Upsets suffered by ATG heavyweights

Don't know how to classify them all, but the worst is undoubtedly Tyson vs Douglas. Tyson was the overwhelming favorite and that loss shattered his mystic and ranking forever.

Sanders/Rahman/Spinks would be after that.

 

1. Sanders vs Wladimir = For me the worst because Wladimir got absolutely dismantled in just 2 rounds and was floored 4 times in the process, and the loss was so damaging you can't even say Wladimir could win a rematch.

2. Douglas vs Tyson = A bad loss but Douglas did have significant height, reach, advantages. And was on a red hot streak at the time so in hindsight not as bad as people made out plus Tyson was in pretty poor form and had a comical corner. But the way Tyson got dominated and the 40-1 odds it has to rank up there considering Tyson was considered in his prime even if he was in poor form for the fight.

3. Lewis vs Rahman 1 = Yes Lewis was in poor form for this fight but to get 1 shotted when you're considered in your prime is a pretty bad loss and it hurt Lewis's legacy somewhat.

4. Lewis vs McCall 1 = Again for me a bad loss because Lewis got one shotted again which is pretty unheard of for an ATG Heavyweight.

5. Ali vs Spinks 1 = I can understand why people would rank this higher because Spinks is the worst fighter on this list. But I'm taking into account Ali had early stages of parkinsons and was severely diminished as a fighter by this point.

6. Louis vs Schmeling 1 = Louis was pre prime and Schmeling was a quality Heavyweight with over double the amount of fights as Louis. Yeah Louis got beaten comprehensively but he learned alot from the loss and the way he won the rematch you almost forget what happened in their 1st encounter.

7. Foreman vs Young = Foreman does have some excuses for this performance but I still think it was more of a stylistic issue, and the way Foreman was beaten comprehensively i have to rank it somewhat high.

8. Holmes vs Spinks 1 = Holmes was considerably past his prime at 35 years old and it was a close loss, yes Spinks had never fought at Heavyweight before but he wasn't exactly a small man at almost 6'3. And the way Holmes was clearly robbed in the rematch you can overlook this loss somewhat.

9. Ali vs Norton 1 = Ali lost to a very good Heavyweight who was a stylistic nightmare for him not a bad loss IMO considering how much better Ali looked in their 2nd fight when he was motivated.

 

Charles Sonny Liston vs. Cassius Clay
Jack Johnson vs. Joe Choysnski

 

With all respect, the defeat against Douglas damaged Tyson's legacy far more than the Sanders loss did to Wladimir. And Wladimir didn't have that aura of invicibility carried by Tyson.

 

Great list, I would add James J. Braddock vs. Max Baer

 

It depends what you mean by worst.

The biggest upset in terms of likelihood is probably Douglas/Tyson, unless anyone knows of longer odds than 42/1 in any of the others.

The worst in terms of the lowest quality of the victor, irrespective of where the loser was relative to their peak, was Spinks/Ali, imo.

The most damaging to the losers reputation was probably also Douglas/Tyson, because it occurred when Tyson was unbeaten, the champion and when he was perceived to be at his peak, a peak never recaptured subsequently.

 

Tyson still knocked Douglas down and almost out for the 10 count in the 8th round yes it was a damaging loss to Tyson's legacy. But I think with hindsight you can say Douglas was on a red hot streak for 3 years he was also almost 6'4 with an 83 inch reach. I think the loss isn't quite as bad as people make out when you take into account Douglas's form prior to the Tyson fight, and the fact he had considerable height/reach advantages. Also the fact Tokyo Douglas is considered one of the best H2H fighters on that single night on what was probably Tyson's worst night in regards to form and the corner he had at that point in his career.

On the other hand you have Wladimir being absolutely crushed in 2 rounds being floored 4 times by a fighter that was considered past his prime who had only fought twice in almost 3 years. The fact that a majority of the fans don't think Wladimir could ever beat Sanders and the way he got dismantled in just 2 rounds makes it a worse loss for me in retrospect.

I mean can you think of a single ATG Heavyweight before the age of 30 that has been beaten as bad as Wladimir got beat in just 2 rounds ? I mean you could say Lewis vs McCall but that was a single shot out of nowhere. Wladimir got pummelled from pillar to post from the opening bell not 1 second of that fight was competitive.

 

I disagree with this a bit. In Wladimir's case, as in Lewis' case, a single blow was decisive, but Wladimir kept fighting and Lewis did not. Both defeats were absolutely terrible.

 

Nothing beats Tyson-Douglas imo.

 

I agree with all your remarks.
But I'm talking from an historical perspective, not about how the actual fights themselves unfolded.
The fact is Wladimir was not seen as an invincible boxer like Tyson, he was never held as high as him which is why Tyson's defeat is « worst ».

 

Sullivan-Corbett is also a good example

 

There's been two upsets of ATG heavyweights at or close to there primes by one opponent.
In the first upset, this opponent was a 7-1 underdog. And most "experts " thought he'd be Cannon fodder, a lamb being led to slaughter with absolutely no chance of survival, much less actually winning.
The second upset this opponent accomplished was against another dominant champ whose reputation was somewhat similar to the 1st heavyweights champ he upset.
This opponent was also a 4-1 underdog against this fearsome heavyweight champ, and most " experts" sports writers and fans feared for his safety.
Who was this legendary opponent?
But back on the Topic of the fighters listed
No question the greatest upset should be Schmeling vs Louis #1.
When everthing is looked at in perspective.
All the other fights listed were #1 upset against aging champs or # 2 shots out the blue, that shouldn't have happened ( The two Lewis losses and the Kleichko loss) but when strong and trained men over 200 pounds land a good shot, anything can happen and it did in those situations.
But the Louis loss to Schmeling always sticks out in my mind.
Louis was seen as simply unbeatable and was the future. Schmeling was seem as just another notch on his gun belt.
That Schmeling exposed holes in Louis's game in that 1st fight was extraordinary.