Our greatest H2H lightheavyweight?

[WhataRock]

Which aussie lightheavy defeats all others?

I was hoping to get a response from guys like Couldhavebeen, flamengo and ippy on some of our older greats like Bob Dunlop, Jack Johnson Young Palmer etc...As I know very little on these guys.

[WhataRock]

Well Ill make a start at least...from our modern day best, guys like Harding, Briggs, Green, Carr, Mundine, Delisle and Kelly...I would probably actually put Briggs just ahead on his best night.

Beats Green, Jase and ol Wally...I think he would always catch Kunga eventually, Glen just wasnt mobile enough..Mundine Snr would be a pretty brutal shootout but I think Briggsy, the bigger man, would catch Tony's suspect chin but Mundine a massive punchers chance himself.

The hardest pick for me is Harding...that would be a nail biter I reckon and a war of attrition..I think in many aspects Briggs is the better boxer but Harding was a warrior cut from a special cloth..It wouldnt be long before Hurricane would be dragged into a war and that suits Jeff..pretty close in the end I reckon.

[Jambo]

Paul has a stamina issues by the looks of things. I can't see him outboxing Harding, and can see him getting broken down in the latter rounds personally.

[pecks]

I'm not too sure about Briggs V Harding. Briggs would be able to land on Harding, but it might not be enough. Prime for prime, I think Briggs would be able to work Green out and stop him in an entertaining war.
Havent seen Mundine Snr, so I can't really comment on that one.

I havent seen much of Kelly too tbh, but from what I have seen, he appears to be a fair bit below the likes of Harding, Briggs, and Green.

[COULDHAVEBEEN]

...from our modern day best, guys like Harding, Briggs, Green, Carr, Mundine, Delisle and Kelly...I would probably actually put Briggs just ahead on his best night.

Beats Green, Jase and ol Wally...I think he would always catch Kunga eventually, Glen just wasnt mobile enough..Mundine Snr would be a pretty brutal shootout but I think Briggsy, the bigger man, would catch Tony's suspect chin but Mundine a massive punchers chance himself.

The hardest pick for me is Harding...

These are always hard scenarios - there's no right or wrong answer - how can you prove or disprove it afterall? I'm with most of your thinking above though.

In Jan this year in a thread started by Sallywinder I went with:

1/ Jeff HARDING 2/ Bobby DUNLOP 3/ Paul BRIGGS - and commented at the time: Harding the stand-out, more courage than brains, world title etc.

Probably wouldn't change it. But Mundine, though a natural middleweight proved he could win Aussie & Commonwealth titles in any division and but for natural size would would trouble most of the above. Green also worthy of mention in the top few.

[the beaver]

Harding on top for me.

[DaSweetScience]

Harding for the simple fact that he successfully made the step up.

[WhataRock]

These are all very fair points...and I think its close, could go either way...The reason I think its this close is because I consider Adamek a little bit better then Andries..he is just all around a bit better except maybe pure punching power...Jeff went life a death with him 3 times..getting knocked out once..Paul did the same over 24 rounds with Tomasz but arguably won the 2nd bout.

Just my opinion on that one.

[rusty nails]

mundine slightly too skillful for the rest

[ashley]

It would have been great to see Briggs vs Green after Green won the title.

[the beaver]

It would have been great to see Briggs vs Green after Green won the title.

Nah at that time Briggs was finished with his medical issues.

[ashley]

Nah at that time Briggs was finished with his medical issues.

Yeah I know the fight was never on then....I ment for Briggs to get a world title shot that he would win.....Prime vs prime Briggs for me.

[flamengo]

Good one ya mate, nice to know your interested in the older Aussie fighters. Whilst the Australian LH/W division is generally recognised through the Harding successes, there does remain nice depth of talent that appeared over the last hundred years.

Personally, the names are all pretty bloody impressive. Les Darcy, Ambrose Palmer, Dave Sands, Tony Mundine... all of whom excelled as Middleweights, yet, aquired the Aust LH/W and H/W titles also, and went on to fight some extrordinary opponents, and/or claim a world title.

Other notables are Jack johnson ( Im not well versed on his own career), Bobby Dunlop, Guy Waters, Green and Briggs.. of course... although, there remains a vast amount of other genuine LH/Ws that can be mention, theres one particular name that stands out, far above all else. Far, far above. RON RICHARDS.

This guy was a freak. Perhaps claiming the hardest right hand in the list of Australian born fighters. He was durable at M/W, having engaged in some of the toughest M/W bouts Oz boxing has seen. At LH/W, his power was awesome, and appearingly, a comfortable weight for him.

I have little belief that Harding, Green, Dunlop, Mundine snr or Dave Sands could have bettered Richards at LH. The reason I doubt Sands bettering Richards is simple. Dave often took on LH/Ws and came into the fights a lighter man.

If there is one man to seriously take a look at for nostalgic interests, Id reccomemend Ron Richards. A hard man, who never lost his own temper in the ring.

[WhataRock]

Yeah I know of old Ronnie...havent seen any film of him though...I thought he was a middleweight who rarely weighed anymore then that till the end..Im sure I was looking at his record whilst getting some names for this thread.

[Angry Fight Fan]

Richards was a natural middleweight who had some success at the higher weight but would probably have been too small for the likes of other great Australians. The fact that he lost to Ambrose Palmer I think it was four times shows hat we had better light heavyweights. Personally, I think Les Darcy would towel any Aussie up from middleweight to light heavyweight. Darcy was a very big middleweight who often had to lose a lot of weight to make the limit. If his career wasn't cut so short, he likely would have ended up at light heavyweight or even heavyweight.

[WhataRock]

Richards was a natural middleweight who had some success at the higher weight but would probably have been too small for the likes of other great Australians. The fact that he lost to Ambrose Palmer I think it was four times shows hat we had better light heavyweights. Personally, I think Les Darcy would towel any Aussie up from middleweight to light heavyweight. Darcy was a very big middleweight who often had to lose a lot of weight to make the limit. If his career wasn't cut so short, he likely would have ended up at light heavyweight or even heavyweight.

More then likely...the consensus seems to be he was one of our best ever even with his career cut short..thats saying something.

Cheers for the replies fellas.

[flamengo]

Yeah I know of old Ronnie...havent seen any film of him though...I thought he was a middleweight who rarely weighed anymore then that till the end..Im sure I was looking at his record whilst getting some names for this thread.

After bashing Gus Lesnevich... and bashed him from pillar to post, Lesnevich wass soon to become the LH/W champ, and retain it for 7 years. If you would like to see footage of Richards at LH/W.. Im willing to offer without a fee.

[Angry Fight Fan]

You don't have footage of his fights with Archie Moore do you?

[flamengo]

You don't have footage of his fights with Archie Moore do you?


Yes, brief highlights. I also have the 'house of stoush' documentary, and would be certain more footage of Richards is contained. Havent watched it in a very long time, therefore I cant say just how much footage I have.

'Thats Boxing' also contains highlights of Richards with Henneberry, Palmer, Moore, Lesnevich, Carmen Bath, George Simpson, Sabatino and Alabama Kid.

LeonMcs has requested some footage in the last few days, which Im happy to post to him a.s.a.p. Some enquiries will be made, as Im hoping to find some extended footage for Richards. Once available, Im happy to offer to anyone interested without a or return offering. Bare with me, as I have to get to the storage unit and retrieve some vids in the next few days. Cheers.