My alltime heavyweight top 25. Whats yours?

[Bodyshot3]

No real quibbles with the this to be honest....just a couple of observations.

Marciano looks a wee bit low in the top ten (maybe 7 or 8) and for sheer longevity of rule Vitali needs to have a top 25 spot.

Maybe Patterson makes it as well?

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

11. Joe Frazier
12. Harry Wills
13. Jack Dempsey
14. Jim Jeffries
15. Ezzard Charles
17. Sam Langford
18. Wladimir Klitschko
19. Joe Walcott
20. Max Schmeling

21. Ken Norton
22. Rid**** Bowe
23. Max Baer
24. Jim Corbett
25. Gene Tunney

[Panamaniac]

Berbick not being Frazier or Norton is not Tyson's fault and should not detract from the magnitude or quality of a KO victory that made him the youngest to capture the heavyweight title.

Sure it does. The quality of the opponent you knock out is always going to factor. You don't get credit for a spectacular KO over a high-grade fighter when get a spectacular KO over a club-level fighter.

Poet

Are you implying that Berbick was a club-level fighter?

[rightsideup]

Are you implying that Berbick was a club-level fighter?

Trevor was pretty durable but inconsistent I was impressed by Tyson's ko of him.

[StarshipTrooper]

Are you implying that Berbick was a club-level fighter?

I'm not implying it, I'm saying flat-out he was a club-level fighter.

Poet

[Panamaniac]

I'm not implying it, I'm saying flat-out he [Trevor Berbick] was a club-level fighter.

Poet

Thanks to you, I've now learned that club-level fighters contend, fight for, gain, defend and retain world championships at world-class venues.

That I may gain perspective with my newly-acquired knowledge, indulge me the following question: Were all of Mike Tyson's wins against "club-level" fighters? If not, who is/are the exception(s)?

[StarshipTrooper]

Thanks to you, I've now learned that club-level fighters contend, fight for, gain, defend and retain world championships at world-class venues.

That I may gain perspective with my newly-acquired knowledge, indulge me the following question: Were all of Mike Tyson's wins against "club-level" fighters? If not, who is/are the exception(s)

Were all of Tyson's fights against Trevor Berbick? No? Then no all of Tyson's fights weren't against club-level fighters now were they? Tucker, Smith, and Thomas were far better fighters than Berbick.

And yes, club-level fighter do get to fight for titles sometimes and in an era where the top contenders are squandering their talents on buffets and blow they sometimes luck into wins too. Even club-level fighters like Berbick can win a belt if the the belt holder can't be assed to train and comes in out of shape and overweight.

[HOUDINI563]

All time top ten:

Ali
Louis
Holmes
Lewis
Foreman
Johnson
Tyson
Dempsey
Tunney
Marciano

To the poster who rates Wills alongside of Johnson .....film footage shows Johnson wayyyy ahead of Wills in terms of boxing ability. Wills was not an impressive performer based upon the evidence on hand. Add to this that Wills is rarely spoken of in the same breath as Johnson by those who watch both men fight live from ringside. Arcel who did see Wills in action stated he was a "good journeyman".