1. Mike Twin Sullivan
Boston’s Sullivan was starched in a round by a marauding Stanley Ketchel in 1908. Mike’s twin brother Jack fared slightly better a few months later in the very same ring, but was dispatched in 20 rounds by the ferocious champion.
2. Mickey Walker
The “Toy Bulldog” was reigning welter king when he lost over 15 rounds to the legendary Harry Greb in this 1925 New York battle. They were rumoured to have gone at it again after a chance meeting outside a speakeasy the same night.
3. Ace Hudkins
The “Nebraska Wildcat” had outgrown the welters by the time he dropped this 1928 10-round decision to New Jersey’s Mickey Walker.
4. Henry Armstong
Armstrong went so close to becoming champ at a fourth weight when he met Ceferino Garcia for the California version of the 160lb title in 1940 only to come away with a disputed draw after 10 rounds.
5. Kid Gavilan
The teak-tough “Keed”, reigning welter king, weighed in with his clothes on but was still only 155lbs when he was outpointed by Carl Bobo Olson over 15 rounds in 1954.
6. Carmen Basilio
New York State onion farmer Basilio toppled the great Sugar Ray Robinson via split 15-round decision in 1957.
7. Benny Kid Paret
Welter king Paret suffered a horrible 10-round beating in this December 1961 bid for Gene Fullmer’s NBA middle crown and would lose his life after a fight three months later.
8. Emile Griffith
In 1966 welter champ Griffith scaled just 150 1/2lbs but outboxed Dick Tiger to become world middleweight king over 15 rounds.
9. Jose Napoles
Mexico-based Cuban Napoles found dominant champion Carlos Monzon far too big for him in this 1974 Paris encounter and was retired after six rounds.
10. Sugar Ray Leonard
Leonard was really only a welter when he came out of retirement in 1987 and shocked the world with a 12-round split decision over long-reigning champion Marvin Hagler.
11. Amir Khan
The Bolton man bravely jumped a division-and-a-bit (came in at 155lbs) only to be flattened by Mexican star Canelo Alvarez in six rounds in May this year.
12. Kell Brook
The “Special One”s audacious challenge to feared Kazakh Gennady Golovkin ended when his corner threw in the towel in the fifth round of a far better-than-expected brawl in London.
