Is Ezzard Charles a top ten Heavyweight?

I thought he won the title off Louis...

 

he beat walcott for the title, and defended and probably took it easy on louis.
in answer to your question, no i don't think he is a top 10 heavy but i do think he's the greatest light-heavy ever and a p4p top 5 fighter .......imo

 

no i don't think so. i think we should look at him as a light heavy. probably the best light heavy there was. but there is no way that he can be regarded top 10 at hw.
not h2h. there are a lot of champs who would beat him in my opnion. and if you look at his resume there are a lot of hw champs who have a better resume and/or beat better quality opponents.

 

I think he's somewhat underrated as a heavyweight, not as a light heavyweight but as a heavyweight. He would be a tough night's work for almost anyone in the division despite being smaller. Still don't think he's top 10 though.

 

I personnally wouldn't argue with anyone who rated him very highly at heavyweight - around the 10-12 mark is where I'd have him - I think it was Ray Arcel who said Ez would've beaten Ray Robinson as a middleweight - and you don't lose that kind of class just because you go up in weight (especially when you have a reign as champ up at heavy aswell) - plus what i would say is don't go to much by what the press said about certain fighters during their own time because as a rule most fighters get under appreciated in their day and sadly only get their dues when it is to late and they're dead and gone - for me Lennox Lewis never got the real credit he deserved in his days in the top flight also - and nor did Holyfield either - but now everyone raves about him - Holyfield's lack of credit during his 90-92 prime does mirror that of Ezzard Charles' actually - and I rate Charles clear ahead of Holyfield certainly - Charles really was an amazingly great fighter - for me it's impossible to rate someone up in the upper top 10 p-4-p and then not rate them respectably high in the very weight division where they reigned as champ.

 

I dont know where exactly Charles should be ranked but I think his resume/accomplishments/credentials stack up well against some of the men who frequently make the top 10s around here.

I'd probably put him above Sonny Liston for example.

 

Its worth mentioning many thought Charles won the 4th match with Walcott and the Valdez/Johnson losses were supposedly very close 1s that could have gone either way despite him being past his prime

Also the Elmer Ray was a very good win, Ray was on a 70fight winning streak before losing a SD to Walcott, who he went 1-1 with, so presumably he had a case for winning that both. Charles managed to stop Ray. Ray had beat Charles previously in a disputed SD loss. If you see pix of Ray hes every bit as formidable as Liston is not more so

The first fight with Marciano was very close despite Charles being past his prime. After Rocky he was either shot or taking losses for pay, either way I wouldnt hold those against him

 

Nioce post, it could be argued, doesn't make it for me but resume and proven wise he's of the material defo.

I'm off now later yo.

 

He was a mean looking guy but I don't think we can determine his class based on pictures. From what I've read he was lucky to score wins over Walcott and Charles due to his relentless attacking style despite not actually scoring punches. Definitely a notable win though.

 

i have equal respect for liston and charles but sonny would brush charles aside.p4p charles is light years ahead but put in the ring together..........no

 

I disagree. Liston didn't walk through everyone. He couldn't brush Eddie Machen aside, for example. And he was hit and stunned by lesser men than Charles. And Charles beat some strong punchers, and even past his prime went 15 rounds with Marciano.

Anyway, I have no real opinion of a head-to-head between the two. It's a hypothetical match-up. Both are capable of winning. But I'd rate Charles higher because I think his achievements are better.