Boxing.com's heavyweight poll - the result

The boxing.com list is actually pretty good...I don't know how I feel about Holmes at 3 since I view his reign as comparable to Wlad's, though. I don't see why there's such a disparity between the two.

 

it's because holmes could fight. i love wlad but he was ko'ed three times before his current reign by fighters who no one would call greats of the sport. that sticks in people's memories.

 

I don't know, I think Wlad may have a little bit of fighting talent there :rofl.

If we're looking at flaws of the reign and not accomplishments, Holmes also didn't take the matchmaking risks Wlad has. He played it safer than Wlad did. One example was never unifying. Another was picking a LHW with no heavyweight fights in Spinks over Pinklon when it came came to match Marciano's record, which ultimately bit him in the ass (imagine Wlad fighting Chad Dawson for a record-tying defense). Another was dropping his title to fight Marvis Frazier instead of Page. When a fighter gave Wlad a tought fight, Wlad gave him a rematch. Holmes didn't do that after a tough night at the office.

I think legacy-wise, Holmes and Wlad are quite similar. But if we're going to point out the *****s in the armor of one and use that as the differentiating factor, gotta do the same for the other.

 

1) Muhammad Ali
2) Joe Louis
3) Lennox Lewis
4) Rocky Marciano
5) Mike Tyson
6) Larry Holmes
7) Evander Holyfield
8) George Foreman
9) Joe Frazier
10) Sonny Liston

 

Well, the same goes for the ratings of Jack Dempsey.
And the way Dempsey's lost his title to Tunney is more excusable than the way Liston went out against Clay, imo.

 

ILL. :smoke

 

The guys highlighted in red have less impresive heavyweight records than Sam Langford, by distances ranging from a hairs bredth to a mile.

 

That's crazy.

Langford getting less love than Jones Jr, Chuvalo, Moorer and Braddock !
And Douglas is miles ahead of him.




Langford's arguably top 3 ATG HW, imo.

 

Get real man. I don't rate Langfords wins at heavyweight really high just because he was a lightweight, which I'm guessing you do size should never be used as a factor in a heavyweight fight, especially weight. His best victories are matched against the same guy who he has over 10 loses to and his resume is full of rematches against insignificant heavyweights atsch. If you have Langford anywhere near the top 10 then you should have Wills above him and are clearly taking into account that he was a natural lightweight.

 

I am not saying that Langfords win at heavyweight are better because he was a former lightweight, I am saying that they are better in absolute terms.

Langford defeated and knocked out every significant heavyweight contender over a period of about a decade, with the sole exception being Jack Johnson who avoided him like the plague. Some of the people you listed as being above him only have one or two realy good wins.

It is not a given by any means that Wills should be above him because Langford was past his best when the series started, and an empty shell towards the end of it.

In terms of sheer volume, it is verry hard to find heavyweights who had more wins over elite heavyweight opponents than Langford. You are basicaly looking at Louis, Ali and perhaps Wills.

 

Overall, a fair list I think.

 

Jeffries ahead of Foreman,Frazier and Holmes ? Interesting.

 

My latest list

1.Muhammad Ali
2.Joe Louis
3.Larry Holmes
4.George Foreman
5.Joe Frazier
6.Sonny Liston
7.Lennox Lewis
8.Mike Tyson
9.Rocky Marciano
10.Jack Johnson