Which heavyweight champions fought the best fighter on the planet most often.

I assumed Liston was # 1 but couldn’t say it for fact.

I found this article, last paragraph states that, given the rematch which it didn’t agree with, the WBA crowned Terrell as Champ and didn’t rank either Ali or Sonny.

It further states that The Ring mag. still recognised Ali as Champ and Liston as his # 1 contender.

Otherwise, besides the WBA, it states that Ali was generally recognised as Champ - and again, I can only assume Liston recognised as his # 1 contender.


https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a...--20--1--txt-txIN-Ali+vs+Liston+Maine+-------

 

I don't have access to the TBRB historical rankings. Who do they have as no.1 contender in July 63 when Liston rematched Patterson? In Feb 63, the Ring Magazine had Patterson as the number 1 contender - https://boxrec.com/wiki/index.php/The_Ring_Magazine's_Annual_Ratings:_1962 - Patterson didn't fight between Feb 63 & July 63. Ali was no. 2 Ring contender in Feb 63 and he did beat Doug Jones & Henry Cooper between then and the Liston/Patterson rematch, seems unlikely that would have elevated him to no1. contender though.

 

If Ring Magazine is the arbiter, then on the balance of probability I think Patterson would have been the no.1 contender going into his rematch vs Liston.

Generally, if a relatively long standing (minus IJ borrowing the title), well established lineal champion losses his title, he's the no.1 contender unless he losses again or another leading contender does something outstanding.

The only other candidate for number 1 contender to my mind in July 63, and I'm guessing who you've considered as the no1. contender, is Ali, who was ranked behind Floyd in Feb 63. As I say Patterson didn't lose again between then & the Liston rematch and I can't see, on the balance of probability, that beating Jones & Cooper would have elevated Ali above Patterson as the no1. contender.

 

Eh, they were shells. Especially Ali. Holmes's brother could have beaten that Ali.

 

Thanks!

Louis stats in this one (and overall, of course) are amazing.

Wasn't Foreman the nr. 1 contender when Ali faced Norton the third time, though?

 

Great thread, Matt. Really enjoyed reading it!!!

 

Yeah, I think it might have been the case that Foreman was nr. 1 after beating Lyle and Frazier. If memory serves me he's named as nr. 2 in the thread about wins over top 10 contenders. I'll check.

In the meantime, why would Louis be nr. 1 against Charles and Ali against Holmes, but not Jeffries against Johnson?

 

This is right - Patterson was the Ring #1 contender until after his second loss to Liston.

https://ibb.co/ccQs9s3

 

So, according to Hhascup's research on the matter Norton was only nr. 2 contender for their third meet as was Folley when they met. He also has it slightly different for Louis, but quite probably the same number in the end: