Based on their top 5 wins, which Heavyweights beat the best opposition ?

Based on their top 5 wins, which Heavyweights beat the best opponents ?

This is a good way to start to rank them. Obviously "top 5 wins" is subjective, and how they match up against another fighter's top 5 is subjective too, so opinions will differ greatly on this.

 

It's easier to start with debating sets of 5 against sets of 5, rather than how 45 stacks up against 60.
We have to start somewhere.

I dont really want to encourage people into arguing over whether Muhammad Ali's 18th best win is better or worse than Joe Louis's 10th best, or whether a whole list of 20+ wins is upside down. With constant referencing to boxrec, and all that bull****, the trouble it would cause.

Hmmmm. Thinking about it, even 5 is risky, maybe I shoulda said "top 3".

 

A relatively easy one (one that I wouldn't expect to attract too much disagreement, and if so only minor disagreement).

GEORGE FOREMAN

TKO2 Joe Frazier (1973)
TKO2 Ken Norton
KO 10 Michael Moorer
TKO5 Joe Frazier (1975)
TKO5 Ron Lyle

 

LENNOX LEWIS
DPTS12 Holyfield (incl. as a win)
PTS12 Holyfield
KO2 Ruddock
PTS12 Tua
K04 Rahman (maybe?)

 

I wont consider the results anomalous.
Like I said, it's a good place to start.
But if people would rather debate "entire resumes" then they can go right ahead.

To be honest, I think top 5's is difficult enough, and when guys are purporting to be comparing "entire resumes" they are often more likely partaking in the ancient art of bullshitting.

Let's say top 3s or top 5s, just to make it easy, as a starting point. Just an idea.

 

Based on the lists already offered up, I'd say Foreman's is better than Lewis's, with Patterson's in third place.
But the lists can be debated.

Provisional lists for Ali, Frazier, Holmes, Holyfield, Marciano and Tyson shouldn't be too difficult.

 

Good.
:good