Nearly none of his games lasted more than 15 rounds. 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. The first black heavyweight champion was a flamboyant, controversial character but in the ring he was a scientist. Well, at least Foremans hands. He was a pressuring fighter who was really explosive (especially with his left hook). Three time champ and he was the king of the 90s, which was a very good generation for heavyweights. Of course, there are somesimilarities in the styles of the two brothers. To be The Greatest, Ali needed rivals to push him and Frazier was one of his best. 28 Jack Britton. Reviled early on in his championship reign, he eventually became nothing less than an American icon. No substance. He was also fightingcomfortably in both boxing stances orthodox and southpaw and was switching between them to get a superior angle during the fight. He ended up beating the defending champion to clinch the world lightweight title. The only other heavyweights who have held The Ring magazine title twice are Floyd Patterson and Muhammad Ali. Tyson lost every fight that ever meant something. He spent five years of his prime in jail and then people fought him. Larry Holmes (1973-2002, 69-6-0): 330.3, 13. 49-0! He could do no more than beat them but, perhaps wisely, he didnt wait to face any up-and-coming boxers! The 18 greates Coaches in College Football History. Brawlers are willing to take a punch so they can land one. Didnt he get beaten by a fat man? Deontay Wilder (2008 - present, 42-1-1): 122.8, 39. His fists were 14 inches around, which are the largest fists measured in the heavyweight boxing division. Whos ranked an all time great? And Joe knew exactly how to do that he was able to time almost every punch and to dodge it or block it. Because Joshua is much bigger and he is generations ahead of Ali. Dempsey 14. Boxing legends Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis have all secured a place in the top 10 heavyweight boxers of all time. Nikolay Valuev (1993-2009, 50-2-0): 233.4, 18. Arguably the divisions greatest puncher. Foreman used his tremendous punching power so destroy his opponents body and to knock the wind out of them. Most athletic slugger I ever saw. 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. Holmes threw that combo usually while he was circling around his opponents. Jack Johnson: Boxings first Black champion of the big men was remarkably quick, very hard to hit, and dangerous with either fist. Liston wasnt the tallest or the biggest boxer. A victory also could put Jones, 35, back in the conversation for top pound-for-pound fighter, a spot currently held by featherweight Alexander Volkanovski. Mike Tyson was in an awfully weak era. Here, DAZN lists its 10 Best Heavyweights of All Time, in no particular order. Your email address will not be published. Evander Holyfield should be top ten. Smokin Joe was an absolute buzzsaw. Greatest of all time, Rocky Marciano. 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. So, without further ado, the best heavyweights of all-time. Holyfield should be on the list. The first boxer to set a million-dollar gate, Dempsey was the US superstar attraction of the 1920s with his savage fighting style, devastating power and rugged good looks. Tyson gives up fast when he senses hes losing. The Easton Assassin was, for a long stretch, the most underrated heavyweight champion. Signature technique: Right cross counter over the jab. Jack Dempsey 7 5 27 Abe Attell. Thats why it was hard for them to defend them. 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. But strictly off resume, he belongs closer to the bottom of this list than to the top. But even if you take into account their overall careers, Id still give the edge to Foreman because of his comeback years. Beating Sonny Liston to win his first championship as a 7-to-1 underdog, defeating chief rival Joe Frazier two out of three times, stopping the undefeated George Foreman as a 4-to-1 underdog (to regain the title), outpointing Kenny . Boxing legends Rocky Marciano and Sonny Liston finished third and fourth respectively, with Lewis rounding off the top five. 8. Joe Louis Knockouts - Best of Brown Bomber (Tribute) 2. He was also a very intelligent boxer, who was able to adjust his style according to the different opponents. 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. Nationality: Japanese. March 3, 2023 8:50 am ET. He is where he belongs: Honorable Mention, with a lot of other very good but not great heavyweights. Id probably say Tommy Burns, a good but small heavyweight from whom he took the crown. Picking just 10 great heavyweights from 100+ years means some elite champions have to miss out. 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. 4 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. He is like Morrison, as Stevey below says. Ketchel had no business at heavyweight. Henry Akinwande (1989-2008, 50-4-1): 126.7, 37. Muhammad Ali-56-5--(37): In terms of social and historical impact no one even comes close. And Jersey Joe Walcott, who made him look amateurish and dropped him at like 39 years of age. And dont forget Terrell, Shavers and Chuvalo. Holyfield had a trilogy with Riddick Bowe, beat Foreman, who, while old, had a serious comeback, earlier killed Frasier and Norton inside two rounds, then 5 for Frazier, beat Ron Lyle, and later beat Michael Moorer, half his age, whod BEATEN Holyfield. Alan Belcher has been the BKFC heavyweight champion for less than a week, and he has lofty ambitions about the types of fights that could come next. 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. Bob Foster was one of the best light heavyweight boxers of all time. A few years ago I've started boxing and I've quickly fallen in love with this awesome sport. His strategy basically was to jab his opponents from a distance where they cant reach him andoccasionally land some powerful straight rights. Today I saw alacrity used correctly (perfectly, for that matter). So Maybe Tyson is in the top10 of his era .. 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. Tyson was a thicker, harder-hitting Joe Frazier. Pure sweet science, master class boxing skills on display from Lewis across his brilliant career. Bob Pastor (1935-1942, 53-7-5): 259.8, 17. He fought a total of 81 fights with 76 stunning wins. Beat every fighter he ever faced, avenging his two defeats plus the (ridiculous) draw he got in the first Holyfield fight. Famous fight: Vitali Klitschko vs Corrie Sanders. He was 61 tall, but his reach was really impressive (84 in). DANNY WILLIAMS who LOST 27 fights knocked out a 38 year-old Tyson in 4 rounds. Ken Norton. (Legal and Illegal Clinching). 9. Tyson would have torn apart Holmes in any era. Very hard to argue against your selections. A jab and a right hand. His defense was just as impressive as his offensive skills. A prime Holmes would have battered Tyson into submission. 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. Fury has combined pure boxing skills with underrated punching power to a supreme level amidst his growing dominance. 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. Top 19 Heavyweights of all time - The Grueling Truth Today we rank the 20 greatest Heavyweights of all time, some on this list may surprise you while others may not. 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. That list is crap. He was the mad experiment of one of the greatest, if not the greatest, boxing minds ever in Cus Damato. Most of the knockout blows came from his right hand. And its hard to say that someone that has the highest knock out percentage and never lost isnt at least top two, or more likely number one. Top 10 Best UFC Heavyweight Fighters Of All time..Welcome back to Sports Paradise, today on the channel we're going to be talking about the Top 10 Best UFC H. 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. Tyson never fought anyone in there prime or of any note before 1990. Thats because he has knockout power, especially with his right hand, but he wasnt effective at all when he needed to fight at a close range. Rocky Marciano 12. Because of his style, Wladimir took much less damage during his career than Vitali. Then he just waited for his opponents to take the bait, so he can counter them with a short lead hook to the head. Crazy to think Mike Tyson was not part of that list. Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis didnt fear Tyson and were able to subsequently bully the bully. Cant overlook Holmes place in heavyweight history. Signature technique:Right uppercut to the body -> Right uppercut to the face. But one needs to think in overall terms and career achievements. Archie Moore, Louis, Walcott are all better, and win over Rocky if younger. Sometimes Archie was using the crossguard to bait his opponents. Thudding around the ring? Even one punch was enough as long as it connects clean. The Brockton Blockbuster owns the most famous heavyweight record: 49-0. Except that he was a fighter who occasionally, frustratingly, came in unprepared and fought below his level. 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. No one better to learn from. Lewis 7. The Top 21 Offensive Linemen in NFL History. If only Cus would have lived ten more years I think Tyson would be top 5. Often titled the greatest boxer of all time, Leonard was also regarded as "Boxer of the Decade" back in the 1980s. Dempsey was also developed great head movement, footwork and he was able to fight in both stances. Jon Jones doesn't believe Conor McGregor is one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time. 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). Joe Louis 4. Tyson Fury (2008 - present, 30-0-1): 173.2, 23. Yes, Frazier is a better fighter than a Foreman, even though Foreman beat him up, twice. Prison? Unless perhaps Tyson Fury has anything to say about that. He has no comeback ability. Many . Actually, considering his height and reach disadvantage compared to his opponents (he was5ft1012tall, and has the shortest reach in the heavyweight history only68), that was the best style for him. Never knew defeat. He should be considered as one of the best Lightweights of all time. In 1980, Holmes beat Ali in the 10th round by corner stoppage. Top 50 fighters of 21st century named 50-31 50: Andy Ruiz 49: Ray Mercer 48: Frank Bruno 47: Jack Sharkey 46: Paddy Ryan 45: David Tua 44: Ron Lyle 43: Gerry Cooney 42: Michael Spinks 41: Roy. 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. Sonny Liston, Floyd Paterson (twice), Foreman, Frazier (twice), Norton (twice) and many more hall of famers around that. It was a powerful, stiff jab and Liston put all his weight behind it to make it even harder, trying to knock his opponents out. Jack Johnson won the heavyweight belt in 1908 and become the first African American heavyweight boxing champion. Well, at least Foremans hands. At a very leisurely pace over the last couple of years, The Fight City has offered its own idiosyncratic rankings of the all-time greatest boxers in each of the eight traditional weight classes. Melio Bettina (1934-1948, 83-14-3): 189.5, 20. Joey. Frazier 6. Dont be a hater all your life! In his great boxing career, Jones has won several world titles, and he also won a Silver medal at the Olympics in 1988. Since then Im always trying to improve my skills, by finding and testing new strategies, and training methods. Foreman, who in 1994 knocke A 1987 version of Mike would have demolished him. Holmes fought real fighters men like Earnie Shavers. Date of Birth: 10 July 1988, Age: 34 years old. Posted below are the top 50 heavyweight boxers of all time. Cant get upset by your list, since I cant even take you seriously.. 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. It is a city of fights and fighters, of hockey and heroes, of broken dreams and immortal glory, a city unlike any other. Signature technique:Bait a cross -> Counter with a check lead hook. He was usually much bigger and stronger than his opponents and he easily controlled them in the ring. Ali was definitely the most famous but also the most successful out-boxer. 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 &. The Top Ten. The order in which we presented the respective lists had no logic; we started with the middleweights, before going on to rank the bantamweights, light heavyweights, flyweights, featherweights, welterweights and, most recently, the lightweights but naturally, we saved for last the guys at the top of the beanstalk: the big men; the heavyweights. He boasts solid wins over David Tua, Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Tommy Morrison, Ray Mercer and Vitali Klitschko. Tyson should definitely be in the top 10. His prime was a bit like Iron Mike himself: short, sharp and explosive. 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. Foreman demolished Frazier in both their fights, the only man that did or could. Twenty-five consecutive title defenses more than imprinted Louis as one of the greatest heavyweights of all time. Thats an old-school boxing technique which Foreman effectively applied during the golden age of boxing. Signature technique:Right cross feint -> Right uppercut. Anthony Joshua (2013 - present, 23-1-0): 116.9, 44. 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. No iron Mike on top of the list? No way. The cartoon? Famous fight:Jack Dempsey vs Jess Willard. 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 . Top 15 All-Time Greatest Heavyweight Boxers (Style Breakdown). Muhammad Ali is the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time according to major Sports publications like Sports Illustrated, NBCSports, BBC, and ESPN SportsCentury. Not a bad list, but a few observations: Cunning and clever, The Galveston Giant didnt just defeat his opponents, but often humiliated them with his skill, smarts and unceasing control of the ring. Tyson took the title in a lackluster period after an admittedly STRONG early run but gave out fast. Big heart, just would not be beaten. & Lennox Lewis could? Absolutely, Mr. Weiler. I think he is one of the greatest because of how better he was than his competition. Your email address will not be published. Ruslan Chagaev (1997-2016, 34-3-1): 123.1, 38. So, after we made that clear, its time to dive into the rankings: Jack Dempsey was a heavyweight champion for 7 years (from 1919 to 1926).