Heavyweight Champions - The Overrated and The Underrated

And A.H was no comedian. Appologies to anyone offended at the mention of his name.

Maybe harsh Janitor, although plenty was left unfulfilled or never tested by John L. as Champion.

 

Over

Tyson
Lewis
Marciano (to a far lesser extent though)

Under

Johnson
Schmeling
Tunney
Sharkey
Holyfield

 

you are right about several fighters here. I for one never really paid much attention to the bare knuckle days but was impressed with Sullivan, Dempsey loved Sullivan as a boy and started training as a boy to be like him.

Dempsey is very low on this site and penalized for being inactive like most of the Champions before him. However Jack Dempsey took it to another level and for the last 70 yrs is still mentioned with the greats of the century and Jack was tough and hard, he was raised in a time when America was just like him. The fame Dempsey acheived without TV and cable is amazing. Dempsey was such a big star offers came in from movie makers and other areas but remember Jack was a 1st and had no examples before him.

J.J. Walcott was a master boxer with excellent feet, pin point one punch power in both hands and a Wiley ...he would wreck many a great heavyweights plans on one of his special nights. He proved it many times vs the best ever.

 

I have always felt that Max Schmeling is underrated. I always take into consideration that Louis was still developing when Max beat him, but he also has many other wins to speak of, that I think are forgotten. For all practical purposes, he is a true all time great, and a cornerstone figure among the classic greats.

 

I agree and Max also fought through personal hardships and was not always best prepared but not due to a lack in discipline

 

We can make excuses for Holmes being out shape and Spinks being too small, scared shitless, whatever, but has any heavyweight in history won his most decisive fights in such convincing destructive manner? It could be said Tyson at his best was even more "tuned" against the better fighters he faced. Holmes and Spinks represented big fights for Tyson personally with their boxing bloodline, Berbick was for the record of youngest champion. Just looking at from the other side of the fence. Tysons accomplishments have him well placed inside the top 10-15, but I think he is a bit underated as to how good he was at his fighting peak.

 

On a sidnote, Schmeling has one of the more interesting stories to speak of. Upon losing to Louis in the rematch, Hitler forced him to join the German armed forces. After the war ended, he purchased a bottling company and later became a multi-millioniare. He apparently attended Joe Louis's funeral in 1981, and from what I've been told, made a large contribution towards the payment of the service. Max lived until he was within months of turning 100 years old, when he died in 2005... The man had a very long, successful and interesting life...

 

Yes, my point though, was that there was three of them all ending more spectacularly than the other. According to most now that Tysons career is over and judging by how he finished up, he would have never had a shot against the likes of Holyfield and lewis at his best.

 

Underrated HW Champs :

Michael Moorer-This guy would present problems for almost any HW in history IF he brought his A-game. That laser beam left was as good a punch as Hearns' right. The overall package wasn't nearly as good though.

Larry Holmes-He's already been covered enough in this forum. The guy's a top 5 all time HW. Enough said.

 

Underrated: Sinan Şamil Sam

 

Overrated:
Lennox Lewis
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Jack Johnson
George Foreman
Sonny Liston

Underrated:
Evander Holyfield
Rocky Marciano
Jack Dempsey

 

Just wondering, those who say Tyson and/or Holyfield are underrated and Lewis is overrated, do you rate one or both ahead of Lewis?