POLL: One heavyweight who would rule them all in any era

[Grand Champ]

For me, Big George Foreman..! The man would crush anybody in any era..! Look what an old 45 year old Foreman did in the 90s !

[mickyward5656]

Lewis, ali, and a sonny liston who wasnt controlled by the mob would rule at any time...

[Roger Mellie]

I reckon Ali would have been the business in any era,also the tyson of 86-89 was like a force of nature,which is a shame,because his self induced slide was alarmingly quick

[hammerhiem]

Prime tyson could have beaten anyone but sadly prime tyson was a short lived beast indeed.

Ali was a beast for many many years and he was smart aswell.

[Madvillain]

For me, Big George Foreman..! The man would crush anybody in any era..! Look what an old 45 year old Foreman did in the 90s!

That's what I'm saying. Big George would have been a monster in ANY era of heavyweight. It took an even more special version of Heavyweight to bring him down. Walking forward, hands in front like ****in' Frankenstein, he would have scared even the toughest heavyweights of the 1920's.

[2 Legit 2 Quit]

I'd say Foreman or Ali. I voted for Foreman because I knew so many people were going to vote for Ali anyway.

[Ernie M]

Obviously Muhammad Ali will be the favorite but i pick Larry Holmes, he had it all great jab, great chin, great boxing skills, great heart, great stamina, ETC. And he wasn't a small Heavyweight either so he wouldn't be a small Heavyweight in any era.

Holmes did have very good boxing skills, and probably the best jab of all time. But it's hard to know his place in history since he fought in an era of bad heavyweights(though he can't be blamed for that). And his chin was suspect. But I do place him above Klitsko,Lewis and Holyfield. Ali #1, Foreman at 2, only because everyone was scared he was going to kill them when they fought him. If not for Ali showing Young how to beat Foreman, Holmes would've fought him for the title instead of Norton. And as an ex sparring partner of Foreman's, he already feared him. Definately top ten for Holmes though.

[StarshipTrooper]

And his chin was suspect.

Huh? Larry's generally regarded as having one of the division's top chins. You don't survive shots like the one he took from Shavers without a superior chin.

Poet

[Ernie M]

Huh? Larry's generally regarded as having one of the division's top chins. You don't survive shots like the one he took from Shavers without a superior chin.

Poet

Yeah Poet, I can somewhat understand what you're saying. But Shavers lost control,chased Holmes and threw punches wildly and punched himself out, instead of relaxing and picking his shots. That contributed to Holmes stopping him in the next round when Shavers could'nt even stand cause he was so tired. Now to Holmes credit he did survive, but that was'nt the only fight. Mike Weaver had him and tired, and I know you will mention his age, but Tyson just destroyed him. I'll give him credit for surviving those fights, but to say he would'nt get finished off by a young Foreman,Louis or Ali, I just don't see it. They were just too good at finishing. But that's the fun of this whole thing,huh?

[StarshipTrooper]

Yeah Poet, I can somewhat understand what you're saying. But Shavers lost control,chased Holmes and threw punches wildly and punched himself out, instead of relaxing and picking his shots. That contributed to Holmes stopping him in the next round when Shavers could'nt even stand cause he was so tired. Now to Holmes credit he did survive, but that was'nt the only fight. Mike Weaver had him and tired, and I know you will mention his age, but Tyson just destroyed him. I'll give him credit for surviving those fights, but to say he would'nt get finished off by a young Foreman,Louis or Ali, I just don't see it. They were just too good at finishing. But that's the fun of this whole thing,huh?

The point behind the Shavers example no one should have even been able to get up from that shot. The Tyson example, yes his age WAS a factor because he no longer had the reflexes to avoid the leather Mike was throwing at him; but that's beside the point really. Notice he got up from those knockdowns? Even the third and final one he could have risen from if they had let him. He tried in fact and they held him down. At no point could you say he was actually out. Now look at Tyson: No one questions the man's chin, but he was actually knocked cold by Lennox Lewis. Not to mention he was in la la land against both Douglas and Holyfield. The point is no matter how good a chin is you can still be KOed through an accumulation of punishment or from a monster shot you never see coming. Or from exhaustion like George Foreman.

While I don't think Larry beats Ali or Louis I think he gives both a very good down to the wire fight. As for Foreman, he always had trouble with guys that moved and jab (rewatch the Jimmy Young fight) and Holmes was one of the best at that. Just a bad matchup for Foreman.

Poet