your three favourite heavyweight boxers of all time ans why.

There's something special about the qualities that can't be taught; toughness, courage, and heart.

Rocky Marciano- un-ending stamina, threw punches like sledgehammers, would just break you down to nothing and hit you everywhere any chance he got.

Joe Frazier- similar to Rocky, insane stamina, arguably the best left hooks of all time, would systematically break an opponent down

Evander Holyfield- As his nickname says, A Warrior. Well rounded, not the hardest puncher, but he would fight anyone and would take them through hell whether he won or lost.

 

In no particular order:

Dempsey, for his ability to beat larger opponents and his ferocity.

Tyson, for his mastery of leverage and effectively applying it to his opponents dismay.

Louis, for his longevity ( imagine if there were no WW2) and his symbolism.

Marciano, before Tyson there was Rocky, who also demonstrated effective leverage from a smaller man.

Holmes, for his awesome jab and need to win attitude.

Foreman, for his inhuman power, telephone pole jab great beard and longevity.

He may be my numero uno. I know it is not three but tough titties.:tong

 

Fury lol

 

I must cite four of my favorite heavyweights historical order...In their primes of course'
1- Jack Dempsey : The greatest and most savage infighter ever in the heavyweight ranks
and the roughest...I love the description of James Butler possibly Britains greatest boxing writer, when he first laid eyes on young Jack Dempsey. "tough and rugged ,the perfect prize fighter. As though nature had chiseled his physique and profile from granite..." A tiger in the ring who gave no quarter and asked for no quarter....When in shape ,a handful to contain...
2-Joe Louis : The greatest , most lethal combination puncher who ever lived, regardless of size...Someone described his attack "as a coil spring unwinding ". He dominated his era as no other heavyweight did for 13 years a champion til old age took over his reflexes. No fighter more beloved...
3- Rocky Marciano : who I saw almost kill Carmine Vingo in MSG 1949...Powerful thighs
and a granite body with a will and determination to conquer and destroy anyone before him...Able to throw dynamite in the 15th round with amazing force and stamina..
4- Joe Frazier : who I first saw lose to Buster Mathis in the Olympics in 1964, and in the
FOTC in 1971 when he beat Ali...My greatest event at ringside ever...A bigger Henry Armstrong was Frazier... No one was braver, no one gave the fans more of himself than Joe Frazier...
P.S. I love the fast punchers, who these 4 favorite heavyweights were to me...

 

Tyson- Because when I was a kid I was sure he wasnt even human

Louis- The total package

Ali- Goes without saying

 

It's more a case of who I defend not who I like most. Marciano was effective, hard working, brave and explosive but is attacked more than anyone else. Over came odds. So I defend him.

I cannot dislike Joe Louis but he was too perfect. Perfection always seems too unfair a blessing.

Dempsey. Frazier, Holmes, Bruno, Henry Cooper, Tyson, Patterson, Ali I watch a lot of.

entertainment wise I actually prefer slick boxers who can fight when the chips are down without crazy power like Jimmy ellis. Witherspoon on a good night was clever.

Style wise Charles was a good example of a complete fighter.

For one night buster Douglas had it all.

 

Dempsey - most highly skilled puncher.

Louis - most highly skilled boxer/puncher

Ali - overall greatest and quickest hwt champion.

 

as always great post by choklab....
earlier poster in this thread says Tubbs was robbed against Tyson ? i dont understand that comment ?
The original question was 3 favourites..not who you think 3 best are necessarily.
so my three.
1.Tyrell Biggs...studied his career for a project i did on boxers who fell from grace..hes a good guy had loads of talent olympic gold medal winner,showed guts to beat Jeff Simms one handed..had a hell of a tough list of opponents..showed more courage than any other peak Tyson opponent despite being clearly outgunned.
2.Joe Frazier. never did a man make more of what he had.
3.Lennox Lewis. Took on a whole division and a generation and a half of fighters and beat all of them..never ducked anyone was avoided at his peak.nobody outboxed or outfought him.

 

Frazier
Marciano
Lewis

 

You're a piece of ****. Back on topic, mine are Walcott, Liston, and Holyfield.:happy

 

Joe Louis

Quiet dignity personified. A champion's champion. I love his coolness, his precision. Best textbook combination puncher I've ever seen, and probably ever will see. Awesome killer instinct. To me, represents everything a champion should be. Under-appreciated wit too.

Rocky Marciano

More a cart horse than a racehorse like Louis, but a guy that maximized his potential 100%. A real little anvil of a man who was as hard as nails. Gave no quarter and expected none. Paradoxically, a gentleman outside the ring as opposed to the animal he became inside it. He made it to the top despite his short stature and to top it all, remains the only heavyweight never to lose. I think his unmatched dedication and work ethic went a long way towards that.

Mike Tyson

Probably the closest thing to a modern-day Dempsey as we'll ever see. A frightening combination of explosive power, speed, precision and aggression. But for all that, a fantastic defensive ability as well. The ultimate short fighter?
Made every pre-fight ritual seem more like a legalised public execution than a fight.
Tyson outside the ring is a 'warts 'n all' guy. I appreciate that. While the merits of the man's character can certainly be questioned, there is a strange, almost tragic vulnerability about him that I find strangely endearing.

Honourable mention:

Evander Holyfield

Like Rocky, he was all heart. Extremely gifted athlete and when at his best, damn difficult to beat. One of the last of the true, world-class 'small' heavyweights. Almost unreal recuperative powers.

 

I'm loving some of the less conventional picks from some posters.