My own heavyweight of the year list. Volume 1 1960 - 1989

[Kalasinn]

Kally's list:

1960 Sonny Liston
1961 Sonny Liston
1962 Sonny Liston
1963 Cassius Clay
1964 Muhammad Ali
1965 Muhammad Ali
1966 Muhammad Ali
1967 Muhammad Ali
1968 Joe Frazier
1969 Joe Frazier
1970 Joe Frazier
1971 Joe Frazier
1972 Muhammad Ali
1973 George Foreman
1974 Muhammad Ali
1975 Muhammad Ali
1976 Ken Norton*
1977 Ken Norton
1978 Larry Holmes
1979 Larry Holmes
1980 Larry Holmes
1981 Larry Holmes
1982 Larry Holmes
1983 Larry Holmes
1984 Pinklon Thomas
1985 Michael Spinks
1986 Mike Tyson
1987 Mike Tyson
1988 Mike Tyson
1989 Mike Tyson


*North takes '76, for being the rightful winner against World Champion Ali.

[Vince Voltage]

Nice work, and in some ways easier than debating who the "real" champ was, during split title eras.

[choklab]

there is an argument witherspoon could have been rated as the best fighter sometime around 83-86 period. until the KO loss to smith in a return nobody had the beter of tim spoon. The page, thomas and Holmes fights were MD's or SD's.

During this spell Timmy pushed holmes in 83 but also ran up unique wins over james tillis (ko1), james broad (KO2) and gave bonecrusher smith a more emphatic beating than Holmes or tubbs ever did. He also came through a war to KO Bruno who was riding on his own huge 1rko win over coetzee.

[Stevie G]

Originally Posted by choklab

there is an argument witherspoon could have been rated as the best fighter sometime around 83-86 period. until the KO loss to smith in a return nobody had the beter of tim spoon. The page, thomas and Holmes fights were MD's or SD's.

During this spell Timmy pushed holmes in 83 but also ran up unique wins over james tillis (ko1), james broad (KO2) and gave bonecrusher smith a more emphatic beating than Holmes or tubbs ever did. He also came through a war to KO Bruno who was riding on his own huge 1rko win over coetzee.

This is why I consider Witherspoon the third best heavyweight of the 1980's.

[Stevie G]

Originally Posted by Kalasinn

Kally's list:

1960 Sonny Liston
1961 Sonny Liston
1962 Sonny Liston
1963 Cassius Clay
1964 Muhammad Ali
1965 Muhammad Ali
1966 Muhammad Ali
1967 Muhammad Ali
1968 Joe Frazier
1969 Joe Frazier
1970 Joe Frazier
1971 Joe Frazier
1972 Muhammad Ali
1973 George Foreman
1974 Muhammad Ali
1975 Muhammad Ali
1976 Ken Norton*
1977 Ken Norton
1978 Larry Holmes
1979 Larry Holmes
1980 Larry Holmes
1981 Larry Holmes
1982 Larry Holmes
1983 Larry Holmes
1984 Pinklon Thomas
1985 Michael Spinks
1986 Mike Tyson
1987 Mike Tyson
1988 Mike Tyson
1989 Mike Tyson


*North takes '76, for being the rightful winner against World Champion Ali.

Nice list. Almost as good as my own !

[Kalasinn]

Originally Posted by Stevie G

Nice list. Almost as good as my own !

Thanks, i used yours for inspiration!

[Stevie G]

Originally Posted by Kalasinn

Thanks, i used yours for inspiration!

Pleasure !

[Stevie G]

Originally Posted by mike huntt

this guys a godddamn ****in retard

Keep petty insults out of the equation,my man. It's the sort of thing that only "goddamn ****in retards" resort to.

[Stevie G]

Originally Posted by Kalasinn

Thanks, i used yours for inspiration!

Who would you have had for runners up ? Mine are very much in the work in progress stage,but here goes -

1970 Joe Frazier
1971 Muhammad Ali
1972 ?? *
1973 Muhammad Ali or Ken Norton **
1974 George Foreman
1975 Joe Frazier
1976 Muhammad Ali or Ken Norton ***
1977 Jimmy Young
1978 Ken Norton
1979 Earnie Shavers


* Ali was up there all on his own in this year. Frazier had two soft defences,and Foreman had n't beaten anyone of note.

** Does Ken get it for beating Muhammad ? Or does Muhammad get it for reversing that defeat ?

*** Confusing................ Does Ken take this for putting in a winning performance,but just falling short on the cards ?
On the other hand,Norton had n't beaten anyone else of note during this year,and Muhammad had also beaten Jimmy Young,albeit controversially.

Told you it was work in progress !

I'll do the 80's bit of it tomorrow.

[Armstrong!]

Originally Posted by mike huntt

this guys a godddamn ****in retard

Watch your mouth son. That "godddamn ****in retard" knows more about boxing (and spelling) than you do. So....

[Stevie G]

Originally Posted by Armstrong!

Watch your mouth son. That "godddamn ****in retard" knows more about boxing (and spelling) than you do. So....

[GH057ayame]

Spinks didn't box a heavyweight bout until late '85 and it was only the one fight! Not deserving of this slot.

[Stevie G]

Originally Posted by GH057ayame

Spinks didn't box a heavyweight bout until late '85 and it was only the one fight! Not deserving of this slot.

I get your drift,but he DID become the first man to beat Larry Holmes. As past it as Holmes was,this still deserves plaudits.