Alternate HW Top Ten.

OK, so, let's imagine a world where your top ten, whatever it is, doesn't exist. No Ali, no Louis, no Holmes etc...what does this alternate universe top ten look like?

1. Wlad
2. Vitali
3. Usyk
4. Foreman
5. Tunney
6. Sullivan
7. Marciano
8. Fury
9. Dempsey
10. AJ....maybe....?

It's just a game, every answer will be as wrong as it is right. And you're list will be dependent on who you have in your original 10. Mine is, in no order, as of today, Ali, Evander, Lewis, Liston, Johnson, Bowe, Foreman, Tyson, Louis, Frazier...I think....I sometimes think Wlad should be top ten ATG because he beats so many of my list, at least one fight out of three, three out of three for some of them...so that's why he's one on my alternative universe list!!

PS....I'd have Bruno over AJ on any list in reality...but i thought I'd put AJ on to observe the potential meltdown...and the numerous Witherspoons etc...we're not consistent or culturally relevant to make my alternate universe list...

 

I guess it's not as easy as that. If your top ten don't exist, you are imagining a world where perhaps pivotal fights involving your 11 onwards can't have taken place. I may have ranked Foreman too highly for example because he can't have victories over Frazier twice and Norton in my alternative universe, so we are essentially judging him on everyone he fought other than them and his 'second' career. Not so easy, is it?

 

If Tyson was outside your top ten, could he be top of your alternate as he doesn't have losses to Holyfield or Lewis, instead he just got old and lost to...Buster, Williams, McBride....oh, and he doesn't have a win over Holmes either....domino effect

 

Nice post. I made this thought experiment to help me 'judge/assess' fighters without the 'noise' of history and 'yeah, but he beat x, and y beat z....'. I think the brothers K would have been a hard night for my actual top ten which is why I have them clear top two.

It's actually interesting to view fighters without their signature wins. Foreman without Frazier and Norton is a wide punching banger who knocked over everyone he should have and struggled against two guys who won't be in anyone's alternate top ten. His first career does not look good. He also never lost to Ali though...second career? Incredible, culturally significant bit again, doesn't beat any alternate top ten fighters unless anyone pushes Moorer in there. It's a nice way to open your eyes and look at things fresh...

 

Yup, apologies if I wasn't clear. It's a tricky ask....