When talking The Greatest heavyweights, Alis name reigns supreme. Evander Holyfield should be top ten. A decade later he had captured a couple British titles and established himself as the islands top heavyweight contender. Most Famous Fight(s): TKO11 over Max Baer in 1939, TKO6 loss to Joe Louis in a 1941 title fight. Once upon a time, Pinklon Thomas was hailed as the next great champ who was going to save the heavyweight division from the boring and overrated Larry Holmes. Ken Norton (1967-1981, 42-7-1): 135.2, 32. 48. Underrated offense (he carried many opponents). 18), who were also separated by 12 points. Primo Carnera (1928-1946, 89-14-0): 111.2, 48. Naturally, heavyweights of the 1950s couldnt compete in-ring with giants like the Klitschko brothers. Hed be too small for guys like Ali and Foreman. With respect you talk rubbish when you assert that a peak Tyson would obliterate a peak Lennox Lewis!!! 1 on all 30 ballots, he would have had a perfect score of 30. ESPN also listed him as "The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History". How can you leave him off. l give credit to any boxer who can rectify their losses. There was never a Plan B, and theres a point in every boxers career when hes going to need one. One elector stated a preference for replacing Vitali Klitschko and Fitzsimmons on his list with Max Schmeling and Sam Langford. Tyson never once rose from the canvas or walked through fire to win a fight. This time, a repeated refrain was, I could do this again tomorrow and, except for the top few guys on my list, I might have a different order. Holmes was completely washed up-way past his prime. Kudos on not putting Tyson in the top 12. Instead, Lennox Lewis represents their era as an all time great, and the 11th best ever? Joe Frazier (1965-1981, 32-4-1): 340.3, 12. I would have Tyson at #12, Frazier at #11, Dempsey #10, Holmes #9, W Klitschko #8, Liston #7, Marciano #6, Holyfield #5, Foreman #4, Johnson #3, Louis #2 and Ali #1. I agree, those two losses are crap. Tyson was a thicker, harder-hitting Joe Frazier. He beat everyone and won all the belts. Sonny Liston was the best heavyweight in the world for five years. Tyson was the greatest six-round heavyweight of all time. Compared to Liston, Mike Tyson was a choirboy. Tyson is in the top 5, hands down. Did he fight the other great heavyweights of his time? Possessing an uncanny ability to absorb punishment and keep coming until he landed his crushing right hand, Marciano never looked like an elite boxer but try telling that to all the men he pulverised in the ring. And its hard to say that someone that has the highest knock out percentage and never lost isnt at least top two, or more likely number one. This is no small achievement. Anyone who puts Joe Frazier ahead of a serious power-puncher is ignorant. Wladimir has never seemed to have his heart in it. Ali fought Joe Frazier three times and Ken Norton three times. There was no interest from the American public in two black men fighting for the heavyweight title. Power, speed, stamina, a textbook style. When Mike Tyson got discouraged, he wasnt the same fighter. Manny Pacquiao comes in at 11th which is ahead of bitter . Thats Alis power ranking, which put him in first place. Is it the toys? Charles was 32 years old in the first Marciano fight. But honestly, his career and overcoming personal obstacles along the way to date already have him among the greatest heavyweights of all time on our list. Give me a break. Ali finished alone in first place in the rankings by media, matchmakers and historians. His left hand jab and hook were beyond frightening. Bonecrusher Smith happened WAY too early. He fought more great heavyweights than anyone and never ducked a challenge. Ruiz is the most hated heavyweight of his generation because of his aggravating fighting style. Thats quite an accomplishment. Marciano wouldnt be rated as high as he is without his O. Look at Tyson get hammered (YOUNGER than Larry Holmes) in his last two fights against journeymen. THATs reality, Tyson fans. Greatest of all time, Rocky Marciano. Louis had everything. And dont forget Terrell, Shavers and Chuvalo. One of the more underrated British fighters of all time in Joe Calzaghe gets some recognition in this list, being ranked 1 place above Manny Pacquiao, the Brits perfect 46-0 record definitely goes some way to his ranking in this list, with Saul Canelo Alvarez narrowly above him. Prison? Nobody ever got more out of what he had as a fighter than Marciano. Holmes had been out of action 2 years and was 38. Every punch was thrown with full power, and what devastating punches they were. Also, previous polls in this series were limited to fighters from boxings modern age (roughly 1940 to date). Foreman knocked out Michael Moorer to become the oldest Heavyweight Champion at the astonishing age of 45. One such heavyweight was Choynski who was known for his boxing skills, toughness, punching power, and grit. Still, the fact he beat Holyfield, Tyson, Vitali Klitschko, David Tua, Razor Ruddock and more says it all. Firstly theres Johnny Dundee and Willie Pep recording over 200 wins in their careers with 201 and 229 respectively. Holmes went, what, 48-0. Johnsons story as a whole is worth learning about. Jersey Joe Walcott (1930-1953, 50-20-1): 261.7, 16. Beat every fighter he ever faced, avenging his two defeats plus the (ridiculous) draw he got in the first Holyfield fight. Joe Frazier and Ernie Terrell can attest to that. The Greatest was not only one of the best heavyweights of all time, he was also one of the most colorful. Jack Dempsey: Fast, aggressive and powerful, The Manassa Mauler revolutionized boxing with his swarming, all-action style. Larry Holmes could knock you out with his jab. And then there are fighters like Ali, Frazier, Holmes, Holyfield and Marciano. Floyd Mayweather normally is criminally underrated in lists such as this, with a perfect 50-0 record, taking the sport of boxing to obscene heights, he certainly deserves more respect. I remember how he destroyed Holmes! Once again, a weighted average of the rankings from the other electors was used to fill the void. Before he went to jail, everyone ducked him. Baksis hard-nosed fighting style and rock solid chin proved to be a difficult out. And some of Joes greatness rubbed off on Ali. This group of 10 fighters has a lot to unpack. No substance. You can also order the current issue, which is on newsstands, or back issues from our subscribe page. Joe Louis won his first world heavyweight title in 1937 and held that title for . He was also competing in the light heavyweight division although never got the belt there. Larry Holmes: An awesome jab, a dangerous right hand, tremendous heart, and astonishing recuperative powers were among the attributes The Easton Assassin brought to the ring. The 10 Best Heavyweight Boxers In The World Right Now, Named And Ranked. 1A. But watch the film. Top 100 greatest boxers of all time: 80-71 80. Sam is an enthusiastic member of the GiveMeSport team, taking on the role of Academy Editor in June 22, moving over after a seven month stint with ThisIsFutbol. Not to be mentioned is BS. But strictly off resume, he belongs closer to the bottom of this list than to the top. Rocky Marciano: With the highest knockout percentage of all heavyweight champions and boasting wins over such greats as Archie Moore, Jersey Joe Walcott, Joe Louis and Ezzard Charles, the undefeated Brockton Blockbuster proved himself a remarkable warrior. A weighted average was also employed for Steve Lott with regard to Tyson because of their friendship and close working relationship during the glory years of Tysons career. It lasted two rounds. Muhammad Ali (1960-1981, 56-5-0): 757.9. Few fighters have had the menacing aura Tyson carried to the ring and while brutal punch power was his trademark, peak Tyson also boasted fast hands, a sneaky jab, head movement and a strong chin. Willie Pep 72.. Sullivan was Americas first massculture hero and the most idolized athlete who had lived up until his time. He had a stocky, durable build and was a solid all-around technician. Look at the fear Tyson compounded with ferocious punches for Trevor Berbick, Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks, Frank Bruno and Donovan Ruddock to name a few amidst his reign of terror during the mid to late 1980s and early 1990s. Against Williams I heard his ligament snap when he was gong in to finish him off. He peaked early, lost Cus DAmato, then lost all focus because he was very immature. Langford was tiny when he fought Johnson. He was thrill-a-minute, exemplified by his fight with Luis Angel Firpo, where Dempsey knocked his opponent down seven (7) times, got blasted through out of the ring himself, then scrambled back through the ropes to eventually knock out Firpo. Tyson foreshadowed todays social media world where fame often counts for more than character. He was black Americas first black hero. Boxing is a sport that has an abundance of greats across all weight divisions and time periods, but trying to rank them is incredibly hard given all the varying factors. Iron Mike is many peoples go to for the GOAT, so to see him outside the top 75 is mind boggling. Many have failed at this. After knocking out a very green Jack Johnson, both Choynski and Johnson were arrested and sent to jail, which was quite common in those days since boxing was illegal. Any list with Marciano loses credibility with the knowledgeable. Peak Big George demolished unbeaten Frazier inside two rounds, then did the same to tough Ken Norton. Jack Johnson: Boxings first Black champion of the big men was remarkably quick, very hard to hit, and dangerous with either fist. To offer another analogy: Babe Ruth is widely regarded as the greatest baseball player who ever lived and, with the possible exception of Ted Williams, baseballs greatest hitter. Louis finished second in these latter three categories. George Foreman (1969-1997, 76-5-0): 233.3, 19. Some of the margins that separated fighters were razor-thin. When they met again with the championship on the line, Louis knocked Schmeling out in the first round. He is like Morrison, as Stevey below says. Foreman demolished Frazier in both their fights, the only man that did or could. Page would often cut corners in training camp, or refuse to train at all. Arguably the divisions greatest puncher. Most Famous Fight(s): MD12 loss to Tim Witherspoon in 1984 for the WBC belt, KO8 win over Gerrie Coetzee in 1984 for the WBA belt. Frank Warren EXCLUSIVE Mike Tyson responds to Wilder's claims about knocking him out Top 50 fighters of 21st century named 50-31 50:. Cunning and clever, The Galveston Giant didnt just defeat his opponents, but often humiliated them with his skill, smarts and unceasing control of the ring. Wills 16. All rights reserved. Any ranking also shouldnt be about which boxer beats which in some fantasy fight. Both Louis and Ali have stated in their primes, Rocky probably would have beaten them. How great was each fighter within his era? Give him credit for that. He could punch. He first made a name for himself as an amateur sparring partner when Muhammad Ali complimented him to the press. During the 1890s, the modern boxing game was in its infancy and only a handful of fighters had a grasp of proper technique. The first man to defeat Muhummad Ali, Frazier only lost to two men (Ali and George Foreman) despite fighting in the most competitive ever heavyweight era. His fighting style proved to be awkward and difficult for Louis because Farr put up a good fight and lasted the distance. Norton 11. Yeah, Holmes lost twice to Michael Spinks, while Tyson knocked out Spinks in 90 seconds. Most Notable win: St. Valentine's Day Massacre. It was enormously important as a social event. That means this isn't a ranking from 1 to 10; rather the ten who, in this writer's opinion, make the cut. The Fifty Greatest Light-Heavyweights of All Time Part One - 50-41 Published 8 years ago on May 27, 2015 By Matt McGrain Constructing a top 100 pound-for-pound was a difficult task, but far more tortuous was my attempt last year to construct a top 100 at heavyweight. Mandatory Cr. Liston was nearly knocked out by Cleveland Williams, and also had trouble from Amos Lincoln, but he beat both of them. Tyson should definitely be in the top 10. Tyson at 12 is good. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. What is clear is the amount of opponents Tyson overwhelmed with his devastating power. A lot of people who are serious about boxing think George Foreman is one of the most underrated fighters ever. Alexander Povetkin (2005 - present, 35-2-1): 148.3, 28. Johnny Dundee 77. Hard to justify given what Foreman did to Frazier twice, but of course, styles make fights and Foreman was the worst possible match for Frazier. But when his character was tested, nobody was better. Ken Norton. A gift and a curse. Ali and George Foreman were much bigger. Shane Mosley couldnt beat Vernon Forrest, but who had the better career? In a shared cell, the veteran Choynski schooled up Johnson on some of his moves, techniques, and tricks. No place for Riddick Bowe, who had the tools but not the application, nor - controversially - his rival Evander Holyfield: the cruiserweight GOAT (but there are some legitimate question marks over the sculpted warriors rise in weight). Muhammad Alis score was 46, which, when divided by the 30 electors, averages 1.53.

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