WAS Holyfield a GREAT heavyweight

[undefeated]

holyfield is a legend. he was def the greatest crusierweight of all time--he was 2 good 4 cruise--nobody in hell was ever gonna beat him. moved up 2 heavy and was still i think the greatest heavy at that time. he may not be a "boxer" but hes got skill, chin and heart--holyfield is easily a great

[undefeated]

He makes it in my top ten. W/O out really thinking about it here is mine

Ali
Johnson
Foreman
Louis
Holmes
Lewis
Frazier
Marciano
Holyfield
Tyson

Hon. Mention: Walcott, Charles, Patterson, Liston, Tunney, Dempsey

Frazier higher than Marciano ??

Marciano has one of the weakest resumes of all HW greats....a washed up louis, 39 yr old walcott, and washed up Moore. I give him the Charles wins as impressive. Then the only real name left is LaStarza. Their first fight is widely considered a dubious decision. Plus I just dont see Rock beating any of the other 9 guys except Frazier. 49-0 is impressive and great KO's help his legacy, but I just feel that he wouldn't have gone undefeated in some of the other eras.

i say the weakest resume has got 2b jack dempsey--yet he is a "great" as well. actually walcott was 37 when marciano beat him--however joe louis beat a 37 old braddock for the title as well-and walcott is a much better fighter than braddock. every great has gotten a "dubious" decision. louis had a bum of the month club--

i say louis and marciano's resumes are the same as far as opposition goes. would marciano b undefeated in every era....no of course not--but he fought when he fought and owned his era--no1 can take that away from him.

anyway -i like your post its openminded has good points without hating on marciano so CC

[LegendBoxing65]

Or was he a great Cruiserweight with a respectable Heavyweight record?

HE was great. A guy with that record and resume.. Great at heavyweight.

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

Of course Evander is one of Greatest Heavies ever, and the Greatest Cruiser of all time....

You cant say guys like Tunney, Sullivan were great and say Evander isint... Evander is a legend

Not to mention he isint even finished, HE COULD CONCEIVABLY WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP AT AGE 45

Okay well its safe to assume that he won't

Can i ask, were exactly do you also have Tunney & Sullivan placed in your top10?

If you have one of course

I dont have those guys ranked in my top 10 there Jim Booger ..... I said most have them ranked as a great, I personally think if you want to consider them great then Evander certainly should by those standards...

Regardless of all that Evander is a Legend and a great. No question

I'll be honest. I wasn't making chit chat on this, i genuinely couldnt decide on his legacy as a heavyweight.

Im usualy the 1st one to commened a great fighter with a number of losses on his record but basing his greatness on the legacy of Tunney was something that was impossible for me :P

My point being, i was just fishing for a better reason to agree with most of you guys

[Big_Deuce]

yes.
One of the best CW, HW of all time.

[sexydarin]

Great skill. Has any man done what he has done? There, you've got your answer to whether he was great or not.

[LegendBoxing65]

He was a great fighter but I think his weakness if you can call it that was a lack of domination at heavyweight. For a smaller heavyweight to last and fight all those guys which are on his resume is incredible. Even the smaller fights he had were against good guys like Vaugn Bean.

[Scrap]

Was Holyfeild Great Was Tommy Cooper funny.

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

Or was he a great Cruiserweight with a respectable Heavyweight record?

It's thread bumping Friday so here have this Saddobastards

[Howlin Mad Missy]

Or was he a great Cruiserweight with a respectable Heavyweight record?

He does have flaws on his record, but he also has great successes. He was crap against Cooper, Holmes, Moorer, Foreman, Stewart, & Lewis. But was awesome in the first 2 Bowe fights and the 1st Tyson fight. I would still call him a great - but not a top tenner

I wouldn't say he looked crap in Cooper or Stewart fights he fought well in both times just he got caught because Holyfield isn't exactly hardest guy to hit he is only man to beat Bowe he beat Tyson and thats where his big success and hw comes right there beating Tyson and he gave Lewis the best hw of 90s 2 of his toughest fights when he was past his prime he is great hw just for his excitement and his wins but i doubt he is top 10.

lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

[rjj tszyu]

If he had retired after the Lewis fights, like I think he should, I think he would be regarded as the 3rd greatest HW of all time. He was 3 time HW champion and had fought and beaten these very good (or at least respectable) HW names. James Tillis, Michael Dokes, Alex Stewart x2, Buster Douglas, George Foreman, Bert Cooper, Larry Holmes, Riddick Bowe, Michael Moorer, Ray Mercer and Mike Tyson x2. Also upto Lewis he had beaten everyone he had faced and I think if he had met Lewis around the time he beat Bowe, Evander would have taken Lewis too.

I though don't think that what someone does in his latter years should really damage their legacy, especially someone who had achieved what Evander had upto the Lewis fights. It's a real shame to see someone so great carrying on like he has done. His beating off Toney was a sad, sad sight. He would have beaten Toney to a pulp in his prime yet there he was (albeit with an injury) getting humiliated by a fat SMW.

So yes Evander was a GREAT Heavyweight!!!

[Boxer4life]

Holyfield is a beast, i think he would give any one in the all time a helluva fight

[Master]

Holyfield was a great heavyweight, not a great heavyweight champion, too inconsistent.

He was the greatest cruiser weight ever.

[Lance Uppercut]

Holyfield beat EVERY elite heavyweight from the 1990's except Lewis. And the 1990's was probably the second greatest era in heavyweight history.

[Lance Uppercut]

Look at his records against other champions:

- The only man to beat Riddick Bowe

-He knocked out Mike Tyson, Buster Douglas, Pinklon Thomas, Michael Dokes and Michael Moorer.

-Victories against ATG's George Foreman and Larry Holmes

-Victories over Rahman and Mercer, and at 46 he essentially boxed a shut out against Valuev.