Top Ten Best Fighters of All-Time?

Sheppy

Registered User
Nov 23, 2011
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Behn Wilson's rookie season was amazing. He went through the league taking on all the bad asses. I am old school so the Hammer, Bubba Beck and Paul Holmgren need to be added. John Ferguson was a bad man.I lost all respect for Domi when he ran from Richardson. Also Frank the Animal fought Brashear 3 times with 2 wins and a draw in the AHL When Domi was hurt Frank was called up to replace him. However a bad knee finished his NHL career. Wensink was tough and Nystrom could throw them. A very underrated fighter was "The Hawk" Rick MacLeish.
My dad tells me stories of Frank Bialowas when he used to play with the St Johns Maple Leafs. He said he would always try to seek out Brashear every time he was in town, haha.
 

Killer B

Honey Badger don't care
Aug 28, 2008
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You could almost break this down into two categories, the enforcers (or goons) and the guys who could actually play hockey as well as beat the crap out of people (which would be most players from 1970 and earlier).

For my money, give me guys like Howe, Gilles, Neely, Tocchet, Williams, Hunter, O'Reilly, Probert, Johnathan etc over the Grimsons or Laraque's of the NHL world.
 

Crosbyfan

Registered User
Nov 27, 2003
12,671
2,493
Bob Probert
Dave Brown
Orland Kurtenbach
Gordie Howe
Larry Robinson
Joey Kocur
Tony Twist
John Ferguson
Elvis Stojko
Eric Lindros
 

GNP

Here Comes the Jets -look out hockey world !!!
Oct 11, 2016
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Winnipeg
I like the divisions set up.

I'd add that Lucic should be in your heavyweights HM. People forget how devastating of a fighter he was in his prime. He had other teams changing how they make their rosters to account for him.

Also, I'd find a way to get Taz on your LHW list. Guy was an animal
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I do agree with you, and Lucic should be in this top 10 heavyweights--he's one tough customer--maybe in the top 6, and bring down one of them in there right now.
 

newfy

Registered User
Jul 28, 2010
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I do agree with you, and Lucic should be in this top 10 heavyweights--he's one tough customer--maybe in the top 6, and bring down one of them in there right now.

Lucic fought in an era that saw the heavyweights being phased out. He might be one of the tougher guys in the league at this point, but early in his career when he fought more he never was. He had 2 seasons with double digit fights early on, which saw him winning against guys like Komisarek, Crombeen, Lapierre, Melichar, etc. No real win against a legit heavyweight. Look at his losses in those years... Erskine, Bolton, Ivanans etc.

He has some really questionable losses for a guy who you think should be at 6(!!!!), come on. Lost to Adam Mair, Jared Boll, ran from Colton Orr, lost to Prust, Barch and others as well. He does have some wins against heavyweights but he in no way belongs near a top 10 heavyweight list of all time. He doesnt have enough activity (after his first 2 seasons he barely fights more than 5 times a year), he doesnt have nearly enough wins against anyone noteworthy and likely lost more against legit heavyweights than he won and has some bad losses (no one in the top 10 loses to Mair, ever).

Likely everyone in this top 10 was likely the scariest guy in the league at some point in time. Lucic was scary in the sense that he didnt play against many heavyweights so he could run around and do whatever he wanted. But as a fighter there was always someone in the league that could beat him. Orr was tougher early in his career, same with Laraque.. now with an extreme lack of enforcers I would still say Reaves is more feared of a fighter and Lucic is more on par with a guy like Engelland. You think theres any chance in todays day and age of fighters Probert Kocur Dave Brown or someone like Twist wouldnt be by far the scariest in the league?
 
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GNP

Here Comes the Jets -look out hockey world !!!
Oct 11, 2016
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Winnipeg
Lucic fought in an era that saw the heavyweights being phased out. He might be one of the tougher guys in the league at this point, but early in his career when he fought more he never was. He had 2 seasons with double digit fights early on, which saw him winning against guys like Komisarek, Crombeen, Lapierre, Melichar, etc. No real win against a legit heavyweight. Look at his losses in those years... Erskine, Bolton, Ivanans etc.

He has some really questionable losses for a guy who you think should be at 6(!!!!), come on. Lost to Adam Mair, Jared Boll, ran from Colton Orr, lost to Prust, Barch and others as well. He does have some wins against heavyweights but he in no way belongs near a top 10 heavyweight list of all time.

Likely everyone in this top 10 was likely the scariest guy in the league at some point in time. Lucic was scary in the sense that he didnt play against many heavyweights so he could run around and do whatever he wanted. But as a fighter there was always someone in the league that could beat him.
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Good post Newfy --I really didn't have the background knowledge on Lucic, and the fights you said he lost --I'm sure your right. When I have seen him fight, which is limited, he just destroys guys. If he was to fight Ryan Reaves right now, I'm sure he would more than hold his own against him. I'll stand by my original Top 10 list --with Behn Wilson and Probert being the top 2.
 

newfy

Registered User
Jul 28, 2010
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Good post Newfy --I really didn't have the background knowledge on Lucic, and the fights you said he lost --I'm sure your right. When I have seen him fight, which is limited, he just destroys guys. If he was to fight Ryan Reaves right now, I'm sure he would more than hold his own against him. I'll stand by my original Top 10 list --with Behn Wilson and Probert being the top 2.

Yeah Lucic does destroy guys, hes definitely dominant. But I think thats more a product of the times. Hes often fighting middleweights and smaller guys that he destroys. while heavyweights were still around he would regularly lose to them, now that theyre gone though hes one of the top guys.

The fact that hes still a heavyweight makes him destroy mot guys in the league now. I would bet on Reaves winning a ten fight series between the 2, but youre right, Lucic is no cake walk.
 

Fenian24

Registered User
Jun 14, 2010
10,379
13,507
I can't take any list that doesn't have Joey Kocur in it seriously.
If Joey's hands had held out he is top 5 all time, and with his power he could beat anyone, anytime. Still a top ten but lost a lot of years due to his hand injuries
 

Sheppy

Registered User
Nov 23, 2011
56,572
59,189
The Arctic
Lucic fought in an era that saw the heavyweights being phased out. He might be one of the tougher guys in the league at this point, but early in his career when he fought more he never was. He had 2 seasons with double digit fights early on, which saw him winning against guys like Komisarek, Crombeen, Lapierre, Melichar, etc. No real win against a legit heavyweight. Look at his losses in those years... Erskine, Bolton, Ivanans etc.

He has some really questionable losses for a guy who you think should be at 6(!!!!), come on. Lost to Adam Mair, Jared Boll, ran from Colton Orr, lost to Prust, Barch and others as well. He does have some wins against heavyweights but he in no way belongs near a top 10 heavyweight list of all time. He doesnt have enough activity (after his first 2 seasons he barely fights more than 5 times a year), he doesnt have nearly enough wins against anyone noteworthy and likely lost more against legit heavyweights than he won and has some bad losses (no one in the top 10 loses to Mair, ever).

Likely everyone in this top 10 was likely the scariest guy in the league at some point in time. Lucic was scary in the sense that he didnt play against many heavyweights so he could run around and do whatever he wanted. But as a fighter there was always someone in the league that could beat him. Orr was tougher early in his career, same with Laraque.. now with an extreme lack of enforcers I would still say Reaves is more feared of a fighter and Lucic is more on par with a guy like Engelland. You think theres any chance in todays day and age of fighters Probert Kocur Dave Brown or someone like Twist wouldnt be by far the scariest in the league?
To be fair, i don't think he lost the fight to Mair, or Barch. Thought he edged out Mair and had a draw against Barch.

But yeah, Lucic is probably not even a top 30 of all time.
 

streitz

Registered User
Jul 22, 2018
1,258
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Lucic is a joke in every sense of the word. The fact posters are considering this guy a 'heavyweight' proves how far the game has fallen.
 

The Winter Soldier

Registered User
Apr 4, 2011
70,807
21,014
Off the top of my head. 1-5 today. So many to choose from. But in terms of how many fights, no ducking anyone, and intimidation in their time. These are the top 5 for me.

1. Probert(before the tie down rule)
2. David Shultz
3. Marty Mcsorely
4. Joey Kocur
5. Tie Domi
 

Sheppy

Registered User
Nov 23, 2011
56,572
59,189
The Arctic
Off the top of my head. 1-5 today. So many to choose from. But in terms of how many fights, no ducking anyone, and intimidation in their time. These are the top 5 for me.

1. Probert(before the tie down rule)
2. David Shultz
3. Marty Mcsorely
4. Joey Kocur
5. Tie Domi
Minus the time Tie Domi ran away from Richardson, lol
 

57special

Posting the right way since 2012.
Sep 5, 2012
48,084
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Bob Probert
Dave Brown
Dave "the Hammer" Schultz
Dave Semenko
Derek "the Boogeyman" Boogaard
Dave "Tiger" Williams
George Laraque
Marty McSorley
Donald Brashear
Terry O'Reilly
Agree with some, but not all of this list. Stan Jonathan, while not a "fighter" was a great fighter. Maybe the greatest B's fighter I have ever seen.

John Ferguson has to be on there.

Saw someone mention Kurtenback, and totally agree. Not a crazy guy, and a legit player, but he was notoriously tough.

Boogard was a good, but not great fighter. He depended on his size to dominate.

Williams was more of a showman, like Eddie Shack. Clark was a better fighter than both of them.

Never thought McSorley was an elite fighter.

Some of the nutbars from the 80's like Gaetz, May, and Kordic were pretty BA, though not sure if they belong in the top 10.
 

The Winter Soldier

Registered User
Apr 4, 2011
70,807
21,014
Minus the time Tie Domi ran away from Richardson, lol

I don't think Domi was the toughest but I gave him extra points for doing it longer and against every fighter that came up during his time.

If I was going to pick just best fighter regardless of how many fights and not based on longevity. I would add Sandy McCarthy at 5. He was one of the toughest and smartest fighters I recall.
 

Sheppy

Registered User
Nov 23, 2011
56,572
59,189
The Arctic
A guy who i think is pretty underrated as a fighter is Trevor Gillies (obviously not a top 10) but he's tough as nails.
 

thunder16

Registered User
Nov 18, 2017
978
517
Agree with some, but not all of this list. Stan Jonathan, while not a "fighter" was a great fighter. Maybe the greatest B's fighter I have ever seen.

John Ferguson has to be on there.

Saw someone mention Kurtenback, and totally agree. Not a crazy guy, and a legit player, but he was notoriously tough.

Boogard was a good, but not great fighter. He depended on his size to dominate.

Williams was more of a showman, like Eddie Shack. Clark was a better fighter than both of them.

Never thought McSorley was an elite fighter.

Some of the nutbars from the 80's like Gaetz, May, and Kordic were pretty BA, though not sure if they belong in the top 10.

I was at a game at MLG where
Tiger Williams and Dave Shultz got into a fight right in front of me, Tiger bit Shultz nose and you could see the blood and teeth marks, he's yelling at the ref ...he bit my fuc**** nose and Tiger was playing Mr. innocent like who me? I still laugh over that when I think of it! Just sharing some stuff.
 

gumgum

Registered User
Oct 15, 2017
772
510
my favorite to watch was always brendan walsh having grown up going to a lot of providence bruins games. he was close to 300 pims in both seasons he played with them, played maybe 45-50 games in both respectively. at least live, i've never seen a more fearless, maybe just flat out foolish, guy. obviously nowhere any kind of 'top' list but if we're talking about having balls, it's him, for me.

think he was listed around 5'10 200 but like many was obviously smaller. i've gotten a lot of guff from other bruins fans for saying i thought he was considerably tougher/more courageous than pj stock.
 

Crunchrulz

Registered User
Apr 30, 2010
1,634
500
USA
Gaetz was scarey tough when he was mad until his accident. Not a lot of mention of Tony Twist, Bob Gassoff, Battleship Kelly, John Ferguson, Gordie Howe. During their era, those guys were legends.
 

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