The Ipswich Express Top 50 Heavyweights of All Time List

Mate, thanks for the wrap and I'm glad you're enjoying it. I really can't rate Vitali any higher though, go through his record. I actually felt like I'd rated him too high as it stands. His level of competition quite simply isn't up to scratch compared to others on this list.

As I said, he has dominated his opposition, but the only other guy on this list that he fought, he lost to. All that being said, he can still advance up a few places over the next year or two. Don't make the mistake of thinking that he wouldn't give others on the list a hard fight. He sure would. He'd beat a few rated above him too. But this list is all about legacy.

 

28. Sam McVea "The Oxnard Ox"

65-16-12 (47)

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Best Wins: W20 Joe Jeanette, KO2 Bill Lang, W10 & W20 x 2 Jeff Clark, W20 Harry Wills, W12 Sam Langford.

Best Losses: L20 x 3 Jack Johnson, L10 & L49 & D20 & D12 Joe Jeanette, D20 x 2 & L20 x 2 Sam Langford.

Sam McVea was an African American Heavyweight who was greatly affected by the "colour line" that had been drawn during his era, effectively preventing black fighters contesting for the championship.

He fought in at least 10 different countries, including Australia (where he won the Australian title). Unable to face any of the leading white contenders, McVea fought the likes of Joe Jeanette and Harry Wills 5 times, Jack Johnson 3 times and Sam Langford an incredible 15 times. His brutal 49 round war with Jeanette is viewed by historians as one of the most brutal battles the sport has ever seen.

It was McVea who got out of the blocks early, knocking down Jeanette in the 5th, three times in the 19th, and once in the 21st, 26th and 28th rounds. However Langford recovered and by the 40th round was knocking McVea down repeatedly, swelling both of his eyes completely shut, forcing him to retire.

McVea was a powerfully built Heavyweight. He used his quick footwork to leap in on opponents to deliver a powerful barrage of combination punches.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1Du1z8R_f8[/ame]

 

27. "Irish" Jerry Quarry

53-9-4 (32)

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Best Wins: L10 Eddie Machen, W10 & KO2 Brian London, TKO3 Alex Miteff, W12 Floyd Patterson, TKO12 Thad Spencer, L15 Jimmy Ellis, W12 Buster Mathis, KO6 Mac Foster, W12 Ron Lyle, TKO9 Lorenzo Zannon.

Best Losses: D10 x 2 Tony Alongi, D10 Floyd Patterson, L15 Jimmy Ellis, LTKO3 & 7 Muhammad Ali, LKO5 & 7 Joe Frazier.

Quarry was a rugged fighter whose career was derailed at big moments by his propensity to cut. He had a wicked left hook and fast hands. He fought an absolute "who's who" of Heavyweights during the 60s and 70s and got the better of the majority of them.

He was also one of the most popular fighters of his generation, thanks in part to his blood and guts style of fighting. His wars with Joe Frazier were brutal encounters, with the pair of them trading left hooks, seeing who would wilt first.

Quarry came within a whisker of winning the world title, losing on points in a very hotly disputed decision to Jimmy Ellis. Made two ill-fated comebacks in the 80s and 90s and suffered from pugilistic dementia. He passed away in 1999. Jerry Quarry was a warrior...

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d5cCAWXDUk[/ame]

 

I've tried to remain as impartial as possible. He's a hard outting for most Heavyweights. He has dominated what he's had to face so far, so that's why he is where he is. I wouldn't argue strongly against a lower ranking, that's for sure.

 

26. Bob Fitzsimmons "Ruby Robert"

71-8-5 (61)

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Best Wins: W12 & KO1 Peter Maher, KO14 James J Corbett, KO 2 Sailor Tom Sharkey.

Best Losses: NC4 Frank Paddy Slavin, DQ8 Sailor Tom Sharkey, KO by 11 & KO by 8 James J Jeffries, KO by 12 Bill Lang.

Bob Fitzsimmons is quite simply one of the most underrated boxers in the history of the sport. Born in Cornwall, England, he moved to New Zealand at the age of 9. It was there that he became a blacksmith, giving him strength that he would take into the professional boxing ranks. He was one of the most devestating punchers of all time. He won the world Middleweight title, climbed to Heavyweight and knocked out James J Corbett who outweighed him by 17 pounds. Fitzsimmons stopped Corbett with the now legendary "Solar Plexis Punch".

He eventually lost his title to James J Jeffries by way of 11th round stoppage. The pair met for a rematch in San Francisco in 1902. Fitzsimmons beat Jeffries from pillar to post, busting his face up with sharp jabs and straight right hands that were often followed with a pulverizing left hook. However Jeffries weathered the storm and soon his weight advantage told. He stopped "Ruby Robert," nicknamed after his ruddy complexion, in the 8th round.

After losing his Heavyweight crown, he dropped back to Light Heavyweight, winning the world title there and becoming boxing's first 3 weight division champion. He is ranked #8 by the Ring's All Time Punchers list.

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

 

25. Max Baer "The Livermore Larupper"

68-13 (52)

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Best Wins: KO1 Tony Fuente, W10, KO2 & KO5 Ernie Owens, KO3 & W10 Tom Heeney, W20 & KO2 King Levinsky, TKO10 Max Schmeling, TKO11 Primo Carnera, W15 Tommy Farr, TKO8 Tony Galento.

Best Losses: L15 James Braddock, KO by 4 Joe Louis, L12 Tommy Farr.

If only Maxy Baer trained as hard as he partied! Baer was a big celebrity back in his day and he certainly enjoyed wining and dining, often at the expense of putting in the hard yards of his training camp.

Baer earned himself a huge win when he defeated Max Schmeling at Yankee Stadium by way of 10th round TKO. Baer, whose father was Jewish, donned the Star of David on his trunks against a fighter who was a personal favourite of Adolf Hitler (it should be noted that Schmeling had no ties to the Nazi party). Regardless, Baer became a favourite of Jewish boxing fans all over the world and he continued to wear the insignia on his trunks for the rest of his career.

Baer bashed Carnera for the title, stopping him in the 11th round of a one sided beat down. In a stunning upset he was rolled by Braddock for his crown in his first defence.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yilXvhph3Y[/ame]

 

24. Joe Jeanette

112-22-14 ( 68 )

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Best Wins: W12, W10 & TKO8 Sam Langford, W15 Georges Carpentier, TKO 49 & W10 Sam McVey, DQ2 Jack Johnson.

Best Losses: L20, L10, L12, L15 x 2 Langford, L8, KO5, L12, L10 & D10 Harry Wills, D12 & L20 Sam McVea, D10, D6, L6 & L15 Jack Johnson.

Quite simply one of the greatest Heavyweights at the early part of the 20th century. Jeanette was another outstanding champion who never fought for the title simply because he was black and too good. He holds wins over Jack Johnson, Sam Langford, Harry Wills and Sam McVea. Unfortunately Jeanette never fought Johnson for the title, saying: "Jack forgot about his old friends after he became champion and drew the color line against his own people.”

Jeanette had incredible endurance and a phenominal ability to absorb insane amounts of punishment. He had a tight defence inside and loved to load up power shots on unsuspecting opponents.

There's not too much footage of Jeanette available, but there is some on this Sam Langford tribute...

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