Top 10 Heavies from best to worst

[Jim Jeffries]

Any thoughts on the boxrec list I posted a few pages back anyone.

Better thank most Boxrec lists, that's for sure. I haven't seen much of Wills, but I know that he's usually underrated. Foreman is way too low, Patterson a bit too high. I've seen worse though.

[StarshipTrooper]

Im not big on anything at boxrec. I use that site often, but only for cursory information. I got much respect for you my friend, but when I saw Floyd Patterson at 6, I stopped reading.

BoxRec is what it is. It's a useful tool to see when, where, and what outcome for a fight; or for the records of post 1930s fighters. Using it for anything other than a reference tool and a fact checker is a mistake. It's been said that while knowledge is a good thing, a little knowledge is dangerous. This couldn't be more true with BoxRec where too many people gleen a little knowledge from it while being too ignorant to know what that knowledge really means.

Poet

[TheGreatA]

Better thank most Boxrec lists, that's for sure. I haven't seen much of Wills, but I know that he's usually underrated. Foreman is way too low, Patterson a bit too high. I've seen worse though.

Wills' resume is very underrated. It's unfortunate that there is very little available footage of his fights, aside from the KO loss he had in his late 30's against Paulino Uzcudun.

It could be said that he beat the men Dempsey beat and also the men Dempsey "avoided" but gets little credit for it because he never held a titie, a title that he was never given a shot at.

[Jim Jeffries]

Wills' resume is very underrated. It's unfortunate that there is very little available footage of his fights, aside from the KO loss he had in his late 30's against Paulino Uzcudun.

It could be said that he beat the men Dempsey beat and also the men Dempsey "avoided" but gets little credit for it because he never held a titie, a title that he was never given a shot at.

Yeah I think it's safe to say he was shot by the time he fought Uzcudun. And you definitely can't hold it against someone for not getting their due shot at a title. Much like I give Liston more credit than your regular one time champ with a single defense, as he should've gotten a shot at least a couple of years before he did.

[them_apples]

I've posted this list before, but here it is again for those who may want a crack at tearing it down or critisizing it. Common sense and logic only, please.

1. Joe Louis
2. Muhammad Ali
3. Larry Holmes
4. Jack Johnson
5. Lennox Lewis
6. George Foreman
7. Mike Tyson
8. Sonny Liston
9. Evander Holyfield
10. Rocky Marciano
11. Jack Dempsey
12. Joe Frazier

that's a pretty good list Jab, why Johnson so high and Holyfield so low?

[JAB5239]

that's a pretty good list Jab, why Johnson so high and Holyfield so low?

As champion Johnson faced obstacles no other black heavyweight did before him. His reign as champ isn't so much why I rank him where I do, but his overall resume. He beat the best fighters of his era, regardless of color, and there were some very good ones that are highly underrated today.

I have the utmost respect for Evander. At his best he was an excellent fighter, he just wasn't as consistent, in my opinion, than the others I rank ahead of him. I use to rank him around 4th or 5th, but have since changed my opinion. I use to rank Dempsey much higher too.

[Lacrimosa]

In chonological order:

Jack Johnson
Gene Tunney
Joe Louis
Rocky Marciano
Muhammad Ali
Joe Frazier
George Foreman
Larry Holmes
Evander Holyfield
Lennox Lewis

Depending on how does Wladimir Klitshcko ends his career i will think wether to leave the list as it is, or throw out Johnson and put Wladimir.

Very close to top 10: James Jeffries, Wladimir Klitshcko, Mike Tyson

Definetly not in top 10, rather in top 20: Rid**** Bowe, Jack Dempsey, Sonny Liston, Floyd Patterson, Ken Norton, Vitali Klitshcko

[Mugwump]

Holy in his Prime would beat Lewis. handily.

Which Lewis? The Lewis he fought who was past his prime? A prime Lewis? A prime Lewis fighting to the limit of the potential Emanual Steward claimed he had?

I think prime Holy would beat the Lewis he fought twice.
I think prime Holy would lose to prime Lewis on points.
I think prime Holy would be KTFO by prime Lewis fighting at full potential.

[Hawkins]

Which Lewis? The Lewis he fought who was past his prime? A prime Lewis? A prime Lewis fighting to the limit of the potential Emanual Steward claimed he had?

I think prime Holy would beat the Lewis he fought twice.
I think prime Holy would lose to prime Lewis on points.
I think prime Holy would be KTFO by prime Lewis fighting at full potential.

With all due respect, I believe that the Lewis that Holyfield fought would be cinsidered prime. In my opinion Lewis' prime was later than most since he didn't turn pro until he was what? 24 - 25?

I think the later version of Lewis would probably stand the better chance of defeating a prime Holyfield than the earlier version. The earlier Lennox was alot more awkward and not as good in a technical aspect than the later version.

[Jim Jeffries]

Which Lewis? The Lewis he fought who was past his prime? A prime Lewis? A prime Lewis fighting to the limit of the potential Emanual Steward claimed he had?

I think prime Holy would beat the Lewis he fought twice.
I think prime Holy would lose to prime Lewis on points.
I think prime Holy would be KTFO by prime Lewis fighting at full potential.

Lewis was 33 when he faced Holy the first time, the same age Wlad is now. Since pretty much all of Lewis' wins came while in his 30's and he didn't reach his full potential until he hooked up with Steward, at the age of 30, I think it's safe to say he was in his prime. Holy, after his wars with Bowe, at the age of 36, wasn't.

Prime for prime, very good matchup. One I wouldn't put any money on either fighter.