So what exactly is wrong with Nat Fleischer's top 10 heavyweight list?

Amateur; a person who engages in a study, sport, or other activity for pleasure rather than for financial benefit...

Marciano fought Wallace as a pro; I will use my judgement rather than that of organizations who use boxing for their own gain.

 

Because It's not fair to someone who

A. Didn't dominate their era as convincingly as another because of superior opposition.

B. Didn't have an opportunity to fight in a strong era and prove they could handle it.

C. Never was in a big money fight and because of that didn't gain the idolotry of another fight who was in a big money fight, which in turn would indirectly and unfairly affect their ATG rankings.

P.S. - Ali is not on my 1958 list, so he is not "1st for everything".

 

Yes!!!! But it rarely matters because fighters are not claiming to be great on a statisical abnormality

 

Just as a sidenote: does anyone know if this fight was reported in Ring or Boxing News?

 

The information I have seen ironically, was that Marciano was unlucky to drop the decision!

 

:huh

 

Stop lying. All this does is hurt your credibility on this forum.

 

Haha, it's obvious I was winding you up. Come on. Seriously, although I usually agree with Chris P, I don't really think there's anything wrong with rating Ali above Frazier (at least).

 

The article from the New York Times on this fight was posted on this
forum but was lost in the crash. It was rather extensive, including
an action photo of the two fighters.

 

This might be the all time silliest post.


When I was 8 or 9, I used to throw pebbles up in the air and hit them
with a baseball bat, pretending to be great players. If I missed
or the pebble didn't go over the fence, I just ignored what happened
and did it over. This is called fantasy and is what children do. I
outgrew that at about 11 or 12.

 

You have got to have your own opinions at the end of the day, that is all 'ranking the greats' is, there are no right or wrong answers.

There is an element of doubt to Marciano's '0'. Some will call it flimsy or pointless, some will use it to demolish Marciano's hard earned reputation, others will accept it as part of an informed argument, and use it when making a judgement.

And hey I was the greatest at pebbles rounders

 

Well OK then, because it does not matter very much because Marciano apart, the only other fringe great who is to a degree reliant on an '0' is Ricardo Lopez, and he claims an '0' as an amateur as well!

 

Rocky was only paid 50 bucks or so.
Hardly plenty for a trip back home.