I would have Tyson at #12, Frazier at #11, Dempsey #10, Holmes #9, W Klitschko #8, Liston #7, Marciano #6, Holyfield #5, Foreman #4, Johnson #3, Louis #2 and Ali #1. Sonny Liston (1953-1970, 50-4-0): 625.7, 3. Tyson never fought anyone in there prime or of any note before 1990. Your email address will not be published. Thats a really effective combination, especially when fighting against someone fast and slick, who like to move his head a lot. No substance. Wladimir Klitschko (1996-2017, 64-5-0): 537.5, 5. Harry Wills: Vastly underrated today, its easy to forget that for a time in the 1920s The Black Panther was the best heavyweight in the world, and there was great demand for a showdown with official world champ Jack Dempsey, but it never came to be. 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. Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis didnt fear Tyson and were able to subsequently bully the bully. #8. Brawlers arent the most technical boxers, thats why they rely mostly on their power and their chin. A 1987 version of Mike would have demolished him. His prime was a bit like Iron Mike himself: short, sharp and explosive. Thats why they dont have complex footwork and they arent light on their feet like, for example, the out-boxers. The Top 10 Seattle Mariners of all Time. Wheres mike Tyson? Many . Unless perhaps Tyson Fury has anything to say about that. 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 usually circling to his left while jabbing his opponents. Ken Norton should get at least an honorable mention. You have been beaten and know it but then train to overcome this adversity. His joint record of defeating 21 boxers for the world heavyweight championship and winning 14 championship bouts was unbeaten for 35 years. I like him more now that he is HONEST about his career, his shortcomings. No way. 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. Like most of the brawlers, Liston wasnt the fastest boxer which caused him problems against quick out-boxers, as you can see in his fight with Ali. I agree with you. He beat everyone and won all the belts. His 68 knockouts speak for themselves. But when it came time for Tyson to fight top prime guys, Hes 0-6 in fights that actually matter. Antoni Nogueira is one of the most accomplished fighters in the history of the heavyweight division. Does tag team boxing have a future in the sport? No way. To be The Greatest, Ali needed rivals to push him and Frazier was one of his best. Foreman, who in 1994 knocke Evander Holyfield 7. Holyfield was only person fought well with tyson in his prime. In 1980, Holmes beat Ali in the 10th round by corner stoppage. 1. Walcott. Kick ass on half that page at least. He was also fightingcomfortably in both boxing stances orthodox and southpaw and was switching between them to get a superior angle during the fight. JOE LOUIS has been named the greatest heavyweight of all time by George Foreman - with Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson also on the list but no WBC champion Tyson Fury. Holyfield, for example, beat Tyson twice. Bob Baker (1949-1959, 51-16-1): 134.4, 34. Marcel Thil 68. And those are things you cant see very often back then. ESPN rates Fury as the best current heavyweight and one of the heaviest heavyweight boxers of all time with 126 kg in November 2021. Simple yet effective. Lennox Lewis 11. He was parrying the jabs with his right glove, ducking under the hooks and right straights and usually countering with a left hook to the head or to the body. Few fighters have had the menacing aura Tyson carried to the ring and while brutal punch power was his trademark, peak Tyson also boasted fast hands, a sneaky jab, head movement and a strong chin. Cant overlook Holmes place in heavyweight history. Aged 46 and pudgy and smiling, rather than sculpted and scowling, the American KOd heavyweight champ Michael Moorer with one punch in 1994, claiming back his crown 21 years after he first won it. US legend Louis made a record 25 heavyweight title defences and only lost once in his prime: to Max Schmeling, who picked out a flaw in Louiss technique. l give credit to any boxer who can rectify their losses. Zora Folley (1953-1970, 79-11-6): 134.3, 35. Holyfield held his own, 15 rounds, against a young Lennox Lewis (who destroyed Tyson), and, beat (not on the scorecards) Nikolai Valuev LATE in EVs career. His ring career lasted between 1968 and 2001. 49-0! Zurcher vs. Evans full card results. Tyson Furys second title defence a sixth-round knockout of Dillian Whyte followed his October trilogy rematch victory over Deontay Wilder and kicked off more discussion as to where he stands among the greatest heavyweights of all time. Ali, who is often considered the best boxer of all time, fell short of capturing the top spot in the rankings. Roscoe Toles (1931-1950, 45-10-6): 140.1, 31. Clarence Henry (1948-1954, 34-6-1): 167.9, 25. 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. When he was fighting with infighters, he just pushed them away as they tried to close the distance. If only Cus would have lived ten more years I think Tyson would be top 5. Signature technique:Right cross feint -> Right uppercut. Cleveland Williams (1951-1972, 80-13-1): 186.6, 21. In his short prime, Tyson is a serious challenge for anyone. BoxRec ranked heavyweights, both past and present, and awarded each fighter with an overall score based on its points system. Accolades: A . 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. After three years in prison, Tysons quickness was gone. A four time heavyweight champion (not to mention cruiserweight champion), The Real Deal never ducked anyone and fought through adversity too many times to count. Deontay Wilder (2008 - present, 42-1-1): 122.8, 39. McVea and Jeannette were great, but were at their best several years after they last fought Johnson. Here, DAZN lists its 10 Best Heavyweights of All Time, in no particular order. Holmes destroying Tyson? Tags: Evander Holyfield George Foreman Greatest Heavyweight Boxers Jack Johnson Joe Frazier Joe Louis Larry Holmes Lennox Lewis Mike Tyson Muhammad Ali of all time Rocky Marciano Tyson Fury. Johnsons story as a whole is worth learning about. 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. But Wladimir beat better boxers and has much more title defenses and thats why is ranked higher in this list. Sonny Liston, Floyd Paterson (twice), Foreman, Frazier (twice), Norton (twice) and many more hall of famers around that. Boxing legends Rocky Marciano and Sonny Liston finished third and fourth respectively, with Lewis rounding off the top five. 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. Its very similar to what Roy Jones Jr. does to land his powerful lead hooks. Your email address will not be published. Thats important because sometimes the greatest boxer doesnt necessarilyneed to be able to beat everybody else. He ducked Shavers, Lyle and even an old Sonny Liston. After a standout amateur career, he turned pro in 1934. Foreman was also very tough and has a great punching power which makes it really hard to exchange with him. Lennox Lewis made the cut and Iron Mike didnt..laughable. Ali was definitely the most famous but also the most successful out-boxer. Topics:.css-wpf514{color:#72B97D;}Mike Tyson, Boxing News, Boxing, Joe Louis, Lennox Lewis, muhammad ali, Wladimir Klitschko, Drake has made TWO mammoth bets on Jon Jones vs Ciryl Gane at UFC 285, fans think he's 'cursed' one of them, 'Hold my hands up!' 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. Ted Kid Lewis 65. Mike Tyson was in an awfully weak era. Marciano was a classical infighter. Lennox was most dangerous at a long distance where he can throw his right cross or uppercut with devastating power. The first fight makes our list of the "25 Greatest Heavyweight Contests of the Last 100 years. 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. Joe Baksi (1940-1954, 61-9-3): 109.8 49. He was also small for the weight class (510 tall), compared to the other heavyweightsat that time, which was actually an advantage. Very hard to argue against your selections. He was a very patient fighter who wasnt always taking the risk to finish his opponents off. Jack Dempsey: Fast, aggressive and powerful, The Manassa Mauler revolutionized boxing with his swarming, all-action style. He reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949, and is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. 9) Sugar Ray Leonard. Two comeback fights, when he was pushing 40, spoiled that record - but nothing can change the fact that he is indeed The Greatest. 4. woodrowmoses 1 yr. ago. Simply, he beat more great heavyweights than any fighter before or since. But strictly off resume, he belongs closer to the bottom of this list than to the top. Critics point out that Marciano was small, clumsy and only made six title defences, mainly against ageing opponents. 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. With his never back style, granite chin and knockout power, he was a really exciting fighter to watch. When talking The Greatest heavyweights, Alis name reigns supreme. But they were avenged and the degree to which Rahman and McCall were supposed to stand no chance is exaggerated. Foreman 5. 28 Jack Britton. Kudos on not putting Tyson in the top 12. It is a damn shame and TRAGEDY what happened to Mike. He also kept his hands low and his chin up, which are common mistakes according to many coaches. In this article we will list 10 of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. Gene Tunney (1915-1928, 79-1-4): 464.7, 6. That way he dropped Muhammad Ali in their first fight. Maybe that was the reason why he has such a knockout power. And the shots you dont see hurt the most. And dont forget Terrell, Shavers and Chuvalo. - Graeme Souness admits he was WRONG about Man United prediction and makes a stunning U-turn, Trent Alexander-Arnold outlines plan to stop Marcus Rashford ahead of Liverpool vs Man Utd, Fans cant believe this South Sudan goalkeeper is only 18 years old, Oleksandr Zinchenko tipped to win Premier League 'Player of the Season' award, Fans claim Saudi Pro League is 'scripted' after Cristiano Ronaldo and Martin Campana's 'bizarre' one-on-one encounter, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has not changed his clothes on touchline since mid-February, who is often considered the best boxer of all time, The Result Of The Greatest Boxer Of All Time Has Been Revealed, DAZN Name Top 10 Heavyweight Boxers Of All Time, The 50 Greatest Heavyweight Boxers Of All Time Have Been Named, The Result Of The Greatest F1 Driver Of All Time Has Been Revealed. They werent expecting him to generate such power from such short-range, which caught them unprepared. Holmes had been out of action 2 years and was 38. DAZN uses cookies to help us deliver our services and improve your user experience. Instead, Lennox Lewis represents their era as an all time great, and the 11th best ever? Some sort of elaborate prank? Biggest joke of the year . Holyfield 9. Fury has combined pure boxing skills with underrated punching power to a supreme level amidst his growing dominance. But can we put him up there with the absolute all-time greats just yet? But he was also the greatest boxers who ever lived, There are several reasons why: But Muhammad did the complete opposite he crossed his feet by moving his right foot behind his left one while moving to his left. Signature technique:Right uppercut to the body -> Right uppercut to the face. Riddick Bowe The similaritiesheavyweight champion, jail sentence, exotic lifestyle and signature voiceare. Jersey Joe Walcott 66. Before he went to jail and before Cus DAmato died, he couldnt be touched. Style:Infighter (swarmer) / Aggressive counterpuncher. The reason why he is one of the greatest boxers is that he has wins over boxers fighting in all styles out-boxers, brawlers, other infighters. He spent five years of his prime in jail and then people fought him. Johnson 12. Mike tyson in his prime was unstoppable. The list obviously includes the likes of Iron Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali but where do they fall on this boxing heavy Show chat replay. Lennox Lewis is too low. Another thing: Joe Frazier and Rocky Marciano would be light heavyweights today. Tyson better than Holmes? Tyson in his prime was unstoppable. It was fast and precise but also very powerful. Your email address will not be published. And Kevin McBride TKOd Tyson is SIX. To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders, Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications, .css-n1h13z{color:black;color:#fff;}@media (prefers-color-scheme:dark){.css-n1h13z{color:#fff;}}Published14:07,30 August 2020 BST.css-qdg7d1{color:#72B97D;}@media (prefers-color-scheme:dark){.css-qdg7d1{color:#72B97D;}}| Last updated15:48,12 August 2021 BST. Well, at least Foremans hands. Click Agree to accept our use of cookies or you can choose to opt out of our use of cookies by following the instructions in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice. The greatest heavyweight is the best boxer by default, as they beat everyone across ALL divisions. Not a bad list, but a few observations: His record is no different than Tommy Morrisons, same tomato cans, Tommy had an even higher KO %. Haha he was falling all over the place, shaking his head like the little bitch that he was!! A prime Holmes would have battered Tyson into submission. Top 15 All-Time Greatest Heavyweight Boxers (Style Breakdown). And they enabled him to vanquish, among others, Ken Norton, Earnie Shavers, Gerry Cooney,Tim Witherspoon, Mike Weaver and Trevor Berbick. Often titled the greatest boxer of all time, Leonard was also regarded as "Boxer of the Decade" back in the 1980s. The difference? Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 - April 12, 1981), best known as Joe Louis was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. Go play somewhere else, child. Besides this strategy, his size advantage was also a huge factor in those two fights (Lewis is 65 tall with 84 reach). 4. Today I saw alacrity used correctly (perfectly, for that matter). At twenty, he couldve beaten anyone on the list EXCEPT Ali. Cant get upset by your list, since I cant even take you seriously.. So Marciano was always trying to close the gap and start an infight. Ali. Louis' points total puts him well clear of the 'Greatest,' who finished second with an impressive 757.9 points. He also liked to put his gloves on his opponents gloves to trap their hands. That way he stopped the punches even before they were thrown. 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. 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. Thats why it was really hard to predict when Frazier was going to throw the left hook. He was usually much bigger and stronger than his opponents and he easily controlled them in the ring. After he throws a jab, Klitschko often stuck his hand in his opponents face, blocking their vision with his glove. Marciano never fought Joe Louis. His fists were 14 inches around, which are the largest fists measured in the heavyweight boxing division. He was very precise with this counter. Ali didnt have the power of boxers such as Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Sonny Liston, but he was really skilled and was definitely very smart fighter with high fight IQ. Among all the professional boxers in the world, the following 30 can be considered the best boxers of all time. 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 . The legendary Joe Louis was named the best of the best across all eras of boxing, with BoxRec awarding the 'Brown Bomber' a whopping 1,012 points. A jab and a right hand. Not to be mentioned is BS. Greatest Heavyweight Boxers of All Time. That definitely wasnt the prime Ali but still, there arent many people who can say that they have a win over such a boxer. No iron Mike on top of the list? David Haye (2002-2018, 28-4-0): 133.4, 36. Jimmy Ellis (1961-1975, 40-12-1): 114.2, 47. Ken Norton. Are you guys kidding me? Top 10 Greatest Heavyweight Boxers Of All Time 10 Mike Tyson 9 Lennox Lewis 8 Rocky Marciano 7 Joe Frazier 6 Evander Holyfield 5 Larry Holmes 4 George Foreman 3 Jack Dempsey 2 Joe Louis 1 Muhammad Ali Top 10 Greatest Heavyweight Boxers Of All Time 10 Mike Tyson Image Credit- ABC News Signature technique: Right cross counter over the jab. He is like Morrison, as Stevey below says. Possessing an uncanny ability to absorb punishment and keep coming until he landed his crushing right hand, Marciano never looked like an elite boxer but try telling that to all the men he pulverised in the ring. Pro boxing record: 23 wins (20 knockouts). Whos ranked an all time great? Do people not know that Lewis beat Tyson in 8 rounds? However, Vitalis style was much more entertaining to watch and he was much more appreciated by the fans. Frazier loved this technique changing the levels to make his opponents think hes going to the body and the landing a clean left hook to the head. 31 Ezzard Charles. 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. Tyson should definitely be in the top 10. How can you leave him off. Signature technique:Left hook -> Right Cross. Back in the day, Leonard was also part of "The Fabulous Four.". Once boxers lose their quickness, theyre never the same. Louis 3. He did what not one of the above mentioned ever did! But its his late-career comeback that sealed Foremans greatness. Except that he was a fighter who occasionally, frustratingly, came in unprepared and fought below his level. He was poorly managed and handled. But thats just for starters. His duels with George Foreman (Rumble in the Jungle, 1974) and Joe Frazier (Thrilla in Manila . The Best Cruiserweight Boxers of All Time 6 Manny Pacquio Super bantamweight, Flyweight, Welterweight 15,393 votes Age: 44 Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao, PLH ( PAK-ee-ow; Tagalog: [pkja]; born December 17, 1978) is a Filipino professional boxer and politician, currently serving as a senator of the Philippines. Leave Iron Mike out, Mike Tyson Likely Deserves Mention For His Impressive Wins Over Numberous Belt Holders Including Larry Holmes Trevor Berbick Frank Bruno James Bone Crusher Smith Bruce Seldon Michael Spinks Tony Tubbs And Tony Tucker. OP doesn't seem to be asking for P4P. The only four-time heavyweight world champion in boxing history, Holyfields victory over Riddick Bowe and wins over Mike Tyson, in particular, more than illustrate his warrior footprint in the sport's lore. At 18, he won a Gold medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics. The first man to defeat Muhummad Ali, Frazier only lost to two men (Ali and George Foreman) despite fighting in the most competitive ever heavyweight era. Joe Frazier (1965-1981, 32-4-1): 340.3, 12. Which actually was a really effective strategy he beat both those guys. For example, Muhammad Ali is a much greater boxer than Anthony Joshua, because of his competition and the things he accomplished but I dont think that he is able to beat Joshua if they fought in their primes. Journeyman Leroy Caldwell fought many of the best heavyweights from the late 1960s to the early 1980s. Gypsy King retained his WBC crown with a stunning KO of Deontay Wilder The Week Staff 11 Oct. In other situations, he even used his left hook as a counter for right uppercuts or straights. He won the first one and was robbed by the judges in the third one. Give me a break. And Joe knew exactly how to do that he was able to time almost every punch and to dodge it or block it. 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. On his first night as a . Thats an old-school boxing technique which Foreman effectively applied during the golden age of boxing. Usually, its easier to counter the jab by slipping it inside (moving your head to your left) but Marciano was leaning to his right most of the time while he was fighting, so it was much natural for him to move his head to his right and slip the jab outside. Go back and watch the Norton fight, even just round 15 if you dont have the time. 3. Norton 11. What time is Shevchenko vs. Grasso tonight? 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. Cant overlook Holmes place in heavyweight history. Nicknamed "Brown Bomber" for his fearsome fists, Joe Louis is considered one of the best heavyweight boxers of all time. 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 . 29 Bob Fitzsimmons. Signature technique:Lazy Jab -> Powerful cross to the head. Vitali Klitschko (1996-2012, 45-2-0): 349.2, 11. I agree, those two losses are crap. Eventually he would be being hit with pinpoint left hooks and right crosses. George Foreman was a classical slugger (or brawler). 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. Nor did he obliterate a mediocre Tony Tucker, both title fights in 1987. The combination is very tricky becauseby attacking the body first, he made his rivals lower their guards so they can block the body shots. Thats insane. No one could take him, bigger fighters were not given the room or the time to punch. 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. 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. Second, since we have chosen to rank fighters in one division only so we can spread the glory around, you will not see Gene Tunney, Ezzard Charles orSam Langford here, as they are on our list of the all-time best light heavyweights. Tyson, maybe, but I have no issue with him being left off. Tyson should be number 2 or 3. But then he threw an uppercut making his opponents fall right into the punch. Pure sweet science, master class boxing skills on display from Lewis across his brilliant career. Because if you want to walk somebody down, youre probably going to get some punches in the face, so you need to know how to deal with them. 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. Nicknamed The Greatest, he is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated sporting figures . And that was exactly what he did. Amen!! 6. The Ring magazine ranked him the No.53 of the 100 greatest punchers of all time. 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 &. Applause for not ranking Tyson. Tyson makes lists because he talked trash with alacrity and had an unbelievable EARLY (ultra early) great run. Holmes fought real fighters men like Earnie Shavers. A boxing enthusiast who is always eager to learn something new about boxing and share it! When Louis first retired in 1948, he did so as champion with a 58-1 win-loss record. Marciano 4. Maybe thats not the most exciting boxing style but its definitely really effective when it comes to winning, without taking much damage. My gripe is not fully with the omissions of Tyson, and Holyfield, as much as it is that those two were put in the same so called, Honorable pool as one of the god damn Klitschko brothers. There was never a Plan B, and theres a point in every boxers career when hes going to need one. 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.