, the list goes on and on... These guys could all fight heavyweight at the drop of a hat, some got a championship some did not.

[StarshipTrooper]

I don't get anymore names that trigger an obvious mention but there are two points that bare mentioning:

The reason why we arguably have "golden" times in the light heavyweight division... a chronically underestimated division in my opinion, when it comes to the best talent in the sport, is that we need a certain dynamic in the Heavyweight/Cruiserweight division for the light heavies to shine: Otherwise a talented light heavyweight becomes an Evander Holyfield...vis a vis a heavyweight!

Bob Foster was kept in the division after beating Quarry by the great Ali and Frazier, who would not let Foster climb the ladder...Tunney on the other hand, considered by some of us the best, certainly one of the best, light heavyweights ever...had the misfortune to beat Dempsey! ( yes I am being sarcastic lol) and today people do not rightfully place him in the ranks, because: as great a heavyweight as he was, he was one of the best light heavies.

So, when we have a mediocre or bad heavyweight picture, or too many alphabet soups, the talented light heavies fight bad heavyweights and it destroys the division. A great golden age needs a stable heavyweight stable!

And... very talented light heavies are always ready to pull low hanging fruit from the heavies, Archie Moore, Evander Holyfield, Ezzard Charles, Michael Moore, the list goes on and on... These guys could all fight heavyweight at the drop of a hat, some got a championship some did not.

Tunney only had six fights at Heavyweight: Clearly not enough fights to establish greatness. Light-Heavy has always been where his proper ranking lay.

[Humean]

The late 70s through to the early 80s was definitely the golden age of talent at light-heavy and probably the quality of big fights too.

Starting it at 1968 doesn't make too much sense though as the level of quality in the late 60s and early 70s wasn't nearly so impressive great.

[Ray Corso]

I think the 40's and the 70's are pretty equal when it comes to skill set and great bouts.
Archie Moore
Lloyd Marshall
Jimmy Bivens
Ezzard Charles
Gus Levenich
Freddie Mills
Joey Maxim
Billy Conn

There were a lot of fringe contenders who gave the fans great fights also. To me this talent rivals the 70's which was a great era that I'm very familiar with. Saw most of the champs and contenders in person and worked a few of the bouts too.

Ray

[The Old LefHook]

Marvin Johnson and John Conteh noted and now included. I said I forgot a few.

[The Old LefHook]

I think the 40's and the 70's are pretty equal when it comes to skill set and great bouts.
Archie Moore
Lloyd Marshall
Jimmy Bivens
Ezzard Charles
Gus Levenich
Freddie Mills
Joey Maxim
Billy Conn

There were a lot of fringe contenders who gave the fans great fights also. To me this talent rivals the 70's which was a great era that I'm very familiar with. Saw most of the champs and contenders in person and worked a few of the bouts too.

Ray

Depends on what one is calling talent, doesn't it?

For classic boxing skill I wouldn't doubt the 40's list even excels over the 70's. Let's face it, Conn, Charles, Maxim, Moore and Levinich about sew the skills package up.

What the Golden Age had was a succession of rugged gladiators. They were more blood and guts than the 40's list of counter punchers, a bit less skilled but more heroic. They were definitely from the Welcome, emperor, we come to die crowd.

I always felt honored to be there to witness their heroics and toasts to oblivion.