heavyweight best boxers of all time heavyweight best boxers of all time

Simple yet effective. Rocky Marciano: With the highest knockout percentage of all heavyweight champions and boasting wins over such greats as Archie Moore, Jersey Joe Walcott, Joe Louis and Ezzard Charles, the undefeated "Brockton Blockbuster" proved himself a remarkable warrior. The Tyson of the late 80s definitely belongs there. Yeah the same one who lost his title to a light heavy? Holmes destroying Tyson? Fury has made a case to be considered one of the best heavyweights ever, but just how good is he? His defense was just as impressive as his offensive skills. For example against Sonny Liston, he was moving a lot, making him miss and countering him. As one of the world's greatest boxers of all time, Roberto Duran had 31 consecutive wins before he stepped into the ring with Ken Buchanan in 1972 for his first shot at the title. In 2005, Joe Louis was named the greatest heavyweight of all time by the International Boxing Research Organization. "I'm fighting to be the greatest fighter ever, not to be the best pound-for-pound right now," Jones said. That way he stopped the punches even before they were thrown. The 20 Greatest Athletes of all Time Even so, Wills holds wins over a host of top heavyweights including Luis Firpo, Big Bill Tate, Kid Norfolk, Sam Langford, Billy Miske, Sam McVea, Battling Siki, and the also criminally underrated Joe Jeannette. The Jeffries fight was a huge event, but I didnt think this a popularity contest and I dont know how to explain that a 6-year retired ex-champion could be considered one of a guys best wins. A metropolis where hundreds of young warriors train and battle each day in its many gyms, it is where Archie Moore, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and Bernard Hopkins all found greatness. Salesmanship? 12. Larry Holmes (1973-2002, 69-6-0): 330.3, 13. Top 12 All-Time Greatest Welterweight Fights, Top 12 All-Time Greatest Muhammad Ali Performances, Top 12 All-Time Greatest Heavyweight Punchers, Top 12 Reasons Why Muhammad Ali Is Forever The Greatest. Tyson would have torn apart Holmes in any era. He boasts solid wins over David Tua, Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Tommy Morrison, Ray Mercer and Vitali Klitschko. Tyson was a combination puncher who liked head-body-head combos and has a knockout power in both his hands. But Wladimir beat better boxers and has much more title defenses and thats why is ranked higher in this list. And those are things you cant see very often back then. Jack Dempsey 7 5 It may well be that the best defense is a good offense, and Tyson had been an unstoppable force when coming forward, but he was lost when things didnt go his way. Nor did he obliterate a mediocre Tony Tucker, both title fights in 1987. Foremans last 10 opponents were unbeaten or just had 1 loss. Frazier was a very carefully managed fighter who could not win against power punchers. This site is owned and operated by Dimitar Ivanov. Sonny Liston a brawler. That way he was nullifying the reach and height advantages of his opponents. Zora Folley (1953-1970, 79-11-6): 134.3, 35. But such punches are very easy to be seen because they require building huge momentum. Holmes was 38 when he fought a 21-year-old, peak Tyson, same age as Ali was when he fought Holmes. Holyfields great defensive skills and toughness allowed him to withstand Tysons punches and eventually to knock him out inthe 11th round (in their first fight). Of course, there are somesimilarities in the styles of the two brothers. Kudos on not putting Tyson in the top 12. Antonio Cervantes 69. Couldnt agree more. Arturo Gatti (1972- 2009): Arturo Gatti was born in Cassino, Italy, but moved to Montreal as a child and . In his short prime, Tyson is a serious challenge for anyone. Jimmy Ellis (1961-1975,. Roscoe Toles (1931-1950, 45-10-6): 140.1, 31. He peaked early, lost Cus DAmato, then lost all focus because he was very immature. A more intelligent fighter and harder puncher than Ali. Really? Joe Louis The brown bomber, was a mix of several boxing styles. No iron Mike on top of the list? Essentially, had he entered the UFC at his best, he'd probably be considered their greatest Heavyweight of all time. Brawlers are willing to take a punch so they can land one. Look at Tyson get hammered (YOUNGER than Larry Holmes) in his last two fights against journeymen. In boxing history, Gerald Arthur Cooney came as the one who gave contenders the most powerful punches. Big George knocked the hell out of Frazier twice and Smoking Joe is ranked over Foreman? And both components of his fighting game have been on display in all three of his fights against Deontay Wilder one of boxings biggest punchers of all time and his unanimous decision points win over Wladimir Klitschko. Foreman 5. Tyson should be on here all right. And Ali proved himself the best of them all. 33 Ted (Kid) Lewis. 11. DANNY WILLIAMS who LOST 27 fights knocked out a 38 year-old Tyson in 4 rounds. how could you possible list frazier ahead of foreman, that is crazy, simply because foreman DESTROYED him twice. Lennox Lewis: Defeats to Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman, both of which he avenged with emphatic wins, do not obscure the fact that Lewis was the dominant heavyweight of the 1990s. A fearsome puncher no doubt, but see Holyfield above. Pro boxing record: 23 wins (20 knockouts). A peak Tyson could not obliterate a mediocre Bonecrusher Smith, who had limited counter punching skills. Smokin Joe was an absolute buzzsaw. Riddick Bowe Although he didnt make the list, it doesnt mean he isnt a major problem for the legends at the top of this list. The next time he changed levels like he is going to throw a body shot, but then he sprang up with a hook to the head. No one better to learn from. The vast majority of boxing historians consider Joe Louis to be the greatest puncher of all time. Shane Mosley couldnt beat Vernon Forrest, but who had the better career? (Legal and Illegal Clinching). But strictly off resume, he belongs closer to the bottom of this list than to the top. Reviled early on in his championship reign, he eventually became nothing less than an American icon. He nearly lost twice to Ringo Bonevena and was bitch-slapped by Foreman. Maybe thats not the most exciting boxing style but its definitely really effective when it comes to winning, without taking much damage. Evander Holyfield should be top ten. What time is Shevchenko vs. Grasso tonight? No way. He ended up beating the defending champion to clinch the world lightweight title. Jack Dempsey: Fast, aggressive and powerful, The Manassa Mauler revolutionized boxing with his swarming, all-action style. Today I saw alacrity used correctly (perfectly, for that matter). However, Vitalis style was much more entertaining to watch and he was much more appreciated by the fans. Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis didnt fear Tyson and were able to subsequently bully the bully. At twenty, he couldve beaten anyone on the list EXCEPT Ali. He had one of the best jabs in boxing history. So in order to beat such fighter, Holyfield had to fight from the inside. His fight against Gane for the vacant heavyweight title is the headline event of UFC . Also, this is a ranking of the greatest boxers and not of the best ones. 29 Bob Fitzsimmons. So he was a thought matchup for everyone. Rocky Maricano, Riddick Bowe, Jersey Joe Walcott, Floyd Patterson, Wladimir Klitschko, Ken Norton, Chris Byrd, Archie Moore, and Ron Lyle. Sonny Liston: In the late 50s and early 60s Liston devastated the division with knockouts over Cleveland Williams, Nino Valdes, Roy Harris, Zora Folley and Eddie Machen, before taking the title from Floyd Patterson in 1962. Cant understand this fixation with Tyson, all these guys mop the floor with Tyson. Signature technique:Lazy Jab -> Powerful cross to the head. Tyson would have destroyed a peak Holmes. 49-0! He was 61 tall, but his reach was really impressive (84 in). The top 10 heavyweights of all time Matt Christie lists the history's finest heavyweights 1. Signature technique:Exit the clinch with an explosive lead hook. He was known for his deadly hitting power throughout his famous boxing career. Jersey Joe Walcott (1930-1953, 50-20-1): 261.7, 16. Feel free to add your thoughts and comments! Holyfield, for example, beat Tyson twice. Then he threw a wide, almost straight elbowed right overhand over the top. Most of the knockout blows came from his right hand. Jack Johnson is too high. Max Baer, Max Schmeling, James J. Braddock and Jersey Joe Walcott all felt Louis wrath. Terence Crawford 63. Frazier at #6 ABOVE Foreman? The combination is very tricky becauseby attacking the body first, he made his rivals lower their guards so they can block the body shots. Primo Carnera (1928-1946, 89-14-0): 111.2 48. Do people not know that Lewis beat Tyson in 8 rounds? He was a powerful puncher and the most relentless fighter ever. Usually, he did this when his opponents were pressed against the ropes. For your information, 38 isnt your prime, so yeah. However there is no denying that the current crop a field that includes Wilder,Anthony Joshua, Oleksandr Usyk and more with WBC and The Ring champ Fury sitting top of the heap have produced the most exciting spell for the 200lbs+ realm in a long time. The first black heavyweight champion was a flamboyant, controversial character but in the ring he was a scientist. Ya uhm no. And not only that but also his hands were huge. Norton 11. 30 Terry McGovern. Boxing record: Total fights - 22, Wins - 20, Wins by KO - 14, Losses - 1, Draw -1. Mickey Walker 64. Not his fault if he fought and beat old men as champ. Jack Johnson usually prevented his opponents from entering into a clinch by resting his hands on their shoulder and pushing them back. Thats because he was much faster than them, and was also punching upwards which allowed him to generate more power in his blows. Many . But that way Ali was much more mobile and was able to see the punches better and to slip them. The video game? Thudding around the ring? The Youngest Heavyweight Champion ever, a record that will never be broken, is the only true accolade Mike has to his name. His strategy basically was to jab his opponents from a distance where they cant reach him andoccasionally land some powerful straight rights. FOUR. With his, size, his punching power, and his chin, Foreman wasnt afraid to trade punch for punch no matter what type of opponent he was facing. Tyson gives up fast when he senses hes losing. He was a bully and a quitter. Final record: 66-3, with 52 knockouts. Many cite this as a feat of Marciano. 28 Jack Britton. Your email address will not be published. Mike Tyson was knocking people out! Johnson never granted a title shot to another African-American boxer - maintaining the odious colour bar during his six-year reign - but he was ahead of his time in the ring. That way he built huge momentum in his punch and dramatically increased its power. For example, in the fight with Myke Tyson, he fought from a close distance, because he knew that Myke is very good at slipping jabs and long punches. These were the titles bestowed to the greatest fighter in the Rocky movies, the heavyweight boxing champion of the world: Apollo Creed ( Carl Weathers ). 49. McVea and Jeannette were great, but were at their best several years after they last fought Johnson. Zurcher vs. Evans full card results. But that was way easier to be said than done. Listons Jab-Cross wasnt the normal 1-2 (jab-cross) combination with light but quick jab and powerful right hand. Deontay Wilder (2008 - present, 42-1-1): 122.8, 39. One of the favorite Holyfields combinations started with a quick jab to the head, then he lowered his body and head while making a step forward and throwing a lead a hook to the body. Frazier is the only man to defeat Muhammad Ali when he was anywhere close to his prime. That list is crap. Frazier above Foreman? A staggering 49-0 record 43 of which by knockout and counting wins over the likes of Joe Louis, Ezzard Charles and Archie Moore, Marciano was among the most feared heavyweights of all time. In more recent times, Deontay Wilder and his 10 consecutive title defenses demonstrated his own feared punching power and greatness that shouldn't be overlooked, either. How can you leave him off. Marcel Thil 68. Larry Holmes: An awesome jab, a dangerous right hand, tremendous heart, and astonishing recuperative powers were among the attributes The Easton Assassin brought to the ring. No Tyson in the list? Literally knocking over tomato cans. In 1980, Holmes beat Ali in the 10th round by corner stoppage. Jersey Joe Walcott 66. I must say I like your list. Ali is also consistently ranked among the greatest athletes of the century. A young Holmes most likely beats Tyson, but apart from that, Holmes is without a doubt in the top ten all-time, while Tyson, to the surprise of many, is not. He was also a very intelligent boxer, who was able to adjust his style according to the different opponents. George Foreman (1969-1997, 76-5-0): 233.3, 19. Joe Frazier: The man they called Smokin Joe doesnt get enough love on most ATG lists, but overlooked are two things: 1. And lame. Both ruined the division for a decade. Stone-faced, unstoppable, with a jab that felt like someone jammed an electric light bulb in your face (said opponent James J Braddock). Sonny Liston, Floyd Paterson (twice), Foreman, Frazier (twice), Norton (twice) and many more hall of famers around that. Unless perhaps Tyson Fury has anything to say about that. He fought a total of 81 fights with 76 stunning wins. Cleveland Williams (1951-1972, 80-13-1): 186.6, 21. And Archie Moore and Ezzard Charles. And if the other boxer continued to move forward, Johnson punished him by throwing quick but powerful uppercut (or sometimes hook) to the chin from the inside. He was a very patient fighter who wasnt always taking the risk to finish his opponents off. Johnsons defense should rank him number one. When was Tyson ever able to overcome anyone who fought back? I remember how he destroyed Holmes! The idea is to distract your opponents attention with the jab. Never knew defeat. Fury has made a case to be considered one of the best heavyweights ever, but just how good is he? Marciano never fought Joe Louis. Whether it was avenging his loss against Joe Frazier with two victories over his rival,taking the steam out of George Foreman at The Rumble in the Jungle or earning hard-fought wins over the rugged likes of Floyd Patterson and Ken Norton, Alis GOAT legacy resides on the heavyweight throne as the best. Tyson took the title in a lackluster period after an admittedly STRONG early run but gave out fast. 32 Packey McFarland. A former champion in PRIDE and the UFC, he had an extremely impressive run from 1996 to 2006, where he went 28-3-1. The Top Ranked Boxers of All-Time from California He fought in one of the best heavyweight eras and was clearly the best within it for a long time. Lennox Lewis: Of all the legendary names to inhabit a heavyweight era in the 1990s that was one of the deepest in boxing history, Lewis might very well be its best and most complete fighter. What time is the Jay Swingler vs. NichLMAO fight tonight. Joe Louis won his first world heavyweight title in 1937 and held that title for . The similaritiesheavyweight champion, jail sentence, exotic lifestyle and signature voiceare. Tyson makes lists because he talked trash with alacrity and had an unbelievable EARLY (ultra early) great run. He is an out-boxer (someone who maintain a distance from their opponent and throws fast and long punches) but unlike the most out-boxers, he has knockout power in both his hands. Which actually was a really effective strategy he beat both those guys. Notable Wins: TKO6 over Bill Brennan in 1918, KO1 over Fred Fulton in 1918, KO1 over Carl Morris in 1918, KO3 over Billy Miske in 1920, KO12 over Bill Brennan in 1920, 15 round points win over . In this article, I took into account not only the number of wins of the boxers or the titles they won but also their unique styles and what they bring to the table. Famous fight: Vitali Klitschko vs Corrie Sanders. Show some respect. With his Peek-a-Boo guard and his quick head movement, it was really hard for his opponents to catch him. Sometimes he feinted a punch to the head but then went to the body. He won the first one and was robbed by the judges in the third one. Division-By-Division - The Greatest Fighters of All-Time As selected by The Ring magazine in various years. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. Joe Louis 4. Once boxers lose their quickness, theyre never the same. In other situations, he even used his left hook as a counter for right uppercuts or straights. In such situations, he switched his stance into a southpaw and threw a lead uppercut with his right hand to the body, followed by another one to the head. Are you joking? But then he threw an uppercut making his opponents fall right into the punch. Required fields are marked *. Boxing legends Rocky Marciano and Sonny Liston finished third and fourth respectively, with Lewis rounding off the top five.