What's the highest we can reasonably rank Evander Holyfield at heavywieght?

One of my favourites too. I think, no matter what, he belongs outside the top 5. So for me, tops #6.

Mainly because I feel he never really dominated an era, or looked especially dominant as champion. His two biggest wins are both excellent (Bowe 2 and Tyson) but he was a bit inconsistent. Still, he was hell when well, and an excellent all-rounder.

 

The highest ranking of Holy I have ever seen was 3rd of all time at HW by The Ring. Behind Ali and Louis. It was in 1998.

Such a high place was because Holy was at that time only second 3-times HW champion, after Ali, and current (in 98') best HW in the world holding 2/3 of titles, fresh off impressive wins over WBA champion legendary Mike Tyson and IBF HW champion Michael Moorer. Remember, it was before his fights vs Lewis.

Lewis at that time wasn't ranked in top-10 HWs by anyone. The Ring had him too low (only #32 in 1998). So the things changed dramatically for Lewis during 1999-2003.

Though I don't rank Holyfield as high, he's for sure top-10 in my rankings.

His achievements are: 4-times HW champion of the world, Holy also holds the record of defeated lineal HW champions (yes, more than Louis and Ali).

He beat 7 lineal HW champs - Douglas, Holmes, Foreman, Bowe, Tyson, Moorer, Rahman.

Add to that list titleholders - Thomas, Dokes, Mercer, Ruiz, Botha, and Valuev at the age 46 (though he was robbed) and contenders - Alex Stewart, Bert Cooper, Fres Oquendo, Lou Savarese - and you find his resume really impressive.

 

I think you can rank him as high as you want so long as you think he can beat the guy ahead of him. If all these guys fought at the same time...I do not think he could be any of these guys prime for prime.

Champion: Cassius Clay

1. Joe Louis
2. Jack Dempsey
3. Sonny Liston
4. Jack Johnson
5. George Forman
6. Lennox Lewis
7. Larry Holmes
8. Rocky Maricano
9. Joe Frazier

 

Four. I can't rank him above Louis, Ali, and Holmes, no matter what.

The lowest I can give him is 15. My actual ranking is somewhere on the range of 8-12.

 

Evander is hard for me, he had some great victory's over Douglas,Tyson and Bowe but also some odd losses and flashes of hot and cold throughout his career. I have him on the bottom of my top 10 right now but I think a top 10 leaves out too many important people so a top 15 may be more of something I will work on somewhat permanently, I have been changing it too much depending on how I feel at the time

 

Best HW since Holmes, imo. Clearly top ten. I have him at #7, but I could see both slightly higher and slightly lower.

 

A bit of a stretch.

That would make him the greatest outside of Ali and Louis.

 

I agree you could reasonably go as high as #3, behind the standard top two locks: Louis and Ali.

Of the 90s Heavyweights, nobody fought and beat more top tier guys than Evander. Dokes, Douglas, Foreman, Holmes, Bowe, Moorer, Tyson, Ruiz, Rahman, and Mercer. Quite a run.

 

Lewis was clearly better, both by resume and h2h.

 

Not by resume.

Evander beat 7 lineal HW champions
Lewis beat "only" 4.

Evander lost to Lewis, Moorer and Bowe (twice) till 38 (when Lewis retired)

Lewis lost to lesser fighters in McCall and Rahman (Moorer comparable, Lewis and Bowe clearly better)

What tarnish Evander's legacy it's his losses after 38, an age Lewis already was retired.