Greatest HWs of the decades ?

Holmes and Tyson are split in the 80s. Holmes had 80-85 while Tyson ruled from 85-90. I think it's 50/50 for them, or you could just say it was Mike Tyson because he was so sensational at the time. He even unified the belts--something Larry Holmes didn't do.
And he did something else Larry couldn't do...he beat Michael Spinks.

 

It's between the 70s/80s/90s.

 

He definitely won that fight. I agree. Holmes had a longer reign than Tyson, but Tyson's was more memorable and had greater impact.

 

80s - hard to tell. Holmes or Tyson. I would mention both of them.
I agree with all the rest although it's a pitty that we can't mention such great fighters like Foreman, Frazier or Holyfield in such ranking. It just confirms that 70s and 90s were two greatest decades for heavyweight division.

 

Holmes - Spinks II was a robbery. Holmes clearly beat Spinks.

 

John L. Sullivan
James J. Jeffries
Jack Johnson
Joe Louis
Rocky Marciano
Muhammad Ali
Larry Holmes
Mike Tyson
Lennox Lewis
Wladimir Klitschko

Those ten are the champs that proved themselves to be the best of their era and were strong champs IMO. The others either didn´t prove themselves to be the best of their era or weren´t strong champs.

I expect some critic for Jeffries, Johnson and Wlad though.

 

I pretty much agree with your list. For the 00s,I'd say that Vitali K draws with his brother for the honour.

 

With Michael Spinks,though Holmes was very much passed his prime,while Tyson was at the very best we ever saw him. All about styles though,because even a prime Holmes would n't have kniocked Spinks out as quickly as Tyson did.

 

They did very well though. I'd rate Holyfield the second best fighter of the 90's,while Foreman and Frazier are second and third in the 70's,imo.

 

70s to 90s - best Heavyweight era

Ali
Foreman
Frazier
Patterson
Holyfield
Lewis
Bowe
Tyson
Holmes
Mercer
Quarry
Ellis
Young
80s babies (Dokes, Thomas, Witherpoon, Page, Berbick, Weaver, Williams, Smith, Cobb etc)
Bonavena
Chuvalo
Tua
Ruddock
Spinks
Rahman
Shavers
Lyle
Norton
McCall
B Foster
M Foster
Moorer
Cooney
etc

 

Based on body of work in that decade:

1880s-Sullivan
1890s-no clear candidate, Jackson, Corbett and Fitzsimmons are in contention.
1900s-Jeffries
1910s-Langford
1920s-Dempsey
1930-Louis
1940s-Louis
1950s-Marciano
1960s-Ali
1970s-Ali
1980s-Tyson (tough call)
1990s-Holyfield
2000s-Lewis
2010s-Wlad (so far)

Obviously some top fighters lost out because their body of work stradled two decades e.g. Jack Johnson.

 

Jeffries and Johnson shouldn't be in the same battle for supremacy of the 1900's the same way Holmes and Tyson are in for the 1980's. Johnson went 49-4-9 with 5 NC's. He only suffered 4 defeats during this period: one from an experienced, heavy hitter Choynski in only his 10th professional fight, Hank Griffin from when he was still a rookie, a highly controversial (and by all accounts racially biased) decision loss to future HW champ Marvin Hart, and a DQ loss to his nemesis Jeanette. The major pelts he collected during this time were George Gardner, Ed Martin (x2), Sandy Ferguson (x4), Sam McVey (x3), Sam Langford (weight advantage), Tommy Burns, Stanley Ketchel (weight advantage), and Joe Jeanette (x3). That's a very formidable list, especially compared to Jeffries's who's only big wins in the 1900's came from Corbett (x2), Gus Ruhlin, and Fitz.

Johnson had the HW division on lock during both the 1900's and the 1910's.