My top 10 Heavyweight list

Great list JT I like Lennox high and I like Tyson and Holyfield in there, but I also agree with others that Johnson should be there somewhere, he was a defensive master and also a master at spotting a weakness as well as having great power in both hands I believe he could fight in any era and be champion.

 

That's a fine list JT1. For what it's worth, here's mine:

1. Louis
2. Ali
3. Holmes
4. Lewis
5. Marciano
6. Frazier
7. Liston
8. Tyson
9. Johnson
10. Holyfield

:good

 

Comments: I've never seen a top 10 list from a historian / serious fan that omit Johnson, Jeffries, and Dempsey.

Holyfield at #6? Tyson at #7. I beleive these are reaches. Holyfield wasn't consistent enough as champion. He lost 2x to Bowe, once to Moorer, looked shaky vs Cooper, and average vs Bean. Tyson doesn't have a legacy win over a great heavy.

This content is protected

 

This subject normally leads to intresting debate, here is my two pence:

This content is protected

 

Well. I thought Frazier pieced together a very underrated record pre-FOTC and from '66 or so up until the first Ali fight he was a very formidable head to head force (there's only a select cluster I'd make clear favourite against that version). The win against Ali was perhaps the single most impressive/relevant in Heavyweight history. A good list of wins (decisive in some cases) against top ranked contenders: the likes of Quarry, Bonavena, Machen and Chuvalo makes for better reading that Foremans opposition. Joe beat a better version of Ali than Foreman lost to, had more depth to his record and had a best win which trumped Foremans.

Foreman destroyed Frazier twice, maybe but it's also true that Smokin' was always 'taylor made' for him stylewise. He would also be vunerable against cute, skilled boxers and whilst his comeback title success was sort of impressive remember Moorer was outboxing him right up until that one two combo connected with his shaky chin. Don't get me wrong Foreman is a very good fighter and right on the fringes, but just misses out IMO. Maybe controversial but hey!

 

Here is my list

Ali
Louis
Holmes
Marciano
Lewis
Johnson
Frazier
Foreman
Tyson
Dempsey

really only the top two are set in stone and I wish I could fit Holyfield in there.

 

True; I have him at three because I am a sucker for redemption; hence Frazier, Liston and Tyson just miss out. Them three being the three of the thirteen that I cut, that generally make up everyones top 10.