So, Sharkey doesn't count as a top contender of the era because he got KOed by a cheap shot from Dempsey(which I count as a smart move from the Manassa Mauler), one year before Tunney calls it quits? Uzcudun was in Ring's top ten during Tunney's entire reign at HW, Wills's career started two years before Tunney's and ended four years after, I'll grant that he was at his best while Tunney was still at LHW, but he was still a top name in the division, again, looking at Ring's rankings, he was still in the top ten in 1926 and was at number two in the previous two years. Stribling probably did peak right after Tunney retired, and by all accounts, Godfrey was a very good boxer who was handcuffed more often than not, but had the respect of his peers by most of the accounts I've read. The point isn't to over rely on Ring's rankings or to argue minutia, though. The real point is that there were a good deal of quality high level opponents that Tunney didn't face when he was campaigning at heavy, a good part of that was due to him retiring with the title. There was no chance that Tunney actually cleaned out the HW division of his era. I can't see how one would reasonably place him over the likes of Larry Holmes, Wladimir Klitschko or most befuddling, Muhammad Ali.
1 Ali 2 Louis 3 Marciano 4 Holmes 5 Dempsey 6 Johnson 7 Lewis 8 Frazier (Before the Ali fight) 9 Jeffries 10 Tyson 11 Wlad klitschko 12 Foreman 13 Schmeling 14 Charles 15 Liston 16 Patterson 17 Walcott 18 Holyfield 19 Tunney 20 Baer 21 Johanssson 22 Bowe 23 Sharkey 24 Carnera 25 Douglas 26 Willard 26 Burns 27 Micheal Spinks 28 Braddock 29 Moorer 30 Leon Spinks 31 Briggs And including only SHW fighters 1.Lewis Wlad klitschko Bowe Carnera Douglas Willard Briggs Bonecrusher smith Page John Tate Valuev
No they were all top ten ranked whenTunney was either ranked or champion. I did not include Stribling. No . 1924 1.Wills 4.Rojas 6.Firpo 7.Godfrey 8.Maloney Tunney fought none of these 1925. 1. Wills 2.Tunney 4.Gorman 5.Godfrey 6.Sharkey 7.Fitzsimmons 8.Uzcudun 9.Maloney 10.Persson Tunney fought none of the other 9 contenders 1926.Tunney Champ 2.Sharkey 3.Maloney 4.Uzcudun 5.Wills 7.Persson 8. Hansen 10.Montgomery Tunney fought none of these 7 challengers. He defeated Dempsey twice ,Carpentier once and Gibbons once. He fought Carp in1924 . He was unranked. He fought Gibbons in1925. He was unranked and at 36 having his last fight. The only possible conclusion anyone of rational mind can draw form these stats is that Tunney did not,"defeat every notable heavyweight of his time," which was your statement with the spelling and grammar corrected.
Belts in the Bin Bowe doesnt even merit being in anyones top 40. Andrew Golota beat the **** out of him twice. Is Golota in anyones top 40 list out of interest?
Bowe was washed up by the first Golota fight, and both of those fights forced his decision to retire early. Dokes, Thomas, Holyfield, Hide, Tubbs...all former champs. All beaten by Bowe. Bowe also beat a great deal of top contenders back in the day. Cooper, Biggs, Seldon, Tillery, Coetzer.... His only loss (on paper, and yes I agree Andrew beat him twice, the second time horribly so), against Holyfield, was considered by some (including me) a not-so-great decision. I personally think Holy never beat Bowe, and had the latter ahead by two points in the second fight. I know I don't have to defend a two-time heavyweight champion of the world, his deeds speak for themselves. I'm just a big fan of the man's fighting skill, plus Bowe always seemed to me to be a good man.
