My Top 10 Heavyweights on a head-to-head basis

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by RealDeal, Nov 16, 2018.


Page 1 of 3
  1. RealDeal

    RealDeal Pugilist Specialist Full Member

    1,681
    1,803
    May 2, 2009
    Since a lot of the lists you see for top fighters are based on their overall resumes and career accomplishments within their respective eras, I have always wanted to try to come up with a list of the best boxers on a head-to-head basis. So this list is simply my opinion of who was better head-to-head at their absolute peak. Some of these guys had much longer primes than others, but that is irrelevant for the purpose of these rankings. I figured I might as well start with heavyweights. I’m interested in getting people’s opinions of this. I must say this was much harder than I thought it would be. For example, once I really thought it all through, Tyson ended up quite a bit higher than I originally thought he would. And like I said before, that is primarily because I’m evaluating him at his peak, rather than his overall career and resume. Also, I should mention that I’m assuming these fights take place under modern rules with 10 ounce gloves, 12 rounds, etc. Anyway, here it goes:

    1. Lennox Lewis
    2. Muhammad Ali
    3. George Foreman
    4. Mike Tyson
    5. Wladimir Klitschko
    6. Anthony Joshua
    7. Joe Louis
    8. Sonny Liston
    9. Larry Holmes
    10. Evander Holyfield

    Honorable Mentions (in no particular order): Tyson Fury, Riddick Bowe, Vitali Klitschko, Deontay Wilder, Joe Frazier
     
    RealDeal, Nov 16, 2018
    RealDeal, Nov 16, 2018
    #1
    Guybino, Wasteman, PolishDonut and 1 other person like this.
  2. Ukansodoff

    Ukansodoff Deontay plz stop ducking Joshua. Thank you. Full Member

    10,980
    6,711
    Aug 7, 2010
    I thought we all accepted Deontay Wilder was the best ever heavyweight? He said it himself really loudly so it must be true.
     
    Ukansodoff, Nov 16, 2018
    Ukansodoff, Nov 16, 2018
    #2
  3. Robney

    Robney ᴻᴼ ᴸᴼᴻᴳᴲᴿ ᴲ۷ᴵᴸ Full Member

    92,605
    27,282
    Jan 18, 2010
    Head to head Vitali certainly tops my list, and should definitely be above his brother
     
    Robney, Nov 16, 2018
    Robney, Nov 16, 2018
    #3
    Slowhand, NoNeck, FastSmith7 and 3 others like this.
  4. pistal47

    pistal47 Boxing Junkie Full Member

    7,779
    4,296
    Jul 14, 2007
    Replace Wlad with Vitali. Wlad has zero dog in him. Joshua too high and Mike Tyson I think would have brutalized Foreman. Holmes should be higher. List on geta ****ed up by a number of guys hes ratedbhigher than. Good lost though, I appreciate the time, thought, and effort you put into this. I think prime Tyson maybe #2 ahead of Ali, and thats no disrespect to Ali, behind Hagler hes my favorite fighter all time. Thanks for this brother.
     
    pistal47, Nov 16, 2018
    pistal47, Nov 16, 2018
    #4
  5. Heavy_Hitter

    Heavy_Hitter Boxing Addict Full Member

    4,320
    5,076
    Jul 7, 2018
    Why is Joshua there? He went life and death with ancient shot Wlad.
     
    Heavy_Hitter, Nov 16, 2018
    Heavy_Hitter, Nov 16, 2018
    #5
    HerolGee, Unforgiven and gdm like this.
  6. SambaKing1993

    SambaKing1993 Don't do it Zachary! Full Member

    1,668
    2,120
    Sep 17, 2018
    Would have Vitali and Bowe comfortably over AJ
     
    SambaKing1993, Nov 16, 2018
    SambaKing1993, Nov 16, 2018
    #6
    Slowhand, Odins beard, Heavy_Hitter and 2 others like this.
  7. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

    36,654
    16,547
    May 4, 2017
    D`Amato showed Foreman destroying Frazier and told him it was suicide a fighter with short arms coming forwards vs Foreman, he throws constant punches and would land before Tyson could get past his much longer arms, plus he had a chin that took Lyle`s best shots in a clasic brawl.
     
    mark ant, Nov 16, 2018
    mark ant, Nov 16, 2018
    #7
    Glass City Cobra and PolishDonut like this.
  8. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

    36,654
    16,547
    May 4, 2017
    Bowe was too easy to hit.
     
    mark ant, Nov 16, 2018
    mark ant, Nov 16, 2018
    #8
  9. Farooq

    Farooq Member banned Full Member

    231
    96
    Nov 13, 2018
    AJ beat a washed up Wlad and washed upPovetkin. Yeah that must mean he is great . Tyson Fury beat a washed up Wlad by running. Wilder beat up old men and bums. Who did Wlad beat? Great fighters don't get knocked out 3 times by tomato can fighters. Joe Louis fought more bumd than Wilder and most of the fighters Louis foght were 180 or pounds. Vitali fought worse fighters than Wlad. Sonny Liston's best win came against 180 pound Floyd Patterson.
     
    Farooq, Nov 16, 2018
    Farooq, Nov 16, 2018
    #9
  10. PolishDonut

    PolishDonut New Member banned Full Member

    34
    11
    Oct 10, 2018
    Numbers wise George Foreman #1 maybe Lennox #2 Deontay #3
     
    PolishDonut, Nov 16, 2018
    PolishDonut, Nov 16, 2018
    #10
  11. northpaw

    northpaw Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    17,006
    10,468
    Jun 5, 2010

    Joshua, Wilder and Fury should be nowhere near this list. Tyson is too high and Holmes is too low.
    Vitali has to be in the top 10 if Wlad is there.

    I do agree that Lennox is the greatest HW h2h though
     
    northpaw, Nov 16, 2018
    northpaw, Nov 16, 2018
    #11
    Odins beard, Heavy_Hitter, KiwiMan and 2 others like this.
  12. SmackDaBum

    SmackDaBum TKO7 banned Full Member

    5,191
    1,715
    Nov 22, 2014
    Different weightclasses. Why not add 220 pounds Usyk aswell then?
     
    SmackDaBum, Nov 16, 2018
    SmackDaBum, Nov 16, 2018
    #12
  13. sid

    sid Boxing Addict Full Member

    4,716
    2,824
    Nov 2, 2013
    What Bowe that put his belt in the trash can please no.
     
    sid, Nov 16, 2018
    sid, Nov 16, 2018
    #13
  14. RealDeal

    RealDeal Pugilist Specialist Full Member

    1,681
    1,803
    May 2, 2009
    Yeah I admit that AJ was probably the selection I had the least confidence in. This is because he’s the only one I have on my top 10 who is currently an active fighter. My thought process here is that AJ is just now really entering his prime and still has more upside. Also, his height, physical strength, and just overall size make him a very tough match up for a lot of really good heavyweights. But I totally understand your point too.
     
    RealDeal, Nov 16, 2018
    RealDeal, Nov 16, 2018
    #14
    Heavy_Hitter likes this.
  15. RealDeal

    RealDeal Pugilist Specialist Full Member

    1,681
    1,803
    May 2, 2009
    I respect your opinions. You care to take a crack at making your own top 10 H2H list? I would be interested since it sounds like it would be quite a bit different than mine.
     
    RealDeal, Nov 16, 2018
    RealDeal, Nov 16, 2018
    #15
Page 1 of 3