Ten clearly best heavyweights in a decade.

A strong top ten can lose to each other, but seldom lose to the to fringe contenders or journeymen in their times and have staying power to rebound back from a defeat. That pretty much defines 1890-1900.

If you look at today, much of the top ten is untested. One loss and their out, perhaps hardly heard of there after.

 

Matt, I posted this a while back in 2013.

Enclosed are my top 15 ranked heavyweights by 20-year intervals. The criteria for the ranking as follows.

1 ) Head to head vs. the field, which is strictly my personal opinion. 40% weighting

2 ) Resume of wins and losses, excluding losses that happened when a fighter was past their prime. 30%

3 ) The distinction of the fighter as champion by beating top contenders in title matches if applicable. 20%

4 ) Historians input, which matters most to fighters, not on film. 10%
I will try to list each fighter only once, placing him closest to his prime years. I am also open to shifting the ratings as a bit, as this is the 1st draft. So constructive feedback with explanations is most welcome.

1885-1905 Pioneer era: The transitional time between bare knuckles and London Prize-ring rules to Queensberry rules.

1.Jeffries
2.Fitzsimmons
3A. Jackson
3B. Corbett
5. Sullivan
6. Sharkey
7. Slavin
8. Ruhlin
9. Goddard
10. Maher
11. Choynski
12. Hart
13. McCoy
14. O’Brien
15. Root

1906-1925 Black and white filmed era:

1. Dempsey
2. J. Johnson
3. Tunney
4. Langford
5. Wills
6. Jeanette
7. McVey
8. Willard
9. Greb
10. Gibbons
11. Burns
12. Miske
13. Godfrey
14. Norfolk
15. Smith

1926-1945 Great Depression to World War II: An era where war and the great depression in the USA hurt boxing. I have trouble with the bottom of this list, and the depth is rather thin.

1. Louis
2. Charles
3. Schmeling
4. Walcott
5. M Baer
6. Carnera
7. Godfrey
8. Moore
9. Bivins
10. Schaff
11. Conn
12. Hamas
13. Pastor
14. Farr
15. Loughran

1946-1965 Golden age era:

1. Liston
2. Marciano
3. Patterson
4.Johansson
5. Ray
6. Terrell
7. Machen
8. Folley
9. Williams
10. H. Johnson
11. Valdes
12. D Jones
13. Chuvalo
14. Cooper
15. Harris

1966-1985: TV expansion to Cable and PPV: This era is loaded with talent.

1. Ali
2. Holmes
3. Foreman
4. Frazier
5. Norton
6. Witherspoon
7. Thomas
8. Quarry
9. Page
10. Coetzee
11. Shavers
12. Lyle
13. Cooney
14. Young
15. Weaver


1986-2000: 12 round era and super heavyweight era. This era had tremendous depth and a lot of talent.

1. Lewis
2. Holyfield
3. Tyson
4. Bowe
5. Ibeabuchi
6.Byrd
7. Morrer
8. Mercer
9. Douglas
10. Tua
11. Morrison
12. Bruno
13. Rhaman
14 McCall
15. Ruiz.


2001-( ratings are of 2013 ) 2026 – Eastern European dominance era. While this era is only half over, the nations producing the top talent has shifted. Once the iron curtain in Eastern Europe fell both the amateur and professional ranks have been dominated by Eastern Europeans. Only 2 Americans made the top ten. Since many of the below fighters career’s are over, and future talent in the amateurs will arrive, this list will likely look very different after the Klitshcko’s retire. It is possible young pros such as Joshua, or Pulev will rate soon.

1A. V Klitschko
1B. W Kltischko
3. Povetkin
4. Chagaev
5. Sanders
6. Ibragimov
7. Haye
8. Adamek
9. Chambers
10. Brewster
11. Peter
12. Valuev
13. Gomez
14. Solis
15. Arreola

 

I think Harold Johnson, with wins over Charles, Moore, Valdes, and Machen, should be in the top ten of the fifties. He certainly should rate higher than Valdes.

 

Mendoza--hard to understand how Charles & Moore get into the pre-1946 era. They obviously belong in the 1946-1965 era. I think Walcott does also, because that is when he had his major victories and was world champion. Of the names on your list, it is difficult for me to understand how Harris rates and Layne doesn't when Layne had victories over two heavyweight champions as well as the dangerous Satterfield.

And Jack Sharkey does not even make the top fifteen of the 1926-1945 era?

 

Good points on the omissions. I can edit it later. When you are listing a lot of names and dates, guys can slip through the cracks.

If Charles and Moore are moved two others get bumped.

Do you agree with it a macro sense? I created it in 2013.

 

36 competitors took gold , silver and bronze in the SHW division since its inception since 1984.
10 took medals. 2 won gold.

Lets take a look at the HW division since 1984.
36 boxers took away medals.
7 were from EE.
The 3 gold medals out of 9 were won by EE's. One of them was Rakhim Chakhkiev who has been a very poor Pro.

Light Heavy Weight-

A bit better. 18 won medals out of 36 competitors since 1984. 3 won gold since the curtain came down in 91.

Middle weight -
8/36 since 1984
Just one EE won Gold since the curtain fell. There was actually more EE gold winners before the curtain fell. I don't think EE dominated amateur boxing is a correct statement.

 

Since you asked

1886-1905------the bottom fifteen seems filled with non-heavyweights like McCoy & Root. What about Jake Kilrain & Bob Armstrong? So many non-heavyweights seems to point to a weak era.

1906-1925-----don't see why Godfrey is in this one when he is also in the post 1926 era more appropriately. Miske should drop a few spots at best. What about Fulton? A lot of bad losses but scads of big wins also. Fireman Jim Flynn had a very spotty career but posted wins over Dempsey and Langford. I could see him at #15.

1926-1945-----poor job here as Charles, Walcott, & Moore shouldn't be on this list. Replacements? Turkey Thompson--lots of impressive KO wins. Arturo Godoy? Long, solid career. Lee Savold--spotty record & failed consistently against top men, but long-time contender with lots of wins over solid fighters. Joe Baksi? Was a top man for a while.

1946-1965-----Charles, Walcott, & Moore belong here. Who goes? Harris, Cooper, Chuvalo, & Jones. None beat a heavyweight champion let alone being one. All decent, but just not this good. I would drop all four for Charles, Walcott, Moore, and Rex Layne who defeated two world champions and has a solid overall group of scalps.

1966-1985-----no disputes for me

1986 on-----you know more than I do about this era.

 

Burd???


Whats this guy smoking??

 

Incorrect.

Lewis was ranked the Champ until 2004.
2000-2010

1. Lewis
2. Vitali
3. WK

2011

1. Wlad
etc etc