Top Ten Heavyweight Champs of All-Time

[The Whirlwind]

Check the English papers today for a professional journalists view of the top ten.

[taansend]

YEAH, REMEMBER I STATED THAT I SAW A DOCUMENTERY ON HIM AND THAT HE WAS BELIEVBED TO HAVE TIES WITH THE MOB! FIXED FIGHTS SO THE ITALIANS LOOK GOOD AND HAVE PRIDE TO GO DOWN IN HISTORY WITH!

I do not mean to disrespect Rocky as he was a good man, but his record is bollocks.

His pro fight was Paddy's Day 1947 and his 2nd fight was July 1948. That's a 16th month gap. In that time he fought as an amateur and lost so he cannot be 49-0. The undefeated tag is a lie.

[tszyufan]

Im surprised most of you had Tyson ranked so low in your top 10's. I believe he is one of if not the best heavy weights of all time. Had he not lost to Buster Douglas he would of reached this level. I think just because he had a few loses of late and people have wrote him off.Here are some reasons why he way so great
1. He was the youngest heavyweight champ ever
2. Incredible power in both hands many of his early KO's were with his left hand
3. He was the most feared fighter during his reign I dont recall any others so feared
4.Just watch Mike Tysons greatest hits and see the damage this guy does

[jbirdy]

he also unified a division that had titles and champs scattered.

[SimonH]

1. He was the youngest heavyweight champ ever

He was officially the youngest Heavyweight titlist, Patterson was the youngest World Heavyweight Champion ever.

[Craig Bellady]

1) Joe Louis
2) Muhammad Ali (would have been higher if he didnt get banned for 3 years when IMO he was at his peak)
3) Jack Dempsey
4) Jack Johnson
5) Rocky Marciano
6) Larry Holmes
7) Gene Tunney
George Foreman
9) Mike Tyson (would have been higher if he didnt go to jail and ruin the best years of his career)
10) Joe Frazier

Not to mention: Jim Jeffries, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield

[SimonH]

1)Â Â Joe Louis
2)Â Â Muhammad Ali (would have been higher if he didnt get banned for 3 years when IMO he was at his peak)

Louis did not fight for Four years, when he probably would of been at his peak

[El Kabong]

How is Dempsey a guy who defended his title only 5 times get over Rocky?

[OumaFan]

To me it's hard to even discuss guys like Johnson and Dempsey not because they weren't greats but because boxing was so different back then, so much holding and grappling as well as fighting with hands down, just a completely different style than has been used in modern era.

[Liam1982]

The top 20 heavyweights of all time

1. Rocky Marciano
2. Joe Louis
3. Muhammad Ali
4. Jack Dempsy
5. Jersey Joe Walcott
6. Sonny Liston
7. Floyd Paterson
8. Leon Spinks
9. Larry Holmes
10. Michael Spinks
11. Lennox Lewis
12. Evander Holyfield
13. James Corbett
14. Tommy Burns
15. Jess Willard
16. Jerry Quarry
17. Jimmy Ellis
18. Gene Tunney
19. Max Schmeling
20. Max Baer

[Sand Man]

I think most everybody agrees that Ali is number 1 or 2. To be on the list you need to have exceptional skills (Ali) and/or completely dominate the division (Tyson, Sullivan, Foreman, Marciano, Louis). Tough to call as the division's talent at the time of the champion determines how people look at him.Â

[hitmanhatton]

marcianos record is his pro record if he lost as an amatuer so wot it doesnt count on his record

[hitmanhatton]

if a fighter like louis managed to acheive so much without fightin at his peak doesnt tht make him better because if tht was him not at his peak emagine him at his peak

[Jody Lane]

if a fighter like louis managed to acheive so much without fightin at his peak doesnt tht make him better because if tht was him not at his peak emagine him at his peak

Actually he was 27-28 when he went into the armed forces hitman, so he probably had peaked already. He was born in 1914 and had his last title defense in 1942, before being out 4 years.

[hitmanhatton]

oh right some said tht he missed out on his peak years