The Top 25 Light Heavyweights of All-Time – 11 to 25

[Silencers]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Charles yet, to me he's the best light heavy of all time.

[Thread Stealer]

I always enjoy reading Rold's lists and analysis of fighters' standing, but I'm a little surprised at how low Harold Johnson is.

[jrosales13]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Charles yet, to me he's the best light heavy of all time.

Ezzard Charles was great. Nobody would give him a title shot at LHW. I can;t believe he slipped my mind. I can't believe nobody ahs mentioned him either. Great job on your part. Everybody is to focus on where Roy Jones is placed to worry about the old school.

[Silencers]

Ezzard Charles was great. Nobody would give him a title shot at LHW. I can;t believe he slipped my mind. I can't believe nobody ahs mentioned him either. Great job on your part. Everybody is to focus on where Roy Jones is placed to worry about the old school.

Yeah, great fighter. Virtually fought a who's who of light heavyweights and more often than not came out the victor.

[HeartAttack]

Monzon at LHW?

I meant Rondon, but he wouldn't really warrant inclusion after more contemplation.

[TheGreatA]

I always enjoy reading Rold's lists and analysis of fighters' standing, but I'm a little surprised at how low Harold Johnson is.

Agreed. I'd probably have him top 10, above Roy Jones. I don't have any problem with Jones not being in the top 10.

[JAB5239]

This was my top ten awhile ago but I would probably reaarange it some now. Tear it down mofos!!

Alright, this is my first actual 175 top 10 that I've put a bit of time into. Its actually alot different than past ones I've put together with fighters I thought I knew about. Tell me what you think, and if you have one yourself, post it. Constructive criticism welcome.

1. Archie Moore -185-23-11(131) More career ko's than any fight in history. Fought such names as durelle, Maxim, Lowry, Lytell, chase, Holman Williams, Marshall, Johnson, satterfield and Johnson.

2. Gene Tunney -81-1-3(48) fought some of the best fighters in history, some multiple times. Has such greats on his resume as Greb, Carpentier, Delaney, Levinski and Loughran. Moved up to heavyweight and beat Jack Dempsey twice.

3. Ezzard charles - 90-25-1(51) In my opinion p4p the best guy on the list. Beat fighters such as Moore, Marshall, Maxim and Bivins. Was also a heavyweight champion.

4. Tommy Gibbons - 94-5-3(48) Fought a who's who of great fighters from the early twentieth century including Kid Norfolk, Tunney, Greb, Carpentier, Miske, Levinski and Meehan.

5. Bob Foster - 56-8-1(46) In my opinion the hardest hitting fighter ever below heavyweight. His comp wasn't as good as most on this list, but he was 15-0 in lightheavy title fights. capeable of beating any fighter on this list IMO.

6. Micheal Spinks - 31-1(21) Won gold at the 1976 olympics. Held the title 4 years before moving up to beat Larry Holmes for the heavyweight championship. Beat top lightheavies John Conteh, Eddie Mustapha Muhammed, Qawi, Lopez and Johnson.

7. Billy Conn - 64-12-1(15) Conn is another fighter I rank relatively high p4p. He was an excellent middleweight before moving up to 175, and almost beat Joe Louis in a bid for the heavyweight title. Fought such notable fighters at 175 as gus Lesnivich, Bettina, Krieger, and Freddie Apostoli.

8. Tommy Loughran - 116-30-13(17) One of the best fighters of the roaring twenties. Fought the great Harry Greb to a draw. Also fough such top fighters from that period Young Stribling, Jimmy Slattery, McTigue, Delaney and Carpentier.

9. Mike McTigue - 108-46-13(52) The only fighter on this list not in the Hall of fame, and still somewhat of a question mark in my mind. But Mctigue fought a who's who of his era with mixed result. Among some of the names are Levinski, Loughran, siki, Stribling, Walker, Flower and Delaney.

10. Philidelphia Jack O'Brien - 134-11-23(54) Another question mark in my opinion, but I have seen him ranked highly by some notable historians. Made his bones against some top fighters from the early 20th century. Marvin Hart, who would go on to win the heavyweight title. Peter Maher and Joe choynski who were both rated fighter at 175b and heavy. And he also fought the great Jack Johnson to a draw while being out weighed by almost 45lbs.

[BennyST]

The only guy I was honestly surprised at being so low was in fact the last guy on that list, Virgil Hill.

While he did certainly get beaten by arguably the best fighters he faced, he also had an incredible run and was a great LHW.

I personally think he was a hell of a lot better LHW than Jones, based on accomplishment not skill. Obviously he lost by brutal body shot but the run he had at LHW was far superior to that of Jones and many other LHW's.



Very surprised. Other than that, great job as usual Cliff. Always enjoy them. The LHW division had some stunning fighters over its history and I can see the top five being highly debatable and difficult to do. Moore, Charles, Foster......etc etc etc. Great division full of brilliant fighters.

Just out of curiosity Cliff, with the amount of defenses against top fighters that Hill had, how does he rate that low? With Jones fighting some rather sub-par defenses there too, you would think they would be closer or something....I don't know.

Surely Hill has possibly the most defenses at LHW. I can't remember right now but I know it was something like twenty along with unifying the titles and beating some really fine, undefeated champs etc. Two time champion.

[JAB5239]

The only guy I was honestly surprised at being so low was in fact the last guy on that list, Virgil Hill.

While he did certainly get beaten by arguably the best fighters he faced, he also had an incredible run and was a great LHW.

I personally think he was a hell of a lot better LHW than Jones, based on accomplishment not skill. Obviously he lost by brutal body shot but the run he had at LHW was far superior to that of Jones and many other LHW's.



Very surprised. Other than that, great job as usual Cliff. Always enjoy them. The LHW division had some stunning fighters over its history and I can see the top five being highly debatable and difficult to do. Moore, Charles, Foster......etc etc etc. Great division full of brilliant fighters.

Just out of curiosity Cliff, with the amount of defenses against top fighters that Hill had, how does he rate that low? With Jones fighting some rather sub-par defenses there too, you would think they would be closer or something....I don't know.

I've always been an advocate of Hill's. But Jones DID unify. Big difference there in my opinion.

[BennyST]

[/B]

I've always been an advocate of Hill's. But Jones DID unify. Big difference there in my opinion.

Yes, but so did Hill and with the other main champion at that before losing to Dariusz is his last LHW title fight. Jones unified only one more belt, but never did it against his main opponent in Dariusz.

Most considered Maske the other main LHW champion at that time.

There was Hill with the WBA, Dariius with the WBO and Maske with the IBF and I think it was McCallum for a couple of years with the WBC. All of this is before Jones came on the scene as Hill was finished as LHW when Jones won his first title, then beating Hill in Hill's last LHW fight.

Unifying against all but the most important challenger is obviously great but is still lacking. Hill at least partially unified against the other top guy while Darius was still considered a young, prospective champion. So, it wasn't that much difference really.