Since Sullivan, how often has the heavyweight champion clearly been the world's best fighter?

The other question is the level of certainty required for clearly.

Is favouring them as the best enough, or does it need to be overwhelming?

 

I think Schmeling, Sharkey and Baer are like Bowe, Holy and Moorer, not conclusive enough. Lewis, Wlad and Fury, yes. Maybe an astrix over Fury, Sullivan(1881-87), Corbett1892-95(Jackson was finished after 1892, Fitz 1895-99, Jeffries 1899-04, Johnson 1906- 15, Dempsey 1919-25, Then Tunney to1929, Louis 1937-48, Charles, Walcott, Marciani, Ingo, then liston 1960-64, Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Ali, Holmes, tyson....

 

Tough to say very few men do not create an air of uncertainty when they step in the ring. After Louis was hurt the first couple of times by fighters like Two Ton Tony people had to wonder... same effect with Lennox. Mike Tyson was one of the only guys I can think of who you knew was going to get it done and that tuning in was just for the sake of an execution. (In the 80s) Even Ali always had Norton and Frazier... while they were not better all round that does not put Muhmmad as the clear number one guy of the 70s you always had to wonder.

Do you understand what I am saying?

Very few from Ricardo Lopez to Mike Tyson are truly "The man"