top 5 greatest heavies based on resume

[JAB5239]

Who are your top 5 heavyweights based on resume wins alone?

This is not set in stone, but mine would look something like this...

1. Ali
2. Louis
3. Langford
4. Jeffries
5. Wills

[IRISH LULLABY]

Who are your top 5 heavyweights based on resume wins alone?

This is not set in stone, but mine would look something like this...

1. Ali
2. Louis
3. Langford
4. Jeffries
5. Wills

That's a brave list, and I have no problems with your inclusions of Langford & Wills in your Top 5 when fighters like Johnson, Lewis & Holmes are more common and regular choices. I guess it all depends how the individual ranks their opponents. How would you justify ranking Jeffries resume above someone like Larry Holmes or even Sonny Liston?

Wills has become grossly underrated through the years - his notable wins include 5 or 6 wins over a 'prime' Sam Langford (he had a few more victories over Langford, although Sam was past his best at that point). He also defeated numerous other top fighters like Sam McVea, Fred Fulton and Joe Jeannette, Luis Angel Firpo, Willie Meehan, Jeff Clark among others. Langford himself boasted a terrific heavyweight resume comprising of many top contenders of his era - Joe Jeannette, Sam McVea, Harry Wills etc However, I think the amount of losses and draws a fighter has incurred must also be taken into consideration when ranking their resumes. How heavily does a fighters losses impact on your decision making in ranking their resume's in order, JAB5239?

Muhammad Ali defeated something like 30 or more Top 10 ranked Heavyweights - I believe more than any other heavyweight in history. His resume includes Hall of Fame Heavies such as Frazier, Foreman, Liston, Patterson and Norton, some of whom are consistently ranked within the Top 20 Heavyweights of All Time. I think Ali's resume is strong enough to be considered alongside P4P greats like Robinson, Langford, Greb etc Joe Louis also defeated a host of 8 HOF's, and defeated close to 30 Top 10 ranked fighters. Also holds the record for most title defenses which could have been alot more than 25 if it hadn't been for the war.

I haven't studied Heavyweight resume's in a while but my Top 5 from the knowledge I have gained over the years would be something like this;

1. Muhammad Ali
2. Joe Louis
3. Sonny Liston
4. Larry Holmes
5. Harry Wills

[JAB5239]

That's a brave list, and I have no problems with your inclusions of Langford & Wills in your Top 5 when fighters like Johnson, Lewis & Holmes are more common and regular choices. I guess it all depends how the individual ranks their opponents. How would you justify ranking Jeffries resume above someone like Larry Holmes or even Sonny Liston?

Wills has becomes grossly underrated through the years - his notable wins include 5 or 6 wins over a 'prime' Sam Langford (he had a few more victories over Langford, although Sam was past his best at that point). He also defeated numerous other top fighters like Sam McVea, Fred Fulton and Joe Jeannette, Luis Angel Firpo, Willie Meehan, Jeff Clark among others. Langford himself boasted a terrific heavyweight resume comprising of many top contenders of his era - Joe Jeannette, Sam McVea, Harry Wills etc

Muhammad Ali defeated something like 30 or more Top 10 ranked Heavyweights - I believe more than any other heavyweight. His resume includes Hall of Fame Heavies such as Frazier, Foreman, Liston, Patterson and Norton, some of whom are consistently ranked within the Top 20 Heavyweights of All Time. I think Ali's resume is strong enough to be considered alongside P4P greats like Robinson, Langford, Greb etc Joe Louis also defeated a host of 8 HOF's, and defeated close to 30 Top 10 ranked fighters. Holds the record for most Title defenses which could have been alot more than 25 if it hadn't been for the war.

I haven't studied Heavyweight resume's in a while but my Top 5 from the knowledge I have gained over the years would be something like this;

1. Muhammad Ali
2. Joe Louis
3. Sonny Liston
4. Larry Holmes
5. Harry Wills

My justification would be quality of wins. While Jeffs career lacked longevity the fighters he did fight were amazing during that period.

I would entertain arguments for Liston as he did clean out his division before getting a shot, but just couldn't rank him above Sam.

Holmes has longevity and an impressive streak of defenses, but he doesn't come close to making the cut in my opinion. Very weak resume considering the fighters he could have fought.

I think arguments can also be made for Johnson, Holyfield and Lewis cracking the top 5 resumes.

[IRISH LULLABY]

My justification would be quality of wins. While Jeffs career lacked longevity the fighters he did fight were amazing during that period.

I would entertain arguments for Liston as he did clean out his division before getting a shot, but just couldn't rank him above Sam.

Holmes has longevity and an impressive streak of defenses, but he doesn't come close to making the cut in my opinion. Very weak resume considering the fighters he could have fought.

I think arguments can also be made for Johnson, Holyfield and Lewis cracking the top 5 resumes.

IMO, Jeffries best wins were over Sharkey, Corbett & Ruhlin. He has Peter Jackson on his resume but that win is comparable to Lewis' win over Tyson - meaning, Jackson was washed up. Larry Holmes had a few notable wins and his longevity as champion tips the scales in his favour when I compare him to someone like Jeffries.

Sonny Liston, as you said, practically cleaned out the division before getting a shot at Patterson. He has wins over Folley, Machen, Patterson (x2), Williams (x2) all of whom were in their prime when Liston cleaned them out. He has many other top contenders on his resume, but just to name a few; Marty Marshall, , Nino Valdes, Roy Harris, Henry Clark, Wayne Bethea. Liston has an immense resume for anyone who is willing to study it in depth because he is often overlooked due to his losses to the young Ali.

Personally, I place a lot of emphasis on longevity in boxing, which is my main reasoning as to why I rank Larry Holmes as highly as I do.

Sorry, I edited my post to include another question.

[JAB5239]

IMO, Jeffries best wins were over Sharkey, Corbett & Ruhlin. He has Peter Jackson on his resume but that win is comparable to Lewis' win over Tyson - meaning, Jackson was washed up. Larry Holmes had a few notable wins and his longevity as champion tips the scales in his favour when I compare him to someone like Jeffries.

No fitz?


Personally, I place a lot of emphasis on longevity in boxing, which is my main reasoning as to why I rank Larry Holmes as highly as I do.

Sorry, I edited my post to include another question.

All time I also put much emphasis on longevity and is a huge reason I rate Holmes so highly. This is a list I did about 2 and a half years ago. I'd probably revamp it again, but if I was basing it soley on resume than Holmes falls quite a bit.

12. frazier
11. Dempsey
10. Marciano
9. Holyfield
8. Liston
7. Tyson
6. Foreman
5. Lewis
4. Johnson
3. Holmes
2. Ali
1. Louis

[IRISH LULLABY]

All time I also put much emphasis on longevity and is a huge reason I rate Holmes so highly. This is a list I did about 2 and a half years ago. I'd probably revamp it again, but if I was basing it soley on resume than Holmes falls quite a bit.

12. frazier
11. Dempsey
10. Marciano
9. Holyfield
8. Liston
7. Tyson
6. Foreman
5. Lewis
4. Johnson
3. Holmes
2. Ali
1. Louis

Interesting list, mate. I think it takes an honest and objective person to modify his conclusions on certain fighters as they gain a greater understanding of their career.

I rank Jeffries wins over Sharkey, Corbett & Ruhlin higher than his wins over Fitzsimmons as I don't consider Fitz to be in his prime - I don't think Bob was totally past prime either, but for a former middleweight at that stage in his career at heavyweight I don't think I can consider him at his best, even though by all accounts he put up a tremendous effort in those fights.

[JAB5239]

Ezzard Charles has a very underrated resume and should surely be in the top 10 of this particular ranking. Anyone disagree?