Who is the highest rated past ,Heavyweight Champ you see AJ beating?

By Daniel Sisneros
http://ringsidereport.com/?p=74585
8/10/18
"Remembering Boxer Lou Savarese"

After an amateur career that included 2 New York Golden Gloves Championships, Lou Savarese started his professional boxing career with a 4th round knockout of James Smith in Galveston, Texas.

The 6′ 5″ Heavyweight was put on a soft diet to start out, and by 1995 he had built a record of 31-0, 25 ko’s before being put in with his first ranked opponent – former IBC Heavyweight Title Challenger – Olian Alexander (24-5, 18 ko). The fight was held in Atlantic City, NJ. It was a good one for Savarese who stopped Alexander in round 6 to remain undefeated and show that he was worthy of some notice. From here his opposition level went into high gear.

After 3 straight 2nd round knockout wins, he earned a shot at his first title belt. He traveled to Indio, California to face Buster Mathis Jr. (21-1, 7 ko) for the vacant USBA Heavyweight Title. Lou’s power was evident as he stopped the world ranked Mathis in round 7 to win his first major title.

Savarese was now 36-0, 30 knockouts,

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. He got his shot at the WBU Heavyweight Championship against legendary defending champion – George Foreman (75-4, 68 ko).

It was a powerful battle as the two big men slugged it out for 12 rounds. Savarese held his own, but came up short on the scorecards of 118-110, and 115-112 for Foreman, while Judge Al Devito saw it 114-113 for Savarese. The Split Decision loss only raised Savarese’s reputation.

His career took an up and down path against world class heavyweight contenders. In his next fight he tasted defeat for the 2nd time being stopped by David Izon (19-2, 17 ko) in round 5. He bounced back with a 2nd round tko over Jeff Lally and then stepped into his second World Title challenge against former undisputed World Heavyweight Champion James Buster Douglas (36-5-1, 23 ko) for the vacant IBA Heavyweight World Title. Savarese didn’t let this one get away dropping Douglas 3 times en route to a first round knockout.

Lou held the title, but never defended it. Instead, in his next outing he squared off against undefeated Lance “Mount” Whitaker (18-0, 16 ko). It was a hard fought battle, but in the end Savarese pulled off the split decision victory to hand Whitaker his first defeat.

Things took a dip in his next two fights as he lost a 10 round decision to red hot undefeated contender Michael Grant (29-0, 20 ko) and then was stopped in round 1 against “The baddest man on the planet” – “Iron” Mike Tyson (47-3, 41 ko).

Savarese put together a nice 4 fight win streak which included a 3rd round tko win over former Canadian Heavyweight Champion – Tom “The Bomb” Glesby (26-2-1, 19 ko), a Unanimous 12 round decison victory over David Bostice (26-4-1, 13 ko) for the vacant IBA Continental Heavyweight Title, and a huge 5th round tko win over former WBA Heavyweight World Champion – “Terrible” Tim Witherspoon (55-11-1, 38 ko) to add the vacant WBO Inter-Continental Heavyweight Title belt to his collection.

Lou would fight 6 more times including battles against contenders Kirk Johnson (33-1-1, 24 ko) and unbeaten Leo Nolan (21-0, 8 ko).

Lou Savarese would enter the professional boxing ring for the final time on June 30, 2007 in El Paso Texas. A grand finale against a living legend – Evander Holyfield. It was a hard fought bout and even though Savarese would taste the canvas twice during the battle, he got up to finish on his feet, and lose a 10 round unanimous decision.

Lou was an exciting member of his heavyweight era. Fighting some of the best of his time, winning titles, and making fans along the way. He is still very involved with the sport he loves as a promoter.

Lou Savarese ended his 16 year professional boxing career with an outstanding record of: 46 wins, 7 losses, and winning 38 by way of knockout!

 

Change the record pal.

 

I think AJ would have a decent chance against virtually every past champion. The real question is who he would be favoured over and that's a different question altogether. I rate Wlad and Povetkin highly - but the versions AJ fought were well over the hill.

I'd venture to say that he might struggle against elusive, explosive fighters like Tyson and Dempsey. I suspect that he might do better against say, Holmes, than people would expect, because he's a technically sound fighter that is well equipped to maximise his size advantages. I'm not convinced about AJ's chin yet. And I also think a guy like Byrd might give him fits.

Let's give him some more time to round out and then we will know better where he stands.

So far he's been pretty impressive.

 

Safe bet over Primo imo.

 

Wlad

 

So what 240 plus power punchers did Ali and Foreman face?

 

Also saying Ali and Foreman have better chins comes across as absolutely comical. The only guy to drop Joshua as a pro was Wladimir who shot for shot probably hits harder than any 70s heavyweights let alone someone like Frazier or Lyle.

 

What prime proven 200-220 ATG's has Joshua beaten?

 

You keep repeating the same broken record. Wlad started his career weighing 220 and decided to add weight. Fighters back in Foreman's time tried to come into the ring in shape. Let me repeat this again for clueless boxing fans like you. Foreman was 230 pounds as a 19 year old amateur. Do you honestly believe he couldn't just add more weight to himself?

But let me give you something else casual fan. Povetkin is a natural 220 pound male who is 39. He shouldn't be ranked either since he didn't beat anybody in the last 2 or 3 years since failed 2 PED test. Also casual fan once you are 205 pounds you are a heavyweight. But based off your limited boxing knowledge you are saying Butterbean was the hardest puncher and had the best chin of all time because he weighed well over 300 pounds fight? Jarrell Miller is 300 pounds so he must be the best heavyweight and the hardest puncher right now? Try again casual.

Foreman faced Everett "Bigfoot" Martin when he was 40 and Martin was 26/27. Foreman was able to bully Martin around the ring and knocked him down with grazing uppercut. Wladmir Klistchko fought a beat up 36 year old Everett and couldn't push him and around and landed numerous flush rights hands and combos to his head and never hurt him in their first fight. Which tells you casual , Foreman was a bigger puncher than Wlad even when he was 40. Also you know Tommy Morrison who was a much bigger puncher than somebody like Oliver McCall or Hasim Rahman who both knocked out Lennox Lewis with one punch. The same Tommy Morrison who hurt Ross Purrity badly with one hook while Vitali Klitstcho or Wladimir Klitscko couldn't hurt Purrity. Which means Tommy Morrison was a much harder puncher than Wlad or Vitali yet Morrison couldn't hurt a 43 year old Foreman.

http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/The_Ring_Magazine's_Annual_Ratings:_1997

Briggs was rated as high as number 7 and a 48 year old Foreman beat him. Michael Moorer was 6'2 220 when Foreman stopped him which means he is the same size at Povetkin. Pierre Coetzer was 6'4 220 and in the top 20 when Foreman stopped him. Jack O'Halloran was 6'6 240 and in the top 20 when Foreman stopped him. Chuck Wepner was 6'5 225 or so and I believe was in the top 20 when Foreman stopped him. Axel Schulz was 6'3 220 plus and in the top 20 when Foreman beat him. Alex Stewart was 6'3 230 and in the top 20 when Foreman stopped him. Gerry Cooney was 6'5 230 and I am assuming some where around the top 20 when Foreman beat him. Ron Lyle was 6'3 220 and in the top 10 maybe top 5 when Foreman beat him. Which means Lyle was bigger than Povetkin. Ken Norton was 6'3 220 pounds in shape and in the top 5 when Foreman beat him.

Just give it up kid, I would say you are embarrassing yourself but you are so clueless that you probably believe the stuff you are typing makes sense.

 

Guys weighing 200-220 cannot become ATGs in this era at heavyweight because the bigger fighters like Wladimir and Joshua are too much but someone like Povetkin would probably do great in the 1960s and 70s and might do better than Ali against guys like Frazier and Norton due to his power.

 

But for anyone who is making an attempt at objectivity the lack of success by Ali sized heavyweights in the past 22 years plus should be pretty compelling evidence that fighters that size would struggle today. If it was a year or two you could say it was a coincidence but that explanation seems less and less likely as more time passes.

 

Lol @ everyone comparing him to guys like Ali and Foreman.

I rank (current) Joshua below guys like Max Baer and Harry Wills, I'd say the best heavyweight he could beat is maybe Bob Fitzsimmons or Ron Lyle

 

I think we may be having another one of our communication disconnects again.