Which Lineal HW Champion Fought The Most?

Ezzard Charles?

 

Joe Louis.

 

Just going by boxrec, the bouts counter seems dodgy, so I may miss a few. I'm including some like Maher not normally included in the lineage because I wanted to. I will note there is issue with that, not only may boxrec be incomplete, but also they may be some on there that shouldn't be, I believe Maher's record includes a lot of amateur bouts.

1. Sam Langford 306
2. Peter Maher 171
3. Elmer Ray 134
4. Ezzard Charles 121
5. Jimmy Bivins 112
6. Harry Wills 106
7. Primo Carnera 103
8. Bob Fitzsimmons 95
9. Jack Johnson 90
10. James J Braddock 85
11. Gene Tunney 84
12. Max Baer 81
13. George Foreman 81
14. Peter Jackson 78
15. Larry Holmes 75
16. Max Schmeling 70
17. Jersey Joe Walcott 70
18. Joe Louis 69
19. Wladimir Klitschko 69
20. Jack Dempsey 68
21. Shannon Briggs 68
22. Floyd Patterson 64
23. Hasim Rahman 62
24. Tommy Burns 61
25. Muhammad Ali 61
26. Evander Holyfield 57
27. Michael Moorer 57
28. Mike Tyson 56
29. Jack Sharkey 55
30. Sonny Liston 54
31. Tom Sharkey 52
    
32. Ken Norton 50
33. Rocky Marciano 49
34. Marvin Hart 47
35. Vitali Klitschko 47
36. Leon Spinks 46
37. Riddick Bowe 45
38. Buster Douglas 44
39. Lennox Lewis 44
40. John L Sullivan 41
41. Joe Frazier 37
42. Michael Spinks 32
43. Jess Willard 28
44. Ingemar Johansson 28
45. James J Jeffries 24
46. James J Corbett 20

 

I've read it's between Carnera and Charles and I can't remember which. I'd imagine it's Charles, though.

 

How long was Charles a HW though?
I don’t think it’s fair to include his career in the lower weight division's.

 

I think he had about fifty fights after moving up. But TBF, Rez says in the OP that it's time in the ring in professional fights. I'd assume that extends to all weights, not just heavyweight. I'm happy to be corrected though.

Carnera if it's just at heavy, Charles in general.

 

Too true- I wonder how many opponents they would have if it had to be with the modern HW minimum of 200lbs in mind.

Then who would it be I wonder?

 

Yes, I did have to do the Captcha multiple times.

 

I hate that thing

 

I think Holmes? Maybe Wlad or Foreman and Ali next as they faced a few smaller guys... with a 200lbs minimum in mind I think it’s Holmes or Wlad possibly Big George or Ali.

 

I suppose it'd be Wlad then. I highly doubt any of his fights would be cut from the list. Foreman, too maybe.

 

That sounds like a job for someone else.