Make a reasonable argument for rating Ingemar Johansson as heavyweight GOAT

Sorry,silk purse,sow's ear.

 

Well we can see from AJ vs Ruiz and Usyk and Fury vy Cunningham that the giant HWs of today actually struggle with smaller (or at least shorter) men.

Ingo was the first to beat a very small champ in Floyd Patterson and Floyd was not just small like some of the real old timers he was very good, as demonstrated by defeating GOAT Ingo twice (but Ingo was distracted during those fights by his own wife's beauty and drained himself by taking part in typical Scandinavian activites like skiing, so no discredit).

The future losses to Liston and Ali don't count because Ingo was the one who cracked the granite, those guys faced a shot fighter who had put everything he had left into defeating the shell of Ingo.

 

Well,, er Ingo,, he was,, ummmm, a big puncher... And,, well,,, he,, was Swedish????



I'm out!

 

Ingo had his Bingo. Ingemar Johansson came around at the right time. Although Floyd Patterson was a good man and champion, there were not a lot of quality heavyweight contenders at the time, except for Charles Sonny Liston, who Patterson's management avoided like the Plague. Ingo destroyed undefeated no. 1 contender Eddie Machen on Sept 14 1958 in round 1. Machen clamored for a rematch in court, the case was dismissed by the court. Ingo had become European Champion prior to his meeting with Eddie. His wins were over European opposition including Henry Cooper, whom Ingo had kayoed. Floyd had looked lackluster prior to his meeting with Ingo on June 26 1959, Ingo could box, move a little, flicking out an annoying left jab to set up his Bingo right hand. He caught Floyd often with it until referee Ruby Goldstein ended the affair after several knockdowns. But to say Ingo was the greatest is a stretch, on June 20 1960, Floyd regained his title with a KO 6 result, thanks to Patterson's damaging left hook.

 

Ingo's prime ended after the first Patterson fight. After that he didn't train a lick, but only indulged in drink and girls so we should disregard everything he did after winning the title.

So let's see: He beat Cooper easier than Ali did, annihilated Machen much easier than Liston did and even than Frazier did when facing the shot version. And the fact that Floyd never was the same again after Ingo shattered his jaw (yes, he had been knocked down before but never truly hurt) makes it even more impressive how he beat him, more brutally than Ali beat lesser versions of Floyd.

So a prime Ingo did better against common opponents than Liston, Frazier and Ali. Considering those are in most top 10s and Ali is most's GOAT and that Ingo never lost in his prime, we have a strong argument for Ingo as de facto GOAT.

 

It is obvious from film, that he would have beaten everybody except Patterson, who unfortunately had his number.

 

Ruiz 268lbs smaller man? But good effort.lol

 

Can't. Patterson beat him twice. His body of work is thin.

 

He didn't have a lot of fights and was saved by no court in the final round. Watch it.

 

Joe Louis changed his name to Ingemar Johansson.

 

He defeated everyman he ever faced (a point that comes up constantly with Marciano and Lewis fans). He absolutely destroyed the world number 1 contender in Eddie Machen and then destroyed the heavyweight champion. Afterwards he partied and post prime got defeated in rematches. He also cleaned out the talented Brit talent pool in the division. A focused ingo could KO any fighter in history

 

He was shot by then. Doesn't count. (Ps. read the OP)