My top 10 greatest fighters in the history of boxing

[apollocreed]

Dude was a fighter.

Robbed vs Tito and in one of the SSM fights. Was way beyond washed up vs Pac and didn't have any business in there with Hop. DLH was chasing greatness.

Strange people still give Pac props for beating that version of DLH.

He gave it away vs Trinidad, he must have been concerned about Tito’s power to go so negative.
I’m guessing you mean the second Moseley fight, he lost the first one. I’ve not watched the second one but I’ve read that he deserved to lose that too.
He may have been chasing greatness but he didn’t reach ATG level. One of the best of the 90’s, no way of all time.

[apollocreed]

Pre-prison Tyson was a beast. Nobody could touch him.

Erm i’m pretty sure Douglas kicked pre prison Tyson’s ass.
Yeah yeah cue the list of excuses...
He didn’t look great against some guys even at his peak. I’d pick Holyfield to beat any Tyson. He wasn’t Berbick, terrified Spinks or an old, inactive Homes.

[apollocreed]

1. Joe Louis
2. Mayweather
3. Ali
4. Marciano
5. Sugar Ray Robinson
6. Sugar Ray Leonard
7. Duran
8. Lennox
9. Dempsey
10. Iron Mike

Good list, but Tunney was 2 - 0 v Dempsey.

[apollocreed]

Dempsey put Tunney down for 14 seconds in the 2nd fight. The only reason it wasn’t a KO was Dempsey’s silly mistake. I guess it could be argued that Tunney got to his senses before 10 but he seemed to be in dreamland until 9 and I’m not sure he had enough time to stand up and resume his fighting pose. And even if he did he may have been vulnerable to being finished off. I’m not really undermining Tunney’s victory. It takes courage to get off the canvas after a beating like that and win a fight. But the fact that all of this was with a shot Dempsey makes me think he would definitely lose to a prime Dempsey.

A personally think that Hearns won the rematch with Leonard and that Hagler beat both (though Leonard was coming from a lay-off). They had 2 very close fights. (The first fight was the epitome of a come behind victory). Hearns has the better record and fought longer. He also demolished Duran in dominant fashion. He was the first 5 division champ- etc.

The rematch was when they were both well past their best.
I don’t even think of it as being relevant in either of their careers - it was too long after the first one.
They fought when they were both in their primes and Leonard won by TKO.
He was the best of that era imo - he made Duran quit, pushed him in a tough 15 round war in the first fight, and also beat Hagler.
Hagler stopped Hearns in three.
Leonard was the only one with a win over each of the other three. That puts him above Hearns for me.

[Dempsey19]

The rematch was when they were both well past their best.
I don’t even think of it as being relevant in either of their careers - it was too long after the first one.
They fought when they were both in their primes and Leonard won by TKO.
He was the best of that era imo - he made Duran quit, pushed him in a tough 15 round war in the first fight, and also beat Hagler.
Hagler stopped Hearns in three.
Leonard was the only one with a win over each of the other three. That puts him above Hearns for me.

Leonard won by TKO when he was behind on all the cards, it was a very hard fought victory, not a one-sided steamrolling.

I think we disagree on Leonard v Hagler, you think Leonard deserved the nod, I think Hagler did, that probably gives us different opinions on Leonard's ranking.

[Curtis Harper]

He gave it away vs Trinidad, he must have been concerned about Tito’s power to go so negative.
I’m guessing you mean the second Moseley fight, he lost the first one. I’ve not watched the second one but I’ve read that he deserved to lose that too.
He may have been chasing greatness but he didn’t reach ATG level. One of the best of the 90’s, no way of all time.

Hard to put a stamp of approval on most dudes who are considered ''A''TG. Maybe great during their era ? Dudes racking up wins/kos vs subpar opponents.

With DLH vs Tito, that is in the top 3 worst robberies ever. Tito did nothing but miss his punches (I don't recall if he even threw a single combination or body blow).

If you search ''worst boxing decisions'', DLH vs Tito will be near the top.

He fought SSM close in both fights. The robbery fight, the look on SSM face was of complete shock and surprise

He knew he was gifted.

[apollocreed]

Leonard won by TKO when he was behind on all the cards, it was a very hard fought victory, not a one-sided steamrolling.

I think we disagree on Leonard v Hagler, you think Leonard deserved the nod, I think Hagler did, that probably gives us different opinions on Leonard's ranking.

Hearns was stopped by Hagler in three though. Hearns may have been in front v Leonard, but he was still comprehensively stopped.
Leonard beat him fair and square, and it’s not like it was massively one sided anyway. The fight ebbed and flowed with Leonard having lots of good phases.

[apollocreed]

Hard to put a stamp of approval on most dudes who are considered ''A''TG. Maybe great during their era ? Dudes racking up wins/kos vs subpar opponents.

With DLH vs Tito, that is in the top 3 worst robberies ever. Tito did nothing but miss his punches (I don't recall if he even threw a single combination or body blow).

If you search ''worst boxing decisions'', DLH vs Tito will be near the top.

He fought SSM close in both fights. The robbery fight, the look on SSM face was of complete shock and surprise

He knew he was gifted.

Even if DLH got the nod v Trinidad, which he has himself to blame for not doing, I still would no way have him near ATG status.
Amongst the best of the 90’s, that’s it. He beat a lot of guys who were at the end of their careers like Chavez.
You still didn’t say which Moseley fight was supposedly the robbery, i’m guessing it’s the second one, i’ll watch it but I read that was a fair result.

[Blond Beast]

People, it's clearly ''his'' top list, NOT the definitive list.

Instead of mocking it, people should bust out their own.

Well put. Refreshing. People posting like there’s an actual consensus on anything in boxing. Everyone swears they know how sum mythical matchup would go down but they can’t get today’s fights right. I have more respect for someone putting down modern fighters than someone pretending they know exactly how good any of the real old timey fighters are. It’s not like most people on here can name more than Lamotta on Rays record. U can talk bout Willy Grebb but u can’t say who he beat or who the people he beat actually beat to be considered good opponents. What about Tom Cribb? I just want to back u up on ur post.

[Blond Beast]

Erm i’m pretty sure Douglas kicked pre prison Tyson’s ass.
Yeah yeah cue the list of excuses...
He didn’t look great against some guys even at his peak. I’d pick Holyfield to beat any Tyson. He wasn’t Berbick, terrified Spinks or an old, inactive Homes.

Bingo. I drop this story as often as I can but it’s my favourite. Huge Tyson fans as kids, the game, the greatest hits video. My old man saw Tyson v Spinks closed circuit. He hoped Spinks who beat Holmes would give Tyson a challenge and box him. I asked him what happened? He got bitter and said it was over in minutes. I don’t know if Spinks was terrified but my dad said he didn’t like that Spinks said he wasent afraid of Tyson’s power in the locker room. Anywho I felt bad that it wasent competitive and knew if mike smashed everyone it would be good for boxing. I asked him if he thought anyone could beat Mike Tyson? His eyes lit up and he said that there was a guy named Evander Holyfield... He took even money on Holy when they fought. Like u said Tyson never beats Evander. He’s all wrong for him.