Current Top 10 ATG Heavyweights

With the upcoming fight between Waldimir Klitschko and David Haye generating interest and discussion about Heavyweight boxing at this time, I thought I would have a go at posting my current top ten ATG list for Heavyweights. I've restricted this to the top ten, as after that it gets quite difficult to place numbers 11-20 with much certainty.

There has been some discussion lately about whether Wladimir Klitschko would make a top ten, or twenty ATG list, but for me not at the moment. I would be interested to get some views on my current list, and whether Wladimir can be rated in such a list?

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I had Holyfield at 11 just missing out, and pondered where he and Tyson should go. To be honest I kind of view Tyson as having two phases to his career, pre- and post jail. He fought so differently prior to serving time, and when he got out the head movement and defensive skills had dissipated. However up to 1990 he was a mean machine, and did have some very good wins (Holmes and Spinks despite age were excellent fighters). I felt that based on his career up to 1990 when he was pretty consistent, and despite much of what happened after that, he gets in the top ten. With Holyfield, I felt he was too inconsistent, and also the roid rumours brought him down in my estimation slightly, but on another day he could sneak in the top ten.

 

I can understand to a degree your query about Dempsey, hence why I have him lower down at nine, but I'm surprised you would suggest Johnson should not even make the top ten. What makes you think that?

 

You comment as if you are quoting absolute fact, when we all know lists such as these are hypothetical and subjective! Better to use them to stimulate informative discussion than dismissive sniping. Which three would you remove, and what is your biggest problem with the placings?

 

No Neon Leon Spinks?

 

Yeah, I used to rate Foreman a bit lower as I'm not a particularly big fan of his, but he fought and won the title during two very strong eras for Heavyweight boxing - 1970s and 1990s which to me is very impressive.

I've got Liston just outside the top ten at 12. Holyfield and Liston were the two I really had to think long and hard about leaving out of the top ten!

I also understand that having Ali at number 1 over Joe Louis could be open to debate, but I think his h2h resume is just so strong and that swings it for me. Hell he defeated two other fighters in the top ten!