Name the best non-ATG heavyweight from each decade

Others already pointed out Tyson. But how is Usyk not a great of this era? He became the unified HW champion of the world in his third HW bout and successfully defended his belts too. How is that comparable to a Byrd or a Moorer?

 

And Holyfield in the 90's, from some other guy. Don't be ridiculous.

 

It opens up a more interesting question: How many ATG fighters have there been at heavyweight, or any other weight class?

Is it a top 10, top 20, top 50 … where is that line (at least roughly)? I’d say that varies for each of us, and it’s perfectly reasonable for someone who doesn’t have Tyson rated in the top 10 or so to not include him as an ATG depending on where their standards are for that designation.

 

I said ATG is subjective and so excluded my top 12 all time at HW. Holyfield is my #15. Who are your top non ATG HWs for each decade?

 

Becoming a unified heavyweight champion of the world in only three bouts as an HW is ATG material, yes. We can argue about where exactly he can be ranked as an ATG if he was to finish his career now but he has already achieved something truly remarkable. How many fighters have become unified champions in the division faster than him?

 

How many fighters in history do people deem to be ATGs? 10-12 in each of the original 8 weight divisions, plus a few whose greatness was spread over multiple weight divisions (e.g. Fitzsimmons, Langford) and maybe a few from later weight divisions (e.g. Wilfredo Gomez) and you're soon at c.100+.

Or do others have vastly different interpretation to me and consider a few/several hundred fighters as ATGs?

 

Where does Uysk rank in your list of all time HWs, based on HW resume only?

 

Somewhere around the top 20-25 as of now. This could go higher (or lower) depending on how he fares from here, but if he retired today, I'd say he is around that spot.

 

Thanks. Your criteria is your own, of course, but theres no way someone whose entire HW resume consists of AJ x 2, Chisora and Chazz Withersooon ranks top 25 all time in the HW division, if quality and depth of wins is key to the ranking (I think Uysk is a wonderful boxer btw, no. 1 pfp today).

Even if he was 25, you consider him an ATG at HW, so assuming no weight division bias that's c.200 x ATG boxers from the traditional 8 weight divisions, plus those from the newer divisions. ATG is a subjective term, so there are virtually no right or wrong answers, within reason, but that many doesnt meet my interpretation of the term "all time great".