Who Is The Best Black Heavyweight Never To win the Crown?

Lyle did beat Shavers in a major slugfest.

Although, Shavers had Lyle down and out, then the hometown timekeeper gave Lyle two minutes to recover before starting the next round.

Shady doings in Colorado. If it had been nationally televised, a rematch would've been in order.

I thought about Lyle, but felt Shavers performed better against common opponents. Earnie stopped Ellis in one (Lyle went the distance in victory). Earnie stopped Young in three (Lyle lost twice to Young). Lyle went the distance winning against Bugner, while Shavers stopped Joe in two. Shavers went 15 close rounds with Ali (Lyle was stopped by Ali). Quarry was the only guy Lyle fought better against.

 

Very good points. Funny Quarry owned them both, in another era Jerry Q could've held a title..

 

Lol, Butler was a quitter dude, Butler ate plenty of what Lennox Lewis had to offer until his fat a** was done for the night, he could take a shot he just didn't stay in shape nor did have the heart to continue once the going got tough. If he could take punches from Lewis for even a round or two then Byrd in theory should never hurt him.. I watched his whole career live and there is a reason why he is only a blip on the radar, he didn't have what it takes inside. A classic lazy heavyweight with a decent punch but who obviously didn't like to train

 

Again, Jimmy Young.

 

Gotta go with the guy who beat Foreman and was robbed against Ali. Jimmy Young.

 

Yeah Jimmy Young is right at the top of this list id also say.

 

Why are people omitting the fact that shavers knocked out an extremely green Jimmy young. That was not a prime Jimmy young in there

 

60's 70's 80's era
Eddie Machen
Zora Folley
Cleveland Williams
Thad Spencer (when he was on)
Amos Lincoln
Jeff Merritt (Candy Slim -never got a chance)
Doug Jones
Renaldo Snipes
Leotis Martin (maybe the best of the bunch)
Al "Blue" Lewis
Jimmy Young
Ron Lyle
Earnie Shavers

Throwin some old names out there, But some of them
"could really fight!"
Ron Lyle beat 8 top ten contender's -Shavers (5)
What a tournament this would be

Next tier

Maybe throw in Cubans Teofilo Stevenson, and Nino Valdes.
And South Americans Jose Luis Garcia, Pedro lovell

Mac Foster (only stopped once 30 for 30 knockout wins)
Al "Florida" Jones (Managed by Angelo Dundee)

 

I think it was less than a year later that Young went on to box a draw in a re-match with Shavers, with Young getting off the deck in an early round to perform well enough for casual observers to believe Young was robbed in the fight. I have never seen the fight, and do not know if a copy actually exists. This is one I would like to see.

 

Peter Jackson or Sam Langford.

Jackson, coming in Sam's day, might have had a better chance (prime) in a theoretical challenge to Johnson. On the other hand, a pre-prime Jackson might have been actually stopped by Johnson, while atleast Sam went the limit.

Langford in Jackson's day, how does he do against Godard, Corbett and Slavin?

 

In their rematch, Young managed a draw...another fight a year or two later and Jimmy would have owned Earnie like he did Lyle IMO.

 

His 11th pro bout....what was his manager thinking?

 

After much contemplation my final answer is James " Quick" Tillis.

 

If you include nino Valdes then you must include bob baker whom twice beat Valdes. Also Clarence Henry and explosive heavyweight in the 50s

 

Exactly my point :good