Who's The Worst Fighter, To Have Held The Heavyweight Title, In The Past 70 years?

TF

 

Spinks who was essentially a novice and while he had skill he was in the wrong weight class and never developed ... Spihks aside I go w Ingo.

 

I am going along with Leon Spinks. He barely beat the hollow shell of Muhammad Ali, and then lost the rematch. After that............

 

It was only logical, he said.

 

How’s Douglas included in here? At his best he’d be a nightmare for most. He won against a young undefeated/undisputed champion. If Tyson took the fight lightly that’s his problem not Douglas.

 

charles martin bar none

 

Buster Douglas, after the Tyson win he was completely done and he got completely outclassed against Holyfield. Honourable mention would be Hasim Rahman.

 

Lineal: Leon Spinks

Any version: Bruce Seldon

 

Yes alphabet. As for Lineal. How about Primo. Not even his record is without fixes. At least Leon had potential. Olympic Gold. Beating then losing to arguably TGOAT. Primo won in suspicious circumstances and lost to Baer who maybe was a wasted talent but will rightfully be rated low. What about Hart. Some don’t even recognise him as a world champion never mind Lineal.

 

Ali was technically younger than Foreman who fought Briggs, but that version of Ali was closer to 55 in terms of his health. Briggs got a gift, but Leon had one of the relatively easiest champions to beat so it's apples and oranges.

 

In 1974? Not really, Ali's bad health became obvious by 1977 but in 1974 he was as sharp as he ever was.

Edit: nvm didn't notice Leon

 

I have no objection to that viewpoint, but it’s undeniably false. Just because you don’t THINK someone deserved the lineal championship doesn’t mean they weren’t the champion.

For example many think Norton beat Ali in the third fight but the record book says he lost that bout regardless of anyone’s scorecards.

 

There seems to be a good deal of controversy over lineage though.

Some consider Holmes lineal some do not
Some think Wladimir was lineal others don't
Apparently things are not so clear cut.

Right now whether Fury is lineal is a topic of intense debate.

 

Not sure if mentioned already but depends if we are talking worst as in technically inept or worse as in having a mediocre championship run despite being a decent fighter.

Michael Moorer could be argued to have one of the worst as far as his first reign. Wins in extremely tentative manner against a clearly suboptimal Holyfield and then gets starched by a grandfather and then beaten in rematch with Evander. No-one would argue Moorer was a bad fighter but despite his later championship he failed to set the world alight at HW.

I may also throw Riddick Bowe into contention simply because outside of his trilogy with Holyfield his reign was extremely disappointing. Wastes his time vs Dokes and Ferguson while avoiding a massive payday and potential legacy making fight vs Lewis. As far as massively unfulfilled potential he is my number 1.

I am not sure there have been any technically inept champions as you simply don't get into contention unless you have some skills.