A number of people putting Johnson for the 1910s, but i don't think there's a very good case for it. Very nearly all his best wins are in the previous decade, his wins over Burns, McVey, Jeannette, Martin. For the 1910's he basically just has shot Jeffries, and minor wins over Flynn and Moran. Harry Wills has wins over two of the best in the world at the time in McVey, and Langford. Dempsey beat Fulton, Levinsky, Miske and Willard. I think both have much stronger claims for the decade.
I interpret this as which fighter did the most in that particular decade, not who was the best over a career. My list: 1890's--Jim Jeffries 1900's--Jack Johnson 1910's--Harry Wills-----(Jack Dempsey) 1920's--Gene Tunney 1930's--Joe Louis 1940's--Joe Louis 1950's--Rocky Marciano 1960's--Muhammad Ali 1970's--Muhammad Ali 1980's--Mike Tyson-----(Larry Holmes) 1990's--Lennox Lewis-----(Evander Holyfield) 2000's--Lennox Lewis 2010's--Tyson Fury Comments on the controversial choices Wills and Dempsey--This is very close, but I am somewhat more impressed by victories over Langford and McVea than over old Willard and Fulton. Also weighing in for Wills is that he easily handled John Lester Johnson and Willie Meehan while Dempsey struggled with both. And Wills was certainly good longer in this decade. Tunney--I don't think this one is close. Dempsey in this decade beat Miske, Brennan, Carpentier, Gibbons, Firpo, and Sharkey. Tunney also beat Carpentier and Gibbons, plus Greb, who had bettered Miske and Brennan. That leaves Firpo and Sharkey. Tunney dominated Weinert who beat both of them, and also beat Risko who had a win over Sharkey, as well as easily handling Heeney who drew with Sharkey. And of course Tunney beat Dempsey himself twice. As for Sharkey, while he had big wins over an end of the line Wills, and Godfrey, among others, he had a lot of losses, and I'm not into counting his KO defeat to Dempsey as a win. Tyson--Holmes was better over his whole career, but Tyson was undefeated in this decade and KO'd both Holmes and Spinks. Lewis--gets the nod in the 90's off beating Holyfield. Fury--I have to go with him as he didn't lose. His win over Wlad gets him the nod over Wilder, and Joshua has the flop against Ruiz. I wouldn't be surprised if Wilder stops him this year, but for the last decade I have to go with Fury.
1900s - Jim Jeffries 1910s - Jack Johnson 1920 - Jack Dempsey 1930s- Joe Louis 1940s - Joe Louis 1950s - Rocky Marciano 1960s - Muhammad Ali 1970s - Muhammad Ali 1980s - Iron Mike Tyson 1990s - Evander Holyfield 2000s - Lennox Lewis 2010s - Wlad Klitschko
I feel like taking it a step further 1880s- 1. John L Sullivan 2. Peter Jackson 3. Charlie Mitchell 1890s- 1. James J Jeffries 2. Bob Fitzsimmons 3. Peter Jackson 1900s- 1. Jack Johnson 2. James J Jeffries 3. Bob Fitzsimmons 1910s- 1. Harry Wills 2. Jack Dempsey 3. Sam Langford 1920s- 1. Jack Sharkey 2. Jack Dempsey 3. Gene Tunney 1930s- 1. Joe Louis 2. Max Schmeling 3. Max Baer 1940s- 1. Joe Louis 2. Jersey Joe Walcott 3. Ezzard Charles 1950s- 1. Rocky Marciano 2. Floyd Patterson 3. Ezzard Charles 1960s- 1. Muhammad Ali 2. Sonny Liston 3. Joe Frazier 1970s- 1. Muhammad Ali 2. Larry Holmes 3. George Foreman 1980s- 1. Mike Tyson 2. Larry Holmes 3. Michael Spinks 1990s- 1. Lennox Lewis 2. Riddick Bowe 3. Evander Holyfield 2000s- 1. Lennox Lewis (changed my mind) 2. Wladimir Klitchsko 3. Vitali Klitchsko 2010s- 1. Wladimir Klitchsko 2. Anthony Joshua 3. Tyson Fury
Ooaft. "Iron Mike Tyson". Iron. IRON. You just made @Fergy cream in his pants. He loves a bit of IRON mike.
Love it. Only thing I’d change is Archie Moore instead of Charles at 1950s or Maybe squeeze Liston in the 50s
The 1920's vote with Tunney third really strikes me as backward, with Tunney the obvious #1. I gave my reasons in my earlier post. And what about Johansson in the 1950's. He was undefeated in the decade and ended it knocking out Patterson. If we only go by the results within a decade, he should be #2. His defeats came in the 1960's.
