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

:good right on..

 

Top 12, I have him around 15. Personally, I find him the most overrated HW of all time. He was the third best HW of his era, behind Lewis and behind Tyson. (Sure, he beat a faded Tyson twice, but even assuming he would have beat a prime Tyson, Tyson was the more impressive, transformative overall figure, even if he matched up badly to Holyfield. For the same reason, I rate Holyfield above Bowe, even though Bowe was clearly the superior fighter to Holyfield in individual matchups).

I don't think its fair to put him above dominant champions who were the best fighters of their era. Its very subjective and unprovable to say their competition was any worse, comparatively, than Holyfields era. All we know is they were able to dominate it in a way people like Holyfield and Frazier weren't able to do.

 

That's the thing, stick him in the same era of Tyson 86-89 and he would have dominated. There's nobody on Tyson's resume who Evander wouldn't have beat IMO. He might not have waxed them all in the style of Tyson but he would have beat others more impressively e.g Smith, Tucker..

 

Not necessarily. I think Holyfield struggles with the ones you mentioned above. Look at Holmes and Stewart, both guys got murdered by Tyson yet were hell for a prime Holyfield. I think the size of Bonecrusher and Tucker would pose problems for Holyfield. These guys were powerful too. Bruno would be a tough go for Holy as well.

 

Doesn't everybody know?
He's #1.........THE HBGOAT!

 

Holyfield beats them all handily and kicks Tyson's ass for good measure.

 

He had some great fights, Tyson and Douglas and he had his share of unimpressive fights Ruiz and Bean where he looked less than ordinary and there was the stoppage loss to Toney. HE LOOKED SO -SO BEATING Cyz but his wins over Tyson and Douglas and the Bowe win raise him up. I got him in the lower end of the top 10 right above Larry Holmes

 

You could rank him 3rd quite comfortably.

Especially if you're one of the few who scored the LL rematch for him.

 

A great but overrated fighter.

 

:-( Nah

 

Yep...

 

Mmmm...nope :hi:

 

You seriously don't believe Evander would beat Tucker and Smith?? :rofl:rofl

 

Holmes at 42/43 went 12 rounds with Holyfield..throw a 6'5 230 pounder at him with better reflexes and harder to land a clean punch on,its a hard sell.Tucker also went the distance with Lewis way out of his prime which clearly indicates hes tough as nails and would be a major headache stylistically for Holyfield at any year..Smith is irrelevant,even 38 year old Holmes was better than him and 38 year old Holmes almost 2 years out of boxing or not takes Holyfield to school.No he doesn't beat everyone Tyson fought in the 80's.:nono

Had Tyson beat Ruddock in 88 you could've added him in there as well because he arguably at that year was better than Holmes and another big man Holyfield imop loses to.Holyfield at around 220 and not 200 is another story but then that's doing what ifs.

 

You should never talk about your mom that way