Greatest Contenders - Heavyweights

Clarence Henry was also a good fighter, George Chuvalo and Billy Conn.

 

Not doing a "greatest contenders" thread for cruiserweights?

 

Cooper doesnt belong there imo ,how many ranked contenders did he beat?

 

WHEN WAS CAVALIER EVEN A RANKED CONTENDER?

 

Peter Jackson
Joe Goddard
Sam McVea
Sam Langford
Harry Wills
Archie Moore
Eddie Machen
Cleveland Williams
Jerry Quarry
Renaldo Snipes
Truth Williams
Razor Ruddock
David Tua
Tony Thompson
Sasha Povetkin

 

The guy had a great record, he beat Braddock and Tony Galento when they were good fighters but he couldn’t get fights.

 

I think Gregorio Peralta is underrated too. Didn’t he beat Bonavena and draw with Ron Lyle and gave the young Foreman some tussle?

 

I'm asking them to justify their choices ,if they can I will gladly defer to them. As far as I'm concerned neither belong in a 15 greatest contenders list.What did Cooper do to qualify? Win a dec from Folley who ko'd him in 2 rds in the rematch?
Cavalier never even won a top ten ranking and what film is there of him to form an opinion of his quality?

No he didn't he beat a 21 years old Galento and a 20 years old ,162lbs Braddock. No great record and no great wins on it.
Cavalier was 44-6-3. 4 fights were against debutees .17 against men who did not have winning records.No contender ,a journeyman.

 

My list with comments in some cases but not the obvious ones like Jackson and Langford, and also the misses and why

Peter Jackson
Sam Langford
Harry Wills
Tommy Loughran (weak puncher with good skills who beat three champions but none were I think prime, although Sharkey was one fight from the championship)
Billy Conn (not much of a heavyweight resume, but great Louis fight and Louis later said he was the best he fought)
Jimmy Bivins
Elmer Ray (beat two champions in prime)
Rex Layne (also beat two champions in prime)
Archie Moore
Harold Johnson (never rated at heavyweight but few non-heavy champions have such a resume)
Eddie Machen
Zora Folley
Jimmy Young
David Tua
Ike Ibeabuchi

Not making the grade

Tom Sharkey (big wins over Fitz and Corbett dubious)
Joe Jeannette and Sam McVea (I can't put them in when they weren't as good as contemporaries Langford and Wills)
Fred Fulton (bad KO losses to Wills and Miske keep him out for me)
Ernie Schaaf (close, but not quite)
Bob Pastor (another close one)
Melio Bettina (surprisingly good resume. close)
Bob Baker (great at beating the second tier guys and past their best guys, but not top men)
Nino Valdes (too many losses cancel out wins over Charles and Jackson)
Jerry Quarry (close and a case could be made)
Ron Lyle and Earnie Shavers (two other close ones, but losing to Quarry drops them)
Gerry Cooney (big wins were over men so far over the hill that who knows)

 

1. Wills
2. Langford
3. Ortiz
4. Quarry
5. Young
6. Ruddock
7. Tua
8. Ibeabuchi
9. Folley
10. Machen
11. Tommy Jackson
12. Lyle
13. Odlanier Solis
14. Shavers
15. Longest ranked contender of all time, Fres Oquendo

 

Archie Moore
Harry Wills
Sam Langford
Tim Witherspoon
Oscar Bonavena
Jerry Quarry
Jimmy Bivins
Ron Lyle
Alexander Povetkin
Tommy Loughran
Frank Bruno
Rex Layne
Ernie Terrell
Harold Johnson
Chris Byrd

 

This is a question that should be discussed more often.

We often discuss the best champions, but history can turn just as much on the best contenders.