By Steve Corbo
(Part #1 of 2)
Three groups of people, seem to come by nicknames naturally. First, the kids from my old neighborhood. Second, gangsters. And third, the group with the most colorful nicknames of all, professional boxers!
I started to list my ten favorite boxer nicknames. That list quickly grew to 15, then 20, and then I couldn’t stop. I finally called a halt at 150. As with the kids in my neighborhood, some fighters become so identified by their nicknames… we forget their real names. Case in point, Canelo! I’ve run into many a fight fan who when asked what they think of Saul Alvarez, say “Who’s he?”
Test your knowledge and see how many nicknames you can match with the boxer’s real name. This list is certainly not complete, I actually came up with more than 150 but had to draw the line somewhere! There is no preference in ranking or order. They are simply at random as they came to me when putting this together. The numbers are there only as a point of reference. Comment about fighters, and their nicknames, not on this list. Or ask questions about those who are! I welcome your feedback.
We will publish the “Nicknames” with their corresponding “Names” in one week for viewing.
Nickname
1 – Bird Legs
2 – Dancing Machine
3 – The Hispanic Causing Panic
4 – Superfly
5 – Mando The Man
6 – Smokin’
7 – The Brown Bomber
8 – Caveman
9 – Sugar
10 – Golden Boy
11 – The Man of Steel
12 – Poison
13 – The Mouse
14 – The Ghetto Wizard
15 – The Manassa Mauler
16 – The Nigerian Nightmare
17 – Hard Rock
18 – Fly
19 – Bad News
20 – The Worm
21 – Windmill
22 – Cyclone
23 – Hurricane
24 – Lanky
25 – The Fighting Marine
26 – The Hawk
27 – Fireball
28 – Canelo
29 – The Killer Queen
30 – The Boston Strong Boy
31 – Gunboat
32 – Gypsy
33 – Kid Chocolate
34 – Kid Azteca
35 – The Onion Farmer
36 – Duke
37 – USS
38 – The Atomic Bull
39 – School Boy
40 – Porky
41 – Rocky
42 – The Brockton Block Buster
43 – Rocky Kansas
44 – Two Gun
45 – Guts
46 – Boog-A-Loo
47 – Tricky
48 – White Lightening
49 – Jersey
50 – Prince
51 – Irish
52 – Motorboat
53 – Yaqui
54 – The Animal
55 – The Italian Assassin
56 – Twinkle Fingers
57 – Pancho Villa
58 – Flash
59 – El Flaco Explosivo
60 – Manos de Piedra
61 – Chicano
62 – Chicanito
63 – Guero
64 – Iron
65 – Kid Dynamite
66 – Hercules
67 – The Hit Man
68 – Lights Out
69 – Thunder
70 – Bonecrusher
71 – Boom Boom
72 – What The Heck
73 – Triple G
74 – Indian Red
75 – Little Red
76 – Red
77 – Bazooka
78 – El Radar
79 – Quick
80 – King
81 – The Clones Colossus
82 – Baby
83 – The Body Snatcher
84 – The Jewish Bomber
85 – Bad Bennie
86 – The Fury
87 – The Hawaiian Punch
88 – The Green Machine
89 – Vampire
90 – Mantequilla
91 – The Quiet Man
92 – Six Heads
93 – The Easton Assassin
94 – The Executioner
95 – The Ghost
96 – Marvelous
97 – Pac Man
98 – The Baby-Faced Assassin
99 – The G-Man
100 – The Bayonne Bleeder
101 – Rocking
102 – Mi Vida Loca
103 – King David
104 – The Flushing Flash
105 – King Ry
106 – The Tijuana Tornado
107 – The Pittsburgh Kid
108 – Honey Boy
109 – Hammerin’ Hank
110 – Gentleman
111 – Will O The Wisp
112 – Diablo
113 – Shotgun
114 – The Ice Man
115 – Slapsie Maxie
116 – The Tiger
117 – Tiger
118 – Earthquake
119 – Butterfly
120 – Too Sharp
121 – Dr. Steelhammer
122 – Lemonade
123 – The Coal Miner’s Daughter
124 – Fireman
125 – Joy
126 – Money
127 – Jumbo
128 – Solid Gold
129 – Big Daddy
130 – Fighting
131 – Tweety
132 – The Beast
133 – Mad Dog
134 – The Bronx Bomber
135 – B Hop
136 – M 16
137 – Super Nova
138 – The Sandman
139 – Left Hook
140 – Sweet Pea
141 – The Real Deal
142 – Black Mamba
143 – Ringo
144 – Philadelphia
145 – The Cobra
146 – Mac Attack
147 – Pipino
148 – The Boxer
149 – Joltin’
150 – Blood