Jack Johnson All Time HW Ranking

You have this extended range for most heavyweight ATG's barring obviously barring Ali and Louis I find.

 

He was more of a cultural figure then a great HW imo and most of his best wins were before he got the title. His actual title reign was kinda weak imo and I don't rank him particularly high H2H. I think I have him around 12-13 or so.

 

Looking at his achievements he probably has a case for top 5. He had great run up until wining the title. Probably one of the best clean-outs. His reign wasn't much to talk about, though. The win over Jefferies had huge historical significance, but not much sporting.

 

An easy top 5. I rank him on the same level as Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali.

 

Wasn't he dominant and cutting edge for the time? Like well ahead of his time?

 

No he's not top ten. Other than the win over the out of retirement washed up Jeffries, not a lot to talk about really. His defense was great but H2H I can't see him beating the likes of Louis, Dempsey, Marciano, Ali, Foreman, Tyson etc

 

Is he in my top 5? No. Could you justify him in your top 5? Clearly. I have him around 10 or 12.

 

Based on beating who? A green 19 yr old McVea? A super welterweight Langford? A completely washed up Jeffries?

Historically, there is no champion more important. But in terms of ring accomplishments, Johnson is good but not Top Ten good.

 

I have him @ 5

 

Joe Louis is WAY more important.

 

The idea that there are probably about 17 heavyweights that all have a case to be in the top five is pretty accurate to me, but while Johnson is a singular and incredible figure and a high level physical and mental specimen with great skills adapted to his era's rules, I never saw him all that high as he often was, both at HW and P4P, in lists of some well known publications, and probably based on his unique racial circumstances and breaking the glass ceiling more than pure sport-too much so. That's a complex thing to try and differentiate when considering that the cultural implications may dissuade other gifted fighters out of becoming great, and overcoming that challenge might be considered justly as part of the greatness of mentality qualities and the demonstration of proof of those qualities. I have him at 11, but 3 is not crazy and 17 isn't crazy. There are plenty of good arguments about him. I have him between Wlad and Dempsey at HW, that sort of company.

 

The fighters back in those days were pioneers as the sport evolved they were the early practitioners and contributed to it’s improvement. To plop them into modern boxing would expose the flawed technique and training that have been improved gradually over the last 150 years.
Johnson was thought to be the greatest by many including the dean of boxing Nat Fliescher longtime editor of ring magazine who saw all the old timers starting with Corbett thru Ali era. I often wonder how a Johnson Joe Louis fight with 1910 rules would turn out. I think Johnson stood a chance though Louis with his firepower would be dangerous of course.