Tyson ADMITS he bit EH (classy) out of frustration not knowing what to do when he knew hed lose). In some instances, the panelists offered commentary with regard to their rankings. Liston 13. He reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949, and is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. Have strong feelings about this story? Check out which of today's heavyweight fighters make our top 10. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Montreal is The Fight City. Tyson was the greatest six-round heavyweight of all time. Critics point out that Marciano was small, clumsy and only made six title defences, mainly against ageing opponents. And then there are fighters like Ali, Frazier, Holmes, Holyfield and Marciano. And he has captivated the publics imagination for three decades. Top row: John L. Sullivan, James Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons, James Jeffries; Second row: Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Joe Louis; Third row: Rocky Marciano, Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, George Foreman; Fourth row: Larry Holmes, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Riddick Bowe; Fifth row: Lennox Lewis, Vitali Klitschko, Wladimir Klitschko. Give me a break. Gene Tunney (1915-1928, 79-1-4): 464.7, 6. Rocco "Rocky" Marciano became the World Heavyweight Champion in 1952 after defeating Jersey Joe Walcott and is the only title holder to have retired undefeated as champion. In one instance, there was no margin at all. Holmes destroying Tyson? If Cassius Clay hadnt come along, Liston would have had more time at the top. Floyd Patterson (1952-1972, 55-8-1): 321.5, 14. 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. Joe surprised the boxing world when he had success stepping up in class against top ranked heavyweight opponents. Rocky Marciano (1947-1955, 49-0-0): 692.2, 2. Everyone, maybe save Sonny Liston and Vladimir Klitschko, overcame tough situations in a fight and found a way to win. 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. The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. DANNY WILLIAMS who LOST 27 fights knocked out a 38 year-old Tyson in 4 rounds. A gift and a curse. Thats a long time in boxing. So without further ado, here's the top 50 of all-time. Sorry, if Holmes is on they should both be in the top 5. He was wildly popular. Another thing: Joe Frazier and Rocky Marciano would be light heavyweights today. You could have shot those guys 10 times with a gun, posits one panelist, and they still wouldnt have quit. And when youre fighting, punching means a whole lot. However, Terence Crawford is hot property in the sport, becoming the first undisputed champion in the light welterweight division since Tszyu, becoming the first man to hold all four major word titles simultaneously since Jermain Taylor in 2005 and is one of only eight male boxers to do so. To draw an analogy to another sport, some of pro footballs greatest lineman from the past weighed 240 pounds. His shaky chin did not help his cause either. Ali wasnt always a good sportsman. Unless perhaps Tyson Fury has anything to say about that. Clarence Henry (1948-1954, 34-6-1): 167.9, 25. Lewis corrected things with Rahman in the rematch. Holmes was 38 when he fought a 21-year-old, peak Tyson, same age as Ali was when he fought Holmes. Holmes was a deadbeat along with Klitschko. Current heavyweight superstars Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder also made the top 50. Mike Tyson 75. Impeccable defense. I agree, those two losses are crap. Tommy had humble beginnings, fighting with intermittent success on the local pro circuit in Tonypandy, Wales during the 1920s. 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. Forget about Johnson-Jeffries as a measure of Jeffries as a fighter. Theres some ridiculous fighting records on this section of the list, with the biggest name arguably Lennox Lewis, The Lion was undisputed heavyweight champion in 2002, with no other man being able to achieve the feat since, showing us the size of his accomplishments when you consider some of the greats who have come after him. He was black Americas first black hero. It lasted two rounds. Email THE RING Magazine and your comments could be printed in our next issue: [emailprotected] Emailed letters will include a writers email address unless a city and state of origin is provided. W.Klitschko 12. 15. Oliver McCall (1985-2019, 59-14-0): 121.6, 40. Sam happily watches and avidly follows all sports, whether its his beloved Lancashire Cricket Club, Kolkata Knight Riders or Wigan Warriors! Dempsey 14. At a very leisurely pace over the last couple of years, The Fight City has offered its own idiosyncratic rankings of the all-time greatest boxers in each of the eight traditional weight classes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. The history of the modern fight game, which dates back to the 1880s, is rich in history and full of interesting and amazing characters. I remember how he destroyed Holmes! But if they fought, Id pick Vitali. Matchmakers: Eric Bottjer, Don Chargin, Don Elbaum, Bobby Goodman, Ron Katz, Mike Marchionte, Russell Peltz and Bruce Trampler. Sonny Liston: In the late 50s and early 60s Liston devastated the division with knockouts over Cleveland Williams, Nino Valdes, Roy Harris, Zora Folley and Eddie Machen, before taking the title from Floyd Patterson in 1962. He has played football, cricket, tennis, snooker and darts since childhood - but clearly not well enough to give up the day job! Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Heavyweight BOXING Champion JOE FRAZIER "Smokin' Joe" SIGNED First Printing RARE at the best online prices at eBay! Theyve forgotten how good Louis was when he was young. Cant believe some of these comments! A jab and a right hand. Muhammad Ali. So Maybe Tyson is in the top10 of his era .. I must say I like your list. Nine chose Joe Louis. Is it the toys? Satterfield was one of the hardest hitting heavyweights of all time, but considering that he was a natural light heavyweight, his heavy punches were freakish and noteworthy for their pound for pound devastation. 10. One ranked Louis fifth. Tyson never once rose from the canvas or walked through fire to win a fight. After George won the belt at that age you had the idea that he could have done anything.. Tyson would never beat Sonny Liston or Joe Frazier or Deontay Wilder for that matter. 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. A peak Tyson could not obliterate a mediocre Bonecrusher Smith, who had limited counter punching skills. Foreman demolished Frazier in both their fights, the only man that did or could. In the end, Alis edge over Louis in this poll was that many electors felt he was simply the better fighter. 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. After getting roughed up by a prime Mike Tyson, Thomas was never the same and his career quickly fizzled out. In sum, the criteria diverged significantly from elector to elector. There was no interest from the American public in two black men fighting for the heavyweight title. Heavyweight champions have resonated in the culture. The first fight makes our list of the "25 Greatest Heavyweight Contests of the Last 100 years. 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. 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. He was poorly managed and handled. The boy from Catsville New York is the second greatest. 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. And both components of his fighting game have been on display in all three of his fights against Deontay Wilder one of boxings biggest punchers of all time and his unanimous decision points win over Wladimir Klitschko. Henry Akinwande (1989-2008, 50-4-1): 126.7, 37. Tyson is a video-game. Couldnt agree more. That night changed the experience of being black in America. John Ruiz. George Foreman Scoring a pair of second-round TKOs of Joe Frazier and Ken Norton are a sample size of how terrifying Foreman was in his era. Charles was 32 years old in the first Marciano fight. Both ruined the division for a decade. Delivery time is estimated using our proprietary method which is based on the buyer's proximity to the item location, the shipping . Holmes went, what, 48-0. Go back and watch the Norton fight, even just round 15 if you dont have the time. Ibeabuchi was a beastly hulk of a man with a granite chin, endless stamina, and fought with the fury of mad man. A regular on greatest of all time lists, he has a knockout-to-win percentage of 87.76 percent one of the highest in heavyweight boxing history. Worst list Ive ever seen Modern heavyweights are often ridiculed as being a pale imitation of the legends of the 20th century whose legacies have been immortalised. Tunney caught Dempsey at the end of Dempseys career and after Dempsey had been out of the ring for three years. Some dont. But when it came time for Tyson to fight top prime guys, Hes 0-6 in fights that actually matter. Marciano finished third among the trainers. 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. Ruiz is the most hated heavyweight of his generation because of his aggravating fighting style. *golf clap*. So much potential down the toilet, it is enough to make your stomach turn. What fighter today would get in the ring in front of tens of thousands of people who hated his guts and literally wanted to kill him, and talk trash to the guy he was fighting and beat him? But Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis stand separate and apart from the rest. Tyson lost every fight that ever meant something. But here goes. Other considerations are involved. Holmes 8. 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. The Jeffries fight was a huge event, but I didnt think this a popularity contest and I dont know how to explain that a 6-year retired ex-champion could be considered one of a guys best wins. 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. But lurking in the back of many minds was the question: Which of these fighters took boxing to a new level in terms of skills, societal importance, or both? In a golden age of sports, he made boxing popular and respectable. The record speaks for itself. (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images). Its also about what he did outside the ring and what were left remembering about him.. Maybe Tyson would beat prime Lennox Lewis, but a prime Larry Holmes? 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. Most Notable win: St. Valentine's Day Massacre. And Jersey Joe Walcott, who made him look amateurish and dropped him at like 39 years of age. He destroyed Holmes. A lot of people who are serious about boxing think George Foreman is one of the most underrated fighters ever. Again we see some unholy amount of wins with Dave Shade registering 156, Lou Brouillard with 101 and Luis Rodriguez with 107. Frazier above Foreman? 1 Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. (January 17, 1942 - June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer, activist, entertainer, poet, and philanthropist. They were great fighters who were nowhere near shot. RSR is Now Hiring Entertainment Writers (Last 2 Writer Slots Open) and Photographers, Order Bad Brads Book Boxing Interviews Of A Lifetime, The Story Of The Back Room in New York City, SJC Boxing & Ringside Report Wishes Retired Boxer Myron Taylor a Happy 63rd Birthday Boxing News, SJC Boxing & Ringside Report Wishes FBHOF Class of 2017 Inductee Oscar Montilla a Happy 48th Birthday Boxing News, BREAKING NEWS: Glenn Kirschner Discusses Mike Pence, Donald Trump, E. Jean Carroll & More Hot Topics, SJC Boxing & Ringside Report Wishes Retired Boxing Champion Eddie Mustafa Muhammad a Happy 71st Birthday Boxing News. A four time heavyweight champion (not to mention cruiserweight champion), The Real Deal never ducked anyone and fought through adversity too many times to count. The Philadelphia icon couldnt cope with Big Georges otherworldly power - but he gave every other boxer he faced, including Ali, absolute hell. When the going got tough, Tyson had problems. It was avenged in devastating style: two minutes and four seconds of violence that left Schmeling with broken bones in his back. Nova found a home in the top 10 heavyweight rankings for half a decade in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Before he went to jail and before Cus DAmato died, he couldnt be touched. His record is no different than Tommy Morrisons, same tomato cans, Tommy had an even higher KO %. Nineteen of the 30 electors ranked Ali first. Tyson in his prime was unstoppable. The heavyweight division doesnt lend itself to this format. Lets set the record straight. Bob Baker (1949-1959, 51-16-1): 134.4, 34. Bonecrusher Smith happened WAY too early. Most Famous Fight(s): UD12 over David Tua in 1997. Notable Wins: TKO5 over Chris Byrd in 1999. Holmes was completely washed up-way past his prime. He nearly lost twice to Ringo Bonevena and was bitch-slapped by Foreman. 7. Mike Tyson is looked at now as a bully who folded when things got tough. A 1987 version of Mike would have demolished him. If only every era of heavyweight boxing had a few Bob Satterfields, the sport would never have lulls in popularity like we are currently experiencing. Here are the greatest pound-for-pound fighters in the 100-plus-year history of the sweet science. Anthony Joshua (2013 - present, 23-1-0): 116.9, 44. His second 10 was not much better. Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield tied for 11th place with 328 points each. It is a damn shame and TRAGEDY what happened to Mike. A fearsome puncher no doubt, but see Holyfield above. Mike Tyson should be in the top 12! Boxing magazine 'The Pugilist' have posted one fans top 50 boxers of all time and Sugar Ray Robinson leads Muhammad Ali as the top two. Career Record: 175-19-6, 106 KOs. Dont let that KO reel fool ya. Which elite fighters who were in their prime did he beat? But so too is that fighters skill level within the context of his time. The Easton Assassin was, for a long stretch, the most underrated heavyweight champion. Alexander Povetkin (2005 - present, 35-2-1): 148.3, 28. Lennox Lewis would wear Mike down with a strong jab peppering his face, a powerful dynamite right uppercut at close range, and tying Mike up and leaning on him to weaken and debilitate him. And his power was no myth. Cant overlook Holmes place in heavyweight history. Notable Wins: TKO6 over Rex Layne in 1954, MD over Bob Baker in 1956. Johnson KO15 Jeffries. Fraziers iconic and convincing victory over Muhammad Ali, and 2. the fact he is second only to Ali in terms of the best boxers competing in the strongest era in division history. 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. Or what about a match between fellow Nigerian power punchers, Ibeabuchi vs. Sam Peter? Lennox Lewis: Defeats to Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman, both of which he avenged with emphatic wins, do not obscure the fact that Lewis was the dominant heavyweight of the 1990s. But they, too, are among the greatest of all time, so thats not too shabby. 3. Even after his decisive stoppage defeats to Muhammad Ali, he remained a force in the division thanks to his brute strength, devastating jab, and KO power in either fist. Mike Tyson was the best fighter I ever saw. Frank Warren EXCLUSIVE Mike Tyson responds to Wilder's claims about knocking him out Top 50 fighters of 21st century named 50-31 50:. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. Seven of the nine electors who ranked Louis first ranked Ali second. And the panelists factored in toughness. One guy was a once-great fighter who was shot. 20 on each ballot, his score would have been 600. All of the fighters on this list were great. Langford was tiny when he fought Johnson. Bob Fitzsimmons won championships in three weight divisions. Mandatory Cr. Tyson 10. Many have failed at this. Tyson spent all his time in Tokyo with Geisha prostitutes, and I saw him myself walking down the Ginza with 3-4 of them. 47. The video game? Only 2 losses, and he came back and rectified them. Foremans last 10 opponents were unbeaten or just had 1 loss. Many cite this as a feat of Marciano. Absolutely. At 31-0-1, all thats left for the reigning WBC and lineal world heavyweight champion and former unified world champ is to snatch undisputed glory as the cherry on top. Max Baer, Max Schmeling, James J. Braddock and Jersey Joe Walcott all felt Louis wrath. Louis too, though I think Louis courage would put him over Tyson. . Very surprising. 8. Boxing legends Rocky Marciano and Sonny Liston finished third and fourth respectively, with Lewis rounding off the top five. During the 1890s, the modern boxing game was in its infancy and only a handful of fighters had a grasp of proper technique. But even if you take into account their overall careers, Id still give the edge to Foreman because of his comeback years. Renault was a top heavyweight contender during the Dempsey-Tunney era. To what extent does the mythology that enshrouds a fighter factor into his greatness? 2023 RING TV LIVE. He could do no more than beat them but, perhaps wisely, he didnt wait to face any up-and-coming boxers! Yeah the same one who lost his title to a light heavy? He has a degree in Football Business and Media, previously working as a press and media officer at Bury Football Club. No Holyfield? Nicknamed The Greatest, he is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated sporting figures . Fury has made a case to be considered one of the best heavyweights ever, but just how good is he? For some, character mattered. The mold of a perfect fighter. Greatest Heavyweight Boxers of All Time. Johnson never granted a title shot to another African-American boxer - maintaining the odious colour bar during his six-year reign - but he was ahead of his time in the ring. Max Baer, Max Schmeling, James J. Braddock and Jersey Joe Walcott all felt Louis' wrath. Choynski fought in a time when San Francisco was still relevant to boxing and pro boxing was illegal in many states. Most great boxers have done this and Lennox Lewis only lost twice and then won in the rematch. 49-0! Both fighters are full-sized heavyweights: Anderson is 6-foot-4, 247-plus pounds while Kossobutskiy is 6-3 . The nickname ' Sugar ' came from a newspaper reporter who described him to be sweet as sugar. 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 . James J. Jeffries: The Boilermaker was revered for decades as one of the greatest ringman in the history of the sport as his combination of bone-crunching power, durability and amazing stamina allowed him to retire undefeated in 1904. Thomas had heavy feet, but a good jab, a stocky frame, good chin, and a knack for cutting off the ring. None of the fighters listed knocked out opponents the way Tyson did with speed and fury!!!! What is clear is the amount of opponents Tyson overwhelmed with his devastating power. Honorable Mentions:Joe Jeannette, Jersey Joe Walcott, Max Schmeling, James J. Corbett, Max Baer, Jack Sharkey, Sam McVea,Peter Jackson, Evander Holyfield, Tom Sharkey, Floyd Patterson, Mike Tyson, Wladimir Klitschko, George Godfrey, John L. Sullivan, Johnny Risko. Carmine Vingo, Rex Layne, Roland LaStarza; Marciano beat real fighters on his way up. Really? No way. If only Cus would have lived ten more years I think Tyson would be top 5. Ali inspired the world. Letters may be edited for reasons of space and clarity. Boxing legends Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis have all secured a place in the top 10 heavyweight boxers of all time. The size differential between fighters from different eras is too great. I loved his response when someone asked him what he was thinking when Walcott knocked him down in their first fight: Gee, this fellow hits hard. Boxing is a world sport. Try to forget his social impact, good looks, quotes and even that unique fighting style that saw a 6ft 3in adonis float around the ring like a featherweight - his fists by his sides, daring you to hit him - what makes Ali the No 1 heavyweight ever is something far more concrete. I agree with you. Also held a management role for Last Word on Sports Motorsport page. Most Famous Fight(s): Controversial 10 round points loss to Jack Sharkey in 1925. Notable Wins: 10 round points win over George Godfrey in 1924, KO9 over Fred Fulton in 1923, TKO15 over Floyd Johnson in 1923. How important was a fighter in his era? Smokin Joe was an absolute buzzsaw. He had a stocky, durable build and was a solid all-around technician. Ken Norton should get at least an honorable mention. Canelo vs. Ryder: Who is fighting on the undercard. The first boxer to set a million-dollar gate, Dempsey was the US superstar attraction of the 1920s with his savage fighting style, devastating power and rugged good looks. Thats because there wasnt enough film footage of fighters from earlier eras to properly evaluate how theyd perform against one another and also because boxing technique has evolved considerably since the days of Joe Gans. I can only imagine how interesting fights between Ibeabuchi and the Klitschko brothers would have been. Fury has combined pure boxing skills with underrated punching power to a supreme level amidst his growing dominance. His later losses to such as Danny Williams and old , McBride were when he was not only totally washed up, but untrained and uninterested in anything except to earn money to pay his debts. Joe Frazier 11. This heavyweight poll has different criteria from previous exercises. Jack Johnson: Boxings first Black champion of the big men was remarkably quick, very hard to hit, and dangerous with either fist. He also KOBY 26 Jess Willard in Havana Cuba on April 5, 1915. Lennox Lewis is too low. 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.