Who is the best of the worse Heavyweight Champions?

Sharkey shouldn't be on there. He's a lock on my top 20 HW's list. Great fighter. The rest, though, were all reletively weak champions. The best of them, I would say Willard or Braddock.

 

Sharkey? Perhaps if you are talking about title reigns only then his surely rates among the worst. Great fighter though.

I don't want to call the likes of Nikolai Valuev and Bruce Seldon heavyweight champions so I'll go with Leon Spinks. A very determined man when he won the Olympics and beat Ali but it was all downhill from there.

 

Elmer Ray had a couple of controversial wins which were quickly avenged.

Sharkey had wins over Harry Wills, Max Schmeling, Young Stribling, George Godfrey, Tommy Loughran, Primo Carnera, Jack Delaney, Mike McTigue, Johnny Risko, Phil Scott, Jim Maloney, Bud Gorman, Jack Renault, Floyd Johnson.

On film, at his best, Sharkey is brilliant.

 

This.

 

When you go for the best of the best, it's not an easy question. But when you go for the best of the worst it's way more difficult to me.

 

Sharkey was not exactly huge compared to Loughran, Delaney, McTigue, Stribling, 190-195 lbs being his prime weight. All of them had success fighting heavyweights but Sharkey beat them decisively.

Risko, Maloney, Gorman and the rest were ranked heavyweight contenders of the era. Certainly notable victories for Sharkey.

Carnera didn't "suck", Wills was a great fighter, Godfrey was avoided, Schmeling was not "up and down".

Sharkey was finished after losing the title.

 

my money is on jawney ruiz

 

Just admit you are wrong because you are. Sharkey certainly has a case for beeing Top20. Very deep resume. You should look the era between the reigns of Tunney and Louis up. Interesting stuff.

Sharkey
Willard
Braddock
Carnera
Douglas
Hart
Spinks

the rest were only beltholders. You could make a strong case for Sharkey beeing a Top20 hw. You even could make a case for Willard beeing a Top20 hw. Braddock and Carnera should be Top40 I think. The rest not Top50.

 

I wouldnt put Jack Sharkey as a top 20 heavyweight, but i do think he makes the top 30. Certainly not among the worst though.

Willard, Leon Spinks, Marvin Hart are among the worst.

 

Please read this :good