It's interesting...although you could make an argument that Foreman might've been the best fighter in the world for a short blip of time around Ali's loss to Norton (avenged soon thereafter), poor, maligned Buster Douglas might have the clearer case for being the best heavyweight when he won the crown. Even if Tyson wasn't as "on" as he should've been, there's no question Douglas beat him decisively. And we don't know how a fight between Holyfield and "Tokyo" Douglas would've gone. Whereas within a short time of Foreman beating Frazier for the title, Ali beat Frazier, Norton, and Foreman himself; the last absolutely decisively. Depends how somebody plays around with the first Ali/Norton fight.
Foreman, for some reason his wins over Frazier and Norton are severely underrated but what other boxer has dominated 2 ATGs, some of the best in history, so much. In such a way?? It's close but I can't put Frazier over Foreman.
Of course there's an argument for Foreman since he brutalised a Frazier who wasn't that far from his peak, but voted Frazier for cleaning out more comprehesively. He beat four out of the top five of the period '68-'71 and did't lose. Foreman beat two and did lose.
Good to hear from different perspectives, based on one's dominance and wins maybe only peak Tyson who beat Spinks can compare.
Tyson did lose, though. He wasn't in great shape on the night, but that's not necessarly the same as having passed his peak. Frazier never looked physically the same after FOTC. The same can't be said of Tyson whenever you think his peak fight was (I, like most, would say Spinks). The Tyson of the Douglas fight was closer to Foreman against Young, minus the psychologigal damage Foreman suffered from the Ali loss. I'd say Louis or Ali.
You don’t think Tyson was as bad off as Foreman? everyone takes it differently but he lost A fight in front of a lot of people it happens a lot…Tyson In 88 had already ran his car into a tree, seen friends die and as general thing probably had the worst mental health (especially manifested in the ring) of any true HW champion up there with Sharkey (that diva…) in general he was and probably is still a bit an unhinged mental mess - Cus like with Patterson (another slight head case) was duct taping it together, you don’t need to squint to find it, he’s probably bipolar.
Frazier's prime 1968-1971...Buster Mathis...Oscar Bonavena...Jerry Quarry...Jimmy Ellis...Manuel Ramos...Bob Foster...Muhammad Ali in the FOTC in 1971. Foreman's prime was 3 fights...a "shopworn" Joe Frazier...the "legendary" Joe "King" Roman...and "chinny " Ken Norton...not much of a prime.