Rank These Heavyweight Champs (in terms of Greatness)

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by The Undefeated Lachbuster, Jan 18, 2019.


  1. The Undefeated Lachbuster

    The Undefeated Lachbuster On the Italian agenda Full Member

    4,899
    7,574
    Jul 18, 2018
    Marvin Hart
    Jack Sharkey
    Leon Spinks
    John Ruiz
    Bermane Stiverne

    From greatest to least
     
    The Malibu Mauler likes this.
  2. Cecil

    Cecil Boxing Addict Full Member

    5,102
    5,225
    Mar 22, 2015
    Jack Sharkey
    Leon Spinks
    John Ruiz
    Marvin Hart
    Bermane Stiverne
    In some ways Spinks should be first because a win over an admittedly faded Ali trumps anything the others did, just think Sharkey is the best fighter of the five.
     
  3. Glass City Cobra

    Glass City Cobra H2H Burger King

    10,596
    18,176
    Jan 6, 2017
    Marvin Hart
    John Ruiz
    Jack Sharkey
    Bermane Stiverne
    Leon Spinks

    Hart gets the nod for beating ATG Johnson and choynski. Spinks is dead last because literally his only great win was an ancient shot Ali ans he got destroyed anytime he stepped up. Ruiz's style was horrible to watch but he aged well and has a few decent wins (quantity over quality). Sharkey fought more greats than stiverne and gave way more effort than that underachieving slob.
     
  4. mattdonnellon

    mattdonnellon Boxing Junkie Full Member

    8,619
    1,887
    Dec 2, 2006
    Starkey-without doubt
    Hart
    Ruiz
    Spinks
    Stiverne
     
  5. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

    8,584
    11,099
    Oct 28, 2017
    Sharkey
    Spinks
    Hart
    Stiverne
    Ruiz
     
  6. ironchamp

    ironchamp Boxing Addict Full Member

    6,365
    1,033
    Sep 5, 2004
    What conceivable reason would one put Stiverene over Ruiz?

    Ruiz has wins over Holyfield, Golota, McCline, Rahman, Oquendo and Johnson.

    1) Sharkey
    2) Ruiz
    3) Hart
    4) Spinks
    5) Stiverne
     
  7. Cecil

    Cecil Boxing Addict Full Member

    5,102
    5,225
    Mar 22, 2015
    Looking at it again Sharkey apart I agree with you.
     
  8. Man_Machine

    Man_Machine Boxing Junkie Full Member

    8,689
    9,876
    Jun 9, 2010
    1 - Sharkey - He fought more better quality opposition and, despite some strange results, carried a few good ones, too.
    2 - Hart - Probably the best win of the lot of them. The defeat of Johnson goes a long way, relative to those below him.
    3 - Ruiz - A fair career, which really rests on his trilogy with the 'last Hurrah' Holyfield.
    4 - Stiverne - A fairly tame record, but seems to have been consistently competitive, save his last fight.
    5 - Spinks - I just find it difficult to give him credit for the Ali win.
     
  9. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

    97,737
    29,086
    Jun 2, 2006
    Choynski was about done when he fought Hart.The decision Hart received against Johnson was very debatable.
     
    Last edited: Jan 18, 2019
  10. Glass City Cobra

    Glass City Cobra H2H Burger King

    10,596
    18,176
    Jan 6, 2017
    even if thats true, do ruiz or stiverne or spinx have wins better than a disputed decision over Johnson? I'll wait.

    HUGE difference between a "robbery" like foreman vs briggs and a "close disputed decision" like norton vs young.
     
  11. Grapefruit

    Grapefruit Active Member Full Member

    1,215
    943
    Dec 19, 2017
    Sharkey
    Spinks
    Stiverene
    Ruiz
    Hart
     
  12. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

    71,582
    27,243
    Feb 15, 2006
    1. Sharkey
    2. Hart
    3. Spinks
    4. Ruiz
    5. Stiverne

    I have never seen Sharkey as being one of the weaker lineal heavyweight champions. More middle of the pack material, who should have done better. Hart and Spinks were both lineal champions, but I rank Hart higher because we had a few good wins, an I think that Spinks only really had the one. Whatever you may think of him, Ruiz clearly accomplished more than Sitverne.
     
  13. The Undefeated Lachbuster

    The Undefeated Lachbuster On the Italian agenda Full Member

    4,899
    7,574
    Jul 18, 2018
    I regard Sharkey as one of the worst lineal champs, too inconsistent and too lacking even against top comp for my tastes.
     
  14. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

    71,582
    27,243
    Feb 15, 2006
    There I would strongly disagree.

    The first thing that you look for in a weak lineal champion, is a small number of genuinely good wins.

    Sharkey has a whole heap of them, indeed if you put aside his losses, he compares fairly favorably to some of the better lineal champions!

    Yes he was very unstable, and very inconsistent, but he kept capturing lightning in a bottle from time to time.

    There is a Langfordesque aspect to his resume, where some of his inconsistency is explained by schedule.

    Seriously, why are we comparing him to guys with one or two world class wins!
     
  15. The Undefeated Lachbuster

    The Undefeated Lachbuster On the Italian agenda Full Member

    4,899
    7,574
    Jul 18, 2018
    His best wins are

    A questionable decision against Schmeling
    A DQ against an older Wills
    A decision over Carnera

    In that order

    He also got knocked out by past prime Dempsey and Carnera, as well as a ton of bums.

    Inconsistency is damaging to greatness, this is not a H2H discussion. Not to mention a lack of dominance in his better showings (with the exception of the first Canera fight).

    That being said, I rate him over everyone else I placed him against.