100 greatest heavyweight boxers of all 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. Canelo vs. Ryder: Who is fighting on the undercard. In fact, a young Dempsey might have beaten Tunney down. Tyson never fought anyone in there prime or of any note before 1990. Boxing's 50 Greatest Heavyweight Fighters Of All Time Have Been He won the gold medal at the 1960 Olympics and went on to become the first boxer to win the heavyweight title three times. Retired undefeated. Marciano would have beaten Tunney down. It fell apart too soon for the youngest ever heavyweight champ, whose life and career unravelled quickly - but in the 1980s Tyson tore through the division like nobody before or since. Top 100 greatest boxers of all time: 40-31, 28 Jun 1997: Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson lock heads during their heavyweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada. Top 100 greatest boxers of all time: 80-71, Mike Tyson has criticised Hulu for making a series about his life without his consent. 25 greatest heavyweight boxing fights of the last 100 years Best known for his four-fight series with defensive magician . Opponents went into the ring against Louis, Liston and Tyson in their prime fearing for their lives. For each fighter, I will start off with a brief biography, list their most famous fight(s), and then list some of their less famous fights that contributed to or established their status as a top caliber heavyweight. Ya uhm no. And Ali proved himself the best of them all. He nearly lost twice to Ringo Bonevena and was bitch-slapped by Foreman. As fate would have it, the most gifted athlete the heavyweights ever saw emerged just when the division was stacked with formidable talent like never before or since. Muhammad Alis score was 46, which, when divided by the 30 electors, averages 1.53. If a new fan asked me what Johnsons best win was and why, Id have a hard time convincing them. 6. Power, speed, stamina, a textbook style. The punch Rahman hit him with in South Africa would have KOd anyone, and there was the issue of altitude in South Africa. Forget about Johnson-Jeffries as a measure of Jeffries as a fighter. . Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. Had three fights with Ali. One guy was a once-great fighter who was shot. Tyson would have destroyed a peak Holmes. Wilbur's 100 Greatest Heavyweights of all Time: Top 10! That list is crap. But he fought for 17 years and had only 18 fights. He is not the greatest because he wasnt a role model. Ali finished alone in first place in the rankings by media, matchmakers and historians. Theres some huge fighting records in here, such as Jack Bergs 157 wins in his 192 bouts, with Nicolino Locche also notching up over 100 wins in his career. Sullivan fought for 13 years, the last 10 of which he was a fullblown alcoholic. The poll evaluated 20 champions dating back to the dawn of gloved heavyweight championship fights. In more recent times, Deontay Wilder and his 10 consecutive title defenses demonstrated his own feared punching power and greatness that shouldn't be overlooked, either. He was a powerful puncher and the most relentless fighter ever. Ali is also consistently ranked among the greatest athletes of the century. 17), and James Corbett (No. Eddie Machen (1955-1967, 50-11-3): 157.1, 26. The 50 greatest heavyweights of all time have been named Maybe Tyson would beat prime Lennox Lewis, but a prime Larry Holmes? 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. As illustrated by the chart above, Ali and Joe Louis were tied for first place in the ranking by trainers. A loyal Liverpool FC supporter who has experienced the highs and lows of supporting the Mighty Reds! Go back and watch the Norton fight, even just round 15 if you dont have the time. Lewis and Tyson also participated in the poll. Ali 2. Cant get upset by your list, since I cant even take you seriously.. Drinking nearly killed him in 1888, yet he whipped the next-best (white) man a year later in a bare-knuckle match that lasted more than two hours. Dominant in his era? Bonecrusher Smith happened WAY too early. But hed already beaten most of these men on his rise to the championship. Tyson at 12 is good. Smokin Joe was an absolute buzzsaw. What is clear is the amount of opponents Tyson overwhelmed with his devastating power. 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. 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. Your email address will not be published. Boxing News is an award-winning, British weekly boxing magazine which contains reviews on fights and fighters, as well as a detailed examination of the world of boxing. And Kevin McBride TKOd Tyson is SIX. A decade later he had captured a couple British titles and established himself as the islands top heavyweight contender. Bob Pastor (1935-1942, 53-7-5): 259.8, 17. Corbett was one of the first successful scientific fighters of the gloved era. Current heavyweight superstars Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder also made the top 50. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. The cartoon? In the end, Alis edge over Louis in this poll was that many electors felt he was simply the better fighter. Dempsey 14. The best pound-for-pound boxers of all time | Yardbarker A prime Holmes would have battered Tyson into submission. Max Baer, Max Schmeling, James J. Braddock and Jersey Joe Walcott all felt Louis' wrath. Tyson was the legitimate heavyweight champion of the world for more than three years. It may well be that the best defense is a good offense, and Tyson had been an unstoppable force when coming forward, but he was lost when things didnt go his way. The nickname ' Sugar ' came from a newspaper reporter who described him to be sweet as sugar. Mike Tyson was in an awfully weak era. His first fight against a top ranked heavyweight did not go so well, though he did earn a very controversial decision against Philadelphias Tommy Loughran in 1936. Tyson could not get past the defense of Lewis and he got knocked out. Leave Iron Mike out, Mike Tyson Likely Deserves Mention For His Impressive Wins Over Numberous Belt Holders Including Larry Holmes Trevor Berbick Frank Bruno James Bone Crusher Smith Bruce Seldon Michael Spinks Tony Tubbs And Tony Tucker. Also, previous polls in this series were limited to fighters from boxings modern age (roughly 1940 to date). The Tyson of the late 80s definitely belongs there. There is no way Frazier can be ranked above Foreman. Klitschko won the bout by way of knockout in the second round. ESPN.com: ALL-TIME GREATEST BOXERS Erik Morales 78. Louis' points total puts him well clear of the 'Greatest,' who finished second with an impressive 757.9 points. Boxing legends Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis have all secured a place in the top 10 heavyweight boxers of all time. Tyson ADMITS he bit EH (classy) out of frustration not knowing what to do when he knew hed lose). THATs reality, Tyson fans. And when your biggest asset is desire, thats not good. Posted below are the top 50 heavyweights of all time, according to fans. A lot of guys on this list would have discouraged Tyson real fast. Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis didnt fear Tyson and were able to subsequently bully the bully. The 10 Best Heavyweight Boxers In The World Right. Liston was nearly knocked out by Cleveland Williams, and also had trouble from Amos Lincoln, but he beat both of them. Heavyweight Ring career: 1985-2005. 25. Second, since we have chosen to rank fighters in one division only so we can spread the glory around, you will not see Gene Tunney, Ezzard Charles orSam Langford here, as they are on our list of the all-time best light heavyweights. Hed be too small for guys like Ali and Foreman. He was poorly managed and handled. Applause for not ranking Tyson. Holyfield held his own, 15 rounds, against a young Lennox Lewis (who destroyed Tyson), and, beat (not on the scorecards) Nikolai Valuev LATE in EVs career. Mike Tyson is number 10 in our list of top 10 greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. Mike tyson in his prime was unstoppable. 4. He wanted to end fights as quickly as possible. Not his fault if he fought and beat old men as champ. He never won the big prize, but did enough to earn the respect of his peers and the voters of the boxing hall of fame. Larry Holmes (1973-2002, 69-6-0): 330.3, 13. Renault was also famous for his battles with smaller boxers Harry Greb and Gene Tunney. He was a manufactured Mafia fighter. Muhammad Ali is the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time according to major Sports publications like Sports Illustrated, NBCSports, BBC, and ESPN SportsCentury. No Holyfield? The Fifty Greatest Light-Heavyweights of All Time Part One - 50-41 Ali. Holyfield 9. The biggest name in this bracket has to be Vitali Klitschko, with the Ukrainian a multiple heavyweight world champion. His record is no different than Tommy Morrisons, same tomato cans, Tommy had an even higher KO %. As a symbol, Louis meant as much in his time as Ali did in his; maybe more. 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. When they met again with the championship on the line, Louis knocked Schmeling out in the first round. I take Lennox Lewis by knockout in later rounds. 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. Tyson 10. Cant make this list without Tyson and Holyfield. Some of the bigger names in this list include Sonny Liston, and fellow American Evander Holyfield, with the latter renowned for his rivalry with Mike Tyson which saw Iron Mike bite a chunk of his ear off during a bout. As I count down from 100 we are going to run into some heavyweights who made an impact but could have been much more if things had been different. Mayweather, Tyson, Fury, Ali, Canelo: 100 greatest boxers of all time This to me is mind-boggling and tells me that Sullivan, in his prime, would have whipped Corbett. He was a natural counter puncher and rarely pressed the action so he had a reputation for making the hometown fighter look bad. After DAmato died, he lost something but his ferocity and unique skills in both defence and attack stayed on, until he changed Kevin Rooney, due to the cunning and crookery of Don King. Huh? Ken Norton should get at least an honorable mention. The Easton Assassin was, for a long stretch, the most underrated heavyweight champion. It lasted two rounds. The Greatest Boxers Of All Time ranked - The Delite Larry Holmes could knock you out with his jab. Henry Cooper (1954-1971, 40-14-1): 118.8, 42. What about Tyson? Gene Tunney (1915-1928, 79-1-4): 464.7, 6. Ken Norton. Charles was 32 years old in the first Marciano fight. Tyson Fury (2008 - present, 30-0-1): 173.2, 23. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. That night changed the experience of being black in America. Tony Tucker. There couldnt be two more diametrically opposed fighters, in terms of surviving being hurt. In weighing greatness, the electors also considered intangibles and how important the heavyweight championship of the world was, once upon a time. But if Ruth had been forced to contend with sliders, cutters, screwballs, forkballs, two-seam fastballs, four-seam fastballs and the like, he might have been less dominating. Big heart, just would not be beaten. Dont be a hater all your life! Really? Hasim Rahman (1994-2014, 50-9-2): 115.1, 46. Johnny Dundee 77. Sonny Liston (1953-1970, 50-4-0): 625.7, 3. Boxing News Magazine 100 Greatest Heavyweight Boxers Special Issue View Reviews | Write Review Only $7.99 . These are hardly heavyweight limelights and I mention Tysons age 38 because considering the legit comebacks going on, Tyson was NOT that old. Wins over Jess Willard, Georges Carpentier, Jim Flynn, Big Bill Tate, Billy Miske, Luis Firpo, Gunboat Smith and Jack Sharkey. Peak Big George demolished unbeaten Frazier inside two rounds, then did the same to tough Ken Norton. Come back next week to see who I picked for numbers 90-81. 18), who were also separated by 12 points. Bruce Woodcock (1942-1950, 35-4-0): 119.3, 41. Literally knocking over tomato cans. If only Cus would have lived ten more years I think Tyson would be top 5. Tyson was not even the best of his era - Lost to Douglas, Holyfield TWICE, Lennox Lewis,Danny Williams and McBride.. Tyson NEVER beat anyone who beat him and Never came back when he was down in a fight . He could do no more than beat them but, perhaps wisely, he didnt wait to face any up-and-coming boxers! The history of the modern fight game, which dates back to the 1880s, is rich in history and full of interesting and amazing characters. Although he didnt make the list, it doesnt mean he isnt a major problem for the legends at the top of this list. 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. DAZN uses cookies to help us deliver our services and improve your user experience. A metropolis where hundreds of young warriors train and battle each day in its many gyms, it is where Archie Moore, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and Bernard Hopkins all found greatness. At 18, he won a Gold medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics. A one-dimensional fighter. (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images). 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. In sum, the criteria diverged significantly from elector to elector. Give him credit for that. Tyson is completely overrated. None of the fighters listed knocked out opponents the way Tyson did with speed and fury!!!! Id probably say Tommy Burns, a good but small heavyweight from whom he took the crown. The reason that Greg never fully realized his potential was his horrible work ethic. Jeffries was a superior athlete who won the heavyweight championship as a virtual novice. He lost one fight in the early years of his career, to a very good Max Schmeling (who Louis took lightly and didnt train for properly). John Ruiz. Plus, hes the only heavyweight world champion to have finished his career undefeated. Power, toughness, and unsurpassed conditioning were Rockys calling-cards, along with a brutal relentlessness which no one in his era could withstand. 5. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Career Record: 175-19-6, 106 KOs. Nobody ever got more out of what he had as a fighter than Marciano. The Top Ten. Top 100 greatest boxers of all time: 20-11. ESPN.com: ALL-TIME GREATEST BOXERS Didnt he get beaten by a fat man? It was up to each panelist to quantify greatness. Page is the first of many to come that falls into that group, only in his case, he has no one to blame but himself. Two voted for Jack Johnson. Lets set the record straight. This list is absolute dooodooo. In 2004, the Boxing Writers Association of America honored Hauser with the Nat Fleischer Award for career excellence in boxing journalism. Jimmy Wilde. All of the fighters on this list were great. Vitali Klitschko (1996-2012, 45-2-0): 349.2, 11. Given Alis generosity of spirit, I dont think hed mind sharing the No. 48. 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. One fight can go a long way toward defining a fighters legacy. Muhammad Ali: Why is Ali number one? Instead, Lennox Lewis represents their era as an all time great, and the 11th best ever? We saw the skill but we were ROBBED of the will, his future, and his full potential. If a fighter was ranked No. Matchmakers: Eric Bottjer, Don Chargin, Don Elbaum, Bobby Goodman, Ron Katz, Mike Marchionte, Russell Peltz and Bruce Trampler. A giant who fought with finesse. A staggering 49-0 record 43 of which by knockout and counting wins over the likes of Joe Louis, Ezzard Charles and Archie Moore, Marciano was among the most feared heavyweights of all time. Bowe was a super talent and a super waste. 1. Even I know THAT! Foreman knocked out Michael Moorer to become the oldest Heavyweight Champion at the astonishing age of 45. And they are similar in age so how can you talk about their primes? Holmes was a deadbeat along with Klitschko. Joe Louis was a better fighter than any fighter the world had seen before. The boy from Catsville New York is the second greatest. I agree with you. Also held a management role for Last Word on Sports Motorsport page. Ohh the Tysonites who think boxing was invented in 1984 are out in full force. Required fields are marked *. Tyson foreshadowed todays social media world where fame often counts for more than character. He fought a way past his prime Tyson, almost lost to Holyfield in their second fight, and Vitaly would have knocked him out if they hadnt stopped it because of the cut. Several electors didnt feel comfortable rating Sullivan, Corbett, Fitzsimmons, Jeffries or Johnson because theres virtually no film footage of Johnson in action and none of the other four. Sorry. Tyson was a thicker, harder-hitting Joe Frazier. He fought in one of the best heavyweight eras and was clearly the best within it for a long time. This heavyweight poll has different criteria from previous exercises. He came back to beat the only two fighters who beat him in the pros. Leeds United players slammed by Piers Morgan as footage at hotel goes viral, Jurgen Klopp injures himself celebrating as Liverpool beat Tottenham 4-3, Tottenham: 40m star could now become 'big priority' at Hotspur Way. His best opponents were very old, dragged out of retirement given a few set-ups etc. Kick ass on half that page at least. He had one great fight, the first fight against Evander Holyfield. But if they fought, Id pick Vitali. *golf clap*. Mike Tyson earn his stripes. Holmes was 38 when he fought a 21-year-old, peak Tyson, same age as Ali was when he fought Holmes. Andy Ruiz Jr. 49. 3. Unfortunately for Jack he was also one of the most avoided, never receiving a title shot and rarely was granted rematches. His Promoter, the brother og hisnmanager was definitely connected, His first 10 opponents had a combined total record of ZERO wins, 19 losses and 1 draw. Foreman was a much better boxer the second time around. The Top 25 Greatest Heavyweight Champions of All Time Crazy to think Mike Tyson was not part of that list. In the past, Ive overseen fantasy round-robin tournaments in various weight divisions that matched great fighters from different eras against each other with the results of each fight being predicted by a panel of boxing industry experts. Very surprising. 49. Whoever made this list is a Damm fool if you dont put Mike Tyson either 2 or 3 and to not even have Evander Holyfield on the list but Lennox Lewis have to be the dumbest people ever.I mean ever, Youve got to be the dumbest. No substance. Nine chose Joe Louis. Vitali didnt have the resume or talent of his brother. Liston 13. At twenty, he couldve beaten anyone on the list EXCEPT Ali. The second of the What If? entrants to the list robbed this generation of a potentially great era of heavyweights. 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.
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