Top Heavyweights Soley Based on Best Top 5 Wins

I thought I would device a list based solely on top 5 wins. Some fighters were really scraping the barrell to get 5 wins, and it puts the achievement and difference in competition in perspective. Here's the list:

1. Ali - Foreman, Liston, Frazier 1&3, Norton 2/Patterson

2. Lennox Lewis - Holyfield 1 & 2, Tyson, Tua, Vitali Klitchsko

3. Holyfield - Tyson, Bowe2 , Holmes, Foreman, Douglas/Moorer2

4. Marciano - Louis, Walcott 1, Charles 1&2, Moore

5. Louis - Schmelling 2, Walcott 2, Baer, Sharkey, Carnera

6. Foreman - Frazier 1 & 2, Norton, Moorer, Lyle

7. Frazier - Ali, Quarry 1&2, Bob Foster, Ellis

8. Tyson - Holmes, M Spinks, Berbick, Pinklon Thomas, Tucker/Rudduck

9. Holmes - Norton, Witherspoon, Berbick, Cooney, Weaver/Shavers

10. Johnson - Langford, Jeffries, Jeanette, McVea, Denver Ed Martin

11. Wills - Langford (17times), Jeanette, McVea, Fulton

12. Charles - Louis, Walcott 1&2, Bivins, Rex Layne

13. Liston - Patterson 1&2, Williams, Folley, Machen

14. Schmelling - Louis, Sharkey, Sharkey 2??? Young Stribbling, Uzcudun

15. Bowe - Holyfield 1&3, Golota (cough cough), Gonzalez, Seldon/Hide

16. Dempsey - Sharkey, Willard, Gibbons, Miske, Fulton

17. Jeffries - Fitz 1&2, Corbett 1&2, Sharkey

18. Patterson - Johnassen 2&3, Moore, Machen, Tommy Jackson

Thoughts?

 

Don't see why Tyson is above Holmes. Norton 78 was better than Holmes 88, Witherspoon as a superior heavyweight to Spinks, Berbick early 80s was probably better than the later version (who wasn't up to much anyway) and Weaver was better than Tucker. So 4 out of 5.

 

Pretty good list though mate. I wouldn't put Foster as one of Frazier's best wins. Bonanvana, Ellis, Chuavlo and even Joe Bugner were better heavyweights than Bob. Unless you meant the manner of the win.

 

Tyson's wins are overrated. I'd demote to him just above Bowe. Tyson was great because of the way he won rather than who he beat.

I'd probably list Frazier's win over Bugner rather than Foster.

Johnson's wins should push him right up the table considering that Rocky is at number 4.

 

It can come down to subjectivity, but Norton was 35, coming off an SD (gift to some) and getting banged out by 1 in his next big fight, Holmes is a bigger name and very arguably didnt really lose to Spinks, and would go on to beat Mercer and go 12 with Holyfield despite being 39. Then there is the manner of the win, KO4, versus an SD.

Spinks beat Holmes twice (well arguably), Witherspoon didn't. Close between them.

I have a feeling Tucker is a little underrated 35-0 before Tyson and doesnt lose again until Lennox.

Then there's Thomas who was pretty damn good, 1 Holmes avoided a little himself.

Again its all subjectivity, a close call, and hard to rank in some cases

 

Great thread.

I think Tyson is too high, Ezzard Charles is too low, Bowe shouldn't be anywhere near the top 20 with those 5, and IMO for Holyfield, Michael Moorer was a better win than Holmes or Foreman, and for Lewis you should include Razor Ruddock instead of Holyfield I which wasn't a win.

 

Tuckers record was padded galore.

 

A split decision win vs the 3rd best heavyweight in the world isn't bad. He proved how good he still was by going 15 furious rounds. Holmes looked way out of shape vs Tyson.

Close. But at their peaks I'd bet on Spoon to win.

This has to be a joke. The words 'Tucker' and 'underrated' never belong in the same forum never mind sentence. He won 35 straight with hardly any decent wins. He has tthe most padded record of almost any fighter that's ever lived. Yet, somehow managed to be rated #1 contender a few times. Two decent wins in a whole career- Douglas (and was getting outboxed until Buster's stamina problems resurfaced) and a dull, close, win over McCall. And, er, that's it. Yet, somehow he's apparently underrated. Laughable. He was adept at going the distance with good fighters. Yeah, I know. So was Joe Bugner.

 

Ooh, I was doing The Great Tony an injustice there and forgetting his monumental split win over the incredible Orlin Norris. :hey

 

He faced some decent and good opponents, but no real great ones in his 80's pomp. Of course the manner in which he exerted his dominance was impressive, it'd arguably be much moreso if he were round today.

 

Personally I think you give Liston a bit of a raw deal. Patterson, though chinny, was a nightmare to put away barely never got wiped out in that manner before or after the two Liston fights. Williams was a specimen, strong, hard hitter, durable. Machen and Folley weren't slouches either. I think Sonny deserves a spot a bit higher and Foreman lower.

 

...And Norris was damned unlucky to lose that one, honestly.

Fine list, although I feel Louis is a bit high. Nothing to argue over though.

 

I didn't see it, but that doesn't surprise me.

 

OMG where is jersey joe walcott! He has one of the best win resumes ever! he belongs in the top 5!


Jersey Joe Walcott- Louis I, Charles III, Bivins, Murray, Ray



That win resume easily beats charles, as charles wins were simply walcott leftovers that walcott had already beat while they were hott.

 

Walcott was a ledge. Great fighter, top guy (from what I've read).