Top 10 Cruiserweights of all time?

I think possibly is more appropriate than likely. James was wildly inconsistent. He lost to Drake Thadzi and arguably should have lost to Dave Tiberi … and those were at weights where he would be considered ‘in shape.’

But at his best (for the weight), he certainly could beat all or most on a top 10 cruiser list.

 

Let’s talk about Alfred “Ice” Cole.

Apart from sharing a first name with Batman’s butler, Cole was 26-1 (with his one defeat immediately avenged) at cruiser (when it was 190 pounds).

He held the IBF title for three years with a 6-0 record in title fights and before that won three times in USBA cruiser championship fights.

He gave up that IBF title to move up to heavy, so he never lost it.

H2H he’s a tough ask for anyone at 6-foot-4 with an 80-inch reach.

I don’t care what he did at heavyweight — that shouldn’t figure into this for good or for bad — he was a dominant cruiserweight for a good 5-6 years where he was facing pretty much world-class opposition. He won five of his world title fights by decision and none were particularly close.

I think he belongs on any top 10 list of cruisers from inception of the division to date.

 

At one point I would have said that this was a bit like compiling a list of the ten tallest midgets of all time, but the last couple of generations have changed my mind.

 

In real time, real career and environmental’s factored in no way he goes undefeated that’d mean staying at 190lbs for a long while, scales to beat, less money there etc those guys are also all very, very good and a lapse in desire could mean it’s over, James at his best magically each night for each guy on that list (bar Usyk) including Holyfield he probably mulches them… I don’t call 160-168lbs Toney “in shape” much in the way Hearns shouldn’t at 147lbs he was killing himself to make weight which is why I think he fought so frequently (look at the schedule before Tiberi loss) I think he belonged at 175lb at the start and would’ve grown into 190lbs and HW earlier but I’m not Bill Miller - MAYBE I’m crazy, I think he let Thadzi beat him.

 

Besides “Big” James of course, giant among the listed men.

 

Fair enough. I agree on his inconsistencies catching up in real time. I would say, however, that peak cruiserweight Holyfield beats peak cruiserweight Toney imo.

 

i think Gomez from Cuba needs to be considered...

 

That’d be a really fun thread, I think I made one like that, that didn’t go anywhere. I personally think that a 16-0 (?) Holyfield is just too inexperienced for James Toney at 190lbs, he can’t get the KO, he has never displayed a boxing IQ to get the win that way IMO and as a pair of older guys when your IQ’s at its height James brutally outclassed him in a boxing match. I think a 16-0 Holyfield’s only game is volume here but that’s the guys Toney loved to fight, based on there real bout you can see Evander get gun shy very quickly to prevent the counters he was frozen.

 

That wasn’t the cruiserweight version of either.

I think the Holyfield of Tillis/Dokes/Pinklon still comfortably makes 200 (which we’re going to consider cruiser for this fight). And I think that Holyfield beats Toney.

Let’s face it, James is either still a middle/light heavy waddling in at 200 after a few too many visits to the pastry shop or … he has to cut 40 pounds by not eating for three weeks to make 200.

 

Hes 7 in my list

 

James Toney and Holyfield were 190lbs weren’t they? And that’s the cruiser weight version of Holyfield being rated here so I use that guy vs Jirov Toney and I see an outclassing IMO. As early as James debut they were taking about his Mum? Owning a donut shop, that he must have excellent discipline to make 160lbs lol.

 

Good list

 

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