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

This criticism applies just as much to second tier, or depth, wins as it does to top tier wins.

Maybe some of Louis's top 40 wins are 'just as much to do with the loser as the winner?'

 

Well, I'll try some top fives (in no particular order of importance)
Marciano:

Louis---KO 8
Walcott---KO 13
Walcott---KO 1
Charles---KO 8
Moore----KO 9

Comment--All five ko's of Hall-of-Famers. Three ko's of IBRO all time top 25 pound for pound fighters. All ko's of men rated in top 30 by Ring Magazine in their all-time heavyweight ratings in 1998. Not up to Ali's list, but not a bad list.

If top ten
LaStarza---KO 11
Layne---KO 6
Matthews---KO 2
Charles---UD 15
Cockell---KO 9

All men ranked #1 or #2 contenders at time of bout by Ring Magazine, except Matthews who was on a 50 bout winning streak and was rated the #2 contender by the NBA.

 

I think we should do a thread for top 10 wins. Given that most fighters have well over 35 fights under thier belt I think 10 wins shouldnt be issue.

5 wins is not enough to gauge a fighter,

When you look at Foreman's top 5 wins and then look at wins from 6-10 you start to notice the quality diminish with each passing name. That's not to say that Foreman was a 2nd tier champion, he was certainly a quality fighter, top 10 but the idea behind this thread presumably was to gain perspective from assesing thier wins and as a result the best way to do that is to get at least a good 10 wins.

 

Jeffries:
1. Fitzsimmons---KO 11
2. Corbett---KO 23
3. Fitzsimmons---KO 8
4. Corbett---KO 10
5. Jackson---KO 3

Another impressive list--Some might put the 25 round victory over Tom Sharkey ahead of Jackson.
If top ten:
6. Sharkey---W 25
7. Sharkey---W 20
8. Goddard---KO 4
9. Ruhlin---KO 5
10. Armstrong---W 10

All top contenders.

 

Jack Dempsey:
KO-Battling Levinsky
TKO-Jess Willard
KO-Billy Misake
KO-Bill Brenan
KO-Luis Firpo

 

You seem to be suggesting, that had top 10 rankings existed back then, Jeffries wouls have done prety well.

 

Jack Sharkey:
1. Max Schmeling---W 15 (disputed)
2. Primo Carnera---W 15
3. Harry Wills---WF 13 (but impressive win-Sharkey well ahead)
4. George Godfrey---W 10
5. Tommy Loughran---KO 3

Comment--Top five pretty good, but not outstanding
6. Young Stribling---W 10
7. Jack Delaney---KO 1
8. Mike McTigue---KO 12
9. Jim Maloney---KO 5
10. Johnny Risko---W 10

Sharkey might go down to 20 or 25 with rated fighters, but the top ten, in my judgement, does not equal Marciano or Jeffries, and Sharkey was very erratic.

 

I think he would have.

 

Max Schmeling:
1. Joe Louis---KO 12
2. Mickey Walker---KO 8
3. Young Stribling---KO 15
4. Steve Hamas---KO 8
5. Johnny Risko---KO 9

Schmeling gets a lot of milage (deservedly) off his big win over Louis--the rest of his top five is not that much.
top ten
6. Paulino Uzcudun---W 15
7. Paulino Uzcudun---W 12
8. Walter Neusel---KO 9
9. Ben Foord---W 12
10. Adolph Heuser---KO 1

The outstanding heavyweight contenders ends with Uzcudun. Depth lacking.

I didn't count the foul 'victory' over Sharkey as an impressive win.

 

Jack Dempsey:
1. Jack Sharkey---KO 7
2. Jess Willard---KO 4
3. Luis Angel Firpo---KO 2
4. Billy Miske---KO 3
5. Fred Fulton---KO 1

If top 10
6. Tommy Gibbons---W 15
7. Georges Carpentier---KO 4
8. Battling Levinsky---KO 3
9. Gunboat Smith---KO 2
10. Bill Brennan---KO 12

Morris could be put in the 10th spot over Brennan. There was also a second impressive KO of Brennan. If you go by just the best fighters and not the quality of the win (KO versus decision), Gibbons would be #3.

 

Where is frogman for Tyson's five best wins.