Who was the worst Heavyweight Champion ever?

[Chunk..]

WTF is Frank Bruno doing on that list?

[them_apples]

WTF is Frank Bruno doing on that list?

thats what I was gonna say...

[K-DOGG]

???? Is there some unknown reason WHY Shannon Briggs ISN'T on this list??!!

[StarshipTrooper]

Frank Bruno was a good fighter. It just so happens he was at the end of the line when he won a belt.

Poet

[Mr. Ryan]

I am picking Primo Carnera for the fact that his fights were fixed. I don't rate him at all as a heavyweight champion. Everyone else on this list had to earn the title the hard way, like by winning it.

A lot of people **** on Ruiz but you know what, he beat a lot of fighters who were rated better than him. Weren't Kirk Johnson and Fres Oquendo supposed to wipe the floor with him?

Buster Douglas whooped Tyson fair and square, that accounts for something.

Rahman is also up there for worst ever, he lost every second of the Lewis fight before knocking him out and then did very poorly in the rematch. He was awarded a title without having to win it the second time around.

[JAB5239]

[QUOTE]

I am picking Primo Carnera for the fact that his fights were fixed. I don't rate him at all as a heavyweight champion. Everyone else on this list had to earn the title the hard way, like by winning it.

While it is true that many of his fights were fixed, he wasn't in on it. By all accounts he was a hard worker, if not very talented. He did win the title legitimetly over Sharkey, though he got there under dubious dealings, and showed great courage against Joe Louis and Max Baer.

In my opinion Leon Spinks was the worst heavyweight champ. He beat an old, undertrained Ali out of the title, and then never defended it successfully because he though partying was more important. At leat Carnera made an effort.

A lot of people **** on Ruiz but you know what, he beat a lot of fighters who were rated better than him. Weren't Kirk Johnson and Fres Oquendo supposed to wipe the floor with him?

Ruiz' style vwas not pleasing to watch, but Im with you on this. John Ruiz was a classic overachiever who beat fighters who were supposedly better than him. You don't have to like him, but if you're honest and you know this sport, you know he wasn't the worst.

Buster Douglas whooped Tyson fair and square, that accounts for something.

Rahman is also up there for worst ever, he lost every second of the Lewis fight before knocking him out and then did very poorly in the rematch. He was awarded a title without having to win it the second time around.[/

QUOTE]

I though Rahman was handling himself nicely in the first Lewis fight before stopping him. The second fight he was dropped like a bag of rocks. I thought he was going to be more competitive, but in hindsight I probably unserestimated Lennox at that time.

[Mr. Ryan]

[QUOTE=JAB5239;4240974]

While it is true that many of his fights were fixed, he wasn't in on it. By all accounts he was a hard worker, if not very talented. He did win the title legitimetly over Sharkey, though he got there under dubious dealings, and showed great courage against Joe Louis and Max Baer.

In my opinion Leon Spinks was the worst heavyweight champ. He beat an old, undertrained Ali out of the title, and then never defended it successfully because he though partying was more important. At leat Carnera made an effort.

You can say Spinks but atleast he got in there and fought. He was somewhat talented, if grossly undersized even for that era. He also was not ready to fight on that level with the few amount of fights he had under his belt.

Carnera doesn't get anything from me. He was a much better wrestler than he was a fighter. To me, if a fighter engages in fixed fights, all of his fights are under question.

I though Rahman was handling himself nicely in the first Lewis fight before stopping him. The second fight he was dropped like a bag of rocks. I thought he was going to be more competitive, but in hindsight I probably unserestimated Lennox at that time.

I disagree about Rahman. I mean he was cut and looking discouraged in between rounds. He was showing all the classic signs of a fighter who wanted to quit. To his credit he put his issues behind him and got the knockout he was looking for.

[TheGreatA]

Carnera doesn't get anything from me. He was a much better wrestler than he was a fighter. To me, if a fighter engages in fixed fights, all of his fights are under question.

In that case a lot of fighters are in question.

While I think many of Carnera's early fights were fixed, his title winning performance against Jack Sharkey was not.

It's not completely out of the question that Jack Sharkey who was always an inconsistent fighter and outweighed by 60 lbs could lose to Carnera. The knockout was legit in my opinion.

He was also outboxing Max Baer after suffering a broken angle and several knockdowns in round 1.

I think it was not so much Carnera's lack of talent or skill that failed him against Baer and Louis as much as it was his glass jaw...

[JAB5239]

[QUOTE]

Carnera doesn't get anything from me. He was a much better wrestler than he was a fighter. To me, if a fighter engages in fixed fights, all of his fights are under question.

Problem here is, if you really believe this, then the careers of some of the greatest fighters in history are null and void in your book. Fighters like Jack Johnson, Jake LaMotta, Willie Pep and many others engaged in "fixed" fights. You would also have to add those opponents they were in against in those fights to that list of questionable fighters since they were involved. I don't condone fixed fights, but I don't think it tarnishes an entire career either.

[Smokin'J]

[QUOTE=JAB5239;4241285]

[/B]

Problem here is, if you really believe this, then the careers of some of the greatest fighters in history are null and void in your book. Fighters like Jack Johnson, Jake LaMotta, Willie Pep and many others engaged in "fixed" fights. You would also have to add those opponents they were in against in those fights to that list of questionable fighters since they were involved. I don't condone fixed fights, but I don't think it tarnishes an entire career either.

Jake actually had to LOSE a fight to get a chance at the belt.
I see that as respect 'cause there was no other way in his time as a fighter like him