Your favourite heavyweight of all time?

I'm just gonna type some short **** about some of my favs through history.

Apollo is the god of boxing. I don't think that needs anymore explaining.

Onomastos wrote the rule book. The culture revived around the time of James Figg was Onomastos' culture. The very basic tenants of what is and is not boxing comes from him.

I like the theory breakers and Glaukos is your very first Marciano. A man who was trained late, took a hell of a beating against top foes, and pulled through thanks to his hellacious punching power and granite chin. I really like Glaukos because he is your very first anomaly. Similar to Marciano he doesn't really adhere very well to boxing theory. He's a fantastic boxer in regard to limiting his flaws and exaggerating his strengths, but he's a terrible boxer in regard to being true to theory. For most people who ever lived in all of history that's just not good enough. Most people who are poorly trained but hit hard fail even with a great chin. Most, but neither Glaukos nor Marciano. That's pretty amazing.

Euthymos and Theaganes. They can't be separated. Euthymos is your first good guy multi-champ that everyone loves. Theaganes is the badass outspoken rebel that polarizes everyone. Euthymos was made a god in his lifetime, he didn't have groupies or fanboys. He had worshippers. Respect. Theagenes was so roudy during life the statue made by his people in honor of him after his death was attacked. The statue won that fight, not even in death can any man defeat Theagenes. I don't care who you are those boys are cool.

Diagoras is to boxing exercises as Onomastos is to boxing culture.

You know that scene in Indiana Jones where the temple shaman fella rips hearts out of folks chest? Kleomedes lost his Olympic crown to a man named Ikkos because Kleomedes flattened his hand like a knife and plunged his fingers into Ikko's heart killing him on the spot.

Kleitomachos is our first abstinent champion. Kleito has no sex of any kind while preparing for his fights. He became a Heavy Champion in his day. A Heavy champ was one who was champion in all three heavy sports. Heavy sport were combat sports, Boxing, Wrestling, and Pankration. Theagenes beat him to it, but Kleito added the no sex bit. I like him because I'd always wondered what the damn hell was up with that. Turns out it's a crazy roman thing.

Demokrates was champion when Jesus was around...if Jesus was around. He was more famous than the Emperor himself let alone Christ. Which means if Jesus was a real dude then Jesus for sure at the age 25 knew of Demokrates. Christian or not it's just neat to think what the Christ might have to say about the Champ.

Melankomas was never pointed against. Not was undefeated, of course he was, but more than that. No one ever landed a punch or got past his guard. That's a crazy legacy right? Let's make it crazier by adding Melankomas never landed a punch either. He just bobbed and weaved, juked and feinted, kept his guard high and stayed safe until his man was either too tired to stand or gave up. Who'd y'all say is the GOAT? Reckon Melankomas is either a fabrication from the oldens or he's the best at least defensively.

Herakleides just because he's a mummy at Getty.

Figg for the revival.

Broughton for being the closest thing to a modern Onomastos.

Mendoza I believe is the single most important figure in how boxing became what it is today and why boxing no longer reflects the spartan training as much as it exalts hit and stay safe tactics. Mendoza brought real defense back to boxing, called it science, antagonized a racist public, invented charging a ticket for sporting events, and promoted himself in the press. He wrote the book on defense, he wrote the book on sales, he wrote the book on public image. Even things like WWE owe Daniel The Jew Mendoza because if it wasn't for his influence who knows how long it would take for sports to manipulate consumers.

Yankee Sullivan, Tom Hyer, and John Morrissey are all tied. If you want to read about the old west, vigilantes, political corruption, barroom brawls, gun fights, gambling, and things of that sort look into these men. Just awesome. One of my favorites is Yankee vs Morrissey. Yankee is fighting in cuffs, but he's not being paid to lose rather Morrissey has a gang that will kill Yankee if Yankee wins. What does Yankee do? Beat Morrissey into a bloody pulp then leave the ring forcing the umpire to DQ Yankee.

Jem Mace because without him we'd had more years of the Yankee Sullivan era rough and tumble style bull**** in America.

Sullivan and Godfrey both commanded the sort of respect from their peers American champions before them could only wish for.

Jeffries and Johnson because JJ was so badass he took on most of a nation and because Jeffries was so badass even if they were motivated by racism I kind of understand why they thought a tired of old farming life Jeffries could fight Johnson. Johnson as a human being is a marvel. Smart, strong, capable, and uncontrollable. Johnson makes me think of the other greeks. Not so much the Spartan warrior types but the ones from Rhodes or Ellis who felt like the body was only one element and the spirit and mind had to be in alignment to attain true ability. I believe Johnson was one of the most able single human beings to have ever lived.

Joe Luis is the first real world champion. He's also to this day the most efficient boxer I've ever seen. He does not move too much or too little but rather just enough regardless what the movement or action is. Not the prototype for all to come after him but the archetype for what everyone wishes to attain.

Rocco Francis Marchegiano. He didn't just beat men he broke them. It took a mountain to stop Marciano. A real Spartan. I'm thankful a man like Marciano was successful in the filmed era. This ain't a sport about thoughts and feelings, it's about mercilessly crushing your enemy while being too hard to hurt. Sometimes we forget that. Since Mendoza's additions we've conflated boxing with Mendoza School but the core of boxing has nothing to do with hitting and not being hit in return. Marciano is a more pure pygmachos than any other boxer in the filmed era.

Ali was brilliant and creative in everything he did. I think he's a bit overrated, but I don't mind it because if anyone should be latched onto by casuals and hardcores alike it's Ali.

Mike Tyson. I was born a year before Punch-Out came out. Mike Tyson was a killer my entire childhood.

Evander Holyfield kicked Mike's ass. He's the guy who got me into the sport. 4 time champion since Tisandros. There's a few millennia in that gap.

Deontay Wilder is my favorite fighter of all time. I like his mix. I realize most hate it, but I really dig it. I think Jay and Mark have been very innovative with him and I think that's largely due to Wilder himself.

 

Tyson probably. Holmes second,, and Foreman's style was a little mechanical but he was strong and if a guy was fast he could trouble him and beat him up, but his personality was one of the best. George Foreman is so likeable and he could be one of the hardest punchers ever. His commentary was so terrible on HBO but you didn't mind because he was himself.

 

Holyfield is mine. Great heart, combination punching and fought all comers.

 

Tyson

 

I retract my previous comment on this thread.

 

I am the hegemony, bubba.

 

1. Holyfield 2. Tyson 3. Foreman
I like Holmes and Ali too, as well as several of the underrated 80s HWs

 

Holyfield. He maximised his potential and his win over Tyson is my fondest heavyweight memory bar none.

I guess no-one is infallible but at least in the ring, he always fought his heart out.

 

Robbi do you still post here? I havent seen you in some time

My favorite heavies: Bowe, Dempsey, Jeffries, Johnson, Tyson, Foreman, Larry Holmes, and sometimes Ken Norton

 

George

 

Joe Frazier. He was everything a champion should be. Old school mentality and nobody was tougher. Good man out of the ring.

 

Bowe. Underachieved big time.

 

Loved Jersey Joe Walcotts movement.
Loved Jimmy Young the underdog upsetting bigger and stronger boxers with his brain
Loved the way Larry Holmes snapped out that jab like a whip.
Loved the way Mike Hunter invented his own moves and then used them to beat better opposition.
Loved the way an in shape Tony Tubbs could glide for a big man.
Loved the way Byrd would frustrate bigger boxers with his speed and defense .
Really loved the determimation and a tenacity of a young Frazier would walk through fire to get to his opponents.

 

Or outlasted
Or outmoved

 

Tony Tubbs sure could GLIDE...LOL