We've had plenty of debates about whom we consider to be the greatest heavyweights of all but how about if we focus on whom we reckon to be the most iconic. Some may pan out the same as the greatest ones e.g. Muhammad Ali is arguably the greatest heavyweight of all and also one of the most iconic,if not the most. On the other hand,Larry Holmes is an all time great heavyweight but not iconic. Here are my choices in chronological order - John L Sullivan Jack Johnson Jack Dempsey Joe Louis Rocky Marciano Muhammad Ali Mike Tyson Who agrees/disagrees? Any others you can think of?
Jeffries was a pretty big celebrity at the time iirc. Liston was known for being intimidating and a thug at the time I think, there was some outrage that one of the supposed "bad/criminal blacks" could hold the title. AJ's always been a massive cultural icon in the UK and is probably the most well-known British athlete among the general public, even if he's not got quite the same international appeal.
Lennox Holyfield The Klitschko brothers...should be there... and John Ruiz... LOL j./k about Ruiz... Well, in a way, Ruiz is actually an icon..or should be at least, to the Hispanic population, as the first Hispanic world heavyweight champion. But talent wise? He is no Primo Carnera or Charles Martin, but he is definitely among the first ones to go in the "greatest" choosing process!
I like the distinction. Legend as we know is throw about everyday. Iconic is something else. More related to the zeitgeist. I agree with the OP.
Being famous among the no-boxing public. For example,Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis were household names,whereas only the true boxing fans will remember Larry Holmes.
Gotcha. Ali and Louis for absolute sure. They transcended their sport, were historical and sociological icons. IMO that’s one reason for the intensity of Frazier’s hatred of Ali, aside from Ali’s mouth (in Manila especially). Frazier could never be anything but a prize fighter and could only think in those terms and figured he’d gotten rid of Ali in 1971 and it didn’t made a dent. Johnson also for sociological reasons although there’s likely some polarization there in how he’s viewed from different perspectives and directions. Tyson for a lot of wrong reasons. Dempsey because of the Roaring Twenties which was an era of icons. Foreman because of his commercials.
