On the topic of great heavyweight tenured champions, there is a consistent theme.

I agree that Wlad was a great foghter, but your criteria is somewhat construed. I think most agree that facing and clearly beating Vitaly would count for more than beating the second two most dangerous opponents out there (Povetkin and... don't really know). In fact, I don't think you can be called a true champion without beating the standout opponent of your time. That would be the main criteria for me. Not beating the two next best opponents if they're a level below the main one.

 

Time to get down to brass tacks.

Who in your opinion does not make the cut?

 

Marciano did all of this. At least more than anyone else.

 

Believe me, I'm an absolutely huge Lewis fan but he definitely doesn't fit this criteria.
His best win is controversial (TKO6) and he lost to Rahman and McCall.
That's not a knock, most guys don't meat the criteria. It's only really Ali and Marciano and both of them it's debatable.

 

What do you think is controversial about his win over Vitaly? You think the stoppage was premature?

 

What I think is irrelevant. I think it was a perfectly just stoppage but there's a large percentage who don't, that's a controversy by definition.

 

Not necessarily.

There is a big difference between disagreeing with a choice, and thinking that it was unjustifiable!

 

I see your point, but you can call the moon landing happening controversial in that case. It's easy for Vitaly fans and Lewis detractors to just call it wrong, but it was as bad a cut as any and it wasn't like Vitaly was seconds away from a points victory or anything such. Don't think many fans who don't have a horse in the race see anything wrong with that stoppage.

 

Not a fan of either guy! Appreciate both of them however. It is a shame that fans didn’t get to see it unfold, a shame that Vitali didn’t get a chance to show how he would or would not adapt as the fight progressed. I did feel Lewis was gaining control in the fight, but that does not mean much. The stoppage was fair and just, and likely saved Vitali from some major damage. No controversy for me, just a disappointing end

 

Yeah, too bad it didn't happen a year or so earlier with an immediate rematch. Impressive of Lewis, though, to pull through even though he clearly wasn't in the right sort of shape or mindset going in.

 

Category 3 kinda rules out Wladimir Klitschko.

 

Wlad fought a lot of dross.
The following were unranked by the Ring when he fought them.

Sam Peter 2010
Lamon Brewster 2004
Frans Botha 2002
Corrie Sanders 2003
Ray Mercer 2002
Charles Shufford 2001
Derreck Jefferson 2001
Ray Austin2007
Hasim Rahman 208
Tony Thompson 2012
Jean Mormeck 2012
Mariusz Wach 2012
Francesco Pianeta 2013
Alex Leapai 2014
Here is the criteria given by the OP.

"They all defeated at least two of their best available contenders in title defenses who were or would be ranked in the top three at the time they fought Ring Magazine Standards. "



That's 14 fights in which he contested for alphabet world titles against ,unranked by the Ring challengers! 14 out of 29? Pretty poor imo!

 

Louis was 75 years old when he fought Walcott