What will it take to dislodge Ali & Louis from 1&2?

I Wlad came back to beat Joshua, Fury and Wilder, then retired again, I would consider him the number 2, to Ali, probably.

 

In terms of skill I would say Jack johnson is numero uno but him ducking those black heavies keeps him from number 1 but I dont see anybody beating the goat (joe louis) and ali in terms of resume any time soon.

 

This is gonna sound a little bit crazy.

I think the next truly great heavyweight is going to be a crossover star. I mean, being boxing heavyweight champ and MMA heavyweight champ.
Boxing never had a serious rival in combat sports before, but it does now. And honestly, the 'baddest man on the planet' will never be the boxing heavyweight champion again. The 'other side' has more validity to that claim.
Just a hypothetical situation. You take this N'gannou kid. He's not all that, but bear with me.
He's already MMA heavyweight champion, and all his life he wanted to be a boxer. He still says he'll make the switch someday.

So imagine-by some miracle-he enters the boxing heavyweight division and manages to beat the likes of Joshua and Fury. He can now claim, without a shadow of doubt, to be THE heavyweight champion. And somehow, he manages to balance bring champion of both sports at the same time.

Then give him some social or political cause to fight for. Something big. I don't know what. Something that transcends sport.
Also give him a serious rival in both sports.
Even if he's ignored in the States, which won't happen, he'd still be a god among men for over a billion people in Africa.

Yes, us crusty lot here may care and talk about boxing greats, but the world at large doesn't care. Nobody knows Lennox Lewis ever existed, in the larger scheme of things. Nor Wladimir. Wladimir could walk down the streets of most countries in the world and nobody would know who he is. They were about as dominant as a heavyweight boxer is likely to be in modern times. Still mattered not a jot to some kid or granny in Asia or Africa.
Boxing just isn't big enough anymore to be noted on a global level.
Yes, Lennox and Wlad were 'great' but not household names. Tyson is far more relevant than either on a global level, even though many if not most hardcore fans would rank him lower.

So forgive me my fantasy, but greatness on a global level isn't happening for the heavyweight boxing champion. In my opinion. He's going to have to have proper crossover appeal.

 

Very great heavyweight, but his being knocked silly by a couple of mediocrities as well as not having consummate victories over well-past-it Holyfield pull him down a bit. I have him after Ali, Louis, Holmes, Holy, and Foreman.

I can't see anyone knocking #3 off anytime soon. Who has the skills and heart of a Larry Holmes today? Or Holy, Foreman? Nobody.

But this is coming from an old guy, so take it with a boulder of salt lol.

 

It might just be someone crossed over.

I keep thinking about the longevity of Louis and Holmes' reigns, and the quality of competition during Ali's. Plus, how regularly those guys (especially Holmes and Ali) defended their titles. Today's champions seem to get the money and bum.

 

Someone that, even for completely valid reasons, never faced the best or second best heavyweight of the majority of his era is never going to hit #2 with a bullet. Eva.

 

It doesn't sound mad at all to me. Times have changed. Even heavyweights that are successful for long periods aren't necessarily well known. The internet has changed so many things to. Once someone makes it big in some shape or form, and the fans start clicking on, then it becomes world famous.
I think your so right. Unless it's a Tyson type hype, Mike that is, then fighters aren't going to be well known, out side us crusty s.

 

Oh, are you talking about that guy VItali who was gone enough of Wlad's reign to make up a lot of many other champions' reigns because he retired twice during it or another guy? Nah, sorry, not when Louis ducked southpaws and rarely fought a black contender because of his virulent racism and handed-bigotry.

 

You seldom disappoint!!!!

 

Well, Holyfield's my #3. In today's boxing, I can't really see any one of the current crop even displacing Holy in my eyes. If somebody cleans out the division and keeps winning over top heavyweights for years to come, I might consider him. There's probably not a whole lot of time left for me to see that happen. Fury has wins over Klitschko and Wilder. That's not enough for him to displace Holyfield in my eyes, let alone the top two. It's more about Legacy wins than nostalgic rose colored glasses, in my view.

 

If AJ for example beats Fury and Wilder and continues to win for another decade facing top competition he would have a chance. Lewis could have cracked the top two had he not been ducked (or maybe he did who knows) the top contenders of his day till they were to old. Or just didn’t fight them.

 

Hmmm. Nice outside of the box type thinking. That's certainly something to consider. Times have changed for sure!

 

Wlad over Louis and Holmes...yow....as amazing as a comeback like that would be (it would certainly go above Foreman's)...no.

 

I don’t think we’ll ever see the kind of longevity required to do that again. Wladimir Klitschko was probably the last heavyweight we’ll see that from and due to some of his earlier career defeats, his record doesn’t dethrone Ali or Louis’

 

Above Holmes? Actually that's not so hard for me to sympathize with, as I have Holy just under Ali, Louis, and Holmes.

Absolutely, though Wlad was a very great fighter. I have him at #10 ATG after Tyson.