All that stuff about Godfrey carrying opponents and all the DQ losses being fixes, it's just hearsay. Anyone could make that stuff up. If you are to believe all the tales of "fixes" you'd be left with very few boxing matches being legit, esp. in the 1920s. In the case of Godfrey, the evidence seems very weak. Even if it's true, why should he be rated higher for throwing fights ?
He could have fought Stribling, Uzcudun, Sharkey and Schmeling if he had decided to try and defend for a few years. You still haven't answered about his lack of depth at heavyweight.
Actually its quite clear Dempsey gave him several low blows for which a blind eye was turned. But his win stands, even if it isn't as convincing as you claim.
his depth at heavyweight was beating the best there was in the division over a 4-5yr period then retiring as the dominant champion... to claim he should have hung around to fight Stribling, Uzcudum, Sharkey or Schmeling is like saying Marciano should have hung around to fight Liston, Patterson, Williams, Terrell & Machen.. nice try but you have again no basis to your argument as Tunney was completely dominant after cleaning out the division.
No, time to move on to Lewis... Lets hear from you who he beat that was better or equal to Dempsey twice, Greb, Loughran & Heaney
Bingo. A simple fact that Suzie consistently refuses to address every time he re-posts that list of opinion pieces and unsubstantiated hearsay. He also ignores other opinions that contradict the ones he posts (ie: Jack Kofoed's report that Godfrey had an inferiority complex at the top level).
Godfrey was never a "top contender" at any time before Tunney retired, and Wills turned down repeated offers from Tunney to fight him. You can find as many articles/opinions indicating Wills was unwilling to fight Tunney as you do for Tunney not fighting Godfrey.
He had a dozen fights or so at heavyweight...tops!! His career at the top is based on a total of FIVE fights. This is hardly disputable unless you want to get into the records of the other heavyweights he fought. You OBVIOUSLY don't or we would be discussing it. Name me ANY other fighter without career longevity who fought so few top fighters and is ranked in the top 10! You can't, and thats a FACT!
An argument can be made for Marciano not fighting Valdez, but Johanson clearly wanted NO part of Liston and they're are quotes from his management to back this up.
Question to all.....how many great fighters at any weight up and retired without cleaning out a division or defending their title more than twice? I personally can't think of any who would be ranked all time in the top 10 of the division they were fighting in. I haven researched it that closely so maybe Im wrong, but I will take the criticism if I am.