Most overrated fighter in history?

Yeah but how many heavyweight champs did beat a prime Atg? You could say Ali an maybe Foreman but did the likes of Dempsey, Louis, Marciano, Liston, Holmes, Holyfield, Lewis or Wlad? If that’s your criteria for greatness are they are all overrated like you say Tyson is?

 

It's usually the casuals who insist that Ali, Floyd and Tyson were/are the greatest of all time. Mostly Ali or Floyd. When someone takes the time to break down why they feel Ali or Floyd is overrated, they are often met with very emotional, irrational responses, or just insulted altogether. If someone makes an argument that includes an analysis of the respective fighter's resume, skills, fighting style, quality of opposition and when they fought them during their careers, I'm more inclined to hear them out, but most often they don't do that.

 

No there not. They didn't mentally fall apart befor big fights nor did they quit against the likes of Kevin Mcbride

 

That's very interesting, I have to read up a bit more about Margarito as just know what I read in boxing mags at the time.

 

Good post!

In the UK Frank Bruno was vastly overrated by the media at the time. Hardcore fans knew he was a solid contender with some huge liabilities but according to the press he was the second coming, the odd thing is this continued even after his KO losses.

 

Thus, we conclude that the criterion for being overrated is not failing to beat an ATG in his prime, but losing to a lesser fighter while totally washed up.

Duran, Leonard, and Liston should definitely join the ranks, in that case.

 

I don't agree with the logic that because Tyson quit against McBride, it should be held against him to much. He was shot.

That being said Liston's loss to Martin is a completely different situation. Martin was one of the top ten fighters in the world.

 

Martin was Ring ranked once in the 60s in 1967, putting him on par with someone like Lionel Butler or Alexander Zolkin after losing their rankings. The Liston fight was 69.

Of course, the bigger issues are that Liston failed to put together a title reign and never regained titles like Tyson. Liston's career peak eerily resembles Tyson's post prison run (two quick kos to become "the man" followed by a stoppage loss to an ATG and an absurd losing effort in the rematch).

 

Agreed, the Dempsey hate on this board is really off the deep end.

 

Martin was WBA's number one when he fought Liston which is for more than McBride was.

What does this have to do with anything?

 

Martin was a lesser fighter than Liston. That was the point. Not that he was as bad as McBride, pedant.

 

Liston was denied his rightful opportunity to fight for the World championship as early as 1959.Patterson'manager,Cus D'Amato, was so concerned about Liston's qualities he wouldn't let Floyd anywhere near Sonny.
Obviously Liston was incredibly unlucky to clash with the greatest heavyweight in history in his second defence.
To downgrade Liston under such circumstances is unreasonable.

 

It isn’t unreasonable. He performed worse than Doug Jones and Henry Cooper in two tries.

He also had the advantage of fighting in a weak era. He cleaned out a lot of what was there, but it’s not like he was fighting Tucker or Ruddock.

 

The narratives concerning Liston's two fights with Ali are well known.Sonny was carrying that shoulder-injury
into the first fight with Ali.As for the second fight it is highly plausible that the '' mob '' were putting pressure on Liston to throw the fight.
Sonny Liston's overall outstanding career cannot be dismissed because of the Ali fights.

 

He got dropped with a temple shot in the rematch and wasn't given a fair count. It is what it is. With Tyson, you can point at the long count in the Douglas fight or the steroid allegations and headbutts from the Holyfield fights, but those results are on Mike at the end of the day.