best opening 20 fights at heavyweight?

Well Spinks faced Ali twice, Holmes, Coetzee - a pretty solid list for a novice.

Maskaev did well, too.

Helenius beat Peter, Brewster and Lyakhovich.

 

Take out Leon Spinks. He was finished and losing at cruiserweight within his first 20 fights.

 

Tex Cobb's first 20 was respectable.
He was unlucky to lose 10-round decisions to Norton and Dokes. I thought he deserved two draws at least.
And he also KO'd Shavers in an entertaining war.

 

Just on their names ,I think Jeffries wins this,Louis maybe second? He only fought two fighters with losing records.

 

Likely Jeffries. Thrown to the best early.

 

i'd say holyfield because he has the advantage of getting the early career dross out of the way at cw

 

I was just going to say that, but isn't that a bit unfair on everyone else?

 

Biggs beat Snipes, Simms, Tillis and Bey before Tyson digested him and and Damiani pushed him out of relevance.

 

Yeah, Leon Spinks is one of those who I'd rank high if it was first 10 fights but by the time he'd completely 20 his average performance was way down.
Marvis Frazier and Tyrell Biggs would rank high first 10 or 12 fights too, but at the 20 mark they were long finished.

Actually Marvis Frazier's resume is impressive enough for so few fights, considering his only losses were Holmes and Tyson .... but there's the way he lost, I suppose.

 

yes it is, i didn't write the question.

if we go by >175 maybe fitz?

if it's career >175 i might go corbett, but would have to do some research

 

Gary Mason did well, maybe Horace Notice ( only had 16 fights all wins )

 

Holyfield should be included anyway perhaps, since many historical heavyweights were fighting men 'cruiser'-sized early on and through their whole careers.

Qawi, Ocasio, DeLeon, Tillis and Thomas are not a bad bunch.

For an example comparison, the only names on Tyson's first 20 worth mentioning are Ferguson and Tillis.
I think Ocasio, Qawi and Deleon would usually beat the Donnie Longs and Mike Jamesons and Steve Zouskis.
1986 Tillis was better than 1988 Tillis but Holyfield's result was better so it evens out.
1988 Thomas was quite poor but still a damn sight tougher than a Sammy Scaff and possibly capable of winning against 1986 Ferguson.