How long at the top?

[wmute]

As the dominant fighter of the last (not so) few years finally looked old (to me at least), I pondered a bit on the lenght of his career, and that of other greats. How many fighters won/succesfully defended titles at more than 15 years distance? off the top of my head

George Foreman
Roberto Duran
Bernard Hopkins
Manny Pacquiao
Floyd Mayweather Jr.

who am I missing?

[BKM-2010]

James Toney I believe. Evander Holyfield, maybe Thomas Hearns.

[Bundana]

Virgil Hill

[BattlingNelson]

Wladimir Klitschko will have 15 years next year.

[LacedUp]

Wladimir Klitschko will have 15 years next year.

That's only if you count the WBO, which it wasn't really at the time or now for that matter.

Muhammad Ali won the belt in Feb '64 and retired with it in Sep '78, so he misses it by a whisker.

[BattlingNelson]

That's only if you count the WBO, which it wasn't really at the time or now for that matter.

That's your opinion. Others might think differently.

My post fits well into the premissis of the OP.

[LacedUp]

That's your opinion. Others might think differently.

My post fits well into the premissis of the OP.

I feel 'title' is a legit world title, but yes, that is my opinion.

Otherwise we can add all of the NYSAC/NBAW as well as IBA/IBO/WBU and whatever else they are called to it as well, which would make the significance of the question lose it's meaning.

But I guess only OP can explain his criteria? 'titles' I suppose can be all titles.

[billeau2]

As the dominant fighter of the last (not so) few years finally looked old (to me at least), I pondered a bit on the lenght of his career, and that of other greats. How many fighters won/succesfully defended titles at more than 15 years distance? off the top of my head

George Foreman
Roberto Duran
Bernard Hopkins
Manny Pacquiao
Floyd Mayweather Jr.

who am I missing?

How long did Joe Louis defend his title?

[Weltschmerz]

That's only if you count the WBO, which it wasn't really at the time or now for that matter.

Muhammad Ali won the belt in Feb '64 and retired with it in Sep '78, so he misses it by a whisker.

The WBO is one of the major four.

[LacedUp]

The WBO is one of the major four.

It's more like the last half of the major 3.5,

Regardless, Wlad made that belt at heavyweight, it wasn't regarded more than what the IBO is today, which is a non-belt really. Wlad wasn't considered a heavyweight champion back when he won it because the guys who had been fighting for it were guys like Tommy Morrison and Herbie Hide - In other words the B and C level fighters of the heavyweight division.

I'm sure nobody in their right mind would call Herbie Hide, "the former heavyweight champ of the world".

But that is just my opinion, others are welcome to disagree.