Top 20 Heavyweights

I feel like I'm left out in regard to Lewis, I never realized he was regarded that highly. I figured both Holyfield and Tyson would be more popular. Interesting, now I'm going to have to watch his fights again.

Didn't Holyfield win the title three times?

 

I think I'm quite odd for having Tyson over Holyfield. Mostly because Tyson was much more dominant, while Holyfield has the losses to Bowe and Moorer, and much less of a reign.

I do think Tyson gets underrated now.

 

Honestly I'm probably biased against Frazier and Liston. Ali is No.1 for me, and Foreman and Holmes are locks for top 10. So I have a hard time seeing 5 of the top 10 so close together.

 

Tyson was a freak of nature...I just don't see him as a great fighter. Give me an example of him getting beat and coming back...there isn't one. I notice that once people stopped being terrified of him he started losing bad. That said, he could be terrifically entertaining to watch. .. not much more imo.

 

Here's the thing, when Larry Holmes fought Mike Tyson it was 3 years after he lost the title, 10 years after he first won the title and 15 years after his pro debut. When Mike Tyson fought Lennox Lewis for the title it was 6 years after he had lost a piece of the title, 16 years after he first he won the title and 17 years after his professional debut. Tyson and Holmes were 2 years apart in age in those respective fights (Jan 88/Jun 02) and it was clear that Holmes had more left in the tank than Tyson did against Lewis. So if you're going to count one, then you gotta count both.

 

How can I argue this? Larry's my favorite fighter.

 

Frans Botha. That's an example.

Berbick wasn't terrified, he was brave. More than he needed to be. Same with Thomas, Tubbs, Ruddock and yet they all got knocked out.

 

Obviously it is Leon. Harry GREB AND RUFUS

 

Four times but then he did have to lose it three times to do that so its maybe not impressive as it initially sounds.

 

It sounds pretty damn impressive to me. Or maybe I'm crazy.

 

Your list is interesting, especially putting Tyson above Holyfield.

I watched Tyson-Berbick and Holmes again...Mike was sensationally unbeatable for a relatively short time span. I have more regard for him now, but the heart thing still nags at me (I don't consider the Botha fight an example of heart at all...watch the 9th round of Holmes-Witherspoon to see a true champion, or any of Holy's fights against Bowe).

 

Choklab Ratings.


1. Louis

2. Ali

3. Marciano

4. Holmes

5. Dempsey

6. Johnson

7. Lewis

8. Frazier (Before the Ali fight)

9. Jeffries

10. Tyson

11.Wlad klitschko

12. Foreman

13 Schmeling

14 Charles

15 Liston

16 Patterson

17 Walcott

18 Holyfield

19 Tunney

20 Baer

21 Johansson

22 Bowe

23 Sharkey

24 Carnera

25 Douglas

26 Willard

27 Burns

28 Micheal Spinks

29 Braddock

30 Moorer

31 Leon Spinks

32 Briggs

 

Look at the Scorecards when both fought Holyfield-Holmes did better, but not that much.
While Foreman had the slugger vs. boxer advantage. Just like vs. a 2warrmer like Frazier Foreman would easily do better.

Fat burners are both less often used or needed by HWs, but mainly they are not remotely comparable to artificially transforming the whole size & strength of your body to do well at HW.
Anyone who cheats this way should be downgraded-fuhgettibout the ethics of it, they would have been dramatically worse without the illegal drugs.


I agree with you re: Tyson over Liston, & Holmes over Foreman overall.

 

It's a good list, but I don't understand having Burns over Fitzsimmons and Langford, or Johansson over Bowe.