Heavyweight Rankings

[Welsh Jon]

Been thinking of where I'd rank the late, great Smoking Joe in the history of the heavyweight division. Last time the Ring ****zine ranked the heavyweight division they had him at 8th, which seems about right. The Ring's list was:

1.Muhammad Ali
2.Joe Louis
3.Evander Holyfield
4.George Foreman
5.Larry Holmes
6.Rocky Marciano
7.Sonny Liston
8.Joe Frazier
9.Jack Johnson
10.Jack Dempsey
11.Ezzard Charles
12.Jim Jeffries
13.Jersey Joe Walcott
14.Mike Tyson
15.Gene Tunney
16.Harry Wills
17.Sam Langford
18.John L. Sullivan
19.Max Schmeling
20.Max Baer

My own top 15 is:

1.Muhammad Ali
2.Joe Louis
3.Jack Johnson
4.George Foreman
5.Larry Holmes
6.James J Jefferies
7.Evander Holyfield
8.Joe Frazier
9.Rocky Marciano
10.Lennox Lewis
11.Sonny Liston
12.Jack Dempsey
13.Ezzard Charles
14.Mike tyson
15.Jersey Joe Walcott

[Barn]

I think Johnson is way too high but, I understand I'm in the minority here, same with Jeffries.

[Welsh Jon]

I think Johnson is way too high but, I understand I'm in the minority here, same with Jeffries.

Johnson beat Sam Langford, Sam McVea, Joe Jeanette, Bob Fitzsimmons, Stanley Ketchel and Jim Jefferies.

Jefferies beat Jim Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons, Peter Jackson and Tom Sharkey. Lost only to a hall of famer in Johnson, and that only after a long time out of the ring.

Both exceptional CV's.

[DarkTerror88]

I have Frazier at 5

1.) Louis
2.) Ali/Clay
3.) Johnson
4.) Foreman
5.) Frazier
6.) Liston
7.) Dempsey
8.) Marciano
9.) Holmes
10.) Holyfield
11.) Lewis
12.) Patterson
13.) Charles
14.) Jeffries
15.) Walcott
16.) Baer
17.) Schmeling
18.) Tunney
19.) Langford
20.) Corbett/W. Klitchko/Wills

[Barn]

Johnson beat Sam Langford, Sam McVea, Joe Jeanette, Bob Fitzsimmons, Stanley Ketchel and Jim Jefferies.

No way was that even near a prime Langford, Ketchel was a Middleweight and Fitzsimmons and Jeffries were worse than shot.
The versions of Jeanette he beat were quite inexperienced and he never actually gave him a shot at the title. He probably would have been more likely to win it than Jeffries and Joe still beat Johnson and took him to a draw at this stage in his career. Same story with McVea Johnson faught the inexperienced version who had about 10 fights. never granting him a title shot.

Jefferies beat Jim Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons, Peter Jackson and Tom Sharkey. Lost only to a hall of famer in Johnson, and that only after a long time out of the ring.

Both exceptional CV's.

Fitzsimmons weighed 167 although it's still an OK win I suppose considering he won the LHW belt but, nothing that should be discussed in greatest wins.
Peter Jackson was 37 at the time of the Jeffries fight and I'm not certain of this but, I'm sure he'd already came down with TB or something because he died 3 years later.

The first Corbett win is a good win, the second one not so much. I do think the Sharkey bouts were good wins for Jeffries.

I also don't hold the Johnson loss against Jeffries for the reasons stated above.

[TBear]

I may be alone but I got Larry Holmes at #3.

[GoogleMe]

Been thinking of where I'd rank the late, great Smoking Joe in the history of the heavyweight division. Last time the Ring ****zine ranked the heavyweight division they had him at 8th, which seems about right. The Ring's list was:

1.Muhammad Ali
2.Joe Louis
3.Evander Holyfield
4.George Foreman
5.Larry Holmes
6.Rocky Marciano
7.Sonny Liston
8.Joe Frazier
9.Jack Johnson
10.Jack Dempsey
11.Ezzard Charles
12.Jim Jeffries
13.Jersey Joe Walcott
14.Mike Tyson
15.Gene Tunney
16.Harry Wills
17.Sam Langford
18.John L. Sullivan
19.Max Schmeling
20.Max Baer

My own top 15 is:

1.Muhammad Ali
2.Joe Louis
3.Jack Johnson
4.George Foreman
5.Larry Holmes
6.James J Jefferies
7.Evander Holyfield
8.Joe Frazier
9.Rocky Marciano
10.Lennox Lewis
11.Sonny Liston
12.Jack Dempsey
13.Ezzard Charles
14.Mike tyson
15.Jersey Joe Walcott

A list without Holmes in top 15?

[GoogleMe]

A list without Holmes in top 15?

Very sorry - I missed it at 5, even though I looked through the list a few times! /slap myself. HARD

[Sugarj]

I have Frazier at 5

1.) Louis
2.) Ali/Clay
3.) Johnson
4.) Foreman
5.) Frazier
6.) Liston
7.) Dempsey
8.) Marciano
9.) Holmes
10.) Holyfield
11.) Lewis
12.) Patterson
13.) Charles
14.) Jeffries
15.) Walcott
16.) Baer
17.) Schmeling
18.) Tunney
19.) Langford
20.) Corbett/W. Klitchko/Wills

No Mike Tyson?

[IronDanHamza]

1.Joe Louis
2.Muhammad Ali
3.George Foreman
4.Jack Johnson
5.Sonny Liston
6.Evander Holyfield
7.Larry Holmes
8.Joe Frazier
9.Jack Dempsey
10.Mike Tyson