TEAM 1900–1949 Jack Johnson (HW) Jack Dempsey (HW) Gene Tunney (HW) Joe Louis (HW) Rocky Marciano (HW) Harry Greb (LHW) Archie Moore (LHW/HW) Max Schmeling (HW) TEAM 1950–1980 Muhammad Ali (HW) Sonny Liston (HW) Joe Frazier (HW) George Foreman (HW) Larry Holmes (HW) Ken Norton (HW) Bob Foster (LHW) Ezzard Charles (LHW/HW) ROUND OF 16 Side A Joe Louis vs Ken Norton Jack Dempsey vs Larry Holmes Rocky Marciano vs George Foreman Harry Greb vs Bob Foster Side B Jack Johnson vs Joe Frazier Gene Tunney vs Sonny Liston Archie Moore vs Muhammad Ali Max Schmeling vs Ezzard Charles Joe Louis (too technically sharp for Norton) Larry Holmes (jab neutralizes Dempsey) George Foreman (too big + modern strength training overwhelms Marciano) Harry Greb (relentless pace breaks Foster) Joe Frazier (body work beats Johnson in modern tempo fight) Sonny Liston (power + jab breaks Tunney) Muhammad Ali (movement too much for Moore) Ezzard Charles (outboxes Schmeling) Quarterfinals Joe Louis vs Larry Holmes George Foreman vs Harry Greb Joe Frazier vs Sonny Liston Muhammad Ali vs Ezzard Charles Winners: Larry Holmes (long jab disrupts Louis rhythm) George Foreman (Greb too small at true modern HW size) Sonny Liston (beats Frazier before Frazier closes distance) Muhammad Ali (speed edge over Charles) Semifinals Larry Holmes vs George Foreman Sonny Liston vs Muhammad Ali Winners: George Foreman (modern conditioning + power breaks Holmes late) Muhammad Ali (same reason he beat Liston historically — speed + mind games) George Foreman vs Muhammad Ali (both in prime, modern era) With: Modern recovery Year-round conditioning 12-round format Improved defense training TOURNAMENT WINNER: Muhammad Ali Because: He can adapt mid-fight He has elite durability He handles power punchers historically In modern 12 rounds, his movement is harder to break