Comments Thread For: The Top 25 Heavyweights of All-Time – Top Ten

[SirTomJones]

1. Mike Tyson: Personally I just think a prime Mike Tyson can beat anyone in any era

2. Muhammad Ali: One of the greatest resumes in history. But I think Tyson edges him if they did fight

3. Lennox Lewis: Very dominant. His size and boxing skill would give any heavyweight in any era tonnes of problems.

4. Vitali Klitschko: Vitali was better than Wladimir in his prime. Took 4 years off and took no tune ups and took on the champ. Hasn't lost since his comeback.

5. Wladimir Klitschko: Gettin er' done

6. Joe Louis: Joe Louis was the greatest in his era but I think if you put him in this modern era he would be beaten by all these huge heavyweights. He would beat anybody at Cruiserweight anyway

7. Rocky Marciano: Undefeated

8. George Foreman:

9. Joe Frazier:

10. Larry Holmes:

Is that really your list?


Tyson? Not in my top ten.

[GoldenAssassin]

Ali
Louis
Holmes
Marciano
Lewis
Foreman
Frazier
Holyfield
Johnson
Dempsey


Top 10 is all that matters really.

[andrewa1]

Weird how its almost impossible to find a good, non cherry picked list of rationally decided greatest heavyweight champs with an actual methodology used. I use a combination of significance to history, actual fighting ability in the ring, length of reign and number of defenses as champion, and least of all because of its subjectivity, "exciting" or important fights. Note that while its popular to just say it should be "who would win in the ring", its also ****** and laughable when people use that, because objectively the greats of yesteryear just don't have the physical tools to beat the greats of the past two decades, since the sport has gotten huge without giving up much else. Anyway, objectively, here as close to a perfect list as it gets:

1. Muhammad Ali: long and repeated reigns, many exciting fights against great opponents, good size and speed, could at least compete with today's greats
2. Joe Louis: longest reign, important period and significance prior and during WWII, a golden age of boxings impact on society,
3. Rocky Marciano: only undefeated champ, highest ko percentage, golden age of boxing, nuff said, but would not be able to compete as a heavyweight today
4. Jack Dempsey: Really helped make boxing huge and usher in first golden age, first million dollar gate, decent reign and excitement, although again couldnt compete as a heavyweight today
5. Lennox Lewis: Best and last champ standing of last American boxing golden age (although he wasn't as liked because he wasn't American and claimed different nationalities), would probably defeat any heavyweight in history
6. Vitali Klitschko: With possible exception of Lewis, would defeat any heavyweight in history, long period of dominance with repeat championships coming back from long layoff, brought golden age of boxing to Europe and East even if not liked in America
7. John L Sullivan: arguably first heavyweight boxing champ, certainly brought unprecedented prominence to sport, helped it develop, long reign, even if cherry picked opponents, couldn't compete today
8. George Foreman: Arguably most dangerous boxer of the greatest age of heavyweight boxing, destroyed Frazier, beat by, but then ducked by Ali, came back to be oldest champ, could compete against anyone ever
9. Larry Holmes: Long period of dominance, beat an underrated field, would be higher but regarded as boring even in America
10. Jack Johnson: Long reign, great size for time,
11. Mike Tyson: Overrated but impactful, left his mark on sport, still even at best never that great. Vitali gets criticized for losing a couple rounds to Chisora when VK could only use one arm, Tyson at most dominant has a similar fight against Tony Tucker, except no injury excuse, and no one cares.
12 Wladimir Klitschko: Will end up in the top 10 if he stays around for a couple years, clears out the prospects and retires without another loss
13 Joe Frazier: Provided great fights for Ali, decent reigning champ apart from that, but was the 3rd best boxer of his era
14. Gene Tunney: Took out Dempsey but then retired shortly after
15. James J Jeffries: Dominant for a long period of time, helped sport continue to grow
16. Max Schmeling: Decent champ, great saga with Louis, great societal impact,
17 Jim Corbett: Important early figure in sport, helped evolve the science of the sport
18 Evander Holyfield: Fought everyone in one of the golden ages of boxing, won some, lost more, always game
19 Ezzard Charles: See JJW
20 Jersey Joe Walcott: Fought several top ATG's, and was champ during part of that stretch
21 Floyd Patterson: Decent reign, resilient, first 2 time champ
22 Rid**** Bowe: A top fighter in a golden age of the sport, only loss was to Holyfield, in a close one, and who he beat two other times
23. Sonny Liston: Overrated, held title brief time, Patterson only big victory.
24 Ken Norton: Game fight providing close matches to several of the best era of boxing
25 Max Baer: Decent champ post Dempsey pre Louis

[jas]

Tyson is too high at 13...he didn't beat 1 great heavyweight who was in his prime in his entire career.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

1. ali
2. holmes
3. lennox
4. louis
5. foreman
6. holyfield
7. liston
8. tyson
9. frazier
10. johnson

[SN!PER]

Nice list by OP, I have the feeling JAB is going to like it for the most part.

[soul_survivor]

How is Jack Johnson above Foreman and Holmes? Personally I'd have Foreman above Holmes and just below Louis.

Ali at number one is just obvious. Holy at 6 is ok, Lewis top 10 definitely. dempsey possibly but no other old timer pre-war.

[kej718]

Can't be mad at that top five and am glad Lewis made the top ten, and Tyson is about right where he should be.