Heavyweights who actually defeated every lighter opponent?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by McGrain, Jul 12, 2025.

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  1. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    Obsession with size has always been an enormous part of the posting public on this forum to the point where we have some posters who will use it as an actually argument. A fighter can even be denuded for defeating mostly smaller opponents but not defeating them quickly enough, indicating they'd have no chance with larger opposition.

    Of course, "there are weight classes for a reason" so size absolutely is a key aspect for people heavily into fantasy matches, but the thought occurred to me, how many heavyweights actually defeated every opponent over who they had an advantage of at least 1lb in weight? Let's limit ourselves to instances of retired fighters who were at some point ranked among the 10 best by RING or TBRB who defeated every lighter opponent they ever faced?

    See how long we can make this list.
     
    McGrain, Jul 12, 2025
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  2. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    01 - Rocky Marciano
    02 - Chris Byrd
    03 - Gene Tunney
    04 - Ike Ibeabuchi
    05 - Corrie Sanders
    06 - Herbie Hide
     
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2025
    McGrain, Jul 12, 2025
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  3. OddR

    OddR Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Sure the bigger fighter doesn't always win that's impossible not sure that's what it entails.

    Tbf this also looks very good on Marciano.
     
    OddR, Jul 12, 2025
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  4. Ioakeim Tzortzakis

    Ioakeim Tzortzakis Well-Known Member Full Member

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    2. Michael Spinks
    3. Gene Tunney
    4. Oleksandr Usyk
    5. Ike Ibeabuchi
    6. Chris Byrd
    7. Corrie Sanders
    8. Herbie Hide
    9. Joseph Parker
    10. Deontay Wilder
    11. Agit Kabayel
    12. Jared Anderson
     
    Ioakeim Tzortzakis, Jul 12, 2025
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  5. OddR

    OddR Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Valuev lost to Chagaev
     
    OddR, Jul 12, 2025
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  6. Ioakeim Tzortzakis

    Ioakeim Tzortzakis Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Damn, hard a brain fart there. He's out.
     
    Ioakeim Tzortzakis, Jul 12, 2025
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  7. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    A lot of active guys listed here and unless i'm missing one Spinks didn't fight any heavies who weighed less than him? I've decided to leave Tunney off as he lost to Greb for all that it was at LHW, not sure that's fair though. Did Byrd fight lighter guys at heavy? It was a long career tbf.
     
    McGrain, Jul 12, 2025
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  8. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    David Washington and Val Smith were both lighter than Byrd.
     
    McGrain, Jul 12, 2025
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  9. Devon

    Devon Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Bob Fitzsimmons, at heavyweight anyway.
     
    Devon, Jul 12, 2025
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  10. Ioakeim Tzortzakis

    Ioakeim Tzortzakis Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Yeah that's my bad on Spinks, I just knew he only lost to Tyson who was heavier and just assumed he had beaten someone lighter. I think Tunney should be in, as it was indeed a LHW loss.

    And yeah, Chris Byrd did beat some lighter opponents. Not sure if what you've meant is that the lighter opponent should also have been ranked, in which case I'm not sure Byrd has.
     
    Ioakeim Tzortzakis, Jul 12, 2025
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  11. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    I think i'll keep it up for a couple of pages on whoever then maybe parse it off into a lighter ranked guys list.
     
    McGrain, Jul 12, 2025
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  12. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    Fitz is awkward as all hell, because if he was ever fighting a lighter guy it immediately became a middleweight or light heavyweight match, crazy stuff.
     
    McGrain, Jul 12, 2025
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  13. Dynamicpuncher

    Dynamicpuncher Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Alexander Povetkin ?
     
    Dynamicpuncher, Jul 12, 2025
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  14. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    Drew with Mike Hunter, remember?
     
    McGrain, Jul 12, 2025
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  15. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 Barrios is a bandit robber - Psalm 144:1 Full Member

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    Vitali… unless you count a shoulder injury against him? - most do, I sort of just “eh” when it comes to that one but it's an official result. Joe Frazier beat everybody smaller then him.
     
    Journeyman92, Jul 12, 2025
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