My top 10 Heavyweights

This is actually the best list that I have seen in a long time and everyone has to note that this is one of the FEW lists that have Lewis in a reasonable spot, I only disagree with three things -

Tyson deserves a lower top 10 spot for that magnificent 80's bulldozer run of his, not to mention a few fair wins after that.

Dempsey's a few notches too high, but a case can be made for that region in the top 10 due to his effect on the sport, sure.

Patterson shouldn't be ranked under Wills.

 

Thnaks for the feedback guy. I tend to be unsure about exactly where to rank Patterson - he's sure NOT top 20 like some suggest - because of the chin issue, and the gnerally **** poor opposition. Wills is a lot better than many give him credit for. Some suggested he was the best of the "black dynamite" fighters (clearly I don't agree as you can see I have Langford considerably higher).

Another thing I struggle with is Jeffries. Reading up on him both here and in some articles and books leads me to believe that in his prime, he was really a fighter ahead fo his time, I sometimes think about swithcing him with Johnson, but that's a tough call.

Tyson is clearly borderline top ten, and I have considered switching him with Frazier. Considering I rank Dempsey as highly I as I to at least partially on these grounds, I may just do that. Jackj Dempsey is horribly underrated today - in his time, and for many years after, he was considered the best of all time. Until the guys who actually saw him started to die offf, most people ranked him ahead of Louis. I really think the "GOAT" debate should be a three way affair.

 

I would have to agree with this analysis whole-heartedly. It is fair, rational and hard to dispute.

As for my TOP10 - I have Ali clear #1, Louis clear #2 and then it is a ****-fight that changes on an hourly basis!

 

I agree, Patterson is not a top 20, but I'd personally place him at 21, which is above Wills. It also has to be noted that whipping up a top25 is more difficult than a simple "cliche' top 10 list" that most of the current generation of fans can do without regard for encompassing all aspects of the history of the division, this is part of the reason why they can't comprehend that Lennox is not a top 10.

I have Jeffries at #13 and Lennox at #12, so I rank him about the same as you do. Debatable places don't matter much because you can justify a Jeffries even at #10, but also all the way to #15 depending on how much credit you want to give he and his era specifically. He was an innovator, so I give him the spot above Charles and Walcott, whom were great but had issue's.

I can't see a top 10 list without Joe Frazier personally. Frazier can be legitimately ranked anywhere from 7-10, but he definitley belongs in that bracket.

I personally have Foreman at #5 for comparison and Frazier at #8. Then I have Mike Tyson at #10 and interestingly enough, Sonny Liston at #9 just like you do.

Well, my top 15 list reads as:

1. Joe Louis
2. Muhammad Ali
3. Larry Holmes
4. Jack Dempsey
5. George Foreman
6. Rocky Marciano
7. Evander Holyfield
8. Joe Frazier
9. Sonny Liston
10. Mike Tyson
11. Jack Johnson
12. Lennox Lewis
13. James Jeffries
14. Joe Walcott
15. Ezzard Charles

I guess I have Dempsey near the same spot, but for some reason I am just feeling that he's out of the top 5, but I can't justify it.:think

I regard him well for his time, he was the first true swarming destroyer and he blew spectators away.