19 Best HWs of the 1990s

Having been into my adult years at the time, my memory is pretty good regarding the WBO title. The most oft used phrase that preceded it was "lightly regarded".

Again, Tommy Morrison only twice cracked the Ring's Annual ratings of heavies, both times at #9. That makes him something of an afterthought in the division, not a major player. Like it or not, a big reason he got repeated paydays was his pigmentation. And that's something I really don't have a big problem with, as it is called "prize" fighting, and without asses in seats there isn't much of a prize to fight for.

 

Their "annual" top 10 is just their ratings for the month of like March every year. What about the other 11 months all those years?

I'm sure he appeared in their ratings more than one time.

 

I just pulled out 12 issues of Ring Magazine off my shelf (I don't have a complete collection of them for every year), and he's in all 12.

(Period ending July 7, 1992) - Rated #10
(Period ending September 15, 1992) - Rated #9
(Period ending October 15, 1992) - Rated #9
(Period ending November 18, 1992) - Rated #9
(Period ending December 20, 1992) - Rated #9
(Period ending January 25, 1993) - Rated #9
(Period ending February 18, 1993) - Rated #8
(Period ending March 17, 1993) - Rated #8
(Period ending April 15, 1993) - Rated #8
(Period ending May 12, 1993) - Rated #6
(Period ending June 15, 1993) - Rated #4
(Period ending August 10, 1995) - Rated #8

So he was likely in even more than that. I didn't just buy Ring. I bought the other magazines, too. He's in all their ratings as well.

 

#9 in a talent stacked time is not bad. Look who has been #9 in annual ratings and unless he was on his way up to champion you won't find a majority of former #9's better than Morrison.

Belts don't matter, and didn't in the 1990's as they all had BS mandatories. The fighter defined the belt, not the other way around. A belt just meant it was 12 rounds. They used to say the same thing about the IBF belt back in the 1980's, until Holmes made the belt worth something.

Ring Magazine Annual ratings 1992, a very talented time!

1. [url]Riddick Bowe[/url]
2. [url]Lennox Lewis[/url]
3. [url]Evander Holyfield[/url]
4. [url]Michael Moorer[/url]
5. [url]Tony Tucker[/url]
6. [url]George Foreman[/url]
7. [url]Razor Ruddock[/url]
8. [url]Ray Mercer[/url]
9. [url]Tommy Morrison[/url]
10. [url]Alex Garcia[/url]

Okay, Garcia did not belong at #10, the rest of the list was quality. I could see Morrison rated as #3 or #4 today, and he's 9th here.

The top 3 would be champion today, with #4, #6, #7 #8 and #9 highly rated today. I think Mercer or Ruddock would beat Wilder. Morrison about 50.50

 

That's the problem here in general..people afraid to use common sense more than not.

 

Morrison was rated #4 by Ring after he defeated Foreman.

 

Is that list done in Joda speak, again? Right are the words, the order FUBAR it is.

Does George Foreman know you have rated him over Lewis?

 

Wait... you're burying the lead.

Morrison was competitive with Lewis? What?!

 

Here is the summation from the NYT regarding the epic Foreman-Morrison bout...

"They were like two panting bears, although Foreman's 30-pound weight advantage and 20-year disadvantage made him the Papa Bear. But Morrison's higher punch count and groaning hooks, combined with Foreman's soft heart, gave Morrison the unanimous decision and the lightly regarded World Boxing Organization title."

Tell me more about this great victory and the great bauble that was the WBO heavyweight belt? I am all ears.

 

Yes, Tommy was popular and got prime spots on Tuesday night fights and HBO largely because he was (appeared) white. Don King beat out Einstein on the great equation of the century when he stated, "Black plus White equals Green." In actuality, Tommy's mom is from the Arapaho tribe and Tommy bleached his hair to fit the part but those are just details.

By the way, OJ and Wilson were/are great footballers no matter their color. And Laurence Fishbourne was never in the league.

Crack much?