Is Sam Langford The G.O.A.T?

[Southpaw Great]

Is he?????????

[The Beatles]

No.......Maybe if he wasn't born in an era full of bigots and ****s he might well be

[EzzardFan]

No.......Maybe if he wasn't born in an era full of bigots and ****s he might well be

Good answer.

There are several genius boxers whose potential was stifled. Langford, Gans, Ike Williams, Ezzard Charles, Charley Burley and even Harry Greb all spring to mind.

Of those I've listed, with the exception of Williams, they all had the potential to win titles in multiple weight classes, but were denied the title shots they deserved because they were considered to be just too talented and the title holders avoided them.

Langford and Burley were the two worst affected by this.

[StarshipTrooper]

He's pretty damn high on my p4p list.

Poet

[JAB5239]

Good answer.

There are several genius boxers whose potential was stifled. Langford, Gans, Ike Williams, Ezzard Charles, Charley Burley and even Harry Greb all spring to mind.

Of those I've listed, with the exception of Williams, they all had the potential to win titles in multiple weight classes, but were denied the title shots they deserved because they were considered to be just too talented and the title holders avoided them.

Langford and Burley were the two worst affected by this.

Ez, what is the story with Joe Gans and his win over Mike 'Twin' Sullivan for the welterweight title? Was this a legit title at the time, or was someone else the rightful champion? I haven't put much time into it yet but have found little on the subject.

[NChristo]

Could well be, he's in the majority of peoples top 10 p4p list and I think anyone in the top 10 is debatable for the G.O.A.T

[NChristo]

Ez, what is the story with Joe Gans and his win over Mike 'Twin' Sullivan for the welterweight title? Was this a legit title at the time, or was someone else the rightful champion? I haven't put much time into it yet but have found little on the subject.

Think I can shed some light on this, Joe Walcott lost the Welter title to Dixie Kidd who shortly gave it up after, Walcott got the title back but wasn't recognised as the title holder so other fighters claimed to be the champ also, one of these was Sullivan.
The NPG newspaper article on the Gans fight was called
"Gans Vs Sullivan for Welterweight Title" but then in the first paragraph they only say that Sullivan "claims" to be the Welterweight champ and they listed the fight as a non championship bout.

[EzzardFan]

Ez, what is the story with Joe Gans and his win over Mike 'Twin' Sullivan for the welterweight title? Was this a legit title at the time, or was someone else the rightful champion? I haven't put much time into it yet but have found little on the subject.

Think I can shed some light on this, Joe Walcott lost the Welter title to Dixie Kidd who shortly gave it up after, Walcott got the title back but wasn't recognised as the title holder so other fighters claimed to be the champ also, one of these was Sullivan.
The NPG newspaper article on the Gans fight was called
"Gans Vs Sullivan for Welterweight Title" but then in the first paragraph they only say that Sullivan "claims" to be the Welterweight champ and they listed the fight as a non championship bout.

Believe it or not I'm currently reading a Gans biography, when I get to this part I'll post what it claims LOL Sounds interesting though.

[JAB5239]

Think I can shed some light on this, Joe Walcott lost the Welter title to Dixie Kidd who shortly gave it up after, Walcott got the title back but wasn't recognised as the title holder so other fighters claimed to be the champ also, one of these was Sullivan.
The NPG newspaper article on the Gans fight was called
"Gans Vs Sullivan for Welterweight Title" but then in the first paragraph they only say that Sullivan "claims" to be the Welterweight champ and they listed the fight as a non championship bout.

Believe it or not I'm currently reading a Gans biography, when I get to this part I'll post what it claims LOL Sounds interesting though.

Thank you gentlemen, all knowledge is appreciated.

[bklynboy]

Good answer.

There are several genius boxers whose potential was stifled. Langford, Gans, Ike Williams, Ezzard Charles, Charley Burley and even Harry Greb all spring to mind.

Of those I've listed, with the exception of Williams, they all had the potential to win titles in multiple weight classes, but were denied the title shots they deserved because they were considered to be just too talented and the title holders avoided them.

Langford and Burley were the two worst affected by this.

I remember reading about an Austrialian middleweight who was considered a phenom. While still a teen-ager he was beating ranked middleweights. He comes to the US during WWI and the newspapers ridicule him for evading the draft calling him the a "slacker." The slacka from down-unda. He can't get a fight in the US and dies at 21 or so from pneumonia.