Top 10 Heavyweights of The Past 20 Years (1987-2007)

[SweetPea]

Im not talking about just fighting in this time span, im talking about the best during this time, let me know if im forgetting anyone:

1.Lennox Lewis
2.Evander Holyfield
3.Mike Tyson
4.George Foreman
5.Riddick Bowe
6.Michael Moorer
7.Buster Douglas
8.Wlad Klitschko
9.Vitali Klitschko
10.Chris Byrd

Honorable Mentions: Larry Holmes, Razor Ruddock, Oliver McCall, Andrew Golota,Ray Mercer,Tommy Morrison, John Ruiz, Hasim Rahman, Shannon Briggs

Where's Frank Bruno

Bruno is represented in these lists. You can see the imprint of his face on the gloves of Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis.

[BoomBoom]

depends what you mean really.....best fighter at his peak...or greatest overall in there careers. For example i believe that Tyson is the most talented by miles of the last 20 years....however i accept Holyfield and Lewis achieved more in there careers.

Over all greatest in that time span. Peak has nothing to do with it cause then, yeah Tyson would be higher as would Foreman.

Prime Tyson is not better than prime Foreman

Foreman twice destroyed one of the greatest heavyweights of all time in Joe Frazier plus annihilated Ken Norton.

Tyson never beat anybody on that level and lost every time he faced a true great, unless of course that great wasn't past his prime and coming off a two year layoff following two successive defeats.

Im quite surprised BoomBoom said that because thats nonsense what he said and he is normally good poster.

You read it wrong. What I said was Foreman and Tyson would be higher on the list, not that Tyson would be higher than Foreman cause Foreman rates far higher than Tyson......Ill forgive you though cause you said i was usually a good poster

Sorry BoomBoom my bad I didn't read it properly. Have a

Its all good. I did make this post too confusing. I clicked ya back

[Tysonbruno]

The Bruno thing was a joke by the way

[ICB]

depends what you mean really.....best fighter at his peak...or greatest overall in there careers. For example i believe that Tyson is the most talented by miles of the last 20 years....however i accept Holyfield and Lewis achieved more in there careers.

Over all greatest in that time span. Peak has nothing to do with it cause then, yeah Tyson would be higher as would Foreman.

Prime Tyson is not better than prime Foreman

Foreman twice destroyed one of the greatest heavyweights of all time in Joe Frazier plus annihilated Ken Norton.

Tyson never beat anybody on that level and lost every time he faced a true great, unless of course that great wasn't past his prime and coming off a two year layoff following two successive defeats.

Im quite surprised BoomBoom said that because thats nonsense what he said and he is normally good poster.

You read it wrong. What I said was Foreman and Tyson would be higher on the list, not that Tyson would be higher than Foreman cause Foreman rates far higher than Tyson......Ill forgive you though cause you said i was usually a good poster

Yea my bad have

[Larryboy]

My list personally would go.

1. Lennox Lewis. Not as exciting or as big a draw as Tyson or Holyfeild, but beat bith of them, as well as just about every other top contender who came about during that time, and avenged both his losses, which were both more or less flukes.

2. Evander Holyfield. Beat all the big names except Lewis, held the real world title twice and took part of some extremely exciting, memorable fights against Tyson, Riddick Bowe, Micheal Moorer and others.

3. Mike Tyson. Obliterated everone during the late 80's, lost some of his peak years due to his prison stint, was never able to recapture his glory days but was still extremely dangerous to all but the very top level fighters during the late 90's. Failure to beat a top guy at or near his peak puts him behind Lewis and Holyfield.

4. Riddick Bowe. Was extremely good but burnt out very quickly. The Bowe who first beat Holyfield would be a match for just about any heavyweight ever but he was shot to pieces within 3 years.

5. Micheal Moorer. Beat the top guy in the division for the real world title. was beating George Foreman until a fluke punch put him down. Was always solid, not an all time great but during this time period he's up there with the best.

6.George Foreman. Did incredibly well to regain the world title after 20 years, and also held in there against Holyfield to take him to the limit.

7. Wladamir Klitchkio. Has been upset a couple of times and has a reputation for being chinny, but he's a much better boxer than his brother was, just not as tough, has beaten many of the best around at the mo, and is generally regarded as the best heavyweight going in these lean times.

8. Hasin Rahman. Could be a lot better than he is but has always fallen short of reaching his potential. still knocked out lewis to breifly hold the world title.

9. Vitali Klitchko. a bit robotic and had an undeserved reputation as a quitter for a long time, but he was big enough and tough enough to be the new dominant heavyweight if he hadn't retired. Lewis fight had a lot of what ifs, maybe he would have won on points, maybe he would have won if he didn't have all those massive cuts on his face, maybe he would have won a rematch. We'll never know.

10. Ray mercer. hard as fuck. Him knocking out Tommy Morrison was something to behold. Was never the top or near the top man in the division but was always a stern challenge.

[undefeated]

Im not talking about just fighting in this time span, im talking about the best during this time, let me know if im forgetting anyone:

1.Lennox Lewis
2.Evander Holyfield
3.Mike Tyson
4.George Foreman
5.Riddick Bowe
6.Michael Moorer
7.Buster Douglas
8.Wlad Klitschko
9.Vitali Klitschko
10.Chris Byrd

Honorable Mentions: Larry Holmes, Razor Ruddock, Oliver McCall, Andrew Golota,Ray Mercer,Tommy Morrison, John Ruiz, Hasim Rahman, Shannon Briggs

i would put evander over lewis

[Tysonbruno]

Buster Douglas does he really deserve to be their just because he beat Tyson that was his only achievement really.

[BoomBoom]

Buster Douglas does he really deserve to be their just because he beat Tyson that was his only achievement really.

Well he beat Oliver McCall too but to me the three fighter below him havent beaten anyone of Tysons caliber so that win goes a long way with me.BUT Maybe he shouldnt be on there because he was never dominant otherwise, but he was more deserving than Rahman or Morrison imo. He could be #10 though below the Klitchkos.

[El Kabong]

Evander beat Lewis on the cards in the first fight but I honestly think the second fight was all his.

Evander beat Riddick Bowe in the second fight by Majority Division

Bowe won the series but nobody else beat him outside Evander Holyfield

Golota did twice

....Golota COULD have but he got DQ'd twice

[CutMeMick]

OK, 1st I gotta say that looking into this thread and having the bright idea of trying to make my own list has caused a big depression in me and even more so in how sad the Heavy div. has been for the past 20 yrs.
I sware 1 thru 8 was good I mean I switched them around a couple of times but for the most part I knew how they faired then I get to numbers 9 and 10 Whoa!! talk about trying to dig up whos the better... S***! I spent about 30 min. trying to decide who to put there it was a toss up in between Ruiz, McCall, Morrison, Rahman, Toney.
I need a nap now... My head hurts...



1. Lewis
2. Holyfield
3. Tyson
4. Moorer
5. Bowe
6. Wladdy
7. Byrd
8. Vitali
9. Ruiz
10. McCall

Mick, I felt the same way when I started thinking about this thread...
How sad is it that Michael Moorer is a no-doubt Top 10 guy, and he got knocked out in his first title defense!

When you look at these lists, it becomes even more amazing that Lennox was criticized for much of his title reign for being boring.

Sad really....

[BoomBoom]

OK, 1st I gotta say that looking into this thread and having the bright idea of trying to make my own list has caused a big depression in me and even more so in how sad the Heavy div. has been for the past 20 yrs.
I sware 1 thru 8 was good I mean I switched them around a couple of times but for the most part I knew how they faired then I get to numbers 9 and 10 Whoa!! talk about trying to dig up whos the better... S***! I spent about 30 min. trying to decide who to put there it was a toss up in between Ruiz, McCall, Morrison, Rahman, Toney.
I need a nap now... My head hurts...



1. Lewis
2. Holyfield
3. Tyson
4. Moorer
5. Bowe
6. Wladdy
7. Byrd
8. Vitali
9. Ruiz
10. McCall

Mick, I felt the same way when I started thinking about this thread...
How sad is it that Michael Moorer is a no-doubt Top 10 guy, and he got knocked out in his first title defense!

When you look at these lists, it becomes even more amazing that Lennox was criticized for much of his title reign for being boring.

Sad really....

Michael Moorer was a great fighter when he was in shape and focused. He could have gone on to be the greatest lt. Heavyweight of all time had he stayed there imo, and he was just not a true heavyweight when he first moved there. I do think he could have done better than he did though at heavyweight cause he had the skill.