Top 20 Heavyweights Of All Time

Jack Johnson
Joe Louis
Cassius Clay
Sam Langford
Joe Jaenette
Harry Wills
George Foreman
Jack Dempsey
Sonny Liston
Rocky Marciano
Sam Mcvey
James Jefferies
Ezzard Charles
Joe Frazier
Lennox Lewis
Mike Tyson
Vladimir Klit
Evader Holyfield
Peter Jackson
Vitali Klit

After top 3 no particular order

 

Your list is all kinds of wrong

 

I have had pretty much the same list for the past decade, except for inserting the Klitschkos recently, one at ten and one at twenty.

It's based mostly on record but with some weight to the 'eye test.'

There's also some bias towards the post-Louis era.

Finally, there's some interchangeability in places.




Ali
Louis
Lewis
Foreman
Marciano
Holmes
Frazier
Tyson
Liston
W. Klitschko
Johnson
Dempsey
Holyfield
Wills
Patterson
Corbett
Walcott
Norton
Jeffries
V. Klitschko


arguable:

Bowe
Baer
Schmeling
Langford
Witherspoon

 

They say there's no place like home, but have you no place for Holmes ?

 

atsch

Corbett higher than
V. Klitschko
Bowe
Baer
Schmeling
Langford
Witherspoon

based on his only win over Sullivan? There's place for Corbett but no for Schmeling whose best win was light years better that Corbett's best win? Others also should rank higher than Corbett. Where's Fitzimmons then?

Lewis much higher than Holmes, who (at 42) beat Mercer more convincingly, who at 45 didn't lose to McCall in 2 rounds, who defended his title 20 times in a row (Lewis never defended title 10 fights in a row)?

Lewis so much higher than Wlad and Holyfield? Really?

 

This changes all the time, but right off the cuff now (and i am sure forgetting a few) i go with:
tier 1 Dominated for lengthy periods
1. Muhammed Ali - The Fastest, Toughest, Good size in any era, Dominated his own era and dominated a deep era, when past prime.
2. Joe Louis - Completed dominated his own era.
3. Jack Johnson - Was a late bloomer but ended up dominating his own era, and continued defending his title when completely past prime. Even after several retirements it still took them another 10 or so years before the best boxers could beat him again.
Tier 2 - completely domninated their own era
4. Rocky Marciano - undefeated champ.
5. James Jeffries - also retired undefeated and couldnt be touched in his own era.
6. John L Sullivan - Was untouchable in his time and even when past prime he continued to dominate until he ran into a fellow all time great. When past prime, and a recovering alcholic looking about 70 and after a retirement of more than 10 years, he was still able to come out of retirement and Ko a top 10 fighter
tier 3
7. George Foreman - Although he lost to Ali and later Jimmy young he may very well have been the best fighter of his era (i am not convinced either would have one a rematch). He also became one of the best fighters of the 90s when completely past prime.
8. Mike Tyson - When at his best he was as dominant as any fighter has ever been. When past his best, he still absolutely dominated good fighters and showed what a great chin he had.
9. Vladimir Klitchsko - A controversial one here, because it took him so long to develop and he still has such a big question mark on his chin. Still, he has now put together a reign which is as good as any past champion ever has and there is no doubt, that he has cleaned the division and there is noone left to challenge him. He will eventually lose but this is the sign of a great fighter.
10. Larry Holmes - A dominant champion who, like Foreman, became competive in two different eras. You dont win when you are so far past your prime, unless you were something special.
tier 4 Guys who on their night beat a fighter who not many others ever could have but didnt quite clear their division because of a fellow atg.
11. Max Schmelling
12. Joe Frazier
13. James Buster Douglas
15. Bob Fitzsimmons
Tier 5 - Guys who proved themselves as one of the best of their eras but not quite a standout dominance.
16. Vitali Klitchsko
17 Peter Jackson
18 Lennox Lewis
19 Jack Dempsey (i dont think i have already mentioned him)
20 Sonny Liston

 

1. Tony Tucker
2. Oliver McCall
3. Evander Holyfield
4. David Tua
5. Nicolay Valuev
6. George Foreman
7. Vitaly Klitschko
8. James Smith
9. James Douglas
10. R!dd!ck Bowe


11. Tim Witherspoon
12. Henry Akinwande
13. Lennox Lewis
14. Pinklon Thomas
15. Lamon Brewster
16. Tony Tubbs
17. Nate Tubbs
18. Corrie Sanders
19. Wolodimir Klitschko
20. Jameel McCline

 

1. Joe Louis
2 Muhammad Ali
3 Rocky Marciano
4 Jack Dempsey
5 Larry Holmes
6 jack Johnson
7 Lennox Lewis
8 Evander Holyfeild
9 George Foreman
10 Mike Tyson
11 Joe Frazier
12 James J Jeffries
13 Max Baer
14 Max Schmeling
15 Sonny Liston
16 Floyd Patterson
17 Ezzard Charles
18 Jersey Joe Walcott
19 Ingmar Johansson
20 Primo Carnera
21 Buster Douglas
22 Gene Tunney
23 Rid**** Bowe
24 Jack Sharkey
25 Jess Willard
26 Hassan Rahman
27 Tommy Burns
28 Micheal Moorer
29 Michael Spinks
30 Jimmy Braddock
31 Leon Spinks
32,Shannon Briggs

 

Ali
Johnson
Dempsey
Louis
Holmes
Lewis
Liston
Foreman
Holyfield
Tyson
Marciano
Frazier
Bowe
Wlad Klitschko
Jeffries
Tunney
Vitali Klitschko
Schmeling
Langford
Fitzsimmons

 

01 – Joe Louis
02 – Muhammad Ali
03 – Rocky Marciano
04 – Lennox Lewis
05 - Jack Dempsey
06 – Joe Frazier
07 – George Foreman
08 - Evander Holyfeild
09 – Mike Tyson
10 – Larry Holmes
11 - Jersey Joe Walcott
12 – Sonny Liston
13 - Ezzard Charles
14 – Jack Johnson
15 – Jim Jeffries
16 - Tunney
17 - Baer
18 - Schmeling
19 - Langford
20 - Patterson

 

I like this list a lot actually. Might be a few names that I'd arrange differently, but pretty spot on with I'd have.

 

As things stand now 15 is a good number.

The 15 standouts in chronological order are:

1. John L Sullivan
2. James J Jeffries
3. Jack Johnson
4. Jack Dempsey
5. Joe Louis
6. Rocky Marciano
7. Sonny Liston
8. Muhammad Ali
9. Joe Frazier
10. George Foreman
11. Larry Holmes
12. Mike Tyson
13. Evander Holyfield
14. Lennox Lewis
15. Wladamir Klitschko

All of these guys established some form of dominance.

That leaves five more names to be found.

 

As perfect a list as possible.