Top Ten Heavyweights Up To 1972 (No Consideration of H2H)

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by BitPlayerVesti, Jul 24, 2022.



  1. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    Based purely on what they achieved, what would your Top 10 Heavyweights in 1972 be?

    I'm adding no H2H as I think it's impossible to not be guided by what happened after.

    My first attempt.

    1. Joe Louis
    2. Jack Johnson
    3. Rocky Marciano
    4. Jim Jeffries
    5. Joe Frazier
    6. Harry Wills
    7. John L Sullivan
    8. Jack Dempsey
    9. Muhammad Ali
    10. Max Schmeling

    It's quite hard to do. Time definitely changes perception of things, so a list made now by the same person thinking about back then, will never really look like a list made back then.

    I feel like after that would be something like.

    11. Sam Langford
    12. Gene Tunney
    13. Ezzard Charles
    14. Sonny Liston
    15. Max Baer

    I'm even less sure about this. Cetainly 10-12 could easilly be swapped about. I think Liston has to lower due to the losses to Ali, and the nature of them, considering Ali hadn't yet had the big second career wins that really established him as such a great fighter.
     
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2022
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  2. SuzieQ49

    SuzieQ49 Officer Full Member

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    good List although strongly disagree with your liston ranking when he cleaned out an entire heavyweight era in a 3 year span finishing with two first round knockouts over a prime hall of Famer. He ducked nobody.

    Walcott easily over max Baer as well. Not even close.

    My list

    1. Joe Louis
    2. Joe Frazier (no losses to Ali or foreman)
    3. Sonny Liston
    4. Rocky Marciano
    5. Muhammad Ali
    6. Jack Johnson
    7. Jack Dempsey
    8. James Jeffries
    9. Harry Wills
    10. Ezzard Charles
    11. Max Schmeling
    12. Sam Langford
    13. Jersey Joe Walcott
    14. Floyd Patterson
    15. Gene Tunney
     
  3. Tockah

    Tockah Ingo's Bingo Full Member

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    out of the heavyweight division, speaking of skill, and technical ability, who would you find in your top 3? I rate Patterson, Louis, and Charles in my top 3 pfp of the heavyweight division.
     
  4. SuzieQ49

    SuzieQ49 Officer Full Member

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    Those are good ones, I can’t argue against your three choices but I’d put Walcott right in there with those 3.
     
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  5. Tockah

    Tockah Ingo's Bingo Full Member

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    I'm a huge Walcott fan, cannot argue he had some wicked footwork for a heavyweight! So much power too.
     
  6. Kell Macabe

    Kell Macabe I don’t know s*** about boxing Full Member

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    1.Joe Louis
    2.Rocky Marciano
    3.Joe Frazier
    4.Muhammad Ali
    5.Jack Dempsey
    6.Sonny Liston
    7.Jack Johnson
    8.Jim Jeffries
    9.Floyd Patterson
    10.Ezzard Charles
     
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  7. billyb71

    billyb71 Member Full Member

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    Which of Patterson's fights did you like? Rademacher? Tom McNeeley? Brian London? Liston? Patterson was a disgrace as champion.
     
  8. Tockah

    Tockah Ingo's Bingo Full Member

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    k
     
  9. Richard M Murrieta

    Richard M Murrieta Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Watch someone interject Tyson Fury or Uzyk , it always happens when talking about the heavyweights of the past and we are not talking about present day heavyweights. Lol.
     
  10. SuzieQ49

    SuzieQ49 Officer Full Member

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    let’s not go to far. He dismantled a really good archie Moore, twice brutalized ingemar Johansson, destroyed Hurricane Jackson then while past his prime he beat up on Eddie Machen, beat Chuvalo, bonavena, draw with QuArry, and was robbed vs Jimmy Ellis which should have made him a 3x champ

    Floyd had unique blend of handspeed and power and threw blistering combinations
     
  11. SuzieQ49

    SuzieQ49 Officer Full Member

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    aren’t you the same guy who rates Dempsey highly?
     
  12. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    This is how I would organise your guys:

    1. Joe Louis
    2. Joe Frazier
    3. Rocky Marciano
    4. Jack Johnson
    5. Muhammad Ali
    6. Sonny LIston
    7. Jim Jeffries
    8. Harry Wills
    9. Jack Dempsey
    10. Sam Langford
    11. Floyd Patterson
    12. Ezzard Charles
    13.Max Schmeling
    14. James J Corbett
    15. Gene Tunney
     
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  13. swagdelfadeel

    swagdelfadeel Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Here's a list from Charlie Rose back in '68

    1. Sam Langford

    2. Jack Johnson

    3. Jack Dempsey

    4. Joe Louis

    5. James J. Jeffries

    6. Gene Tunney

    7. Sam McVey

    8. Rocky Marciano

    9. James J. Corbett

    10. Max Baer
     
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  14. swagdelfadeel

    swagdelfadeel Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Here's one back in '75 just before Manila by The Ring.

    1. Joe Louis

    2. Jack Dempsey

    3. James J. Jeffries

    4. Jack Johnson

    5. Rocky Marciano

    6. Gene Tunney

    7. Bob Fitzsimmons

    8. James J. Corbett

    9. Muhammad Ali

    10. Joe Frazier
     
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