No place for Riddick Bowe, who had the tools but not the application, nor - controversially - his rival Evander Holyfield: the cruiserweight GOAT (but there are some legitimate question marks over the sculpted warriors rise in weight). Tyson was not even the best of his era - Lost to Douglas, Holyfield TWICE, Lennox Lewis,Danny Williams and McBride.. Tyson NEVER beat anyone who beat him and Never came back when he was down in a fight . Ruslan Chagaev (1997-2016, 34-3-1): 123.1, 38. Your email address will not be published. #8. Wills 16. Max Baer, Max Schmeling, James J. Braddock and Jersey Joe Walcott all felt Louis wrath. He fought a way past his prime Tyson, almost lost to Holyfield in their second fight, and Vitaly would have knocked him out if they hadnt stopped it because of the cut. 29 Bob Fitzsimmons. Cant make this list without Tyson and Holyfield. 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. Smokin Joe was an absolute buzzsaw. Norton 11. Dont be a hater all your life! Ranking Explanation . Holyfield was a boxer-puncher. Louis 3. Dempsey was also developed great head movement, footwork and he was able to fight in both stances. Signature technique: Right cross counter over the jab. Holmes was a deadbeat along with Klitschko. A 1987 version of Mike would have demolished him. As the other boxer threw a jab, Ali slightly moved his head, just enough to avoid being hit and then quickly returned a right cross over the top. He could do no more than beat them but, perhaps wisely, he didnt wait to face any up-and-coming boxers! Joe Louis won his first world heavyweight title in 1937 and held that title for . FOUR. Jimmy Ellis (1961-1975, 40-12-1): 114.2, 47. Other Links > Boxing > Top Ranked Ranked Boxers by State Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . McVea and Jeannette were great, but were at their best several years after they last fought Johnson. Ali 2. Ken Norton (1967-1981, 42-7-1): 135.2, 32. Rocky Marciano 12. Before he went to jail and before Cus DAmato died, he couldnt be touched. With his Peek-a-Boo guard and his quick head movement, it was really hard for his opponents to catch him. Simple yet effective. Accolades: A . More, and better, accomplishments. Scoring a pair of second-round TKOs of Joe Frazier and Ken Norton are a sample size of how terrifying Foreman was in his era. Brawlers arent the most technical boxers, thats why they rely mostly on their power and their chin. Holyfield was a completely different fighter in his fight against George Foreman. 2. Many people think that Lennox Lewis was a boxer-puncher, but I think he was a combination between an out-boxer and a brawler. Tyson took the title in a lackluster period after an admittedly STRONG early run but gave out fast. 28 Jack Britton. His defense was just as impressive as his offensive skills. And he had a real power in his punches no matter what he was throwing. Credit: PA 50. Of course, he has a great strategy for every different opponent. Famous fight: Wladimir Klitschko vs. Calvin Brock. Beat every fighter he ever faced, avenging his two defeats plus the (ridiculous) draw he got in the first Holyfield fight. how could you possible list frazier ahead of foreman, that is crazy, simply because foreman DESTROYED him twice. So in order to beat such fighter, Holyfield had to fight from the inside. Larry Holmes is the very definition of a warrior. Wheres mike Tyson? Final record: 66-3, with 52 knockouts. It fell apart too soon for the youngest ever heavyweight champ, whose life and career unravelled quickly - but in the 1980s Tyson tore through the division like nobody before or since. Joe Louis The brown bomber, was a mix of several boxing styles. 32 Packey McFarland. They were both under six feet and 200 pounds. And they enabled him to vanquish, among others, Ken Norton, Earnie Shavers, Gerry Cooney,Tim Witherspoon, Mike Weaver and Trevor Berbick. But that was way easier to be said than done. Ketchel had no business at heavyweight. After a standout amateur career, he turned pro in 1934. Its very similar to what Roy Jones Jr. does to land his powerful lead hooks. But when the other boxers came close to him, he transitioned to a crossguard so he can defend both his body and his head effectively. After beating Wilder, Fury is widely regarded as the lineal heavyweight champion. And those are things you cant see very often back then. Tyson would have destroyed a peak Holmes. Look at the fear Tyson compounded with ferocious punches for Trevor Berbick, Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks, Frank Bruno and Donovan Ruddock to name a few amidst his reign of terror during the mid to late 1980s and early 1990s. Belcher, a 15-fight UFC veteran, wrapped up his MMA career after a loss to Michael Bisping in April 2013. Another thing: Joe Frazier and Rocky Marciano would be light heavyweights today. Bob Baker (1949-1959, 51-16-1): 134.4, 34. In an era when segregation was still legal, Louis' athleticism made him one of the few African-American celebrities of his time. But honestly, his career and overcoming personal obstacles along the way to date already have him among the greatest heavyweights of all time on our list. Even after his decisive stoppage defeats to Muhammad Ali, he remained a force in the division thanks to his brute strength, devastating jab, and KO power in either fist. When talking The Greatest heavyweights, Alis name reigns supreme. They usually, stay at a mid-range, in position dangerous for both for them and for their opponents. Frazier was able to knock everyone out with it. 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 . Who is the Greatest Boxer of All Time? When Ali first retired, in 1978, he was a three-time heavyweight champ whod avenged every defeat. Walcott. Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports. When you think of how hard it is to be a successful heavyweight boxer, (or even an unsuccessful one) it is amazing to consider that Mrs. Klitschko gave birth to two, who made it all the way. And at the end of the day, the effectiveness of the technique is much more important than its appearance. Posted below are the top 50 heavyweight boxers of all time. I remember how he destroyed Holmes! Behind that crisp, piercing jab of his, Holmes enjoyed an eight-year run as world heavyweight champion, defeating the likes of Ken Norton, Earnie Shavers and Muhammad Ali along the way. But no style is perfect and every boxer has his weaknesses. The Tyson of the late 80s definitely belongs there. Id probably say Tommy Burns, a good but small heavyweight from whom he took the crown. In 1980, Holmes beat Ali in the 10th round by corner stoppage. I agree with you. Most of the times Johnson kept a distance from his opponents and fought from the outside but that doesnt mean he wasnt able to out grapple them in the clinches. Critics point out that Marciano was small, clumsy and only made six title defences, mainly against ageing opponents. 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. PowerfulJRE 14.1M subscribers Subscribe 543K views 1 year ago #101 This clip is taken from the Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show #101 with Kevin Holland &. He never gave any of the three rematches in their heavyweight primes. OP doesn't seem to be asking for P4P. But thats just for starters. Joe Frazier (32-4-1, 27 KO) Joe Frazier had beaten many great opponents including Buster Mathis, Doug Jones and Muhammad Ali (once). They plant their feet so they can generate as much power as they possibly can. Division-By-Division - The Greatest Fighters of All-Time As selected by The Ring magazine in various years. He was light on his feet, moving around George a lot, and using sharp body-head combinations. That way he stopped the punches even before they were thrown. Height: 6 ft 2 in. You can see that in his fights with Mike Tyson and his fight with Evander Holyfield where he was just pushing them back or pushing their heads down every time they closed the gap. Bonecrusher Smith happened WAY too early. A prime Holmes would have battered Tyson into submission. His record is no different than Tommy Morrisons, same tomato cans, Tommy had an even higher KO %. But such punches are very easy to be seen because they require building huge momentum. Thats a really effective combination, especially when fighting against someone fast and slick, who like to move his head a lot. 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A tall, rangy, Olympic gold medallist with a pulverising jab, high ring IQ and KO power, British-born Lewis could be even higher on this list. 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. Lennox Lewis 11. Tyson could not get past the defense of Lewis and he got knocked out. He was a pressuring fighter who was really explosive (especially with his left hook). His duels with George Foreman (Rumble in the Jungle, 1974) and Joe Frazier (Thrilla in Manila . None of the fighters listed knocked out opponents the way Tyson did with speed and fury!!!! He ducked Shavers, Lyle and even an old Sonny Liston. Didnt he get beaten by a fat man? Jersey Joe Walcott 66. Archie Moore deserves to be in this list, not only because of the fact that he held the heavyweight title for 10 years but also because of his unique style. All-Time Greatest Heavyweight Champions is the title. Ali used this counter while he was circling to his left and jabbing his opponent. 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. Clarence Henry (1948-1954, 34-6-1): 167.9, 25. All eyes will be on Jon Jones at UFC 285 as arguably the greatest MMA fighter in history makes his long-awaited return as a heavyweight after three years away.. Expectations are high as Jones, 35 . The Top Ten. Thats how he knocked many of his opponents out thehard jab stunned them and the cross got the job done. Thats a really cool technique. Thats why many of his wins are on points (which wasnt highly appreciated by the fans, who want to see knockouts). He beat everyone and won all the belts. 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. Manny Pacquiao: One of the dominant boxers of his time, Pacquiao has won ten world titles in eight divisions and defeated such champions as Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Oscar DeLaHoya, Juan Manuel Marquez, Miguel Cotto, Timothy Bradley, Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman. These were the titles bestowed to the greatest fighter in the Rocky movies, the heavyweight boxing champion of the world: Apollo Creed ( Carl Weathers ). The video game? Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images. Evander also won their second fight after Tyson was disqualified after he bit Evanders ear several times but it was clear that Mike did that out of desperation. But that way Ali was much more mobile and was able to see the punches better and to slip them. Many boxers thoughtthat this makes him predictable and easy to deal with. Go to YouTube and watch his comeback wins (after nearly being stopped) vs Mike Weaver, Earnie Shavers, Renaldo Snipes. Frazier was a very carefully managed fighter who could not win against power punchers. Then he threw a wide, almost straight elbowed right overhand over the top. Wills are you crazy? Applause for not ranking Tyson. Accurate list! Couldnt agree more. George Foreman has eclipsed boxing icon, Mike Tyson, as the all-time toughest heavyweight. Required fields are marked *. The best American pound for pound boxers right now, named and ranked, The best super-middleweights in the world, named and ranked, The best lightweight boxers in the world, named and ranked, The best British pound for pound boxers right now, named and ranked. 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. Biggest joke of the year . Nationality: Japanese. There is no way Frazier can be ranked above Foreman. Famous fight: Archie Moore vs Yvon Durelle I. Holmes style was similar to the style of Muhammad Ali (a classical out-boxer). And they probably didnt expect to get three of those hard jabs to the head in a row. Ernie Terrell (1957-1973, 46-9-0): 117.5, 43. 18.. He won the first one and was robbed by the judges in the third one. Tyson should definitely be in the top 10. Dempsey 14. Tyson never once rose from the canvas or walked through fire to win a fight. Yeah the same one who lost his title to a light heavy? Defeating a 26-year-old Michael Moorer at the age of 45 back in November 1994 to once again be crowned as heavyweight champion demonstrated how a heavyweights power is the last to leave his hands. He spent five years of his prime in jail and then people fought him. After that, he finished the combo with a powerful lead hook to the head. Fury has made a case to be considered one of the best heavyweights ever, but just how good is he? I think he is one of the greatest boxers not only because of the fact he was a champion or because of his title defenses but also because of his unique style. Thats why they dont have complex footwork and they arent light on their feet like, for example, the out-boxers. But in 2021, he made a comeback with BKFC, then had a boxing . And against George Foreman, he was staying at the ropes blocking all punches for several rounds, gassing Foreman out so he can finish him later. The cartoon? Fury has combined pure boxing skills with underrated punching power to a supreme level amidst his growing dominance. He has no comeback ability. Try to forget his social impact, good looks, quotes and even that unique fighting style that saw a 6ft 3in adonis float around the ring like a featherweight - his fists by his sides, daring you to hit him - what makes Ali the No 1 heavyweight ever is something far more concrete. He was much bigger and longer than most of his opponents (which is normal when youre 6 6 tall with 81 in reach) and he used this advantage very efficiently. But then he threw an uppercut making his opponents fall right into the punch. Not his fault if he fought and beat old men as champ. Dont let that KO reel fool ya. And inane. Known in years past as "Sin City" and "Babylon on the St. Lawrence", it saw more than its share of ring legends over the decades. 6. Pro boxing record: 23 wins (20 knockouts). Gene Tunney (1915-1928, 79-1-4): 464.7, 6. He was thrill-a-minute, exemplified by his fight with Luis Angel Firpo, where Dempsey knocked his opponent down seven (7) times, got blasted through out of the ring himself, then scrambled back through the ropes to eventually knock out Firpo. The technique was simple he leaned all his weight on his front foot before throwing the punch. Signature technique:Bait a cross -> Counter with a check lead hook. He was constantly changing levels, bobbing and weaving, feinting and throwing body shots. Because of his style, Wladimir took much less damage during his career than Vitali. The strategy of Smokin Joe was simple to make his opponents step back using his constant pressure, feints, body shots and wrestling techniques (such as pushing the other boxers chest with his head). Hard to justify given what Foreman did to Frazier twice, but of course, styles make fights and Foreman was the worst possible match for Frazier. Randy Couture: Couture already made our list of the greatest light heavyweights of all time, but his true home for the majority of his career was at heavyweight. Style:Infighter (swarmer) / Aggressive counterpuncher. Mike Tyson 5. Mike Tyson earn his stripes. Ali. Ali, who is often considered the best boxer of all time, fell short of capturing the top spot in the rankings. His fists were 14 inches around, which are the largest fists measured in the heavyweight boxing division. That way it was really hard for them to catch him. To be The Greatest, Ali needed rivals to push him and Frazier was one of his best. Which makes your opponent lower his guard to protect his body and you can land a hard hook to the head. Very hard to argue against your selections. Signature technique:Slip the jab (outside) -> Right overhand. Do people not know that Lewis beat Tyson in 8 rounds? 33 Ted (Kid) Lewis. Unless perhaps Tyson Fury has anything to say about that. Rocky Marciano (1947-1955, 49-0-0): 692.2, 2. Mike Tyson was the best fighter I ever saw. Lewis beat tyson and evander and every boxer he ever faced. But can we put him up there with the absolute all-time greats just yet? Cant get upset by your list, since I cant even take you seriously.. Any ranking also shouldnt be about which boxer beats which in some fantasy fight. Sorry, if Holmes is on they should both be in the top 5. With respect you talk rubbish when you assert that a peak Tyson would obliterate a peak Lennox Lewis!!! I like him more now that he is HONEST about his career, his shortcomings. After winning the world light heavyweight title in 1968 after beating Dick Tiger with a 4th round knockout. Foremans last 10 opponents were unbeaten or just had 1 loss. The mold of a perfect fighter. What time is the Jay Swingler vs. NichLMAO fight tonight. Foreman 5. Smokin Joe was an absolute buzzsaw. Signature technique:Bob and weave->Left hook to the head. And Jersey Joe Walcott, who made him look amateurish and dropped him at like 39 years of age. He destroyed Holmes. Holyfield , Lewis , Douglas got the best of him yet Tyson never faced Foreman or either of the Klitscko brothers I believe these three fighters could have beat Tyson as well Also Riddick Bowe would have a Big advantage over Tyson. When he was fighting with infighters, he just pushed them away as they tried to close the distance. Behind that crisp, piercing jab of his, Holmes enjoyed an eight-year run as world heavyweight champion, defeating the likes of Ken Norton, Earnie Shavers and Muhammad Ali along the way. 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. TGT Tips! (explanation), Can you Headlock in Boxing? Primo Carnera (1928-1946, 89-14-0): 111.2, 48. But Wladimir beat better boxers and has much more title defenses and thats why is ranked higher in this list. Many . Mike tyson in his prime was unstoppable. Bob Pastor (1935-1942, 53-7-5): 259.8, 17. Defeating a 26-year-old Michael Moorer at the age of 45 back in November 1994 to once again be crowned as heavyweight champion demonstrated how a heavyweights power is the last to leave his hands. And he had more power than Ali, especially with his jab. Famous fight: Vitali Klitschko vs Corrie Sanders. Nor did he obliterate a mediocre Tony Tucker, both title fights in 1987. His ring career lasted between 1968 and 2001. Obviously, Liston has, by far, the longest reach in the heavyweight class back then. Mike Tyson started every fight by putting pressure on his opponents. Maybe that was the reason why he has such a knockout power. Thats true, Tyson was pretty much out of his prime. Rocky Marciano 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. Greatest Boxers of All Time The Top Ten 1 Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. (January 17, 1942 - June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer, activist, entertainer, poet, and philanthropist. #3 Cain Velasquez (UFC record: 12-3, MMA record: 14-3) At his best, Cain . The Rock from Brockton (his nickname) was one of the first boxers who developed this style of boxing.