Who Here Is A Top 10 ATG Heavyweight And Who Is Not?

[Mr Mitts]

I am sure there will be sharp disagreement. Who on this particular list is not an ATG top 10 heavyweight, If any? Ali was left off as too evident.

[IronDanHamza]

Louis
Foreman
Lewis
Liston
Holmes

[Bronson66]

I am sure there will be sharp disagreement. Who on this particular list is not an ATG top 10 heavyweight, If any? Ali was left off as too evident.

Louis
Foreman
Lewis
Liston
Dempsey

[them_apples]

I am sure there will be sharp disagreement. Who on this particular list is not an ATG top 10 heavyweight, If any? Ali was left off as too evident.

Sonny Liston

might have been a good fighter but just like Tyson he failed just about every test presented to him and gets every excuse in the book as to why

his best win is over Patterson or Folley - and Ali beat the brakes off of him immediately after he beat Patterson. Then he first round Koed him in the rematch. Then Liston made a comeback and got knocked out by Journeymen.

thats not an all time great

[Bronson66]

Sonny Liston

might have been a good fighter but just like Tyson he failed just about every test presented to him and gets every excuse in the book as to why

his best win is over Patterson or Folley - and Ali beat the brakes off of him immediately after he beat Patterson. Then he first round Koed him in the rematch. Then Liston made a comeback and got knocked out by Journeymen.

thats not an all time great

Liston had had 3 rounds of fighting in the previous 3 years when he faced Ali.
Martin was ranked no7 when he beat Liston.

[BKM-]

Sonny Liston

might have been a good fighter but just like Tyson he failed just about every test presented to him and gets every excuse in the book as to why

his best win is over Patterson or Folley - and Ali beat the brakes off of him immediately after he beat Patterson. Then he first round Koed him in the rematch. Then Liston made a comeback and got knocked out by Journeymen.

thats not an all time great

During his prime he almost cleaned out the division, knocking out the majority of the top 10 while the rest ducked him. Good wins over Williams, great wins over Patterson. Overcame adversity against Williams, getting hurt and then knocking him out afterwards(That's equal if not better than Tyson who only did that once in the first Bruno fight)Resume thin due the era not being very strong and other opponents refusing to fight him but left a very long lasting impression in HW boxing despite a relatively short time in the limelight. The only test he failed was against Clay which is no shame in losing to the best HW we've ever seen.

Like I said Liston was a terror and left a strong impression many decades later. A freak of nature ahead of his time who perhaps was born a little too early as I believe he could have beaten anyone not named Ali or Clay. People who rank strongly based on attributes and ability still rank him top 10. People who look more at resume won't rank him top 10.

[them_apples]

Liston had had 3 rounds of fighting in the previous 3 years when he faced Ali.
Martin was ranked no7 when he beat Liston.

Exactly what I mean. Excuses

who did Liston beat then? Cleveland Williams?

[them_apples]

During his prime he almost cleaned out the division, knocking out the majority of the top 10 while the rest ducked him. Good wins over Williams, great wins over Patterson. Overcame adversity against Williams, getting hurt and then knocking him out afterwards(That's equal if not better than Tyson who only did that once in the first Bruno fight)Resume thin due the era not being very strong and other opponents refusing to fight him but left a very long lasting impression in HW boxing despite a relatively short time in the limelight. The only test he failed was against Clay which is no shame in losing to the best HW we've ever seen.

Like I said Liston was a terror and left a strong impression many decades later. A freak of nature ahead of his time who perhaps was born a little too early as I believe he could have beaten anyone not named Ali or Clay. People who rank strongly based on attributes and ability still rank him top 10. People who look more at resume won't rank him top 10.

Yeah but we can only rate Liston on what he actually did.

you say the Patterson wins were good - then for example Bronson claims he only fought - few rounds in this time as justification for getting washed against Ali in his very next fight.

he⠀™ s a good fighter no doubt but the list is asking for greatness. He didnâà‚€Â ™t do anything great. He was scary and talented but he lacked the right mentality. He lost at every point in his career. Lost when he was green / prime / past prime and his best wins is Folley and Patterson. Thats not greatness

Williams is nothing special - Folley is his best win but Ali made easy work of Folley as well. Which makes me think Folley is just another decent fighter. Thats not enough.

why is Tunney getting voted? I donâ€ÂÂÂ? ™t remember Tunney getting koed in one round in his prime. Tunneys only loss is going life and death with arguably the best fighter p4p of all time in his prime when Tunney was green. He finished that fight with a broken nose - shut eyes and swollen ribs. Checked into a hospital afterwards. Had 4 more bouts thats were extremely competitive. That is serious greatness

Liston quits vs Ali and even tries cheating. Gets a rematch and gets stopped in one round. This should have been Listons prime. Not long before he beat Patterson - his career defining win.

I do sort of agree that had Liston been campaigning in the 70s he probably beats most of them. Many of them were simply famous for fighting Ali. Norton - Quarry - Lyle even Frazier to some extent are only remembered for fighting Ali. Frazier got a W so we can leave him off the list.

[IronDanHamza]

Exactly what I mean. Excuses

who did Liston beat then? Cleveland Williams?

Clevand Williams twice.

Nino Valdez Ranked#2
Mike Dejohn Ranked #10
Roy Harris Ranked #7
Zora Folley Ranked #1
Eddie Machen Ranked #5
Floyd Patterson #1 x2

That's 9 wins over Top 10 ranked opponents,

So no, not "no one".

[them_apples]

Clevand Williams twice.

Nino Valdez Ranked#2
Mike Dejohn Ranked #10
Roy Harris Ranked #7
Zora Folley Ranked #1
Eddie Machen Ranked #5
Floyd Patterson #1 x2

That's 9 wins over Top 10 ranked opponents,

So no, not "no one".

This is not a good resume for all time sake. The division was terribly weak.