Prime Holyfield Top 3 All Time

[juggernaut666]

it actually pains me replying to your post, because you know nothing about the sport. You make ridiculous assumptions and are convinced in your own mind that they are factual and correct. When the truth is, that you are completely wrong!

I said Holyfield was the most dominant Heavyweight in the world for nearly a decade... you have replied with this ".he was not the most dominant HW for a decade,Lewis was ".....

Evander Holyfield won the undisputed Heavyweight Championship of the World 25/10/1990 from James Douglas. He defeanded that title against Foreman, Holmes Bert Cooper and lost it to Rid**** Bowe 13/11/1992 Holyfield regained the title (The man who beat the man) 06/11/1993.. Holyfield lost the title to Moorer 1994 regained it from Tyson in 1996 gained revenge by beating Moorer in 97 and Tyson in 97.. Holyfield then was fortunate to get a draw against Lennox Lewis in 99 then unfortunate to lose a decsion to Lewis in November 1999..... That is a Decade in my book!

Lennox Lewis - Took a belt (WBC) out of trash can and is awarded WBC Champion 14/01/1993 Lewis defends that belt against Tucker, Jackson, Bruno then gets poleaxed by journeyman Oliver McCall 24/09/1994.. Lewis then fights the likes of Lionel Butler, Justin Fortune, Morrison (HIV) Mercer before fighting McCall who is straight out of a drug rehab for a vacant WBC belt 07/02/1997 in a farcical bout... Mike Tyson was considered the real World Champion at this time. Holyfield knocks out Tyson... How can you possible claim Lennox to be the most "Dominant" champion of the 1990-1999 period?...
During the period of 1990-1999 we had Holmes (WBO) Foreman, Moorer, Tyson, Sanders, Bowe, Hide, Seldon all holding versions of the world title... Lennox Lewis fought none of them during that time... Holyfield fought 7 times against them.

Yet you claim Lewis to be the dominant Heavyweight of that period

More proof who the biased CRY baby is that's why I posted to show who the troll king really is or one of them.Thnx..Funny thing is at lesast two other posters had Holyfield where I listed him at around 5 or 6 that's because your to fixated on ******ity and you are the one who really lacks ability to debate....you cant even comprehend holyfield losing to Bowe twice eliminates him from being the most dominate boxer in the 90's. The FACT Lewis beat Holyfield also and logically TWICE despite what you wish to believe makes this convo/debate even more ridiculous. add into the obvious Lewis AGENDA you have while Holyfield fought guys like Bobby Chyz " who NEVER fought as a HW prior to that" Lewis was beating up Golota and Morrison two actual HW's and good ones at the time..

[sonnyboyx2]

My list would go like this:

1. Ali
2. Louis
3. Holmes
4. Foreman
5. Lewis
6. Holyfield
7. Liston
8. Frazier
9. Tyson
10. Wlad/Bowe/Marciano (probably wlad if he keeps it up)

I rank based on accomplishments, H2H ability and consistency. Ali gets the nod in both categories over all, IMO.

Do you seriously believe Lennox Lewis would stand any chance of beating ANY of the 9 fighters you have listed above?.... Who is Lewis greatest career win?... Who did Lewis ever beat who could beat those fighters??....Who did Lewis ever beat who was "At the top of their game"???...Do you truthfully believe any version of Lewis beats the 1960 version of Sonny Liston?.. the 1978 version of Larry Holmes??.. the 1986 version of Mike Tyson??... the 67 version of Frazier??? ... the 73 version of Foreman??? etc.

[soul_survivor]

Evander Holyfield - 4 times Heavyweight Champion & undisputed Cruiserweight World Champion.. Evander could box, he could brawl, he was the roughest of the toughest. his 3 bouts with Rid**** Bowe prove his worth, his two bouts with Mike Tyson proved his toughness. His bouts with Foreman, Holmes, Dokes & Mercer showcased his boxing abilities. His war of attrition bouts with Dwight Qawi & Bert Cooper showed his relentless will to win..He was the dominant Heavyweight on the planet for a decade. Evander Holyfield is a Top 3 All time Great Heavyweight his resume proof of his ability... Tyson, Dempsey, Johnson, Lewis, Liston, Wlad, Foreman all good fighters but not worthy of the No3 position over Evander Holyfield.

1/. Mihammad Ali
2/. Joe Louis
3/. Evander Holyfield

In my refined greatest ever heavyweight list (find it here: http://www.boxingscene.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=659057), I have Holyfield at 3 and can't see it any other way but I don't have Louis at two, that belongs to Foreman. Ali is obviously in a class of his own at 1.

Keeping with Holyfield, from the moment he beat Buster douglas in '90, to the Bowe loss two years later, Holyfield was THE premier heavyweight on the planet. Holy managed to over turn that loss, go on to beat Tyson and then Moorer in a rematch, all of this on the wrong side of 30, once again becoming the premier heavyweight on the planet. 2 stints in the 90s as the man, he was the best of the 90s. All the while fighting some big men and never truly being completely dominated.

Tyson had a more spectacular time at the top and Lewis was a supreme defensive thinker but neither man had the consistency, longevity, bravery or entertainment value that Holy brought, in a division better than the post-Ali state of the 80s.

[soul_survivor]

Do you seriously believe Lennox Lewis would stand any chance of beating ANY of the 9 fighters you have listed above?.... Who is Lewis greatest career win?... Who did Lewis ever beat who could beat those fighters??....Who did Lewis ever beat who was "At the top of their game"???...Do you truthfully believe any version of Lewis beats the 1960 version of Sonny Liston?.. the 1978 version of Larry Holmes??.. the 1986 version of Mike Tyson??... the 67 version of Frazier??? ... the 73 version of Foreman??? etc.

Lewis would beat Liston, come on.
With Holmes it's a 51/49 kinda fight, how can you be so sure either beats the other consistently?

[jiopsi]

One of those fighters I would rate from career pov higher than from prime pov, definitely not in top 10 prime fighters.

[IronDanHamza]

I think very possibly yes.

Top 5 minimum.

[sonnyboyx2]

Lewis would beat Liston, come on.
With Holmes it's a 51/49 kinda fight, how can you be so sure either beats the other consistently?

Yes Liston without a doubt, If McCall & Rahman can smash Lewis lamp then Liston of 60 smashes it into a thousand pieces.. Who did Lewis beat who was better than 1960 version of Sonny Liston???..

[The Old LefHook]

The third greatest heavyweight ever was KO'd by Jim Toney, thumped by Moorer and mastered by Bowe?

He fought everyone who would fight, though. No one can take that away. He had a full beard and a belly full of guts. I wish all heavyweight champs were so willing. There was some roundness to his game as well.

Being a medium puncher was a handicap at heavyweight he had to make up for with something else. He did that.

I believe Ali, Foreman, Liston and Dempsey would beat him almost every time. Ali would have the most trouble with him of that group. Their punch is about the same and they both have titanium beards. Ali's speed advantage of foot and mitt is partially nullified because Pedvander has better than medium holdings in those departments. The one handed Frazier is a close call.

Tunney, Louis, Marciano and Tyson have about equal chances against Holyfield. I could give reasons for each. Holmes could go in this group. Marciano might even lose, especially on cuts. We know the Brockton blockbuster could take a great punch, now we will see how he is at taking the headbutts of a man on steroids. I might pick Kenny Norton against him as well. He was probably lucky he never got to face Ike Ibeabuchi. But that goes for quite a few besides Holy..

I see him beating L. Lewis and Vlad the impaler. Pedvander is exactly the man to land the deadly and feared combinations on the impaler and take him out like Sanders did.

Though one could devise a scenario where Patterson whips young Foreman, the expected will usually happen based on good evidence. In those cases where the unexpected is needed, Holyfield is your guy. If extra will is called for, he will have it. If acceptance of great pain is necessary, he accepts. He gives everything and comes out of his fights looking like he was just interrogated by the CIA.

All the guys we try to rate are close. Otherwise why bother? It's the usual suspects in the lineup. Holyfield is a floater in those ATG rankings. You could say that of all of them. For a boxer that is probably enough. Even Ali has no permanent residence.

[young_robbed]

Do you seriously believe Lennox Lewis would stand any chance of beating ANY of the 9 fighters you have listed above?.... Who is Lewis greatest career win?... Who did Lewis ever beat who could beat those fighters??....Who did Lewis ever beat who was "At the top of their game"???...Do you truthfully believe any version of Lewis beats the 1960 version of Sonny Liston?.. the 1978 version of Larry Holmes??.. the 1986 version of Mike Tyson??... the 67 version of Frazier??? ... the 73 version of Foreman??? etc.

ok I know how you feel about Lennox Lewis. No need to beat a ****ing dead horse.

I think Lennox would have a legitimate chance against Holmes, Tyson, Liston and Frazier. To be honest he would stand a chance against any HW ever.

What you need to accept is that Lewis had a unique combination of speed, power, accuracy, boxing IQ and size. He would be bigger against most of the HWs that I have on that list which is an important advantage in itself.

[sonnyboyx2]

ok I know how you feel about Lennox Lewis. No need to beat a ****ing dead horse.

I think Lennox would have a legitimate chance against Holmes, Tyson, Liston and Frazier. To be honest he would stand a chance against any HW ever.

What you need to accept is that Lewis had a unique combination of speed, power, accuracy, boxing IQ and size. He would be bigger against most of the HWs that I have on that list which is an important advantage in itself.

Your wrong in that "you don't know how i feel about Lennox Lewis".. i am very fair on Lewis and treat him just like any other boxer, but what is ridiculous is people like yourself who have this imaginary opinion that Lewis was some kind of destroyer... That Lewis possessed incredible speed of hand, a ramrod jab and boxing skills to rival Floyd Mayweather.. which is plain idiotic.. Lewis possessed none of those qualities, his jab was nothing other than a paw. his footwork was that of a camel. his boxing skills were virtually nonexistant and consisted of a jab, right-hand bomb... now if you feel i am incorrect, then please tell me which fights of Lewis i can watch so as to see as you describe, "a unique combination of speed, power, accuracy, boxing IQ and size"... against an opponent the equal of those you listed above...

This mythical, imaginary perception of Lennox Lewis borders on laughable... i even read how many many people rate him to be the greatest heavyweight who ever lived... i can only put it down to youth, and never ever seeing Lewis career unfold...You are like many others who "REFUSE TO ANSWER" The question i have put to you. so i will ask you one more time.

Question - Who has Lennox Lewis ever beaten, who could beat any of the 9 fighters you listed above?

You claim Lewis would be bigger than any of the Heavyweights listed on your list... But he was bigger than both McCall & Rahman?

Are we to forget about the McCall & Rahman KO defeats?

Are we going to just say, " It was a lucky punch"

The referee counted to fast..
Lewis was not focused

Lewis was a decent heavyweight who had a good career, but young people who never seen his career unfold and who rate him as high as No1 - No3 are doing boxing history an injustice...