John L Sullivan Jack Johnson Jack Dempsey Joe Louis Rocky Marciano Muhammad Ali George Foreman Larry Holmes Lennox lewis Vitali K. My focus was on 10 who dominated their perspective era. This list is chronological, from the bare knuckle era to the present. A case can be made for the following: Jim Jeffries, Gene Tunney, Evander Holyfield, Bob Fitzsimmons, Vladamir k. My outside shots due to popularity, great victories , or never getting a shot at the title include: Mike Tyson, Joe Frazier, Sam Langford thoughts, opinions?
I don't know "Rafi". Holmes and vitali weren't undisputed heavyw. champions. Foreman's reign was very short. Lewis won only one undisputed heavyw. title fight. First 3: Maybe 1. Clay/Ali 2. Marciano 3 Joe:bbb
At certain times, it was harder to collect the three major belts than it was get the one belt that meant the championship. The fighter has to chase up to three holders and make often tedious negotiations to secure the bout given all the financial gain from being a belt holder. Thus, I don't always give the unified status instant precedence over someone who held just one or two belts. All that said, only a few of these folks can legitimately be said to have cleaned out the division. Mike Tyson would be one of these few. He also reigned as best heavyweight in the world for as long as Marciano did, longer than Foremand did and crammed a lot fights in during that time. And anyone who would argue that Dempsey belongs on this list while Tyson does not, given that Dempsey's reign was largely contrivance (3 year lay-off and ducking his two best challengers), is just a nostalgic nut bag. Tyson is on the short list of great HW champs without a doubt.
1- Muhammad Ali 2- Joe Louis 3- Jack Dempsey 4- Jack Johnson 5- Gene Tunney 6- Sam Langford 7- Rocky Marciano 8- Ezzard Charles 9- George Foreman 10- Joe Frazier
1) Louis 2) Ali 3) Marciano 4) Lewis 5) Johnson 6) Dempsey 7) Holmes 8) Foreman 9) Wlad 10) Tyson 11) Frazier 12) Holyfield 13) Liston 14) Tunney 15) Vitali
I doubt Dempsey could carry 240lbs and be effective. Even with modern training and nutrition he'd be more like 210lbs in my opinion. He'd be sluggish and probably fat at 240!
Given your criteria, Wlad should be ranked in the top 10 if not in the top 5. He arguably has dominated 2 decades (2000s, 2010s).
Maybe but then how many top heavyweights of their own eras did? Did Dempsey ever beat a prime ATG in his prime? Did Marciano? Liston? Holmes? Lennox Lewis? both the Klitschkos? It shouldn't be held against Tyson anymore than the others.
