Best fighter in their division two decades running

Absolutely although there could be arguments made for Benny Bass in the 20s who is masivley underrated and was often announced as a lightweight even though he never weighed more than 130 in the 20s.

 

Not sure what qualifies but here goes...

How about WW Leonard in the late 70s and early 80s?

Also, Spinks pretty much ran the LHW division for 7 years.

 

Lennox Lewis

 

Is tyson any chance (under any criteria) for the 80s and 90s?

 

Couldnt give him the 90s. It has to be Lewis or Holyfield. There is no reasonable way of making Tyson the greatest Heavyweight of the 90s.

 

I agree, but despite results suggesting otherwise, he was considered the baddest man on the planet still by the majority of people on the panet from 1990 (not many saw the Douglas win as anything but a fluke) to about 1996 (even when he was in jail, i think most people saw him as the man despite holy and Bowe's wars) . As evidenced by him being given an immediate shot at two paper titles as soon as he was released. Technically, most saw him as the best fighter in the world for more than half the decade.

In fact quite astonishing that the work he did in the 80s might have been so impressive that he dominated the 90s because of it! Surely that is unique.

 

We cannt give people credit for public opinion on their persona.

He isnt the best H2H nor does he have the best 90s resume.