2026 TOP 10 ALL-TIME HEAVYWEIGHTS SURVEY

Uh, no. The FBI detected that that HGH and Testosterone were being sent to his house under the name "Evan Fields." When they called the number on the shipment, Evander answered. There is no doubt whatsoever to anyone with a modicum of intelligence that Evan was on PEDs. And to throw about words like "immature," well, it makes you look stupid...if I'm being honest.

I don't even like Tyson.

 

Good. We're done.

 

Peace in your hood.

 

Don't want to derail the thread. I'll get my top-10 together.. and I don't think Tyson will be on it.

 

I reconsidered my old list and came up with something new, as many fighters are interchangeable anyway (looking at their dominance at the time, their opponents, historical circumstances, and so on).

1. Louis
Nobody was undisputed lineal heavyweight champion for as long, and with such clinical dominance, while making so many title defenses. He was always improving in rematches, had the historic FOTC against Schmeling, and even as an old, washed-up fighter after his comeback due to tax debts, he was still the betting favorite against Charles and the upcoming Marciano. What an era-defining man!

2. Ali
A dazzling personality and an unbelievable boxer in the ’60s, head and shoulders above his opponents. Overall, the best fighter for the better part of the ’70s... but the best of many greats because of the Rumble and the sheer number of contenders he beat. Still, he was surely not as untouchable as he was between ’64–’67. He lost the FOTC and against Norton and Spinks when he was older and more diminished, with close or disputed wins over Norton twice, Young, and Shavers... Still, great, great competition and a legendary era.

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3. Johnson
Perhaps the most historically significant champion. A self-made man who rose under the most difficult circumstances. World colored heavyweight champion from 1903 to 1908 with 12 defenses, and world champion from 1908 to 1915 with 6 defenses (more or less). His career spanned over four decades. He sparked the Great White Hope craze. Sure, he did not fight the three top Black heavyweights: Langford, McVey, and Jeannette or even Gunboat Smith as champion, and he faced diminished versions of some of them beforehand (especially Langford and McVey). But I still think he was clearly the best fighter for several years, perhaps from around 1906 to 1910+ at least. Probably not for as long or as dominantly as Louis, but still... And that's something I miss about Jack Dempsey. If he had beaten Wills, say, around 1920, he would be my No. 3. For me, what's missing is the proof that he really was the best fighter of his era, no matter how great he may have been.
But back to Johnson: he did not face the aforementioned fighters at their best; otherwise, if successful, I might rank him even higher. So he is my No. 3, though with quite a gap behind Louis and Ali.
Anyway, perhaps the most fascinating and compelling boxing biography of them all. Still, I never really warmed to his style.

4. Holmes
A dominant force in the late ’70s and early ’80s. Clearly the best fighter for at least half a decade. Still, it was not exactly the greatest era after the golden era of Ali, Frazier, and Foreman. He had his hands full with an old Norton, was not the most spectacular puncher, and missed some interesting opponents (Thomas, Coetzee, Page, Dokes, Tucker...). Still, a great and pretty complete fighter with a long career and many title defenses, even aging like fine wine in fights against Holyfield and Mercer. C’mon, No. 4 is not too shabby.

5. Lewis
My first instinct was to put Lewis at No. 3. However, I try to judge fighters mainly in the context of their era, especially in terms of dominance. And Lewis was an impressive modern fighter in the ’90s, no question, but he was also not always very consistent over the long term and could be a bit sloppy at times. Losing in ’94 to McCall, regaining the title in ’97, drawing Holyfield in ’99 (I think he won), losing in 2001 to Rahman, and then beating V. Klitschko in a somewhat unsatisfying fashion (still an amazing feat) after beating a washed-up Tyson... No fights against a prime Holyfield, Bowe, or early-’90s Tyson, even if that was not his fault.
I just mean that his overall dominance does not look quite as clear-cut and long-lasting as it might at first glance or on TV.
For instance, Marciano was the clear-cut, unbeaten best fighter between ’52–’55 and probably beyond... Still, I rank Lewis higher than Marciano. Great fighter, avenged all his defeats, and retired as champion. I have him at #5 for now, but he could easily be #3 as well.

6. Marciano
Nuff said. Endless discussions: 49 (43)–0–0. But not the longest career and not the greatest era.

7. Liston
Well, that's my new list and a new kind of approach... Formerly, I would've ranked Foreman around here. But was Foreman ever the best fighter in the world? Surely not in the ’90s with Holyfield, Lewis & Co., even if he was regarded as the lineal champion after Moorer (so was Briggs too)... Maybe in ’73 after Frazier, but he lost to Ali in ’74. But would he have beaten Ali in ’73?

Anyway, back to Liston. I think he was the best fighter for roughly half a decade, from ’59, maybe even ’58, to around ’64... and in devastating fashion. He was seen as the new Joe Louis and seemed unbeatable against Patterson and other top contenders. He lost to a young, upcoming force in Ali, but even that defeat was not too decisive (aging + lack of motivation, fairly even scorecards, shoulder injury; the second fight was an outlier even by Ali’s standards), and he had a stylistic disadvantage against no one other than Ali. It would be fascinating to see the 1960s version against Ali... but then again, Ali wasn't peak ’64 either.
Great fighter: two-handed power, a ramrod jab, technique... but also alcohol, demons, an uncertain age, and other abysses. More dominant than Marciano at his best, but not unbeaten.

8. W. Klitschko
Great longevity and career, but he never fought his, I think, somewhat underrated brother (kind of the co-best fighter for some time), nor did he avenge some of his losses (Puritty, Sanders, Brewster), and some of his opponents were also rather dull. Questionable chin, and he lost to the more interesting opponents in Fury and Joshua, albeit as an old fighter. Still, many great wins (Haye, Povetkin, etc.), and he can surely be ranked higher.

9. Frazier
Probably the greatest single win with the FOTC, legendary fights in the golden heavyweight era, a warrior’s heart, and an exciting style, as well as being the best fighter around the turn of the 1970s and having other great wins as well. But a short career due to health issues and his energy-draining style, along with losses, including against his stylistic nightmare, Foreman.

10. Holyfield
Legendary warrior with great opponents, epic ring battles, and great wins, but also not a long-term dominant fighter, with his ups and downs, flaws, and not exactly the cleanest fighter either.


But there could be Foreman, Tyson, Dempsey, or maybe even Wills, Langford, Jeffries, or even Sullivan as well... Not ranking Usyk for now.

 

The more I see other peoples' lists the more I am sure of mine.

These lists are horrible.

 

I like your list. It’s original for sure. Sullivan was an animal in his day and it’s nice to include Wills. I find his opponent list too repetitive but he was unquestionably dominant.

 

My list :

1) Muhammad Ali
2) LennoxLewis
3) Larry Holmes
4) Joe Louis
5) Sonny Liston
6) Vitali KLitschko
7) Oleksandr Usyk
8) George Foreman
9) Joe Frazier
10 ) Mike Tyson

 

I've 5 Dempsey books in none of them is it mentioned that Doc Kearns made that quote to Langford. Dempsey won the title in1919 Langford was stopped by Fulton in1917 sustaining a serious eye injury and floored along the way.Fulton couldn't last 2 minutes with Dempsey
Dempsey refused to fight Langford when Jack was a young up and comer managed by JohnThe Barber Reisler ,a real piece of work.Dempsey knew that ,at that stage of his career he would have been seriously overmatched against Langford and refused to fight him. As regards Dempsey giving a half blind Lanford a title shot that proves jack **** .
Now you tell me which Langford wins during Dempsey's reign would have made him a viable opponent for Dempsey?

 

Joe Louis
Ali
Rocky Marciano
George Foreman
Lennox Lewis
Mike Tyson
Evander Holyfield
Jack Dempsey
Larry Holmes
Wlad Klitschko
Vitali Klitschko
Joe Frazier
Jersey Joe Walcott
Jack Johnson

 

1. Ali
2. Louis
3. Lewis
4. Holmes
5. Marciano
6. Wladimir
7. Holyfield
8. Tyson
9. Foreman
10. Frazier

I haven't got a clue how to do a rating of top 10 fighters in order TBH I tried my best.

 

Just because you never found the source doesn't mean that Sugar made it up.

Dempsey admitted to being afraid of Langford. Not sure what to do with that other than take it at face value.

 

That is a very interesting, modern take. I like it. Of the fighters listed, I'd probably swap Liston and Tyson, but otherwise, good talking points.