New Book Heavyweights by the Numbers

A new book with an interesting twist is hitting the market soon. Heavyweights by the Numbers - by Jim Trunzo - the man that created the title bout board game. In it, the author will use a strict mathematical formula to rate over 100 heavyweights. Could be interesting and start some refreshing debate and perhaps even change perception of some long held beliefs. I have mine preordered and will update this thread when the book arrives.

 

I agree with all your posts I won’t be able to say until the book arrives what I feel about it but I will say he is a huge fan of the sport and the game he created was quality. You can find out more on his website straightjab media

 

Ok so my book arrived yesterday, Heavyweights by the Numbers. The author rates 160 total heavyweights and breaks them into 5 Tiers or levels of quality.
Without delving into too much detail (and it is a lot of detail) the formula is based off competition - each fighter is rated by their competition and where in their career the competition was when they faced said fighter. The competition is rated by who they fought and so forth up to 4 levels back. No fights under 10 rounds are considered nor No contests.

The first Tier is 16 total fighters. Here is the top 10. Spoilers below if you don’t want to know or have interest in purchasing the book.





1. Joe Louis
2. Muhammad Ali
3. Sonny Liston
4. George Foreman
5. James J. Jeffries
6. Rocky Marciano
7. Joe Frazier
8. Larry Holmes
9. Lennox Lewis
10. Mike Tyson

While I don’t agree with everyone’s placement in the top 10 - I have to say that is not a bad outcome. Each fighter in the first two tiers (second Tier goes from 17th place to 44th) is given a brief description on why they placed where they did and some comments and career recap. So far while I disagree strongly with some placements, especially outside the top 10, I have to say i’m enjoying this novel approach to the division. If anyone is interested in a specific fighters placement they don’t see above you can ask and I will post.
I would only recommend this book to die hard fans and people who love statistics because their is 0 head to head breakdown and little no context of what actually transpired in a fight. Basically a Win is a win is a win. For example Bowe places very high on the list but the author mentions that had he “officially” lost just one of the Golota fights his ranking would slip 12 slots. Etc

 

Lewis cleaned out the division but his biggest wins were past prime fights like Holyfield and Tyson. The ratings is based not just on who the competition was but where the competition was at the point the listed fighter fought and beat them- Liston bested peak versions Folley, Machen, Patterson 2x, Cleveland Williams etc,

Fighters are rated as pre prime, prime, post prime, the end.

While this formula has holes, so far I am enjoying the book. Wlad did not place high and judging by the criteria I believed he fought many prime opponents that he would of had a loftier rating. So their are discrepnecies, it’s a lot to digest and I just started to read the book

 

I agree - but remember he stretches out who the competition faced up to 4 levels back - so perhaps Patterson faced better competition than Vitali did when he finally faced Liston. I was surprised by Sonny at 3rd and while Lennox isn’t my 3rd heavy he does get a lot of votes for that placement more than I ever see for Liston.
Losses factor in too- Lewis was considered prime for McCall loss. And past prime for Rahman I believe. Liston was pre prime for his first loss and only prime for his loss to Ali. Ali rates much higher obviously and therefore doesn’t hurt Listons rating as much.
Jeffries rates 5 because his loss to Johnson barely measures- losing to a prime great while your at the end. It’s interesting to say least but I wouldn’t take any of it as gospel