Where does Evander Holyfield rank among all time great Heavyweights?

I have him in the second half of my top 10. My cut off date was Louis forward.

 

Concur with John Thomas above. There are about 8 HW champs you can move around in the second half of the Top 10, depending on what day of the week it is.

 

something about his short massive left hook

definite top 10

 

I like dominant reigns next to resume for my top criteria when ranking ATG's. Unfortunately Holyfield doesn't have that dominant reign I like, but his resume is solid. Right now he's just outside my Top 10.

 

without cheating hes 8.

But I'm afraid I cannot include a drug cheat in a top ten all time list.

 

Defintely in the TOP10

 

You're too naive to think he's the only one of great HWs to do it.

By the way, he was never caught officially before or after the fight, so Evander is clean

 

not naive at all, I just go with positives and dont judge a man till the evidence is there.

Just like yo didnt judge me just now despite lack of evidence. oh you did.

 

Here we are.

It's hard to be negative about Holyfield because he was such a warrior and fought everybody. But, if you have to be objective, he's got an awful lot of losses for a top ten fighter. There has never been that aura of inevitability about him that you get with an Ali, a Louis, a Marciano, a (prime) Tyson etc.

He'd give a hell of a fight to just about anybody past or present, but I could also, in my mind's eye, see him losing to a lot of guys too.

 

Probably just outside the top 5, maybe 6-8.

After loads of wars, fighting some top opposition, with injuries, two retirements, past his prime, when he reached age 36 he still only had 3 losses on his record (against 2 men who he also had wins over).

I don't really buy the argument that he was particularly inconsistent or prone to lose in his prime.
On his worst night, age 31, already on the decline, and probably badly injured, he was still a little unlucky to lose the championship to Moorer by decision.
On the other hand you could argue he regained the title from Bowe on a pretty close one too.
I'd put Bowe of 1992-'93 in a high class of fighter though, as far as heavyweight rivals go.

 

That's a fair post.

 

Jeff Fenech did ok.

In his fifth pro fight he fought the reining Australian Flyweight champion (at bantam).
In his 7th pro fight he won the IBF world title, against a guy with about as much experience.
Rematched 3 fights later.
Defended against the unbeaten highly regarded Jerome Coffee (26-0) in his 12th fight.
Beat Daniel Zaragoza next fight who forged a fine career thereafter.
Moved up 2 fights later to beat Samart Payakaroon.
Pounded out Greg Richardson in his 17th fight.

Fair bit to cram in that quick. Those Asians were tough fighters too despite their inexperience.

 

Quite a lot of what you say is correct, however the Holmes and Foreman (42 year olds) who Holyfield defeated, would be a tough fight for many great fighters. My own historical position for Holyfield is 8-12 ahead of Tyson, Lewis, The Klitschko Brothers. I feel prime Holyfield of 1990 defeats those guys.

 

Good post.

Holyfield was really a tad small for heavyweight. He was an overachieving cruiser.