What's the highest we can reasonably rank Evander Holyfield at heavywieght?

He would be outboxed by Ali or Holmes .. Holmes actually made him look bad at times when they fought and he was forty two .. the funny thing is that Evander can survive and possibly beat some of the most dangerous match ups like a Tyson or a Lewis but lose attrition fights against a Frazier, maybe .. anyway , he was certainly a mid top ten guy .. his chin, heart, skills were top rate and he proved it against the toughest of opposition .. no one fought better , no one.

 

Interesting question.

Holyfield's record has more losses than most in the top10, but we should remember that his opposition is probably equal or ahead of any other top heavyweight. Let's investigate how he did against his best opponents:

Mike Tyson: Very unfortunate that their 1990 fight didn't go through because Tyson lost that warmup in Tokio. Right now, many will say that Tyson was past his best, but so was Holyfield - which was the story going into the fight. Both still had fast hands, devastating power (Mike moreso, obviously) and good technique. I think this is Holyfield's premier performance, all things considered. I just love watching this fight. Also note that Tyson was still a small favorite going into the rematch. Many rank Tyson in their top10.

Lennox Lewis: Again, both past their best although Holyfield moreso. Evander gave a valliant effort in the rematch, but was simply bested, twice. Many rank Lewis in their top5.

Riddick Bowe: Holyfield lost their most important meeting and the trilogy. However, I subscribe to the thought that he lost the first because he fought, for lack of a better word, stupid. When Steward taught him to use his boxing skill, he won the rematch. He was also on his way to winning the rubber match, if not for whatever condition he had. The latter does highlight his inconsistency. Many rank Bowe in their top15 (I don't).

In addition to those battles, he has a lot of good wins: Moorer, Douglas, Mercer, Rahman, old Foreman, old Holmes, Ruiz, Dokes, Thomas (shot), Stewart (undefeated), some would argue Valuev. His top10 rating spans more than 15 years.

Altogether, a very impressive resume that could justify a ranking as high as top6. Personally, I'd have him around #10 I think; the Moorer loss, the inconsistency and his lack of domination/always being the underdog prevents him from being higher.

 

That's way worse than I remembered. Terrible. Steve Urkel would shake his head at how high those trunks were.

 

The really awful thing about how high Lennox Lewis' trunks were, besides how ridiculously high they were, was that his camp made a big deal about making Holyfield lower his for that fight. Lewis really looked like a ***** that night.

 

Oh it looked like cheating in its worst, I mean Lewis' beltline in that fight:huh He had his trunks even higher than Steve Smoger.

 

obviously, the great Holyfield who fought anyone that wanted to fight should be below the tigerish manmountain w a heart of gold known as Gerry Cooney. But then, so are many.:hi:

 

That is a good list head-to-head. If it was based solely on accomplishments, I wouldn't have Bowe in there. But, head-to-head, that's about right.

 

My comeback starts today. How's life in the Scottish indoor tents?

 

Comical ?

Hardly.

1 Ali
2 Louis
3 Lewis
4 Foreman
5 Marciano
6 Holmes
------------------
7 Tyson
8 Liston
9 Frazier
10 Wlad


Jack Johnson and Jack Dempsey are far enough back that the game was sufficiently different then, that I would hesitate as to where to place them in the Panthenon, but they'd probably round out my top 12 if I was to insert them somewhwere.

Thus, 13 is the first slot I have available for Evander.

But again, if I went back into the mists of history, I could see Corbett and Wills ahead of him, and a small case could be made for Walcott

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and Patterson ahead of him too.

So I reckon 13 at best and maybe 17 at worst..

In regard to the thread question:

What's the highest we can reasonably rank Evander Holyfield at heavywieght?

I think you could, depending on your preferences, slip him in anywhere from 7 on down. Anything higher than 7 is pushing the limits of REASONABLE.


The placing is certainly fodder for an argument, but hardly comical.

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That's Jersey Joe, Dinovelvet, not Barbados Joe.








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Good to see you back.:good I put Holyfield joint no 10 with Frazier, its a cop out I know but my compromise.

 

I rank on h2h, have him number 1cruiser.

At HW I see the following beating him prime for prime:

Ali
Louis
Liston
Lewis
Tyson
Holmes

 

:good

Doing great, good to see that many of the familiar faces have remained here. Is Old Fogey still here?