Heavyweight boxer as the greatest P4P boxer ever?

Well, if he maintained his focus and held on to the title up until 95-96 (having beaten Lewis, Holyfield and Bowe, and with 15-20 title defenses), he'd be in the mix.

Being spectacular and having a big impact on the sport is a requirement for being the GOAT.

You are making a confusion: TBE is not the same as GOAT.
TBE is all about peak form and H2H ability. Longevity is irrelevant in that regard. For example, if I run the 100m in 9.7 seconds only once in my life and you run it in 9.8 seconds for 2 decades, I'm still better than you. But I'm not necessarily greater.

Agreed. That's why I said he blew it, he stopped being dedicated. Alcohol, drugs and women got the better of him.

 

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He landed on Leonard. He would find a way to land on Ali

 

An Ali shrunk down to the size of a welter would be even faster and harder to hit than Leonard. He'd be a nearly unstoppable video game character.

 

Ali and Tyson both transcended their excessive weight, moving like middleweights in their respective primes.

Perhaps they should get additional points for their achievements rather than being penalized.

Just like Ingo was even greater for accomplishing what he did despite a privileged life.

 

Holmes has to be in this discussion. A prime Holmes could beat a prime Ali

 

Hmmm ... NO

 

This!

 

Unfortunately I agree.

 

I watched both those earlier fights between them and in the first, Leonard decided to go toe to toe with him and he still only lost a SD!
But that 2nd fight was classic Leonard, hit and move, hit and don’t get hit. If that was Ali he’d do everything that Leonard did but quicker. It would be
Ali/Liston 1 but over sooner.

 

Hmm. Now I like Holmes, so I decided to think of ways he could beat Prime Ali, because I wanted to agree with you. Holmes had a great jab…but Ali’s was better. (Debatable though I admit). And in terms of punching power, Prime Ali’s punch was underestimated... But the man could bang. But Holmes was no slouch either.
Punch resistance/chin…both could take a hit, despite both being floored. Both only stopped once in their careers…both when they were 38 and past it. (Yes we know who stopped Ali.)
Speed and movement…Ali wins that comfortably.
Resumé…Ali hands down! Liston twice, Frazier 3 times, Foreman once! Beat them all, losing only one. Try and imagine Prime Holmes fighting those 3 a total of six times…do you think he’d win 5/6? 6/6? I don’t.
I won’t go on, because it’s pointless…Ali either matches or beats Holmes in most departments. Prime vs Prime, Ali wins a unanimous points decision without too much bother.

I still love Larry though

 

Well considering Sugar Ray Leonard gave Duran all the trouble he could handle in all their fights, even in the one he lost narrowly when he actually decided to go toe to toe, then Ali…who is P4P quicker than Leonard…would box Duran’s ears off for however many rounds Roberto could take it

 

I don't think people realize how many fighters peaked higher than Tyson.

 

At heavyweight, nobody