Top Ten Heavyweight Champs of All-Time

[El Kabong]

1. Joe Louis
2. Muhamed Ali
3. Rocky Marciano
4. Jack Johnson
5. George Foreman
6. Joe Frazier
7. Lennox Lewis
8. Jack Dempsey
9. Larry Holmes
10. Riddick Bowe
Honorable Mention: Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Sonny Liston, Floyd Patterson

You guys knew this post was coming, so what does your top ten look like? And has Tyson fallen in your all-time rankings if so why?

[TitoFan]

Drgoodlooking would probably want you to include Kevin McBride somewhere on the list.........

[TitoFan]

1. Joe Louis
2. Muhamed Ali
3. Rocky Marciano
4. Jack Johnson
5. George Foreman
6. Joe Frazier
7. Lennox Lewis
8. Jack Dempsey
9. Larry Holmes
10. Riddick Bowe
Honorable Mention: Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Sonny Liston, Floyd Patterson

You guys knew this post was coming, so what does your top ten look like? And has Tyson fallen in your all-time rankings if so why?

It's hard to argue with those names. My only problem is with #9 and 10. Larry Holmes was good, but not top 10 (although I'll admit that my dislike of him colors my judgement just a tad). And although I don't dislike Bowe, I think he has no business in the top 10 (maybe not even top 20).

[SimonH]

12 Mike Tyson
11 Sonny Liston
10 Lennox Lewis
9 Jim Jefferies
8 Jack Dempsey
7 Rocky Marciano
6 Evander Holyfield
5 Larry Holmes
4 Jack Johnson
3 George Foreman
2 Joe Louis
1 Muhammad Ali

I know the title calls for 10, but IMO you need 12 to get Tyson on there.

[Jody Lane]

12 Mike Tyson
11 Sonny Liston
10 Lennox Lewis
9 Jim Jefferies
8 Jack Dempsey
7 Rocky Marciano
6 Evander Holyfield
5 Larry Holmes
4 Jack Johnson
3 George Foreman
2 Joe Louis
1 Muhammad Ali

I know the title calls for 10, but IMO you need 12 to get Tyson on there.

I might put Foreman and Holyfield a little lower but I agree with the names in your top ten.

[The_One77]

i never really understood why evander holyfield was so great anyway?
Someone tell me the facts.

[El Kabong]

i never really understood why evander holyfield was so great anyway?
Someone tell me the facts.

He beat Tyson, Bowe and to a much lesser extent got a gift vs Lewis

[SimonH]

i never really understood why evander holyfield was so great anyway?
Someone tell me the facts.

2 year initial reign as world champ, only beaten by a prime Bowe. Showed greatness by regaining the title, over a past conquerer in Bowe, who was the big favourite.

Then recovered from alleged health issues, to twice beat a comebacking Tyson, in which in fight 1, he was 24/1 underdog.

Still capable of giving the #1 heavy of the late 90s, two tough fights, even when 6/7 years past his prime, giving up 30+ lbs.

[The_One77]

but he lost the rubber match against riddick bowe.

[lamble39]

but he lost the rubber match against riddick bowe.

True but he put him down and was apparently diagnosed hepatitis afterwards which also apperantly explains why he punched himself out so quickly after the knockdown!

[0james0]

1- Tyson
2- Ali
3- Louis
4- Frasier
5- Marciano
6- Foreman
7- Holmes
8- Lewis
9- Holyfield
10- Klitschko (I think Vitali at his best was better than Wlad)

I can only really do from the 1940 ish onwards as I just can't judge before that. Other than stats and the odd highlight, I just don't know enough about people like Jack Johnson.

I've based it not on records, but on absolute prime and how they would have faired when at their very best. E.g- Holyfield beat Tyson twice, but still wasn't better than him on his best day.

Many will probably disagree with a few, but I think that on his best day, Tyson would murder anyone. As much as I dislike him, a Vitali on his very best day would have been tough for any of the greats.

[ICB]

1- Tyson
2- Ali
3- Louis
4- Frasier
5- Marciano
6- Foreman
7- Holmes
8- Lewis
9- Holyfield
10- Klitschko (I think Vitali at his best was better than Wlad)

I can only really do from the 1940 ish onwards as I just can't judge before that. Other than stats and the odd highlight, I just don't know enough about people like Jack Johnson.

I've based it not on records, but on absolute prime and how they would have faired when at their very best. E.g- Holyfield beat Tyson twice, but still wasn't better than him on his best day.

Many will probably disagree with a few, but I think that on his best day, Tyson would murder anyone. As much as I dislike him, a Vitali on his very best day would have been tough for any of the greats.

Well i obviously disagree with guys like Frazier, Tyson, but in truth Rocky Marciano wouldn't beat any of those fighters at there best, he's simply too small.

[0james0]

Marciano wa sprobably the only one who swayed me to put him in there on merit. I've seen less of his fights than anyone elses.

[SimonH]

but he lost the rubber match against riddick bowe.

But he rebounded to beat Tyson, twice, a true sign of greatness.

[ROCKY MARSHMELLOW]

Dont buy that, look at who Tyson had fought and how many rounds he had done leading up to the Holyfield fight, people just thought he was going to win because they were thinking Tyson was somewhere like the fighter he used to be, they were wrong.

Also he wasn't 24/1 underdog, leading up to the fight he might of been but come fight time he was around 8/1 alot of money got betted on Holyfield in the final days coming up to the fight.

You can also say that Bowe could of easierly beat him 3 times, there was nearly 30 minute gap in the rematch with the fan man made a appearance in the ring. I Just cant see how you can have Holyfield ranked so high just off beating Tyson. The fact is when he was in his prime and fought in the great trilogy with Bowe he came out as the Frazier and Bowe was the Ali. Also people say Holyfield was past it when he fought Lewis, he wasn't that past it 8 months before when he knocked out Moorer and beat Bean, Lewis made him look like a confused old man with Lewis's superior boxing skills.

So take all them factors and really you should have Bowe ahead of Holyfield and Lewis ahead of both of them, now we all know that both of them ducked Lewis.