Rank The Title Reigns

1. Ali
2. Louis
3.Lewis
4.Marciano
5. Foreman
6. Johnson
7.Jeffries
8.Dempsey

 

1--Louis
2--Ali
3--Marciano
4--Lewis
5--Jeffries
6--Dempsey
7--Foreman
8--Johnson

I see nothing to really criticize Louis for. Most of the criticism focuses on the years he was in the army and could not defend. Otherwise, he fought the best available. The only minor complaint is that he might have fought Elmer Ray in early 1947.

Ali can be criticized for avoiding a rematch with Foreman when he was obviously the most dangerous opponent, and for picking some soft touches in his last years. One of them, Leon Spinks, was still able to upset him.

Marciano--short reign compared to above, but not much to criticize. The only cavil is that he should perhaps have fought Valdes rather than Don C in 1955, but Don C was the #2 contender.

Lewis--Not much to criticize, but he somehow didn't fight Wlad when Wlad might have been his most dangerous opponent.

Jeffries--gets docked for not fighting Johnson.

Dempsey--gets docked for not fighting Wills and Greb

Foreman--First reign was excellent. Second reign he didn't fight any of the top men. Evens out. Perhaps I am too harsh on him.

Johnson--He did defend against Jeff. Otherwise it appears the best out there were Langford, Jeannette, McVea, Smith, and McCarty. He fought none, although certainly he had no chance to meet McCarty.

*This list is totally on fighting the best out there. I will think on the toughest opposition question and try to get back for that list.

 

:think I think a full deconstruction for each along the lines of what I did here to contrast Holmes and Klitschko would be most intriguing here:

http://www.boxingforum24.com/showthread.php?t=485445


...but I am not volunteering, because that was a lot of effort that largely went unobserved. :!: :yep

 

Johnson offered to defend against McCarty under Tommy Burns promotional banner, it would have taken place in Canada, Burns nixed it and put his protege Pelkey in with the Cowboy.
We know how that turned out.

Johnson signed to defend against Jeannette twice, but the authorities vetoed the fights.

Johnson signed to fight Langford, but Woodman could not come up with the binding cash.
Smith was only a viable challenger for around a year and at that time Johnson was in exile.

Johnson took front page ads offering to fight any white challenger.
He took ads offering to defend against anyone who could come up with the $30,000 his predecessor had received for defending against him.

Smith was dropped by Carpentier ,I don't think he would have given Johnson much trouble and I think he knew it, judging by a comment he made in the UK when the prospect of him challenging the champion was brought up .
Anyway the window for the fight to happen was not open very long.
McVey never pushed for a 4th fight with Johnson ,they lived together and were travelling companions for some time.

That is why I cut Johnson more slack for not meeting some of his challengers than I did Jeffries ,who flat out refused to meet Martin,Johnson ,and McVey on grounds of colour and the possibility of." losing his title to a negro". He used another word other than the last one , but you get the picture. That and the fact that Jeffries was not in any hurry to rematch either Corbett or Fitz. The time lapse is perhaps telling?

 

McVey--Fair points.

But Johnson's title reign still missed the top men.

Jeff--He deserves to get racked for avoiding Johnson. Martin I don't see as he almost immediately after coming out as a top men went on a losing streak. McVea was being beaten repeatedly by Johnson.

It is also true that if Martin and/or McVea had kept winning Jeff would have avoided them.

You have a good point that Jeff made his own bed while Johnson was a victim of circumstances.

 

I think Jeffries would have beaten Martin and McVey, and Johnson early in his reign The thing with Jeffries is the time lapse before giving Fitz and Corbett rematches. Corbett certainly was not as deserving as Fitz , though he had put up the better fight, but his subsequent results were mixed. By the time both got second chances they were,Corbett 36 and definitely gone, 39 and inactive Fitz. Fitz had wanted a rematch and pressed for one strongly. Corbett was a little more ambiguous about another chance.
If Jeffries had rematched both in a reasonable time I would put him middle to near the top.

 

...Which is a pity, because that was one hell of an effort. Great work. :good

 

1) Ali
2) Lewis
3) Louis
4) Marciano
5) Jeffries
6) Dempsey
7) Foreman
8) Johnson

 

1. Louis
2. Ali
3. Marciano
4. Jeffries
5. Lewis
6. Dempsey
7. Johnson
8. Foreman

3-5 are prety interchangable but I went with Marciano for 3, because he was virtualy irreproachable on his choice of challengers.

 

Good list but Foreman did fight some top guys in his second reign!! I mean he did fight the HW champ and win!! People dont realize it wasnt so much that George was ducking anyone it was more that fighters wanted nothing to do with him. Tyson admitted about 10 years ago he would have rather run head first into a wall than fight Foreman!! Also rumors circulated that Tyson payed the WBC money to not have to fight George. Dont know how factual all that is I just know I read it somewhere. But Georges opponents were still pretty damn good.

 

Ali
Lewis
Marciano
Louis
Jeffries
Foreman
Johnson
Dempsey

 

Ali-fought just about everybody and Frazier, Young, Lyle, Shavers, Liston, Patterson were top men near their peak.
Lewis-Fought everybody he could, and his list is probably the best by resumee and maybe head-2-head but Tyson and Holy were not prime. Still Mc Call, Vitali, Rachman, Tua, Briggs, Akinwanda, Bruno....
Marciano-Short but beyond re approach as already stated.
Louis-Fought nearly them all and for so long. Not his fault they wern't better challangers but a fading Schmeling, Conn, Paster and Walcott wer the pick of his opponents.
Jeffries-Fought all the guys the fans wanted but missed out on Johnson at the end. However and not his fault Fitz and Corbett were pretty old or shop-worn.
Foreman-Probably not long enough on top but his first reign had Norton and Ali, the top men. His second tenure is forgettable Briggs been the best.
Johnson as well documented missed the big three-whatever the reasons.And the rest were less than stellar, Willard been the best.
Dempsey-Missed Greb and Wills but the fellas he beat were OK and the best of the rest.
PS I'M ignoring the reasons and "what if's" ,just dealing with who they fought and when.

 

lewis had the worst challengers but made for a decent champ (nothing great tho)

louis? what can I say. he was stuck in an era where challengers were at their weakest for two whole decades

the division really went downhill after th departure of Tunney (accept the word of one who knows)

Dempsey's was stronger than Joe's and Jeffries even stronger still

Ali had the absolute best with Jeffries coming in second.

Just having Sonny Liston qualifies on it's own. adding Foreman, Foster, used up Moore, Patterson, Frazier, Lewis, Bugner, Lyle, Shavers, and the incomparable Jimmy Young

named fighter of the year by RING MAG in 1972 based on his accomplishments alone and didnt even own a title :smoke

Wepner belonged in Louis' era

Ali ducked no one and he just ran out of time when faced with Holmes N Berbick, two more top notch fighters