The 1970's Golden Age of Heavyweight Boxing..

The 1970s was golden era of the division, but it just proves the theory that two or three names apart, the division always sucked. Take May 1977's The Ring ratings:

Champ: Ali

1: Foreman
2: Norton
3: Young
4: Holmes
5: Duane Bobick
6: Howard Smith
7: Johnny Bourdeaux
8: Stan Ward
9: Ron Lyle
10: Joe Bugner

But hey, compared to January 1929:

Champ: Vacant

1: Young Stribling
2: George Godfrey
3: Paulino Uzcudun
4: Jack Sharkey
5: Knute Hanson
6: Jim Malone
7: Johnny Risko
8: Phil Scott
9: Tom Heeney
10: Otto Von Porat

Or March 1946:

Champ: Louis

1: Tami Mauriello
2: Billy Conn
3: Elmer Ray
4: Bruce Woodcock
5: Jersey Joe Walcott
6: Curtis Sheppard
7: Joey Maxim
8: Joe Baksi
9: Lee Q. Murray
10: Melino Bettina

It is not so bad...

 

The funny thing is most people think of Ali,Frazier,Norton and Foreman as the 4 big guys of that era. The 4 in the 1980s were Hagler,Hearns,Leonard and Duran . Holmes and Benitez are the 5th guys who probably should have been included, although Holmes fought 2 of those guys and Benitez fought 3 of the fab 4. Holmes beat the other 2 when they were older, and Benitez beat one of the fab 4.