Top ten Heavyweights in the post Ali Era

[Lance Uppercut]

Great thread, mithrandir has won me over already....


1- Mike Tyson
2-Lennox Lewis
3- Larry Holmes
4-George Foreman
5-Evander Holyfield
6-Riddick Bowe
7-Vitali Klitschko
8-Oliver McCall
9-Wladimir Klitschko
10-Tyrell Biggs (please dont laugh)

Now your comment about Valuev beating Holyfield makes sense. I can see by your above list that you are probably one of those young, naive boxing fans who greatly overrates Tyson. And you probably like to use the pharse "a prime mike tyson" because you think it gives your argument more credibility, as if all other fighters aren't judged by their prime.

Fighters like tyson, RJJ are very unique in that stating in their "prime" is almost saying they were unbeatable.

Tyson went through guys who in this day would own the heavys like the complete animal he was and if you must ask me YES a prime tyson would of probably gone through every single one of those others on the list bar lewis through sheer aggression.

technically he probably wouldnt even make a top 10 list but love him or hate him the guy was a complete monster in his prime

So my call was accurate; your one of those people. If you continue to follow the sport, eventually you will gain a greater perspective, and you will understand why some of the older boxing fans think you "prime tyson" analysis is funny.

[Gandalf]

Prime Tyson really was the best Imo and I dont see the point in devaluing him over time. He was great and could beat any fighter in the history of heavyweight boxing.

[LEGION]

Prime Tyson really was the best Imo and I dont see the point in devaluing him over time. He was great and could beat eat any fighter in the history of heavyweight boxing.

True, true.....

[Gandalf]

Prime Tyson really was the best Imo and I dont see the point in devaluing him over time. He was great and could beat eat any fighter in the history of heavyweight boxing.

True, true.....

But seriously. Anybody can be a revisionist, it doesnt make it any more true. Tyson has been devalued. If he had retired once in jail he would be rated far higher.

[SweetPea]

Sorry I don't have a full list, but I think Holmes is clearly #1 and Lewis is the clear #2.

[Majesty]

I don't know why Chris Byrd gets no mention. He was the best American heavyweight post Holyfield's prime and deserves to be on that list as well. Ike Ibeubuchi, I've only seen the tua fight and the byrd fight. And he was an exciting heavyweight and had a lot of potential, but I wouldn't put him in the top 10 given he had potential, but he didn't even have the mental discipline to make it to the big time to show his potential. But he was good and could have been the savior for years to come, may have dethroned Lewis.

But Chris Byrd deserves to be on the top 10 post Ali. Say what you will about him but compared to the other american heavyweights post holyfield.

Shannon Briggs? Jameel McCline? Calvin Brock? Hasim Rahman? in my opinion Byrd is at the top of that list, and he even made Lennox Lewis duck him. Tyson and bowe is said to have ducked lewis, and lewis ducked Byrd. he deserves to be number 10 if anything.

[Hunter]

Tyson was more than a fighter, he was a cult phenonmenon, a household name. The guy generated so much excitement around boxing.

1- Tyson
2- Larry Holmes
3- Evander Holyfield
4- Lennox Lewis