Top 10 heavyweights: Social impact

I made this list and thread about two and a half years ago, but maybe its time to rethink it. Does Wlad belong somewhere on this list now, or anyone else for that matter? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I've never done a list or even seen one like this before, but who are your top 10 heavies based on social impact, good or bad? Explain your choices please. Choices were getting thin towards the bottom so I may have been reaching. 10. Lennox Lewis-The first British heavyweight to hold the title and be known as a champion by the world and not just the Brits (see Frank Bruno). 9. Tommy Burns-Had the distinction of being the man to give up the heavyweight championship to the first black heavyweight champion in history and change the sport forever. 8. Max Schmeling-While nothing he did as champion stands out, his win and loss to Louis helped set and destroy a symbol of Nazi power. 7. Rocky Marciano-retired undefeated and was the last white American to be the undisputed champ. His name is synonymous with the heavyweight title. 6. John L. Sullivan-The first gloved champion and a certified star of his era. Everyone knew who the Boston string boy was. 5. Joe Louis-His win over Schmeling was a crushing defeat to Nazi propaganda and his patriotic devotion made him loved by blacks and whites alike during a turbulent time in the countries history. 4. Mike Tyson-His star burned so bright everybody in the world knew his name and stopped to watch him fight. They also stopped to watch his tragedies and turbulent life as if it were a car wreck. 3. Jack Johnson-The first black heavyweight champion and its most despised during his reign. So hated that white America actively pursued a "white hope" to wipe the golden smile of his face. 2. Muhammad Ali-Never had a fighter gone from being so disliked to so beloved. His stance on Vietnam brought a surreal amount of disdain for Ali. But his first loss to Frazier proved his conviction and courage so much the masses got behind him. He went from one end of the spectrum to the other and did it with flair not seen before or since. 1. Jack Dempsey-No fighter was ever so revered in their era. Never did so many people flock to see one man fight. So popular was Dempsey that his name alone conjures up images of the roaring twenties.

Comments (12)

I dont see how getting beat up in Tommy Burns to someone of different color puts you on a historical list social impact list . ? lol Larry Holmes based on title defenses is actually historical . Ithink his jab was a game changer ,his fight with Cooney was also constructed as a white vs black by King and it worked in that 80's time period . Wlad Klitchko deserves to be there too ,he was more dominant then Lewis even if you give him a lower rating if you think he fought weaker guys . However Wlad Klitchko changed the way we view HW's because he was extremely intelligent with a education and look at all the sciences hes involved with now in technology . By SOCIAL impact : 1 . Mike Tyson 2. Muhammed Ali 3 . George Foreman 4. Joe Louis 5 . Wlad Klitchko 6 . Jack Johnson 7 . Rocky Marciano . 8 . Jack Dempsey 9 . Evander Holyfield 10. Larry Holmes Ali takes that list by a landslide, I was born in 1971 and my earliest memories are people talking about Ali. He far and a way had a bigger impact socially than probably any other boxer in the history of the game. Now whether he was actually the best HW of all time is another debate.

7y ago

Sugar_Adam_Ali

Only fighters that were truly a social impact were: Jack johnson Joe Louis Muhammad Ali Everyone else was just famous for fighting and nothing to do with social issues

7y ago

QueensburyRules

--- Joe Louis was the inspiration of young MLK and Mandela. The entire world literally hung in balance for the schmeling rematch. Joe rallied everyone but the nazis. Btw, Max was never a nazi very much like most Germans. He punished for his loss by being shipped to the front where he was immediately injured and captured by the allies for a good ending, a proven prince of a guy. Horrific time to be alive...

7y ago

QueensburyRules

--- gonna bring the thread back. Most of Dempsey rise to the top took place in the Spector of ww1 where he was unfairly labeled a draft dodger in spite of a deferment of being the sole support of his mother. Kearns marketed him thusly against war hero Carpentier and Tunney. In between he was seen as a primative savage because of his KOs. He wasn't fully adopted by Americans until his 14 sec Long Count in his last fight against Tunney. And of course he served in ww2, trained troops, and saw combat in the pacific. In a way he was the pre Ali who certainly made good copy for the obliging media but was not liked by most Americans until his Vietnam stance where he became the darling of the liberals and youth.

7y ago

Someone88

Ali needs to be no 1. Good list by TS but yes I agree Ali should be number one there.

12y ago

GoldenGloveLove

I probably wouldn't of even thought about Tommy Burns but it's true, no Burns as champ no Johnson as champ.

12y ago

kiDynamite92

depends on the time frame of the impact your talking about. across era's? IDK but in today's time and definitely in the past 25 years Ali and Tyson would be tied for #1. Honestly Tyson and Ali were so big, Mayweather would be a dwarf in the super star sense compared to them.

12y ago

JAB5239

It's so hard to rank these men, especially in these times.. especially for those who weren't around to even see SRL fight!(like me) In my books, Ali is #1 on social impact.. if I wasn't **** outta ideas in my junior year of HS and didnt the first topic my teacher said(which was Muhammad Ali) for my research project for that year, I would of failed.. and never got into boxing.. it's actually the only sport I'm into now. besides my Giants, SF. Difficult, but not impossible. I never saw Louis, Johnson, or Dempsey fight, but I've read enough books and newspaper articles from the day to form an educated opinion. Doesn't mean Im right, but its fun to speculate on these things.

12y ago

SlySlickSmooth

Arguable for sure. I've seen many argue Louis' victory over Schmeling had the biggest social impact on boxing. Really no terribly wrong answer here, its just how you perceive things. It's so hard to rank these men, especially in these times.. especially for those who weren't around to even see SRL fight!(like me) In my books, Ali is #1 on social impact.. if I wasn't **** outta ideas in my junior year of HS and didnt the first topic my teacher said(which was Muhammad Ali) for my research project for that year, I would of failed.. and never got into boxing.. it's actually the only sport I'm into now. besides my Giants, SF.

12y ago

JAB5239

Ali needs to be no 1. Arguable for sure. I've seen many argue Louis' victory over Schmeling had the biggest social impact on boxing. Really no terribly wrong answer here, its just how you perceive things.

12y ago

Simurgh

Ali needs to be no 1.

12y ago

Weebler_I

Dereck Chisora and Tyson Fury, saviours of the current heavyweight division. Both deserve slots for their willing and entertaining approach in a much maligned era. Fury is even willing to cross over to MMA to demonstrate boxing's prowess and supremacy. Let's be honest, if they're not fighting, the English-speaking Western world isn't watching.

12y ago