Is it wrong for me to rank Lennox Lewis as the greatest HW of all time?

[True That]

My top 10 are:



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

[HitmanTommy]

Wait where is Joe Louis? Jack Johnson?

Jack Johnson????????

No point in ranking stone age boxers.

[hugh grant]

I wonder where lennox opponents rank him? What does tyson, vitali, rahman, mercer think of him?

[JakeTheBoxer]

So betaing Holyfield and very old version of Mike Tyson makes you N. 1.?

Wow.

[Roadblock]

I dont see how any fighter that gets KOed twice while in prime can be the greatest of anything let alone all time.

[sunny31]

Yeah I think you're wrong. Head to head I think hes up there, but there are heavyweights with better resumes for one, and secondly I think there are heavyweights (very few) who would beat him on their respective best nights. It is tempting to get enamoured with the size and skill though I'll admit. People like to ignore his lack of inside game though and whilst the chin wasnt glass it was a little bit unreliable. He got out boxed for significant periods against Bruno, Mercer, and the Holyfield rematch, where Evander was still good but past prime.

Not trying to be overly critical, and nearly all the top guys had their ups and downs with performances, losses, etc. hes top 10 on my list. I think he wipes the floor with some of the others in that top 10, but if you weigh everything up hes not number 1, mainly based on opposition beat.

[xxlefthookxx]

If you are talking head-to-head, LL beats any of those guys on his best night, regardless of what they bring to the dance. If you are talking about how great they were in their own era vs the others in their own era, it is a different story. Head to head:
Foreman doesn't belong on the list. Marciano doesn't either. Way too small. Ali would struggle against any of those guys. Save the hate--he didn't fight boxers--he fought come-forward guys like Norton, a dumb fighter in (220 lb) Foreman who punched himself out. Frazier. Tall boxers who fought slow paced, controlled bouts like the Klits and Lewis would be terrible for him.
But...if Joe Louis and Ali were alive today and trained in this era, there is a case that they could rule the roost. Louis could punch, so he could pull a Ruiz vs AJ. Ali could not--he would have to win every big fight by decision.
Interesting debate piece..but in the end we will never know the 'correct' answer.

[Bandman]

Lewis would keep him on the end of a jab all night

Wouldn’t be close

for a few rounds maybe. "all night" ? Naw. if Rahman with his t rex arms decapitated Lennox with a right hand then Wilder would turn his jaw into gold dust. i give it around 8-9 rounds.

[Marchegiano]

I just think that Lennox Lewis when he is completely focused and zoned in is the greatest heavyweight of all time.

1. Lennox
2. Ali
3. Foreman
4.Vitali
5. Holyfield
6. Tyson
7. Holmes
8. Bowe
9. Wlad
10. Marciano

This is fine, nice solid top ten anyone who'd argue against is really just splitting hairs.

Jack Johnson????????

No point in ranking stone age boxers.

I kinda agree, I'm curious why you ranked Marciano or see him as modern though. That's kind of the shift era.

[HitmanTommy]

I'm curious why you ranked Marciano or see him as modern though. That's kind of the shift era.

He retired undefeated. That's good enough to make the top 10.