Let's say all heavyweight greats were in the same era?

[StarshipTrooper]

I'll put my vote in for Lennox Lewis. I was watching an Ali fight yesterday and I once again thought he didn't look like the greatest heavyweight ever. So feel like picking Lewis today.

It helps to actually know WTF you're looking which apparently you don't.

Poet

[fight_professor]

Whoever did come out on top would seriously suffer for it.

I'll go Ali. Hand on heart, I don't think I've seen anyone who I think would definitely beat him in his prime (Late 1966-1967). I'd like to think that when a heavyweight comes along who probably would beat him I'll be objective (and not senile/stuborn/deluded) enough to acknowledge it.

As heavyweights get bigger and more athletic, there has to be a point at which he'd be simply too small to compete effectively......but not yet!

At the end of the league, Ali would be champ. I tip Larry Holmes for 2nd overall and Tyson for third. No one would go undefeated.

This is not to say Holmes and Tyson are the 2/3 best ever OVERALL, but in h2h match ups, they rank higher.

Louis's chin would cost him against the big punchers.

[Sugarj]

well they are all slow and plodding right now so I guess we have a long ways to go. David Haye has a bit of speed but he's a blown up cruiser or a smaller HW who lifted weights, Wlad and Vitali are slow in my book - although a bit more athletic than typical men their size.

I don't like watching Wlad, but that guy does have some fair handspeed when he lets them go. His reactions and footspeed are deceptively good too.

I don't rate him as one of the best heavyweights, but he isn't bad.

[Sugarj]

Personally I think Lewis is too slow. Bowe would have given Ali the most problems (out of those three) because of, among other things, his versatility. Wlad I think would actually be more of a problem than Lewis as well...but not too much of one. Ernie Terrel was about the same height, just as fast, and could barely touch Ali.

I'm just not optimistic in general about Boxer punchers against Ali, which is why I highlighted Bowe's versatility.

Prime Lewis too slow? Check out the Ruddock and Golota fights, very quick hands. Granted, he got a bit plodding towards the end of his career.

But yea, I don't think we've seen an Ali beater yet. But surely we eventually will...

As for your assertion that Bowe would be his biggest challenge from the guys listed, I'd agree.

[Sugarj]

At the end of the league, Ali would be champ. I tip Larry Holmes for 2nd overall and Tyson for third. No one would go undefeated.

This is not to say Holmes and Tyson are the 2/3 best ever OVERALL, but in h2h match ups, they rank higher.

Louis's chin would cost him against the big punchers.

Yep, Holmes for 2nd place wouldn't be a bad bet.

[rightsideup]

ali in his prime which would have been in the middle of his exile which would not have occured in this fictional tourny

[nomadman]

well they are all slow and plodding right now so I guess we have a long ways to go. David Haye has a bit of speed but he's a blown up cruiser or a smaller HW who lifted weights, Wlad and Vitali are slow in my book - although a bit more athletic than typical men their size.

Haye and other "blown up cruiserweights" would have been considered large heavyweights in Louis's day, and giants in Johnson's day.

[nomadman]

I don't like watching Wlad, but that guy does have some fair handspeed when he lets them go. His reactions and footspeed are deceptively good too.

Indeed. He's very much an exception though. Fury, Dimitrenko, Helenius, Wach, Ustinov etc are all very much from the same lumbering giant mold that we've seen throughout history; and Vitali isn't exactly Mr. Fluidity either.

Price and Wilder might be in a similar category, but it's too early to tell given the limited opposition they've fought thus far.

[New England]

Indeed. He's very much an exception though. Fury, Dimitrenko, Helenius, Wach, Ustinov etc are all very much from the same lumbering giant mold that we've seen throughout history; and Vitali isn't exactly Mr. Fluidity either.

Price and Wilder might be in a similar category, but it's too early to tell given the limited opposition they've fought thus far.

price is not fleet. i like him, but he's not supremely athletic.

and wilder sucks at boxing

[nomadman]

price is not fleet. i like him, but he's not supremely athletic.

For a big man I think he's closer to Wlad than the others. Good handspeed, balance, coordination etc.

and wilder sucks at boxing

You've changed your tune! What about all this NBA athleticism you kept going on about?