Greater Heavyweight - Floyd Patterson or Max Schmeling?

[Obama]

Ring Magazine 1998 Rankings had Schmeling #19 and Patterson #21. Their list:

1. Muhammad Ali
2. Joe Louis
3. Evander Holyfield
4. George Foreman
5. Larry Holmes
6. Rocky Marciano
7. Sonny Liston
8. Joe Frazier
9. Jack Johnson
10. Jack Dempsey
11. Ezzard Charles
12. James J. Jeffries
13. Jersey Joe Walcott
14. Mike Tyson
15. Gene Tunney
16. Harry Wills
17. Sam Langford
18. John L. Sullivan
19. Max Schmeling
20. Max Baer
21. Floyd Patterson

Ignoring everyone else on the list, does Schmeling deserve to be rated over Patterson?

Schmeling's Top 2 wins: Joe Louis, Jack Sharkey

Patterson's Top 2 wins: Ingemar Johansson, Eddie Machen

[sleazyfellow]

What is this, a joke? Schmeling wins by blowout...

But seriously, the low blow champion vs. youngest HW champion? please...

[Obama]

What is this, a joke? Schmeling wins by blowout...

But seriously, the low blow champion vs. youngest HW champion? please...

You voted for Patterson....

[Heru]

This isn't an easy pick, Schmeling's best wins far surpass Patterson's, but Floyd's substance and the fact he was ranked in the Ring's top 10 heavyweights for 15 years, 13 consecutively is nothing to be scoffed at.

Bonavena
Cooper
Quarry
Machen
Chuvalo
London
Moore
Johanssen
Durelle
Maxim
Slade
Jackson

[Obama]

This isn't an easy pick Patterson was ranked in the Ring's top 10 heavyweights for 15 years, 13 consecutively.

Bonavena
Cooper
Quarry
Machen
Chuvalo
London
Moore
Johanssen
Durelle
Maxim
Slade
Jackson

You're listing LHW fights and guys he didn't even beat @ LHW and HW....

[StarshipTrooper]

It could go either way. I don't think The Ring's ranking of them is particularly out of line.

Poet

[sonnyboyx2]

Ring Magazine 1998 Rankings had Schmeling #19 and Patterson #21. Their list:

1. Muhammad Ali
2. Joe Louis
3. Evander Holyfield
4. George Foreman
5. Larry Holmes
6. Rocky Marciano
7. Sonny Liston
8. Joe Frazier
9. Jack Johnson
10. Jack Dempsey
11. Ezzard Charles
12. James J. Jeffries
13. Jersey Joe Walcott
14. Mike Tyson
15. Gene Tunney
16. Harry Wills
17. Sam Langford
18. John L. Sullivan
19. Max Schmeling
20. Max Baer
21. Floyd Patterson

Ignoring everyone else on the list, does Schmeling deserve to be rated over Patterson?

Schmeling's Top 2 wins: Joe Louis, Jack Sharkey

Patterson's Top 2 wins: Ingemar Johansson, Eddie Machen

IMO Patterson would have beaten Schmeling.. what is noticable about the Ring Magazine 1998 list is that they do not rank Lennox Lewis in their Top 20 Lewis fought a draw and got a highly debatable decision over an aged Evander Holyfield he then beat Mike Tyson who was 14yrs past his best, yet their is many English/Canadian on this forum who have Lewis a Top 3 ATG and Lewis won a version of the title in 1992

[cooper5]

I think this is close too. Max beat a young Louis. While Patterson was the first in history to re-win the heavywt title. Patterson fought in the shadow of Marciano and in awe of Sonny. Max won the title with a DQ win and lost it in the rematch with Sharkey. His only other title bout was the blowout rematch with Louis. Floyd made a bunch of title defences but was known for his two blowouts to Liston. I'm not sure if Max's one win over Louis is enough though. Floyd had longetivity on his side as after losing the title, fought on for nine years twice meeting Ali(once for the title). I just talked myself into changing my vote for Patterson.

[The Stone Roses]

Floyd Patterson by a brutal left hook KO....IMO Patterson is greater...youngest heavyweight champ ever at the time....first heavyweight to reclaim the title...i think the manner in which he lost to liston and Ali damaged his legacy....he didn't just lose, he was utterly embarresed and humiliated....but taking nothing away from Patterson, its just that Ali and Liston were on another level

[TheGreatA]

I truly believe that Max Schmeling would have been the first heavyweight to regain the title had he been allowed to fight Jim Braddock for the title.

He didn't deserve to lose his title to Sharkey but then again he didn't deserve to win it on a low blow against Sharkey either.