The City of Brotherly Love has long been known for boxing. Who do readers, other local Philly boxing fans, think is the city’s best heavyweight?
International Boxing Hall of Fame promoter J Russell Peltz said the following: “(‘Smokin’ Joe) Frazier had the best career, but (Sonny) Liston is the best!“
In 1964 at the Olympics in Tokyo, Frazier won the gold medal, holding off competitors from Uganda, Australia, Russia, and Hans Huber of Germany. At the Olympic trials, after stopping three opponents in that time, he lost twice to Buster Mathis. In their second game, Mathis broke his thumb, and Frazier took his place.
In March 1968, Frazier entered the professional ranks and became the NYSAC world champion. He stopped Mathis 23-0 in eleven rounds, improving his record to 20-0. After four defenses, he stopped former WBA champion Jimmy Ellis 27-5, adding the vacant WBC title. After two defenses, he defeated former world champion Muhammad Ali 31-0 at Madison Square Garden. He would lose to Ali in their next fight.
After defeating Ali, he lost his title, being stopped by ‘Big’ George Foreman, 37-0, twice. He finished his career 32-4-1 with 27 stoppages.
Liston, in September of 1962, won the world title, stopping Floyd Patterson, 38-2, in a rematch. Then he lost twice to Ali. He then won fourteen bouts before being stopped by Philly’s Leotis Martin, 30-5, in nine rounds to take the vacant NABF title. Martin suffered a detached retina and retired. Liston had Martin on the canvas in the fourth.
Philly’s Jimmy Young, 35-18-3 with 11 stops. After being stopped by Earnie Shavers, 42-2, he went on to win six in a row and tied with Shaver in a rematch. After that he beat Ron Lyle, 30-1-1, then Foreman, 45-1. Then, after two wins, he lost to WBA-WBC champion Ali, 50-2, in a close fight.
Young would lose to Mike Dokes, 14-0, Gerry Cooney, 22-0, champion Greg Page, 18-0, champion Tony ‘TNT’ Tubbs, 14-0, and Tony ‘TNT’ Tucker, 24-0, in others.
Others include 1984 Olympic gold medalist Tyrell Biggs, who won his first 20 fights before being stopped by ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson, 31-0. He went 10-20, ending his career with losses to WBO champions Francesco Damiani, 21-0, Riddick ‘Big Daddy’ Bowe, 21-0, and Lennox ‘The Lion, Lewis, 17-0, Tubbs, 36-5. , Buster Mathis, Jr. 12-0. He finished 30-10 with 20 shutouts.
WBC & WBA champion ‘Terrible’ Tim Witherspoon, 55-13-1 with 38 stoppages. He lost a unanimous decision at 15-0 to WBC champion Larry ‘The Easton Assassin’ Holmes, 42-0, a majority decision to WBC champion Pinklon ‘Pink’ Thomas, 24-0-1, was stopped by the champion of -WBA James’ Bonecrusher. ‘ Smith, 18-5, former WBO champion Ray ‘Merciless’ Mercer, 23-4-1, former WBA champion Greg Page 55-14-1. He defeated Tubbs, 21-0, Frank Bruno, 28-1.
Also on the UK-born roster are Phoenixville’s ‘Big’ Joe Thomas, who went 23-2-1 with 19 stoppages but lost to KAZ, and future WBC champion Oleg Maskaev of Russia, with 4 – 0 in his last fight. Maskaev was the 1981 National Golden Gloves champion.
Jimmy Clark of Coatesville, 18-1, with 16 stops. Stopped by Reggie Gross, 15-3. He defeated Olympian Clarence Hill, 17-2-1, of Bermuda. He lost three times to Cuban 3-time Olympic gold medalist Teofilo Stevenson in the Gloves, defeating Michael Dokes. He beat Greg Page for the Golden Gloves title. He lost to Michael Dokes for the AAU title.
Frazier’s son Marvis, 19-2 with eight starts and 54-2 in the amateurs. Defeated in the 1980 Olympic Trials, he was suspended by James Broad after beating Mitch Green. Break up with Tubbs.
So, you have Frazier, Liston, Witherspoon, and Martin, and Marvis Frazier, Clark, and Thomas. Who do you think was the best in Philly?
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