Panama Al Brown : Best Bantamweight Ever??

Panama Al Brown is one of those irregularities in boxing. He was an All Time Great, yet is hardly remembered.
The fact that he was at the bantam division (118 pounds) from the late 20s and 30s also plays a part Im sure. But this man was truly great and deserves to be remembered.

Panama was a 5'11 bantam with 76 INCH REACH!!!!! That reach is bigger than notable heavyweight champions Evander Holyfield has a 78 inche reach, Tyson : 71 inch reach, Ray Robinson had a 72 inch reach, Marvin Hagler : 75 inch reach
Ray Leonard : 74, Floyd Patterson : 71, Roy Jones Jr : 73 inch reach, Bernard Hopkins : 71 inch reach

OK so I hope I have stressed enough how tall, long and gangly this 118 pound freak was. In 1929 Brown won the vacated Bantamweight Title with a win over Vidal Gregorio. He is Latin America and Panama's first champion in the sport of boxing.

Brown defends the title all over the place, fighting in London, France, US, Canada, and Panama. Defends the title for 6. Have to understand back then when you won the title, fighters stayed busy in non title matches and then would defend their title.Panama went 60-10-4 all of the fights he lost where over 118. In those 6 years he beat the likes of Teddy Baldock (73-3-3), Pete Sanstol (77-2-5 at the time), Kid Francis (87-8-5 ATT), Victor Perez , Emil Pladner (73-8-7 ATT), Johnny Erickson, Gregorio Vidal, Johny Canzoneri, Eugene Huat, and Johny McCoy before losing the title to Baltazar Sangchili.

Heres what sucks .Sangchili is often named one of the worst bantamweight champs of all time. After losing to Sangchili he then lost to Pete Sanstol. They both retired after the fight but Panama came back 2 years later went 12-0 from 1937 to 1941 beating Baltazar Sangchili in a rematch, knocking out Battling Nelson, and KOing Kid Fortune before losing 2 to Eduardo Carrasco. Brown knocked Carrasco down twice in the first match. Brown fought 2 more times then retired for good.

In 1937 he left his estate in France which was worth over a quarter of a million dollars when Hitler was obviously coming. He came to US and then move to Panama .Sadly Brown seems to be one of the first boxers to have cocaine destroy their lives. He was deported after being arrested with cocaine in the 40's. Tuberculosis killed him in 1951, he died in a Staten Island Hospital penniless. His counrymen paid to have his body sent to Panama nd he was given a national hero's ceremony.

He was one of the best sharpshooters there ever was. Make no mistake about it Panama Al Brown would give any All TIme Great Bantamweight a fight and he just might be the best.

Official record 123-19-12, defended the Bantamweight Title 10 times, Fought all over the place all over Europe, Canada, USA, Africa, but the most telling stat is that in over 150 fights Panama Al Brown was never knocked down. Hows that for a chin.
Died broke

god damn it does anyone know who the F im talking about?

I'd put him up there with Jofre and Zarate as the best 118lber's of all-time.Great synopsis Bird.

I honestly think he beats Zarate on points Jofre fight would be a hard one to pick

That reach may have kept Carlos at bay.Could Zarate crack his granite chin?
I need to check some film on Brown to get a better feel.

awesome footage of Pete Sanstol sparring before there fight and tehn Brown sparring before the fight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csjPWwq2p0A&feature=related

I love how Brown totally elbows his sparring partner twice