The Ipswich Express Top 50 Heavyweights of All Time List

39. Tommy Burns "The Little Giant of Hanover"


46-5-8 (34)

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Best Wins: W20 Marvin Hart, KO15 Fireman Jim Flynn, W20 Philadelphia Jack O'Brien, KO1 KO8 & KO13 Bill Squires, KO6 Bill Lang.

Best Losses: D20 Jack O'Brien.

The first an only Canadian Heavyweight champion, Burns traveled the globe defending his title 11 times. Burns is often just remembered by fight fans for the trouncing he received from Jack Johnson, but "The Little Giant of Hanover" was a much more accomplished fighter than given credit for.

He defended his title 3 times in Australia, including the losing effort to Johnson and then fought for the Commonwealth title while visiting these shores.

Burns defended his title against Johnson during a time when it was strongly opposed for a white champion to face a black challenger. Burns stated: "I will defend my title against all comers, none barred. By this I mean white, black, Mexican, Indian, or any other nationality. I propose to be the champion of the world, not the white, or the Canadian, or the American. If I am not the best man in the heavyweight division, I don't want the title."

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUDIXdef9rU[/ame]

 

38. "Sailor" Tom Sharkey

38-7-6 (35)

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Best Wins: KO7 Billy Australian Smith, W8 & TKO3 Joe Choynski, WDQ8 Bob Fitzsimmons, KO6 & TKO4 Joe Goddard, WDQ9 James J Corbett,

Best Losses: D7 Peter Maher, D8 Joe Choynski, L20 & L25 James J Jeffries.

Standing just 5'8 Sharkey was a rugged brawler, born in Dundalk, Ireland. He worked as a cabin boy on ships and arrived in the US. One of the more exciting action fighters of his time, he was a blistering puncher who didn't care much for defence.

He beat Bob Fitzsimmons on a foul in a fight that was billed for the vacant Heavyweight championship of the world. It was thought at the time that James J Corbett had relinquished the crown. This honour was taken from Sharkey though, when Corbett continued his career. Incidently that Sharkey-Fitzsimmons fight was refereed by none other than Wyatt Earp.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj2jOpoecfc[/ame]

 

37. Ron Lyle

43-7-1 (31)

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Best Wins: KO2 Buster Mathis, KO3 & W10 Larry Middleton, W10 Gregorio Peralta, W12 Oscar Bonavena, W12 Jimmy Ellis, TKO8 Boone Kirkman, KO6 Earnie Shavers, W12 Joe Bugner, W10 Scott LeDoux.

Best Losses: D10 Peralta, L10 & L12 Jimmy Young, KO by 11 Muhammad Ali, KO by 5 George Foreman.

One of 19 children, Lyle was arrested as a teenager for a gang murder and sentenced to 15-25 years. While inside jail he was knifed and spent 7 hours on an operating table, during the course of which he was pronounced dead twice. While inside Lyle learned to box and managed to turn his life around. After being parolled he had a short amateur career before making his professional debut at the advanced age of 30.

Lyle turned out to be one of the most formidable punchers the Heavyweight division has ever seen. He was avoided by many of the eras better fighters. He was leading on points before being stopped by Muhammad Ali in the 11th round.

Perhaps his most famous battle is his brutal 5 round shootout with George Foreman. It was the kind of fight that shortens careers with both men teeing off on each other in what is universally recognised as one of the greatest fights in the history of the Heavyweight division. Both men were down twice and the momentum shifted back and forth throughout. Lyle made a brief comeback in the 1990s in an attempt to lure Foreman into a rematch but was unsuccessful.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96KfeAFakak[/ame]

 

36. Zora "Bell" Folley

79-11-6 (44)

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Best Wins: W10 Nino Valdez, KO4 Pete Rademacher, W10 Alex Miteff, W12 Eddie Machen, KO2 Henry Cooper, W10 Doug Jones, W10 George Chuvalo, W10 Oscar Bonavena,

Best Losses: D12 Eddie Machen, L10 Ernie Terrell, KO by 7 Muhammad Ali.

Folley fought in the Korean War, earning awards for his role during combat. He turned professional after the war and faced some of the best fighters of his generation. Folley stood 6'1 and possessed a good jab and straight right hand.

He faced Muhammad Ali in his one shot at the Heavyweight crown and was beaten in 7 rounds. He was one of the first boxers to call Ali by his newly aquired name.

Folley died in mysterious circumstances, when he slipped near a pool, hitting his head and passing away.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qis3DA1Ob4[/ame]

 

35. Jimmy Young

34-19-2 (11)

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Best Wins: TKO8 Richard Dunn, W10 & W12 Ron Lyle, W12 George Foreman, W10 John Lewis Gardner.

Best Losses: L15 Muhammad Ali, D10 Earnie Shavers, L15 Ken Norton, L10 x 2 Ossie Ocasio.

One of the better pure boxers the division has seen. Young ran into a red hot Earnie Shavers early in his career and was stopped. The rematch was declared a draw, in a fight that most observers had Young the winner. Young faced Muhammad Ali for the World title and his bad luck with the judges continued. Young appeared to rack up points, boxing from the outside and parrying many of Ali's shots. Ali weighed a career high 230lbs and had trouble with Young's speed. The judges didn't see it Young's way however, and Ali retained his title.

In one of the greatest upsets in Heavyweight history, Young defeated a red hot George Foreman, who was making a run to reclaim his throne. Young, not renowned as a puncher, even knocked Big George down in the 12th and final round, sealing a spectacular upset.

Young was again on the wrong side of the judges, when he dropped a 12 round split decision to Kenny Norton in a WBC title eliminator. Shortly after the fight the WBC awarded Norton their title, so Young again just missed out on glory.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKVYOZOJLqo[/ame]

 

34. "Terrible" Tim Witherspoon

55-13-1 (38 )

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Best Wins: TKO7 Alonzo Ratliff, W10 Renaldo Snipes, TKO1 James Tillis, W12 Greg Page, W12 Bonecrusher Smith, W15 Tony Tubbs, TKO11 Frank Bruno, W12 Carl Williams, TKO5 Jorge Luis Gonzalez.

Best Losses: L12 Larry Holmes, L12 Pinklon Thomas.

After a very short amateur career, Witherspoon turned professional and made near immediate waves. He was a chief sparring partner for Muhammad Ali for his fights with Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick and it was Ali who nicknamed him "Terrible" Tim. After just 15 fights he challenged Larry Holmes for the WBC title and lost a split decision that many thought he should have received.

He rebounded to claim the WBC version of the title by outpointing Greg Page, who was out of shape and spent the lead up to the bout arguing with Don King. Spoon lost his title to Pinklon Thomas before capturing the WBA version by beating Tony Tubbs on points and defended it in front of 40,000 screaming English fans when he stopped Frank Bruno in the 11th.

He spent the next years with his focus on suing Don King for $25 million. They eventually settled out of court for $1M. Spoon continued to be avoided by many of the top line Heavyweights. He was viewed as a very hard outing for little reward.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QkKIPqyH-o[/ame]

 

33. Earnie Shavers "The Black Destroyer"

75-14-1 (69)

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Best Wins: TKO3 Jimmy Young, KO1 Jimmy Ellis, TKO2 Henry Clark, KO1 Ken Norton, TKO2 Joe Bugner.

Best Losses: TKO by 6 Ron Lyle, L15 Muhammad Ali, L12 Larry Holmes, TKO by 11 Larry Holmes.

Quite simply the most ferocious puncher the division has ever seen. Shavers had a devestating right hand that could fell a horse. He threw punches with reckless abandon, trying to land them anywhere he could. In his first shot at the title Shavers hurt Ali with a right hand in the second round. Ali play acted and Shavers hesitated. The pair traded early rounds before Ali pulled away and built a strong lead. Shavers was known for having poor stamina, but in the 13th round got his second wind.

During the course of the 14th round he battered Ali from pillar to post. Knowing that Ali had to stay on his feet to reclaim his title, Dundee told him "You don't look so good, you better go out and take this round". Both men exchanged vicious shots and Ali got the decision.

Shavers lost a WBC title eliminator with Larry Holmes before rebounding with a first round crushing of Ken Norton. This earned him a second chance at World title honours. Shavers had Holmes down in the 7th round before Larry stopped Shavers in the 11th.

In an interesting side note, he almost scored the role of Clubber Lang in Rocky III. He sparred with Sly Stallone and hit him with a body shot that made him puke.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_nNjirBYMw[/ame]

 

32. Ernie Terrell

46-9 (21)

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Best Wins: W10 Cleveland Williams, W10 Zora Folley, KO7 Bob Foster, W15 Eddie Machen, W15 George Chuvalo, W15 Doug Jones,

Best Losses: L15 Muhammad Ali, L12 Thad Spencer, L12 Chuck Wepner.

Standing 6'6, Terrell was considered extremely tall during his era. He is the old brother of The Supremes early lead singer, Jean Terrell. After his career Terrell would turn to music. He is best known for the whipping he endured from Ali. Prior to the bout Terrell called Ali "Clay" and paid the price as he was bashed for the course of the fight.

He is however, a far better boxer than that. He won the WBA portion of the crown by defeating Eddie Machen over 15 rounds in Chicago in 1965. He defended his strap twice, against Chuvalo and Jones, winning both on points over 15 stanzas. Terrell was an excellent boxer who used his reach and good footwork to rack up points.

Below is some rare footage of an exhibition with Sonny Liston. The pair never fought as professionals.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qlx2wWDTMyo&feature=related[/ame]