Holyfield 7, Louis 6, Ali 5, Lewis 4... defeated lineal HW champions

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by ikrasevic, Jan 19, 2025.


What is the greatest success?

This poll will close on Jan 19, 2035 at 12:40 PM.

  1. 7 defeated lineal HW champions

  2. 6 defeated lineal HW champions

  3. 5 defeated lineal HW champions

  4. 4 defeated lineal HW champions

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  1. ikrasevic

    ikrasevic War for Souls Full Member

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    Nov 3, 2021
    Evander Holyfield; 7 defeated lineal HW champions
    1. James Douglas
    2. George Foreman
    3. Larry Holmes
    4. Riddick Bowe
    5. Michael Moorer
    6. Mike Tyson
    7. Hasim Rahman

    Joe Louis; 6 defeated lineal HW champions
    1. Primo Carnera
    2. Max Baer
    3. Jack Sharkey
    4. Max Schmeling
    5. James Braddock
    6. Joe Walcott

    Muhammad Ali; 5 defeated lineal HW champions
    1. Sonny Liston
    2. Floyd Patterson
    3. Joe Frazier
    4. George Foreman
    5. Leon Spikns

    Lennox Lewis; 4 defeated lineal HW champions
    1. Hasim Rahman
    2. Mike Tyson
    3. Evander Holyfield
    4. Shannon Briggs

    Larry Holmes:
    1. Muhammad Ali :(
    Ali's fifth lineal HW "scalp" Leon Spinks is below par.
    Not counted Holyfield's lineal CW "scalp"; Also, Vitaly is not counted as a lineal HW champion.
     
    ikrasevic, Jan 19, 2025
    ikrasevic, Jan 19, 2025
    #1
    MrPook and Usyk is the best like this.
  2. Greg Price99

    Greg Price99 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    11,917
    Dec 17, 2018
    Ali's wins are the most impressive of those listed.
     
    Greg Price99, Jan 19, 2025
    Greg Price99, Jan 19, 2025
    #2
    MaccaveliMacc, Reinhardt and ikrasevic like this.
  3. Reinhardt

    Reinhardt Boxing Junkie Full Member

    14,538
    20,080
    Oct 4, 2016
    Ranked:
    #1 Ali
    #2 Louis
    #3 Holyfield
    #4 Lennox
     
    Reinhardt, Jan 19, 2025
    Reinhardt, Jan 19, 2025
    #3
    Greg Price99 and ikrasevic like this.
  4. Dynamicpuncher

    Dynamicpuncher Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    38,241
    Jan 14, 2022
    Context is needed though for Holyfield's one.

    Holmes, Foreman, were both 42 years old.

    Douglas was a contender who had his 15 minutes of fame vs Tyson in the fight of his life and then didn't show up vs Holyfield basically taking the paycheck.

    Moorer only become Lineal champion from beating Holyfield himself who had health problems and it was arguably the worst version of Holyfield in the whole decade of the 90s.

    Rahman again was another contender who got his 15 minutes of fame vs Lewis.

    The only real impressive scalps on Holyfield's list for me are Bowe, Tyson, the rest not so much.

    Ali may have less wins against Lineal champions but his victories over Foreman prime, Patterson near prime, Liston who he was a huge underdog against, and a still good version of Frazier, are much more impressive scalps.
     
    Dynamicpuncher, Jan 23, 2025
    Dynamicpuncher, Jan 23, 2025
    #4
    MaccaveliMacc and ikrasevic like this.