My greatest heavyweight champs list

Dont see why Lewis gets hammered for some good wins and others get a pass-you can tear anyones record appart if you want too.
Louis and Ali are the usual 1 and 2.
Ali was dropped by nobody Banks and a small cruiserweight in Cooper, maybe outpointed by small Doug Jones, beat terrible London, a shot Williams(!) Old Folley, lost to Frazier, struggled with Bonavena, got gifts against Norton, Young etc, lost his title to a poor novice...
Louis lost to a fading Schmeling, won a close call with Farr, went out of the ring against Buddy Baer, dropped by loads like fat Galento, blown-up l/heavy Mauriello, got a gift against Walcott and much more.
Top 10 with bad ko's? Try Dempsey, johnson(multiple) Liston (Ali, Martin) Foreman (Ali) Charles(Holman, Marshall, Walcott) Tyson (numerous) Hell you can knock holes in anyones career-balance is whats needed.
But your list is as valid as anyone else's. I would change lots of course but that would be my list! I dont see anything crazy in your picks and detect a certain consistancy. Llike us all you will learn a lot on forums like this if you are, as you appear to be, open-minded.

 

Plausible list.

My only big criticism, given your other picks, is that Jeffries is out of the top-15 (#21).

I can't really understand Johnson #3/Jeffries #21 -- though it's a not uncommon sentiment these days: when we had a site heavyweight poll, about a year ago, Johnson scored about double Jeffries points. Well, either we know something about these two fighters that people didn't know a hundred years ago; or else we've forgotten a hell of a lot about Jeffries.

 

in my book the fairest way is to stick with the linear guys. they beat the guy who beat the guy. champs who beat higher number of linear champs score higher, champs who ko linear champs score even higher. Naturaly champs who get kod for the title rate lower. the strongest champs win key fights by stoppage, its not just about punch power because ali always stopped his biggest rivals in his prime. the strongest champs only lose when they have begun to fade and end up losing to lesser guys on points. its most important to judge title fights as they represent key fights. otherwise its just picking who you think would win -and any bookmaker will tell you nobody gets that manny winners right unless its a housewifes bet.
heres my top ten:
1 joe louis
2 muhammad ali
3 rocky marciano
4 dempsey
5 holmes
6 johnson
7 lennox lewis
8 hollyfield
9 foreman
10 tyson

 

How about Flynn-Dempsey, Choynski-Johnson, Ali-Liston?
I rate Holmes more than most, Dempsey less than some, Tunney and Sharkey higher than most but dont rate Willard or Braddock at-all. Just my personal biases.
PS I think McCall a fair bit better than Racman.

 

Welcome! Your candor is a breath of fresh air. Seven of your top ten also appear on mine, though not Marciano!

How, pray, do you see the Rock prevailing over Ali, Holmes and Tyson? Thanx.

 

Good List

 

How is it revisionist history? Put up some fight reports of their first encounter. Vingo may have been considered a banger by some, but he certainly wasn't a world-class puncher. Just look at his resume. Who did he KO? Who did he even fight? Nobody.

Dempsey's ex-wife Maxine Cates did testify that Jack took a dive in the Flynn fight. One of the reasons I say that there are some question marks around that fight still. Why don't you start a new thread on the topic and the board will shower you in its collective wisdom on the subject.

 

I know a lot of guys that were rooting for Vingo in the fight with Rocky. They were both at club fighting level at that time but Vingo was a Big Local start. He did not have great finishing skills but dropped a lot of guys with one punch and was known as a puncher. Vingo was 6"4 and muscular. My uncles were rooting for Vingo(the N.Y. Guy) but became Marciano fans after.

Many people who saw Marciano/Lowry were surprised that the young star did not KO Lowry but Lowry was only stopped 3 times in 116 fights and one was a cut. Most people felt Lowry got the best of the 1st 4 rds but Marciano was sick and 180lbs but he won the next 6 rds. The rematch was Marciano all the way even Lowry admits as much but the slick Lowry survived and Marciano was still green. Didn't Mitch Green go the distance with Tyson. How about Levi Billups with Lewis or Ossie Ocasio

 

havnt read the entire thing but h2h your top 5 is possible,rocky and dempsey would have a good shot of beating anyone who has ever laced on gloves,put jack in a 6 x 6 ring and his odds go way up

 

thanks for the nice comments guys heres my full list.
1.louis
2.ali
3.marciano
4dempsey
5holmes
6johnson
7lennox lewis
8hollyfield
9foreman
10tyson
11 baer
12jeffries
13 schmeling
14liston
15patterson
16charles
17wallcot
18frazier
19ingo johanason
20primo carnera
21buster douglas
22gene tunney
23bowe
24 willard
25 sharkey
26 rahman
27 tommy burns
28 moorer
29 mike spinks
30 braddock
31` leon spinks
32 shannon briggs
i must stress they are all great fighters and i do not intend to offend anyone, i am actualy fans of all of them in their own way. im sure most people wont agree but i stuck with my system. even if it means carnera looks rediculously high and gene tunney seems low but gene didnt fight enough heavtweights and only won his linear title on points. primo wasnt the complete joke people think- i think bud schulbergs film was taken a bit too seriously. as you all know "the harder they fall" was based on a fraud giant sized boxer who wins the title on fixed fights then gets thrown to the lions. i think if bud wrote a book about his own time as manager of archie mcbride he would have called it "the harder than it looks!"

 

peter wilson wrote in his first book (ringside seat about 49') that baer was the second best heavyweight he ever saw live after louis who he saw ko schmeling live. he was ringside when he came to london to beat ben foord and said that the noises of max's punches on poor ben's head was shocking, like hitting a a bag of blood.

 

Interesting list. My issues(there are allways issues) is the difference between the rating of Schmeling and Sharkey and also Floyd over Tyson. Cant reconcile these two but thats what makes lists interesting.