Prime Frans Botha - where does he rank among ATG Heavies?

What do mean by ranked? Mercer wasn't in any top tens at the time. He might've been ranked by an ABC org.

His resume is thin. But some heavyweights unfortunately end up with thin resumes. Look at what preceded him in "lineage." I think Foreman only beat a single ranked fighter, as in top ten, during his entire comeback (Moorer). And then Moorer only beat one (Holyfield) unless Schultz or Botha somehow slid in there.

 

I seem to be remember him being a fringe contender but maybe I'm mistaken.

That makes his resume even worse.

He was only ever a ranked contender himself by virtue of beating Foreman and then Lyakhovic.

 

Modern heavys have pathetic management in general. They camp out waiting for big fights.

While we're at it, Mercer only beat two ranked guys in his career in old Witherspoon and Damiani. Morrison wasn't ranked

Liakovich only beat Brewster.

So two ranked wins for Briggs puts him right in there with Moorer, Old Foreman, Sergei, and Mercer. Mercer being the only one of these men who actually beat two ranked fighters, excluding George's first career.

 

Im gonna go out on a limb here and say you're relying on the box rec annual rankings?

 

I am, but it's still true.

 

The problem is when you're speaking definitively about ranking without all the ranking information at hand.

Briggs beat Foreman, Mercer and Lyakhovic in his career. His reputation and his resume do not match up.

Botha drawing against Briggs isn't really enough to warrant a ranking imo.

 

I'm not speaking definitively. I said Schultz and Botha might have been ranked when they fought Moorer but I doubt it.

Briggs was number 5 at the end of 98. He must have been ranked when he fought Botha that summer. Tyson's emergence dropped him a spot and possibly Vitali's too. Still, Botha would have somewhat of a gripe to not be ranked in the annual rankings after his performances against Tyson and Briggs. I have the vaguest recollection of seeing him on a monthly ranking back when I studied those as a 14 year old, but I'm unsure.

 

Botha was ranked the year after he had his belt stripped from him. Might not show in the annuals but he had his months here and there.

 

As far as I can remember - and I might be mistaken - NOBODY touted Briggs as "world champion" after that night he was gifted a decision against Foreman (who in the eyes of most have already forfeited the championship claim anyway).
Briggs was "the challenger" against Lennox Lewis for the WBC title, with no mention of being a champion, and hardly a deserving challenger.

A fighter who gets slayed in 3 rounds by Darroll Wilson and outboxed by a 48-year-old Foreman for a gift decision, with ZERO wins over any contenders ..... IS a fringe contender at best.
Certainly those are NOT the credentials of a genuine contender.

 

I can't see Frans Botha as having any historical significance or a high rating. He beat some fringe level guys and gave Michael Moorer a good fight. He might barely squeak into top 100.

 

Poor jab...

 

For which year?

 

Zelkjo Mavrovic ranks higher than Botha, certainly.

 

He doesn't...

 

I'd say he was better than Briggs. Who I felt he beat. I thought Schulz deserved the win against him by 1 round. Schulz started slow that fight but really closed strong. The Germans went nuts throwing debris into the ring after that fight as it was the second time in a row Axel was robbed.
Botha was close to having a career night against Tyson taking the first 5 rounds from Mike who was very rusty on his first fight back from being suspended on fight night. Botha's confidence was through the roof that night and it seemed an upset was plausible as Mike didn't have much that night. Then he walked into a perfect right hand and that's all she wrote.