Nat Fleisher's Top 10 Heavyweights

Just goes to show that even the most knowledgeable fans are at risk of romanticizing the greats of the past...

 

I can see the logic in some of those choices, but Corbett over Louis?

I've noticed that many people now rate Marciano above Dempsey, and maybe I am wrong here, but it seems contemporaries of both thought Jack was significantly better.

 

While I don't agree with those ratings, I can understand them. The list was constructed in 1968 and by a man who came up as a spectator of the sport in the early part of the 20th century. If we were to make our own list here and some guys two or three generations from now were to look at it, they'd probably have a laugh.

 

There's a correlation between the rankings and Nat's testosterone levels.

 

He is to blame for the Ali vs Liston II debacle, his opinion has no persuasive value.

 

Nighttrain, you beat me to it re his involvement in the Ali-liston debacle.poor Joe Walcott gets flak for this fight but he was an official.
Fleisher involved himself!!!
As for those ratings, even in 68 they were terrible

 

No he isn't ,he merely drew Walcott's attention to the timekeeper who was sitting next to him.

Walcott should have made sure he knew where the timekeeper was sitting and taken up his count when he came back from doing the anniversary waltz with Ali. Arnold Cream f*cked up.

 

These ratings were published originally in the mid 50's.

 

When you consider who isn't on the list, including Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Wladimir Klitschko, Sonny Liston, Rid**** Bowe and Vitali Klitschko ... it makes you appreciate how good the heavyweights were over the last 45 to 50 years, compared to the first 75 years.

 

In fairness to Fleischer, who were the best heavies of all time up to 1968? There aren't many glaring omissions in that context.

 

Leaving out Sonny Liston is a pretty glaring omission. And the rankings are skewed as well.

 

Jim Corbett, though? Schmeling?

 

I think Walcott thought Liston got shot from outside the ring because no one got hit inside of it hard enough to drop him. He said WTF why did Liston fall? Clay hit old Archie Moore with an ****nal before he dropped ?