Here’s what I came up with. If I’m missing someone, I hope one of you fine boxing folk will set the record straight. I also think it would be cool anyone else would figure out an order up to, say, 10 places. First off, major beltholders (WBA, WBC, IBF) … I don’t think the WBO will come into play until somewhere down the road when the holders of any (or more than one of) these have all passed. 1. Larry Holmes: 75 years, 4 months, 19 days as I write this 2. Mike Weaver: 73 years, 9 months, 9 days 3. James “Bonecrusher” Smith: turns 72 in about three weeks (71 years, 0 months, 19 days) Lineal, if I’m not mistaken, looks like this: 1. Larry Holmes: 75 years, 4 months, 19 days 2. Michael Spinks: 68 years, 8 months, 0 days 3. James “Buster” Douglas: 64 years, 11 months, 16 days
i think you are correct. Holmes is a walking talking miracle. Given how long he boxed and how much damage he took, i am shocked he is as healthy as he is. Foreman was also healthy post retirement. I don't know what the cause of his passing was and i don't want to speculate. However, he was carrying a lot of extra weight (i believe he was 250 lbs plus post retirement) which may have contributed to his relatively early passing. A lot of the 80's guys are gone but i suspect that is more due to their drug use than boxing related health problems.
This makes me feel old reading this. I remember being a kid and seeing Jack Dempsey getting introduced at fights. I really thought Big George was going to live well into his 80's and even 90's.
Some of the old contenders like George Chuvalo (87) and Joe Bugner (75) are still around as well, but both well in the throes of dementia. A couple of tough ones there.
Larry Holmes is like Prince Charles of boxing. Tysons 17 years younger and not even on this list and hes seen as the elder statesman now. Kinda crazy how 1949 produced 3 top 10 HWs who fought into their late 40s and lived to 75+.
I almost forgot that Chuck Wepner is still around at the age of 86. I never gave him credit for much, but the dude is still kicking.
Interesting piece of trivia is that Wepners both Liston and Foreman Is biggest knockout victim. He also knocked down Muhammad Ali while those guys didn't.
I believe that Max Schmeling was the oldest heavyweight champion on record, having lived to be 99 years old. Jack Sharkey made it to 91.
