10 Greatest African-born Fighters

[the cobra]

I'm not exactly an expert on this topic, but have done some research and made a top 10 list of the greatest boxers born in Africa.

#1. Dick Tiger
#2. Azumah Nelson
#3. Marcel Cerdan
#4. Sumbu Kalamby
#5. Ike Quartey
#6. Nana Konadu
#7. Vuyani Bungu
#8. Brian Mitchell
#9. Vic Toweel
#10. Ayub Kalule

Am I missing anyone? Are there any major flaws with the placing in your opinion?

[SteveO]

Sam Peter (?)
Gerrie Coetzee?

I want to say RING did a top 20 write up a while back on best African fighters. Don't remember who they named.

[the cobra]

I'll have to see if I can find that RING issue, it was probably Tiger at #1, I don't really see a case for any other.

One thing to add to this thread, I don't know too much about Battling Siki, Africa's first champ, other than his win over Carpentier, and I'm not familiar with most of the other guys on his resume other than McTigue, so if anyone does know a few details about Siki, that would be helpful.

[Mantequilla]

Siki was a very limited fighter imo.A one-dimensional slugger with power.


Other fighters that acould round out a top 20...Bassey, Poison Kotey, Boza, Mugabi, Ledwaba, N'cita

[WhataRock]

Phil Holiday?

[the cobra]

Originally posted by Mantequilla
Siki was a very limited fighter imo.A one-dimensional slugger with power.


Other fighters that acould round out a top 20...Bassey, Poison Kotey, Boza, Mugabi, Ledwaba, N'cita
Would you place any of them over the ones I listed?

[Seamus]

Corrie Sanders, the inhuman physical specimen.

[Bigcat]

Siki was a great pioneer, maybee not the best fighter..

But definitely worth a mention......

[tommy the hat]

Sam Peter (?)
Gerrie Coetzee?

I want to say RING did a top 20 write up a while back on best African fighters. Don't remember who they named.
I bought and read that issue though I don't have it anymore. I believe the top 2 guys were Dick Tiger and Azumah Nelson if memory serves well. Some of the other guys I remembered listed though I don't remember their rankings were Cornelius Boza Edwards, Ayub Kahule, Brian Mitchell, John Mugabi, David Kotey, Ike Quartey,Battling Siki and Ike Ibeauchi

[salsanchezfan]

Wait a minute, I didn't know Marcel Cerdan was born in Africa.


..........Algerian.

[r_9-Ronaldo]

lovemore ndou is another one but if sam peters wins tonight and go on to beat wlad he would have to be top10 also

[lfsdan]

Dick Tiger without question holds the #1 position.

[fists of fury]

I'm not exactly an expert on this topic, but have done some research and made a top 10 list of the greatest boxers born in Africa.

#1. Dick Tiger
#2. Azumah Nelson
#3. Marcel Cerdan
#4. Sumbu Kalamby
#5. Ike Quartey
#6. Nana Konadu
#7. Vuyani Bungu
#8. Brian Mitchell
#9. Vic Toweel
#10. Ayub Kalule

Am I missing anyone? Are there any major flaws with the placing in your opinion?

Good list.
I think Bungu should be dropped though. There are more deserving candidates like Hogan 'Kid' Bassey and possibly even Battling Siki who gave Georges Carpentier a frightful beating, a result surely greater than anything Bungu achieved. Welcome N'cita for me was also better than Bungu. Bungu was good, but a bit too protected for me.
Vic Toweel should move up a few places as well. He didn't hold the bantamweight crown for very long and he had a short prime, but he had immense natural ability that was sadly derailed by tremendous weight troubles, something that dogged him throughout his career.

Personally I'd put Nelson ahead of Tiger, but it's splitting hairs really.

[PowerPuncher]

hONOURABLE MENTION: mALLINGER

[enquirer]

You mean sugar boy MALINGA?

[smiffy]

You mean sugar boy MALINGA?


he was pretty good, beat a past-prime benn but then lost the title to that weird italian chap, nardiello . he was a brave fighter, mallinga.

[WhataRock]

You would be suprised how many French champs were actually born in Africa now ive had a look.
They had two bantemweight world champs in the 50s/60s that were born in Algeria.

[la-califa]

Naseem Hamed ( Egyptian) I believe. How about the "Syrian Buzzsaw"? Mustafa Hamsho.

[Russell]

he was pretty good, beat a past-prime benn but then lost the title to that weird italian chap, nardiello . he was a brave fighter, mallinga.

Wasn't he blatantly robbed against Eubank?

Never hear anyone mention that one.

[smiffy]

Naseem Hamed ( Egyptian) I believe. How about the "Syrian Buzzsaw"? Mustafa Hamsho.


hamed family are from the yeman ( middle east ) and he was born here i think.

[smiffy]

Wasn't he blatantly robbed against Eubank?

Never hear anyone mention that one.


think he did fight him, cant remember the fight but eubank went through a faze of poor performances where he always won tight decisions. so probably.

[Vantage_West]

Naseem Hamed ( Egyptian) I believe. How about the "Syrian Buzzsaw"? Mustafa Hamsho.yemen is naz ethinicity.and syria is nearer turkey than continental africa

[Vantage_West]

a real forgotten african champ was Anaclet Wamba. nice set of skills, big puncher and was damn good at setting traps...sadly never got the break that african fighters need to get out the fiercly competative and penniless domestic scene which has had many african fighters stumped early in there careers. the only way of getting out is by fighting into europe or south africa. and that means tons of money and resources thus you have to have phenomenal talent or desire. going to britain or france (commonwealth or francophonic)

anyways anclet wamba good fighter and shoudl of got a major deal somwhere down the lines...this wasnt the weak 190 divison of old but a division which both lightheavies and 200 pounders were taking advatage of.
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[Mantequilla]

Wasn't he blatantly robbed against Eubank?

Never hear anyone mention that one.

No, Eubank beat him fairly.

[PowerPuncher]

he was pretty good, beat a past-prime benn but then lost the title to that weird italian chap, nardiello . he was a brave fighter, mallinga.

Also arguably got jobbed against Benn and Eubank in 2 other contests

[the cobra]

Originally posted by fists of fury
Good list.
I think Bungu should be dropped though. There are more deserving candidates like Hogan 'Kid' Bassey and possibly even Battling Siki who gave Georges Carpentier a frightful beating, a result surely greater than anything Bungu achieved. Welcome N'cita for me was also better than Bungu. Bungu was good, but a bit too protected for me.
Vic Toweel should move up a few places as well. He didn't hold the bantamweight crown for very long and he had a short prime, but he had immense natural ability that was sadly derailed by tremendous weight troubles, something that dogged him throughout his career.

Personally I'd put Nelson ahead of Tiger, but it's splitting hairs really.
Ncita was more protected than Bungu IMO. Bungu was Ncita's cheif sparring partner for a while, but did what Ncita couldn't when he beat Kennedy McKinney for the title.

Bungu has McKinney (twice), Danny Romero, Jesus Salud, and made 13 defenses if his belt, going unbeaten for 8 years.

Ncita lost twice to MicKinney, beat Salud, Fabrice Benichou, made two weak defenses before getting a gift against Sugar Baby Rojas, and won a very close decision in the rematch.

I think Bungu was the better fighter and did more in his career.

I think Bungu could be dropped below Toweel, who was immensely talented and has an excellent win over Manuel Ortiz (although it was an old Ortiz), and wins over Jackie Patterson, Luis Ramero, and Danny O' Sullivan. That's acceptable.

I don't think Bassey should necessarily be above Bungu either. I wouldn't argue with it too much, but wins over a very old Pep, Cherif Hamia, and Ricardo Moreno combined with his for the most part inconsistant record and less-than average chin don't really earn him a for sure higher rating than Bungu, although he should probably be above Kalule and Mitchell for a top 10 spot.

I don't see anything else on Siki's resume other than Carpentier, who was past his best, and the loss to McTigue. But as I said, I don't know much about him.

As for Nelson being above Tiger, I think at his best Nelson was probably a more talented fighter, but Tiger's resume is a clear superior IMO.

All of your points are valid though, excluding Ncita being rated higher than Bungu, which I personally don't see.

[Bad_Intentions]

Ike Ibeabuchi.

[Russell]

No, Eubank beat him fairly.

I've only seen the first few rounds of the fight but I remember giving the first four or some such to Sugar.

Why do you feel Eubank won?

[Mantequilla]

Because he outboxed him for about 7 or 8 rounds and dropped him.

malinga came on late as Eubank took it easy, but didnt do enough work.

[sweet_scientist]

Just on Siki, from the 20 minutes I've seen of his fight with McTigue, he looked to be more than holding his own, for whatever that's worth....

A couple of African fighters I'd have in my top 20 which have not been mentioned yet are Arnold Taylor of South Africa and Harry Simon of Namibia. Simon gets there pretty much on talent alone, though he did have a couple of good wins (though I felt he lost to Winky Wright, you could argue he beat him). Taylor has the win against Anaya in an all time classic fight, and a good win against the competent Paul Ferreri as well.

[Russell]

Gotcha. Thanks Mantequilla. Going to need to score that entire fight sometime.

[Mantequilla]

Just on Siki, from the 20 minutes I've seen of his fight with McTigue, he looked to be more than holding his own, for whatever that's worth....

A couple of African fighters I'd have in my top 20 which have not been mentioned yet are Arnold Taylor of South Africa and Harry Simon of Namibia. Simon gets there pretty much on talent alone, though he did have a couple of good wins (though I felt he lost to Winky Wright, you could argue he beat him). Taylor has the win against Anaya in an all time classic fight, and a good win against the competent Paul Ferreri as well.

I really like Ferreri from what i've seen of him.

Very nice tidy technician.I thought he gave Zarate an excellent fight.I wonder if that fight took a lot out of him.

[sweet_scientist]

I really like Ferreri from what i've seen of him.

Very nice tidy technician.I thought he gave Zarate an excellent fight.I wonder if that fight took a lot out of him.

Ferreri was a good fighter, no question about it. He had good technical skills as you say and he backed it up with a solid chin and great stamina. His problem was that he didn't really have much pop in his punches and so he couldn't really earn his best opponents' respect. Weird for a tall lanky fighter not to have much pop. Also weird that he was such a tecnhically sound fighter for a tall laky bloke as well...

Ferreri had a slow steady decline from the Zarate fight, but along the way he was still a competent fighter for many, many years and had a few decent wins along the way. A good 18 years after he started boxing he was still contesting the Commonwealth bantam title, which is pretty amazing. That he could still make weight for it is amazing alone.

I'd like to try and get his fight with the matchstick man if it's available. Could you imagine two anorexic looking kids going at it!

[WhataRock]

Ferrari was probably one of our best fighters never to win a world title. To bad he ran into a young, emerging Zarate or he may have bagged one.

[Vantage_West]

anyone remember baby jake matlala?
looking back he has a pretty good call for a top 10er.

also he unified a country that was still trying to find a self identity. the barry mcguigan of RSA. very a typical of hall of famers.

[the cobra]

Originally posted by Vantage_West
anyone remember baby jake matlala?
looking back he has a pretty good call for a top 10er.

also he unified a country that was still trying to find a self identity. the barry mcguigan of RSA. very a typical of hall of famers.
He was one of my favorite fighters, I don't think he has enough of an argument to be placed inside the top 10, but definitely top 20.

[Vantage_West]

yeah thats why i compared him to barry mcguigan becuase of how his ring achievments (which are better than what it seems) are not the reason he got his recogntition but for uniting a country...dunno a bit pretencious but still.

yeah scary type of guy he broke you down so heavily. im surprised his ko percentage is so low. it was very hard to get otu the way of him even for being the smallest world champion ever

[WhataRock]

Old Baby Jake

Little buzzsaw he was, remember he stopped a pretty good flyweight of ours called Todd Makelin.

[COULDHAVEBEEN]

Ferreri was a good fighter, no question about it. He had good technical skills as you say and he backed it up with a solid chin and great stamina. His problem was that he didn't really have much pop in his punches and so he couldn't really earn his best opponents' respect. Weird for a tall lanky fighter not to have much pop. Also weird that he was such a tecnhically sound fighter for a tall laky bloke as well...

Ferreri had a slow steady decline from the Zarate fight, but along the way he was still a competent fighter for many, many years and had a few decent wins along the way. A good 18 years after he started boxing he was still contesting the Commonwealth bantam title, which is pretty amazing. That he could still make weight for it is amazing alone.

I'd like to try and get his fight with the matchstick man if it's available. Could you imagine two anorexic looking kids going at it!

As you stated Ferreri, a southpaw, was not a big banger, but with his cross-arm defence and solid chin was a very hard man to stop. His 78 wins (26 by KO), 13 losses (2 by KO) and 5 draws emphasizes this point.

Ferreri shared the ring with many former and later world champions and was Commonwealth & Australian champ, in a few different divisions, longer than anyone could remember.

Ferreri was stopped on cuts, but not disgraced, by the great Carlos Zarate. But nobody went the distance with Zarate, particularly at that point in his career. This stoppage occured about halfway through Ferreri's 18 year career. The only other stoppage on his CV was in his very last fight in 1986, when approaching 40 years of age!

Johnny The Matchstick Man Owen was a walking skeleton with the heart of a lion. His demise following his bout with Pintor is certainly one of boxing's greatest tragedies.

Ferreri, though he had thin legs, was a much stronger build than Owen.

[sweet_scientist]

As you stated Ferreri, a southpaw, was not a big banger, but with his cross-arm defence and solid chin was a very hard man to stop. His 78 wins (26 by KO), 13 losses (2 by KO) and 5 draws emphasizes this point.

Ferreri shared the ring with many former and later world champions and was Commonwealth & Australian champ, in a few different divisions, longer than anyone could remember.

Ferreri was stopped on cuts, but not disgraced, by the great Carlos Zarate. But nobody went the distance with Zarate, particularly at that point in his career. This stoppage occured about halfway through Ferreri's 18 year career. The only other stoppage on his CV was in his very last fight in 1986, when approaching 40 years of age!

Johnny The Matchstick Man Owen was a walking skeleton with the heart of a lion. His demise following his bout with Pintor is certainly one of boxing's greatest tragedies.

Ferreri, though he had thin legs, was a much stronger build than Owen.

Yeah Coulda. I recently watched a 23 min highlight of Paul's fight with Johnny and he was definitely more solid than Johnny.

Excellent boxing match that was by the way. Johnny outwilled Ferreri and took the win, but Paul showed some excellent skills along the way coming on strong in the middle rounds and then fighting furiously in the last when he had given up a lead in the championship rounds.

[COULDHAVEBEEN]

Yeah Coulda. I recently watched a 23 min highlight of Paul's fight with Johnny and he was definitely more solid than Johnny.

Excellent boxing match that was by the way. Johnny outwilled Ferreri and took the win, but Paul showed some excellent skills along the way coming on strong in the middle rounds and then fighting furiously in the last when he had given up a lead in the championship rounds.

Have only seen very short sections of Zarate vs Ferreri and Owen vs Ferreri.

Where did you get the 23 minute clip from? Is it downloadable?

[sweet_scientist]

Have only seen very short sections of Zarate vs Ferreri and Owen vs Ferreri.

Where did you get the 23 minute clip from? Is it downloadable?

Check your private messages mate :good

[My2Sense]

Wasn't he blatantly robbed against Eubank?


No. In fact, Malinga was actually lucky to lose only by an SD.

[My2Sense]

As for Nelson being above Tiger, I think at his best Nelson was probably a more talented fighter, but Tiger's resume is a clear superior IMO.


Exactly the way I see it.

They're the definite #1 and 2 IMO, which one goes where is just a matter of opinion.

As for the rest, it's pretty much splitting hairs.

The only one I would disagree with is Konadu being on there, or at least so high. He should be down closer to the bottom, alongside Kalule IMO. I'd put Mitchell and Toweel higher on that list.

[flamengo]

I'm not exactly an expert on this topic, but have done some research and made a top 10 list of the greatest boxers born in Africa.

#1. Dick Tiger
#2. Azumah Nelson
#3. Marcel Cerdan
#4. Sumbu Kalamby
#5. Ike Quartey
#6. Nana Konadu
#7. Vuyani Bungu
#8. Brian Mitchell
#9. Vic Toweel
#10. Ayub Kalule

Am I missing anyone? Are there any major flaws with the placing in your opinion?
Hogan 'kid' Bassey ....Ghana
Battling Siki... .a great story.
Idi Amin.... a H/W amatuer champ of Uganda.... former Dictator/Presi.

[flamengo]

Check your private messages mate :good
SS... any chance of the same offering made to CHB?????????

[fists of fury]

Just on Siki, from the 20 minutes I've seen of his fight with McTigue, he looked to be more than holding his own, for whatever that's worth....

A couple of African fighters I'd have in my top 20 which have not been mentioned yet are Arnold Taylor of South Africa and Harry Simon of Namibia. Simon gets there pretty much on talent alone, though he did have a couple of good wins (though I felt he lost to Winky Wright, you could argue he beat him). Taylor has the win against Anaya in an all time classic fight, and a good win against the competent Paul Ferreri as well.

Good call on Harry Simon who seems to be completely forgotten today.

Arnold Taylor had decent skills, but personally I think there were a bunch of more talented fighters who never got a chance at a world title, mainly due to politics.

If we're talking pure talent, Dingaan Thobela has to rate right up there. He was a lazy bugger and often barely trained, but when it all came together for him he was magic. He doesn't have the resume to stand with the elite, but had he had more desire and dedication he could have easily made the list.
Check out his fight with Mario Martinez to see what I mean.

[sweet_scientist]

SS... any chance of the same offering made to CHB?????????

You know the drill :good

[sweet_scientist]

Good call on Harry Simon who seems to be completely forgotten today.

Arnold Taylor had decent skills, but personally I think there were a bunch of more talented fighters who never got a chance at a world title, mainly due to politics.

If we're talking pure talent, Dingaan Thobela has to rate right up there. He was a lazy bugger and often barely trained, but when it all came together for him he was magic. He doesn't have the resume to stand with the elite, but had he had more desire and dedication he could have easily made the list.
Check out his fight with Mario Martinez to see what I mean.

Haven't see that fight but I'll check it out mate. :good