The World’s Greatest Ever Light Heavyweight Boxers

Posted on | October 15, 2009 | No Comments

‘The World’s Greatest Ever Boxer’ Three-Day Celebration Dec. 11-13 in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (October 15, 2009) — The nominees in the Light Heavyweight division of the “The World’s Greatest Ever Boxer” promotion ranges from 1880, starting with Bob Fitzsimmons, right up to contemporary times with eight-time world champion Roy Jones, Jr.

The winners in the eight divisions, plus “The World’s Greatest Ever Boxer,” will be announced Sunday, December 13, the final day of a three-day celebration of these outstanding boxers in The Paris Las Vegas.

The weekend event is being presented by Greatest Ever Enterprises, which already has done “world’s greatest” tributes on two continents in the sports of soccer and rugby.

On-line voting at www.GreatestEver.com allows boxing fans from around the world to select the greatest boxer in each of the original eight weight classes, highlighted by the all-time pound-for-pound “The World’s Greatest Ever Boxer.”

The 10 Light Heavyweight nominees, listed in no particular order, with a brief profile:

GENE “The Fighting Marine” TUNNEY– 61-1-1, 45 KOs, 1 NC …International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) inductee…American…Pro Years: 1915-1928…retired as heavyweight world champion…member of the U.S. Marines Sports Hall of Fame…Notable Victories: Jack Dempsey, Tommy Gibbons and Georges Carpentier.

GEORGES “The Orchid Man” CARPENTIER — 88-14-6, 56 KOs, 1 ND …IBHOF inductee…French…Pro Years: 1908-1926…European champion…fought Jack Dempsey in first $1 million gate…French aviator during World War I…became a boxing referee after retirement from the ring…Notable Victories: Billy Wells, Ed Smith, and “Battling” Levinsky.

BILLY “The Pittsburgh Kid” CONN — 63-12-1, 14 KOs…IBHOF inductee…American…Pro Years: 1935-1948…famous for fight against Joe Louis in which he led late but lost when he went for a knockout….in first televised heavyweight world championship bout in rematch with Louis…Notable Victories: Fritzie Zivic, Solly Krieger, Fred Apostoli, Teddy Yarosz, “Young” Corbett III, Melio Bettina (2), Gus Lesvenich (2), Al McCoy and Tony Zale.

EZZARD “The Cincinnati Cobra” CHARLES — 96-25-1, 58 KOs…IBHOF inductee…American…Pro Years: 1940-1959…missed two years of boxing during World War II when he was in the U.S. Army…Notable Victories: Archie Moore (2), Charles Burley, Joey Maxim, “Jersey” Joe Walcott and Joe Louis.

JOE “Pride of Wales” CALZAGHE — 46-0, 32 KOs…Welch…Pro Years: 1993-2008…third European fighter to retire unbeaten…World Boxing Organization super middleweight champion 10 years, longest running skein in modern times…also World Boxing Association, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Council champion…Notable Victories: Chris Eubank, Jeff Lacy, Mikkel Kessler, Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones, Jr.

ROY JONES, JR — 54-5, 40 KOs…American…Pro Years: 1989-Present…eight-time world champion in four divisions…1990s Fighter of the Decade…first middleweight in more than 100 years to win world heavyweight title…silver medalist in 1988 Olympics but selected as Outstanding Fighter…Notable Victories: Otis Grant, Jeff Lacy, Virgil Hill, Antonio Tarver, Lou Del Valle, David Telesco, Thomas Tate, James Toney, Bernard Hopkins, Vinny Pazienza, Richard Hall, John Ruiz, Eric Lucas, Mike McCallum, Montell Griffith and Eric Harding.

MICHAEL “Jinx” SPINKS — 31-1, 21 KOs…IBHOF inductee…American…Pro Years: 1977-1988…93-7 as an amateur, 1976 Olympic gold medal winner…Notable Victories: David Conteh, Murray Sutherland (2), Marvin Johnson, Gerry Cooney, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Vonzell Johnson, Dwight Muhammad Qawi and Larry Holmes (2).

BOB FOSTER — 56-8-1, 46 KOs…IBHOF inductee…American…Pro Years: 1961-1978…detective in the Albuquerque Sheriff’s office…first boxer to cut Muhammad Ali…Notable Victories: Henry Hank, Dick Tiger and Vincente Rondon.

ARCHIE “The Old Mongoose” MOORE — 183-24-10, 131 KOs, 1 NC …IBHOF inductee…American…Pro Years: 1935-1963…recorded the most career knockouts (131)…Notable Victories: Holman Williams, Jimmy Bivens, Harold Johnson, Joey Maxim, Eddie Cotton and Yvon Durelle.

BOB “Ruby Robert” FITZSIMMONS — 74-9-3, 67 KOs, 3 ND…IBHOF inductee…British…Pro Years: 1885-1914…one of the longest careers in boxing history…moved at age of nine to New Zealand…first three-time divisional world champion…Wyatt Earp refereed his disqualification loss to Tom Sharkey…Notable Victories: Jim Corbett, George Gardiner, Jack Dempsey and Tom Sharkey.

The categories represent the eight original weight-class divisions: strawweights are included in the flyweight category while super middleweights are in the light heavyweight division. The other divisions are bantamweight, featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, middleweight and heavyweight. Many boxers fought and won titles at a number of different weights. As much as possible they have been nominated in the division in which they made their biggest impact. Boxers have not been nominated on the basis of whether they would have beaten another boxer in that division, although this is, of course, a consideration. More important is their overall record, as well as whom they fought at the time, plus the impact they made on the boxing world. All nominees are listed in the voting section at www.GreatestEver.com.

Many of the events Dec. 11-13 will be held at the Paris Las Vegas, including a welcoming reception Friday (Dec. 11) and official weigh-in for the next day’s pro boxing card; world-class boxing show featuring Team USA versus Team Europe, plus an exclusive after-card party following the bouts on Saturday (Dec. 12); “The World’s Greatest Ever Boxer” black-tie awards dinner Sunday (Dec. 13). Internationally renowned entertainment will be featured at the dinner. A second exclusive party follows the awards dinner and show.

The boxing card and awards dinner will be televised to six continents and hundreds of millions of households. Other events in association with “The World’s Greatest Ever Boxer” will be held throughout Southern Nevada.

The Retired Boxers Foundation (RBF) is the national charity for “The World’s Greatest Ever Boxer.” Affiliations with Southern Nevada-based not-for-profits will be announced.

NEW VOTING CATEGORIES ANNOUNCED

Fans worldwide have been voting for their Greatest Ever Boxers in the eight traditional voting categories since June and in response to the debate that has been generated, three new voting categories are being introduced for Greatest Ever Fight, Greatest Ever Trainer and Greatest Ever Promoter. The nominations for these categories will be released shortly to the global vote.

NEW TICKET PACKAGES

Events Only tickets are now available for the US vs. The World fight card (Super VIP at $150, Platinum at $100, VIP at $80 and Gold at $65. The fight card plus hospitality packages are Super VIP at $500, Platinum at $400, VIP at $250 and Gold at $150), as well as for the Greatest Ever Dinner Awards Ceremony and Entertainment (Super VIP at $1000, Platinum at $800, VIP at $450 and Gold at $250).