Are there any ATG heavyweights that actually fought each other at both their peaks?

Spinks was not at his best... damaged knees, overweight (212) and psyched out. He wasn't even warmed up when he came to the ring. Straight payday

 

Never mind prime ATG, how about top five guys in their era, who faced off against each other around ther primes?

Decent HW fights are few and far between at the top level.....

 

The closest ones i can think of, off hand:

Jackson v Corbett - Though Many say Jackson was past prime and Corbett maybe pre prime.


Fitzsimmons v Corbett - Seems to realistically be the best bet, though Corbett had technically came out of retirement for this fight and fitz was not really asyoung as thought.

Jeffries Sharkey was not a bad call, but it is a stretch to call Sharkey and ATG.

Johnson McVey might be a chance, but is McVey really considered an ATG? Probably both were pre prime also.

Johnson Burns is a good call, but i really do think that Burns struggles on the ATG test.

Schmelling Sharkey might be a really good chance, though again they might struggle for ATG status.

Schmelling Louis has a prime (but not peak) Louis and an older Schmelling.

Walcott v Charles is probably a very good bet both prime and both pretty close to atg status.

Patterson v Johansen was two primed fighters, but the ATG status could be a push.

Liston v Patterson is a good call but only if you rank paterson as an atg.

Liston v Ali Has an older Liston but not a bad call.

Frazier v Ali is interesting, but as good as 70s ali was i cant rate him as peak, while 60s ali existed. i think there is a definite decline.

Foreman v Frazier is a good call, I think, in fact i think it has to qualify, though maybe again the difference between prime and peak.

Ali v Foreman has the same trouble with Ali as i mentioned earlier.

Tyson v Spinks has ATG probs for Spinks, as well as age problems.

Holyfield v Bowe has to be considered prime for both fighters. Bowe was peak, maybe Holyfield was peaked also for the first one, despite the fact that he lost the fight? Pretty sure they pass the ATG test also.


Thinkng about that list, I would say that the best candidates are:
1: Holyfield v Bowe
2: Foreman v Frazier
3: Corbett v Jackson
4: Corbett v Fitzsimmons
5: Charles v Walcott

 

How many of those are ATG's?

 

ALL TIME GREATS!atsch

 

It's so rare for two all time greats to meet at their peak prime career. I think a good question would be how many all time greats turned away a great challenger in their prime that could of been an all time great if that said champion had not turned them away.

 

Holyfield vs Bowe 1

 

Results say differently. Fitz defeated Ruhlin and Sharkey via brutal KO in the duration of just one month! This happened after his loss to Jeffries.

You could say Foreman vs Frazier was match where both were close to their prime.

 

Most of these fights, people are listing, one or even both of them weren't prime.

 

Ali Frazier is the only one that springs to mind , or perhaps the greatest battle.

 

Corbett v Fitzsimmons
Johnson v Burns

Prime if not all atg's.

 

Most heavyweight champions who lost in their primes (even to other prime heavyweight champions) are considered relatively weak and often denied ATG heavyweight status.

The lists here confirm it. Patterson, Carnera, Baer, Spinks, Charles, Walcott, Ingo, Burns, Sharkey, Fitzsimmons, Corbett...only exception is Holyfield, and even he falls outside the top 10 of most heavyweight champion lists.

It's debatable whether those fighters actually were as weak HW champions as they're presented, or whether the consensus top guys just have more people making excuses for them. Little of both, probably.

 

Ali vs. Frazier, I

 

Ali was not prime. No where near actually.