Who was the most dominant heavyweight on any given night?

Ali v williams had the perfect mix of athleticism, confidence, style, maturity, stamina and power too

I think this version of Ali is the best heavyweight ever

Tyson around the spinks and Holmes fight is also worth a mention

 

Muhammad Ali on the night he fought Cleveland Williams. I think he'd take even Mike Tyson on the night he fought Michael Spinks.

 

Yep. I think that was the single best heavyweight performance of all time, despite the fact it wasn't a KO1. Ali looked inhuman, like you'd taken a 115lb guy and sized him up to HW, and he got to keep all his athleticism and speed somehow.

 

Exactly
I know williams had seen better days, but like you said above, you had hw moving around like a bantam, or as I like to say, a heavyweight Ray Leonard

No heavyweight should move like that

 

Ali-Williams is a great, and to some extent textbook answer, but it was after William's near-death run-in with the law.

To me personally, Tyson-Berbick. It was for a title, and Berbick was an extremely credible opponent at the last guy to beat Ali, the first to go the distance with Holmes in a defense, and the conqueror of Pinklon Thomas, who was highly regarded. And Tyson knocked him down three times with one punch.

Louis breaking some of Schmeling's vertebrae is a good answer.
Dempsey-Willard
Marciano-Walcott II

 

Ali vs Foreman by far.

 

I'd say the rematch Louis vs Schmeling was the one that came to mind. I'm not sure I'd pick many fighters to beat Louis that night.

 

Similarly, Lewis vs Rahman 2, Lewis looked razor sharp that night and incredibly focused.

 

I was about to say that

 

Lewis vs Golota

 

Tyson/Berbick
Ali/Terrell
Louis/Schmeling 2

 

None of these were unbeatable:


Ali Williams
Tyson Spinks
Louis Schmeling 2
Lewis Tua
Liston Patterson 1
Foreman Norton
Holmes Cooney
Usyk Joshua 1

 

Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling 2 is a good answer. Also Joe Louis vs. Primo Carnera, or Joe Louis vs. Max Baer, or even Joe Louis vs. Jack Sharkey or King Levinsky.

 

Andy Ruiz Jr dominated AJ in the first fight.