The Ipswich Express Top 50 Heavyweights of All Time List

Alrighty, so I've been meaning to do this for a little while now. Hopefully it creates a bit of discussion on here. As with any list, people will disagree on certain points and that's fine. The aim of the game is to create discussion and reminisce about some of the great fighters of yesteryear. Hopefully people enjoy it. Feel free to criticise, that's the name of the game. It's certainly not set in stone, the order will no doubt get shifted!

As with my All Time Fighers list from last year, quality of opposition is taken very highly into account. Losing to top quality fighters is not necessarily something to be punished for. This list is purely accomplishments at Heavyweight.

So, without further ado...

50. James "Buster" Douglas

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38-6-1 (25)

Best wins: W10 Randy Cobb, W10 Greg Page, W10 Trevor Berbick, W10 Oliver McCall, KO10 Mike Tyson.

Buster Douglas managed to carve his name in the history pages by stopping the previously undefeated "Iron" Mike Tyson in 1990. Douglas was a good boxer-puncher who had a reputation for choking on the big stage. Certainly that was the wrap placed on him following his defeat to Tony Tucker for the IBF portion of the crown.

Douglas was trained by his father, a former contender and appeared to not really love the sport. However, he managed to shock the world, when as a 42-1 underdog he utilised great mobility and a piston like jab to score probably the biggest upset in boxing history.

He managed to overcome the death of his mother and an 8th round knockdown to capture the undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt8LZ8FjGN8[/ame]

 

49. Oscar "Ringo" Bonavena

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57-9-1 (43)

Best Wins: W12 Gregorio Peralta, W10 George Chuvalo, W12 Karl Mildenberger, W10 Zora Folley, WDQ7 Al Lewis.

Best Losses: L10 Folley, L10 & L15 Joe Frazier, L12 Jimmy Ellis, TKO by 15 Muhammad Ali.

Ringo was a tough outing for any Heavyweight. He was far from graceful in the ring, choosing to make every fight a back alley brawl. He gave Joe Frazier all he could handle in their first meeting, dropping him twice in the second round before losing a razor thin decision. He also managed to get under Ali's skin by referring to him as "Clay," prior to their rugged battle.

He was tragically murdered outside a legal Las Vegas brothel in 1976. He was a national hero in Argentina and his funeral was a national event.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH5GCj9bDZ4[/ame]

 

48. Tommy Farr "The Tonypandy Terror"

83-31-15 (24)

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Best Wins: W10 Tommy Loughran, W10 Bob Olin, W12 Max Baer, TKO6 Larry Gains.

Best Losses: L15 Joe Louis, SD10 James Braddock, L15 Max Baer, L15 Lou Nova.

Began his career at Light Heavyweight, before stepping up to Heavyweight and pushing Joe Louis all the way. Louis had knocked out 8 of his previous 9 opponents prior to winning a disputed decision over Farr. It was the Welshman who forced the action, attacking Louis relentlessly. The Yankee Stadium crowd booed the decision.

The rugged fighter had earned his shot at Louis by disposing of the talented Max Baer by way of 12 round decision. He was also unlucky to lose to former world champion James Braddock, via a split decision. Was forced to return to the ring at age 36 due to financial trouble.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghg2pz7eBk0[/ame]

 

47. Mike "Hercules" Weaver

41-18-1 (28 )

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Best Wins: W10 Mani Vaka, TKO5 Bernardo Mercardo, W12 Scott LeDoux, KO15 John Tate, TKO13 Gerrie Coetzee, W15 James Tillis, TKO2 Carl Williams.

Best Losses: L12 Larry Holmes, L10 Razor Ruddock.

Hercules Weaver is the oldest of the "Fighting Weaver Triplets". He is the perfect example of why one needs to look further into a boxers record, rather than just purely looking at the numbers.

He gave Larry Holmes a much harder night than most were anticipating, before succumbing in the 12th round. He managed to pick up the WBA portion of the crown by stopping John Tate in the 15th and final round of a bout he was trailing. He needed the KO to win and he hit the jackpot.

Weaver went on to record title defenses over Coetzee, in South Africa, and James "Quick" Tillis.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L80hSwXc9LM[/ame]

 

46. Michael "Dynamite" Dokes

53-6-2 (34)

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Best Wins: W10 Jimmy Young, TKO1 Ossie Ocasio, W10 Randy Cobb, KO1 Mike Weaver, TKO7 James Pritchard, W10 Jesse Ferguson.

Best Losses: TKO by 10 Evander Holyfield.

After turning pro in 1976, Dokes gained some excellent exposure by boxing in a nationally televised exhibition with Muhammad Ali. He beat the crafty Jimmy Young before rolling Mike Weaver for the WBA title. His reign as champion was short lived, with Gerrie Coetzee taking his crown.

He went to war with Evander Holyfield in what was probably the best Heavyweight fight of the 1980s and a fight that everyone should see. He had one last shot at glory but was bashed by then champion, Riddick Bowe. In truth, Dokes was well past his best.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbvKCaS8lbg[/ame]

 

You'll just have to wait and see...

 

45. Pinklon Thomas

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43-7-1 (34)

Best Wins: TKO8 James Tillis, TKO10 Alfonzo Ratliff, W12 Tim Witherspoon, TKO8 Mike Weaver.

Best Losses: LTKO6 Mike Tyson.

Trained by the legendary Angelo Dundee for a large part of his career, Thomas possessed one of the better jabs in Heavyweight history. He defeated Tim Witherspoon for the title, just one year after the Spoon had given Larry Holmes pure hell.

He went to war with Mike Weaver, defending his title by stopping Hercules with a single shot in the 8th stanza. Certainly one of the better one punch knockouts.

Enjoyed some success against a prime Mike Tyson by using his jab, perhaps setting a blue print that Douglas used in years to come. Thomas lost his title by a couple of points to Trevor Berbick.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymwbYHhsXsg[/ame]

 

Ha ha cheers mate. I enjoy it, I'm kinda doing it on the fly, but I'm trying my best to keep some order in the house. I do have rough groupings, if you know what I mean. I'm digging up some good youtube clips too, which many would not have seen. Enjoy Doc!

 

44. James J Braddock "The Cinderella Man"

46-24-4 (26)

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Best Wins: W10 Dynamite Jackson, TKO3 Corn Griffen, W10 John Henry Lewis, W15 Art Lasky, W15 Max Baer, W10 Tommy Farr.

Best Losses: KO by 8 Joe Louis.


Nearly every boxing fan is familiar with the incredible story of the "Bulldog from Bergen," James J Braddock. In a sport that is full of tales of men rising from the grips of poverty to make a better life for their families and themselves, Braddock's still defies belief.

The Irish American was raised in the notorious "Hell's Kitchen" area of New York and was once considered one of the world's finest Light Heavyweight contenders. Braddock always had a good right hand, however it suffered many injuries and eventually he was forced to work as a longshoreman on the docks. His record fell away and he became nothing more than a trial horse. But by working on the docks with his left hand, Braddock built up its strength and demolished the highly fancied Corn Griffen. He followed this with wins over John Henry Lewis and contender Art Lasky.

Braddock had earned his shot at the champion, Max Baer and as a 10-1 underdog, stole his crown in one of boxing's greatest upsets, winning a unanimous decision. He lost his title to the legendary Joe Louis in his first defence, but not before sitting Louis down in the first round. Louis later stated that Braddock was the bravest fighter he ever faced in his career.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDA85psf82k[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RINFZ_8BhIw[/ame]

 

Haha, well that's easy...#1! . I'll say this though, it's actually possible he has declined down the rankings by many. I know that during the 1990s, following his wins over Tyson, Ring had him at #3 all time.

Check out that first youtube clip on Braddock, catchy little tribute tune.