HAMILTONS HISTORIC
B
elow follows a near-exhaustive* analysis of the
greatest boxers who’ve ever lived by achievement. To
qualify for consideration for inclusion each fighter
needs to have a) won 10 fights against credible
opposition; b) hold more credible wins than sub-elite
level losses & c) no more than 17.5% of a fighter’s
fights ended in a loss to a sub-elite level opponent at
the time of the contest.
Among several tens of thousands of bouts that were
considered for this ranking analysis the only match
up that was completely ignored was Azumah Nelson
vs. Jeff Fenech 3 in 2008 as I chose to view that as
ostensibly an exhibition match. It is not possible to
comment on these rankings because the only people
whose opinions on the matter I care to consider have
already been consulted. This listing attempts to apply
logic & to quantify that logic. I hope you will find food
for thought in the examination that follows.
I have sought to carve out a formula that is
impervious to the whims; inadequacies & intermittent
corruption of sanctioning bodies. Note all wins &
losses taken into consideration are based on the
standing of the opponent at the time he entered the
ring.
Wins are divided into seven categories: 1) Not
credible; 2) Credible – D Grade; 3) Credible – C
Grade; 4) Credible – B Grade; 5) Credible – A Grade;
6) Credible – AA Grade & 7) Credible – AAA Grade.
Similarly defeats are partitioned into 6 categories: 1)
AAA Grade; 2) AA Grade; 3) A Grade; 4) B Grade;
5) C Grade & 6) D Grade. The higher grade the loss
– the higher calibre of the opponent the fighter under
consideration lost to at the time of the bout under
consideration & thus the less the Hamilton Ranking
Co-Efficient penalizes the ranked boxer.
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Sugar Ray Robinson ƒ81.72
Archie Moore ƒ72.26
Joe Louis ƒ64.25
Henry Armstrong ƒ62.20
Emile Griffith ƒ61.66
Kid Gavilan ƒ61.34
Holman Williams ƒ60.36
Ezzard Charles ƒ57.94
Jimmy Bivins ƒ54.45
Ike Williams ƒ54.36
30 BRAWL SPORTS DECEMBER 2014
Underlying ethos of the
Hamilton Ranking Algorithm:
1.) Belts mean nothing. They have always been flawed but
with increasing regularity in the post IBF world; then the
post WBO world (which is now sufficiently lengthy) they
have rendered comparison by defences utterly futile.
2.) All that matters is: Who you beat. When you
beat them. Who you lost to. When you lost to them.
Independent of whether you were fighting for the ABC
belt or not – the opponent’s deciphered quality at the time
you beat him is the “championship” or credit for which
you fight (& risk losing).
3.) Nett merit is deemed the sum of your achievements
(merits) less the sum of your weighted sub-elite level
losses (demerits).
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Muhammad Ali ƒ53.52
Tony Canzoneri ƒ53.22
Maxie Rosenbloom ƒ52.45
Gene Fullmer ƒ48.68
Jose Napoles ƒ48.35
Jake LaMotta ƒ48.27
Bob Montgomery ƒ47.91
Jimmy McLarnin ƒ47.19
Joey Giardello ƒ47.19
Bobo Olson ƒ46.52
John Henry Lewis ƒ46.10
Freddie Dawson ƒ45.41
Carlos Ortiz ƒ45.38
Sammy Angott ƒ45.00
Lou Ambers ƒ44.69
Fred Apostoli ƒ44.35
Floyd Patterson ƒ44.01
Dick Tiger ƒ43.93
Harry Greb ƒ43.29
Charley Burley ƒ42.64
Carlos Monzon ƒ42.60
Barney Ross ƒ42.15
Rocky Marciano ƒ41.48
Nino Benvenuti ƒ41.47
Young Corbett III ƒ41.40
Duilio Loi ƒ40.85
Willie Pep ƒ40.42
Billy Conn ƒ39.27
Carmen Basilio ƒ35.85