Where does Tyson Fury rank in the Greatest Heavyweight list?

[mikeeod]

So tough to rank him historically because you end up ranking head to head vice actual accomplishments. I feel like he beat all styles (boxer, puncher, brawler, technical boxer…etc.). He also is an anomaly- so big and so mobile shouldn’t go together. He also has great skills, a great gas tank, and Holyfield size heart/determination. Head to head I’m not confident anyone in history beats him (not saying he is unbeatable, just saying I can’t look at one fighter and for certain say: “yep, he definitely beats Fury”).

Tyson has forced me to question my ATG rankings and move some of my top choices around. I rank based on historical significance, accomplishment, and quality of opposition. It’s why no one will ever beat Ali historically- he fought too many tough fighters and was an iconic figure. Joe Louis was iconic, but doesn’t have the level of competition that Ali does. Tyson Fury is similar to Larry Holmes to me (one of the fighters I have moved lower/below Fury)- I think he matches up well with anyone who ever fought but his level of competition isn’t as good as Ali, Evander, or Lennox. That being said, he was more consistent than Evander, and didn’t suffer the knockouts that Lennox did.

I still have Ali, Louis, Evander, Lewis, and maybe Foreman ahead of Tyson Fury, but even that will likely change. I agree that he is head and shoulders above anyone today in terms of skill, heart, and charisma. He is a great champion.

[Master]

Just because Tyson Fury could beat an ATG heavyweight does not make him ahead of them on the list. To be on the list you have to have been the best in your time, faced top fighters, beat all other challengers, have a number of successful defences and proved your greatness by facing some sort of adversity illustrating your heart, courage and desire.

Fury should only be considered when he beats AJ/Usyk, and defends against Joyce/Parker, Dubois/Bryan, faced undefeated fighters like Sanchez, Hrgovic or Ruiz/Ortiz.

[Mark TKO]

To be on the list you have to have been the best in your time, faced top fighters, beat all other challengers, have a number of successful defences and proved your greatness by facing some sort of adversity illustrating your heart, courage and desire.

If he faces AJ / Usyk winner he'll have faced the best available

He's faced adversity and shown his heart courage and desire - in and out of the ring

So going by your logic he's not far off is he ?

[Master]

To be on the list you have to have been the best in your time, faced top fighters, beat all other challengers, have a number of successful defences and proved your greatness by facing some sort of adversity illustrating your heart, courage and desire.

If he faces AJ / Usyk winner he'll have faced the best available

He's faced adversity and shown his heart courage and desire - in and out of the ring

So going by your logic he's not far off is he ?

Still need to make a number of defences he has only had 2.

[nuggetdotcom]

Fury has been around during a dearth of useful heavyweights, without being nationalistic about it the top american athletes at this sort of height/weight are looking at basketball and football or even UFC for more consistent and less corrupt earnings.

Having said that, it is not Furys fault when he was born or which sport he picked, he has made up for his situation by being a master of salesmanship (remind you of anyone?).

There was another dearth of useful heavyweights immediately after WW2, for obvious reasons, although Rocky, to his credit enlisted.

You cannot hold it against both men just due to these things, they fought and beat who was there, period.

Any talk about Fury coulda shoulda woulda is also relevant to Rocky, so its worthless hyperbole.

Geoff

[mikeeod]

Fury has been around during a dearth of useful heavyweights, without being nationalistic about it the top american athletes at this sort of height/weight are looking at basketball and football or even UFC for more consistent and less corrupt earnings.

Having said that, it is not Furys fault when he was born or which sport he picked, he has made up for his situation by being a master of salesmanship (remind you of anyone?).

There was another dearth of useful heavyweights immediately after WW2, for obvious reasons, although Rocky, to his credit enlisted.

You cannot hold it against both men just due to these things, they fought and beat who was there, period.

Any talk about Fury coulda shoulda woulda is also relevant to Rocky, so its worthless hyperbole.

Geoff

I agree and will take it a step further- the truth is the heavyweight division has rarely been deep or packed with top fighters. In my opinion the heavyweights of the late 60s/early 70s and 90s were deep, and the remainder have ranged fro mediocre to barren. We tend to look back with rose colored lenses but when you start looking at challengers…etc., you see that outside of those two decades there weren’t many heavyweight divisions with a ton of elite fighters.

A big reason for this is simply due to the fact that heavyweight sized fighters are a minority around the world- meaning it is still less common to find humans taller than 6’3”. Add to that the fact that it becomes even rarer to find a guy that size who is athletic, a hard worker, and wants to participate in the sport of boxing. The simple fact is that the talent pool for heavyweights is MUCH less than the other weights- ESPECIALLY the middleweights (147-160).

Not sure how many on here competed but think of national tournaments- heavyweights would usually start at the bracket of 32- and the first couple of matches were easy until they started hitting the other seeded competitors. For smaller/mid- weight fighters you would have to win a few “pig tails” just to make it to the bracket. The 90s were the best heavyweight division ever- but it was an anomaly.

The heavyweights Fury beat were just as flawed as the ones Mike Tyson, Larry Holme, and Vlad beat. I would argue that he beat better comp than Dempsey, Tunney, and Marciano. Ali, Evander, and Lennox all beat better comp- but they were all fortunate to be around during those rare moments of deep/ talented heavyweight divisions. Can’t fault Fury for things he can’t control.

I would like to see him fight Usyk once Usyk beats AJ again- but I don’t feel that he has to beat AJ to prove anything. AJ is like Riddick Bowe to Lennox Lewis- he looks like he would be a good match up for Fury but his losses derailed the fights. I don’t see how AJ beats Fury- I don’t even see how he survives 12 rounds.

[Master]

I agree Fury would destroy AJ. It is personal hate between Fury and everything AJ stands for. No way Fury stays retired and watch these inferior boxers take away his limelight and fame.

[BIG H]

I still think he is bang average tbh.

[Mark TKO]

So what do you think about the rest of the current crop of heavyweights?