When was the Heavyweight division the strongest...

[DarkTerror88]

1970s

Ali Frazier Quarry in the beginning.
Foreman Lyle Norton Shavers in the middle parts.

Young and Holmes inthe end

Most of these guys fought eachother.

My personal favorites being Foreman vs Lyle, FoTC and Frazier Quarry I

[Stallone60]

Nuthug Tyson much?

Poet

Nuthug Joe Louis much?

[lazy]

Probably during the 70's.

[StarshipTrooper]

Nuthug Joe Louis much?

Considering the dozens of posts I've made the past month explaining why Louis ISN'T the Heavyweight GOAT, that would be an emphatic NO.

Poet

[Forza]

2005 to current. I'm talking about real HW's not chubby 5'11 bums

[Cloud]

The 90's were awesome but the 70's will always be the best time for the heavyweight division.

So many wasted talents in the 90's...

[young_robbed]

I know most will say the early '70's but the early to mid '90's were pretty strong, too... And if Tyson hadn't gone to jail it would've been the best IMO...

You just answered your own question.

The 70s had 4 All-Time-Greats in Ali, Foreman, Frazier, and Holmes. And they also had many other strong contenders and very good fighters.

The 90s had Tyson, Bowe, And Lewis. Maybe the division was slightly deeper. I don't think so, really.

They are close in quality no doubt, but if I had to go with one I would pick the 70s based on how many good fighters there were..

[Mintcar923]

You just answered your own question.

The 70s had 4 All-Time-Greats in Ali, Foreman, Frazier, and Holmes. And they also had many other strong contenders and very good fighters.

The 90s had Tyson, Bowe, And Lewis. Maybe the division was slightly deeper. I don't think so, really.

They are close in quality no doubt, but if I had to go with one I would pick the 70s based on how many good fighters there were..

So Holyfield doesn't belong on your '90's list?

The 90's rivaled the 70's as far as ATG's are concerned but OP got it right as far as wasted talent. Tyson went to jail too many times in addition to losing his license for a couple of years. Bowe went downhill quick. Evander had some medical problems in the early part of the decade. And Lewis hadn't really come of age, yet...

Furthermore, there were other good fighters such as Moorer, Mercer, Morrison, Briggs, Ibeabuchi, and Tua...

[Terry A]

1970s

Ali Frazier Quarry in the beginning.
Foreman Lyle Norton Shavers in the middle parts.

Young and Holmes inthe end

Most of these guys fought eachother.

My personal favorites being Foreman vs Lyle, FoTC and Frazier Quarry I

Besides all the great names you've mentioned, also throw in Jimmy Ellis & Oscar Bonavena. Floyd Patterson, while in the twilight of his career, was also active in the early 1970's.

The 1970's also had a large number of "white hopes"....George Chuvalo, Gerrie Coetzee, Duane Bobick, Kallie Knoetze, Boone Kirkman & Joe Bugner. Gerry Cooney & Randy Cobb were also active in the 1970's, although Cooney & Cobb had their best outings in the 1980's.

The 1970's were the Golden Era of Heavyweight Boxing.

[Perfect Plex]

The 70's and can it even be debated?

Muhhamad Ali
Joe Frazier
George Foreman
Larry Holmes
Ken Norton
Earnie Shavers
Jerry Quarry
Floyd Paterson
Ron Lyle
Jimmy Young
Oscar Bonavena
Jimmy Ellis
George Chuvalo

Look at the fights you had
Ali vs Frazier I, II, III
Foreman vs Frazier I & II
Ali vs Foreman
Foreman vs Lyle
Ali vs Norton I, II, III
Holmes vs Shavers I
Ali vs Quarry I & II
Lyle vs Shavers
Frazier vs Quarry
Ali vs Young
Shavers vs Ali
Quarry vs Frazier

Unbelivable!