Tyson never once rose from the canvas or walked through fire to win a fight. Ruiz is the most hated heavyweight of his generation because of his aggravating fighting style. Yeah, Holmes lost twice to Michael Spinks, while Tyson knocked out Spinks in 90 seconds. Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Sonny Liston, Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield are all easily among the best heavyweight boxers ever. Thankfully, respected boxing stats website Boxrec have compiled the list of the greatest fighters across all divisions and time periods, so lets dive into the list and see who they believe to be the greatest boxer of all time. I hope you enjoy the list and feel free to chime in with your own thoughts on the rankings, (or call me a moron for leaving out your favorite fighter, whatever works). Tyson is a video-game. Frank Warren EXCLUSIVE Mike Tyson responds to Wilder's claims about knocking him out Top 50 fighters of 21st century named 50-31 50:. Maybe Tyson would beat prime Lennox Lewis, but a prime Larry Holmes? Ohh the Tysonites who think boxing was invented in 1984 are out in full force. 1. Top 100 greatest boxers of all time: 40-31, 28 Jun 1997: Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson lock heads during their heavyweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tyson was not even the best of his era - Lost to Douglas, Holyfield TWICE, Lennox Lewis,Danny Williams and McBride.. Tyson NEVER beat anyone who beat him and Never came back when he was down in a fight . Ruslan Chagaev (1997-2016, 34-3-1): 123.1, 38. Join our newsletter to get info about latest events and deals! Feel free to add your thoughts and comments! So to see him ahead of Muhammad Ali is huge for him, however, neither of those greats were worthy of top spot in Boxrecs opinion, with Sugar Ray Robinson, who recorded a staggering 109 knockouts in 174 victories, being crowned the GOAT of boxing. Lewis 7. The 1935 US amateur heavyweight champion turned pro in 1936 and hammered his way up the rankings. He never gave any of the three rematches in their heavyweight primes. Thats a long time in boxing. The fighters, listed chronologically, are John L. Sulllivan, James Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons, James Jeffries, Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Sonny Liston, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Riddick Bowe, Lennox Lewis, Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko. 12. If hed been allowed to fight for the championship when he deserved it, all those fights against Cleveland Williams, Eddie Machen and Zora Folley would have been successful title defenses. His prime was a bit like Iron Mike himself: short, sharp and explosive. Oliver McCall (1985-2019, 59-14-0): 121.6, 40. Jack Sharkey. Tyson gives up fast when he senses hes losing. That doesnt necessarily translate into a pristine record. To offer another analogy: Babe Ruth is widely regarded as the greatest baseball player who ever lived and, with the possible exception of Ted Williams, baseballs greatest hitter. He peaked early, lost Cus DAmato, then lost all focus because he was very immature. 15. Boxing is a world sport. You could have shot those guys 10 times with a gun, posits one panelist, and they still wouldnt have quit. Drinking nearly killed him in 1888, yet he whipped the next-best (white) man a year later in a bare-knuckle match that lasted more than two hours. Most Famous Fight(s): TKO11 over Max Baer in 1939, TKO6 loss to Joe Louis in a 1941 title fight. His numbers speak for themselves: he got to 48-0 and 20 title defences before finally tasting defeat - controversially - to Michael Spinks when Holmes was closing in on his 36th birthday. He was the first heavyweight in history to truly master boxing. A fearsome puncher no doubt, but see Holyfield above. A peak Tyson could not obliterate a mediocre Bonecrusher Smith, who had limited counter punching skills. 2 Joe Louis Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 - April 12, 1981), best known as Joe Louis was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. The Brockton Blockbuster owns the most famous heavyweight record: 49-0. There is no way Frazier can be ranked above Foreman. Before he went to jail, everyone ducked him. 7. Cant overlook Holmes place in heavyweight history. And Ali proved himself the best of them all. Alexander Povetkin (2005 - present, 35-2-1): 148.3, 28. Great rivalries make great fighters. Nobody ever got more out of what he had as a fighter than Marciano. For some, character mattered. Thats insane. Boxing legends Rocky Marciano and Sonny Liston finished third and fourth respectively, with Lewis rounding off the top five. He fought his share of soft opponents. Sonny Liston was the best heavyweight in the world for five years. Honorable Mentions:Joe Jeannette, Jersey Joe Walcott, Max Schmeling, James J. Corbett, Max Baer, Jack Sharkey, Sam McVea,Peter Jackson, Evander Holyfield, Tom Sharkey, Floyd Patterson, Mike Tyson, Wladimir Klitschko, George Godfrey, John L. Sullivan, Johnny Risko. He had a stocky, durable build and was a solid all-around technician. Is it the toys? Second, since we have chosen to rank fighters in one division only so we can spread the glory around, you will not see Gene Tunney, Ezzard Charles orSam Langford here, as they are on our list of the all-time best light heavyweights. Holyfield I choose him because hes very contemporary to MT) doesnt talk trash. Doughlas got lucky and Lewis no match to him . Defeating a 26-year-old Michael Moorer at the age of 45 back in November 1994 to once again be crowned as heavyweight champion demonstrated how a heavyweights power is the last to leave his hands. Tyson lost every fight that ever meant something. Frazier 6. Not a bad list, but a few observations: The entire world stood still on . Fraziers iconic and convincing victory over Muhammad Ali, and 2. the fact he is second only to Ali in terms of the best boxers competing in the strongest era in division history. Again we see some unholy amount of wins with Dave Shade registering 156, Lou Brouillard with 101 and Luis Rodriguez with 107. Like many sluggers, his career was short but scintillating. The video game? Bowe was a super talent and a super waste. Simple: no heavyweight in history faced, let alone defeated, a trio of deadly greats like Liston, Frazier and Foreman. Note: keep in mind that, like all of our rankings, this is not a who-beats-who list, but one that emphasizes individual accomplishment in each fighters time and the quality of the opposition they bested (which is why, for example, we rate Joe Frazier above George Foreman). Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Heavyweight BOXING Champion JOE FRAZIER "Smokin' Joe" SIGNED First Printing RARE at the best online prices at eBay! Satterfield was one of the hardest hitting heavyweights of all time, but considering that he was a natural light heavyweight, his heavy punches were freakish and noteworthy for their pound for pound devastation. But can we put him up there with the absolute all-time greats just yet? A tall, rangy, Olympic gold medallist with a pulverising jab, high ring IQ and KO power, British-born Lewis could be even higher on this list. That nickname accurately described his fighting style. Cant get upset by your list, since I cant even take you seriously.. 8. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. He nearly lost twice to Ringo Bonevena and was bitch-slapped by Foreman. Louis too, though I think Louis courage would put him over Tyson. Go play somewhere else, child. 1A. Mike Tyson W: 50 (44 KOs), L: 6, N/C: 2 Best win: KO1. In 2005, Joe Louis was named the greatest heavyweight of all time by the International Boxing Research Organization. The history of the modern fight game, which dates back to the 1880s, is rich in history and full of interesting and amazing characters. He was wildly popular. Another thing: Joe Frazier and Rocky Marciano would be light heavyweights today. His left hand jab and hook were beyond frightening. Tyson Fury (2008 - present, 30-0-1): 173.2, 23. Nova found a home in the top 10 heavyweight rankings for half a decade in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Any list with Marciano loses credibility with the knowledgeable. Your email address will not be published. When Louis first retired in 1948, he did so as champion with a 58-1 win-loss record. Most Notable win: St. Valentine's Day Massacre. One guy was a once-great fighter who was shot. Fourteen of the 19 electors who ranked Ali first ranked Louis second. No way. He got up from that bomb McCall hit him with, and I still think the fight was stopped prematurely. More, and better, accomplishments. Ali and George Foreman were much bigger. Accurate list! 2023 RING TV LIVE. Look at the fear Tyson compounded with ferocious punches for Trevor Berbick, Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks, Frank Bruno and Donovan Ruddock to name a few amidst his reign of terror during the mid to late 1980s and early 1990s. Retired undefeated. Cant believe some of these comments! How many other great heavyweights fought in his era? Watch the DAZN Boxing Show and live fights on DAZN, Sterling vs. Cejudo preview, how to watch. Top 100 greatest boxers of all time: 90-81, Cuban boxer Luis Manuel Rodriguez pictured punching a poster of rival and champion Nino Benvenuti prior to their upcoming fight, at the Sport Palace in Rome, November 1969. Most Famous Fight(s): KO2 loss to Ezzard Charles in 1954. Notable Wins: KO3 over Cleveland Williams in 1954, UD over Nino Valdes in 1955, KO1 over Bob Baker in 1953. Great fighter but mentally and emotionally not in the same class with the ones you listed. How do you say Tyson beats Lewis when Lewis actually beat Tyson? Click Agree to accept our use of cookies or you can choose to opt out of our use of cookies by following the instructions in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice. Each generation wants its own great heavyweight champion. My gripe is not fully with the omissions of Tyson, and Holyfield, as much as it is that those two were put in the same so called, Honorable pool as one of the god damn Klitschko brothers. Ali. The Klitschkos are two big, well-conditioned guys fighting in an era when the best big guys are going into sports other than boxing. Louis inspired America. He boasts solid wins over David Tua, Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Tommy Morrison, Ray Mercer and Vitali Klitschko. The fighters, listed chronologically, are John L. Sulllivan, James Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons, James Jeffries, Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Sonny Liston, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Riddick Bowe, Lennox Lewis, Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko. Plus, hes the only heavyweight world champion to have finished his career undefeated. He was a disappointment. Tyson is completely overrated. Greatest Heavyweight Boxers of All Time. Some dont. Tyson would have torn apart Holmes in any era. Few fighters have had the menacing aura Tyson carried to the ring and while brutal punch power was his trademark, peak Tyson also boasted fast hands, a sneaky jab, head movement and a strong chin. Then he got lazy. But so too is that fighters skill level within the context of his time. Firpo was an offensive minded pugilist with the aggression and power of a charging bull. Some fighters were more feared than others. I doubt that he could have done that against Marciano. Farr ranks as one of the most well known Welsh fighters in boxings history. Other considerations are involved. Satterfield did not have a glossy record, piling up 25 losses and 4 draws in 79 fights, yet he was amongst the most popular boxers of his era. READ: Bill Caplans 20 greatest heavyweights (2016). Chris Byrd (1993-2009, 41-5-1): 142.9, 30. Cus was more than just his coach he was Tysons everything and guided him. Big heart, just would not be beaten. Sullivan fought for 13 years, the last 10 of which he was a fullblown alcoholic. Notable Wins: TKO6 over Rex Layne in 1954, MD over Bob Baker in 1956. You can also order the current issue, which is on newsstands, or back issues from our subscribe page. He has played football, cricket, tennis, snooker and darts since childhood - but clearly not well enough to give up the day job! Tyson ADMITS he bit EH (classy) out of frustration not knowing what to do when he knew hed lose). One ranked Louis fifth. I would have Tyson at #12, Frazier at #11, Dempsey #10, Holmes #9, W Klitschko #8, Liston #7, Marciano #6, Holyfield #5, Foreman #4, Johnson #3, Louis #2 and Ali #1. The best lightweight boxers in the world, named and ranked The best British pound for pound boxers right now, named and ranked 10. If you dont think that has anything to do with it you are crazy. Deontay Wilder (2008 - present, 42-1-1): 122.8, 39. But watch the film. Neither fighter ranked himself. He was a natural counter puncher and rarely pressed the action so he had a reputation for making the hometown fighter look bad. Johnsons defense should rank him number one. A loyal Liverpool FC supporter who has experienced the highs and lows of supporting the Mighty Reds! Floyd Mayweather normally is criminally underrated in lists such as this, with a perfect 50-0 record, taking the sport of boxing to obscene heights, he certainly deserves more respect. Johnson KO15 Jeffries. Some sort of elaborate prank? A true STUDENT of the sweet science. If only Cus would have lived ten more years I think Tyson would be top 5. Arguably the divisions greatest puncher. It may well be that the best defense is a good offense, and Tyson had been an unstoppable force when coming forward, but he was lost when things didnt go his way. 5. The Philadelphia icon couldnt cope with Big Georges otherworldly power - but he gave every other boxer he faced, including Ali, absolute hell. The record speaks for itself. Nine chose Joe Louis. Some of the bigger names in this list include Sonny Liston, and fellow American Evander Holyfield, with the latter renowned for his rivalry with Mike Tyson which saw Iron Mike bite a chunk of his ear off during a bout. Bobs downfall was what made him so popular, his all out approach that left him overextended, open for counter punches, and out of gas in the later rounds if the early KO did not come. No Mike Tyson is a shame!! 9. Couldnt agree more. Frazier above Foreman? Muhammad Ali had incredible physical gifts, skill, determination and heart. DANNY WILLIAMS who LOST 27 fights knocked out a 38 year-old Tyson in 4 rounds. He won the first one and was robbed by the judges in the third one. He could punch. And this myth that Lennox had no chin. Pinklon was willing to trade punches and did not have much finesse, which proved to be his downfall. And Kevin McBride TKOd Tyson is SIX. In the eyes of several electors, that was where Tyson came up short. But he fought for 17 years and had only 18 fights. Mike Tyson was in an awfully weak era. ESPN also listed him as "The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History". Walcott was 37, but he outboxed Marciano for most of their first match. Reviled early on in his championship reign, he eventually became nothing less than an American icon. This is more than who would have beaten who. No way. Floyd Patterson (1952-1972, 55-8-1): 321.5, 14. He would come to fight carrying extra weight and in no condition to fight for a world title. And the panelists factored in toughness. And each of these incredible heavyweights did that: from titanic punchers to dazzling boxers. Page would often cut corners in training camp, or refuse to train at all. How can you leave him off. In his short prime, Tyson is a serious challenge for anyone. But if they fought, Id pick Vitali. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. So, are we talking about boxings greatest heavyweight fighter or boxings greatest heavyweight champion? However, we then have George Foreman and Mike Tyson way down on the list. His later losses to such as Danny Williams and old , McBride were when he was not only totally washed up, but untrained and uninterested in anything except to earn money to pay his debts. Johnson never granted a title shot to another African-American boxer - maintaining the odious colour bar during his six-year reign - but he was ahead of his time in the ring. Tyson never fought anyone in there prime or of any note before 1990. Top 100 greatest boxers of all time: 20-11. Joe Louis should be #ONE, Ali 2, Tyson 3, Johnson 4, Holmes 5, Holyfield 6, Bowe 7, Foreman 8 Lewis 9 Vitali Klitschko 10. Cleveland Williams (1951-1972, 80-13-1): 186.6, 21. Top row: John L. Sullivan, James Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons, James Jeffries; Second row: Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Joe Louis; Third row: Rocky Marciano, Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, George Foreman; Fourth row: Larry Holmes, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Riddick Bowe; Fifth row: Lennox Lewis, Vitali Klitschko, Wladimir Klitschko. In a golden age of sports, he made boxing popular and respectable. Twenty-five consecutive title defenses more than imprinted Louis as one of the greatest heavyweights of all time. Mike Tyson is looked at now as a bully who folded when things got tough. But thats just for starters. Applause for not ranking Tyson. Tyson should be on here all right. Tyson took the title in a lackluster period after an admittedly STRONG early run but gave out fast. Jack Dempsey was a heavyweight champion for 7 years (from 1919 to 1926). Go back and watch the Norton fight, even just round 15 if you dont have the time. The heavyweight division doesnt lend itself to this format. The Tyson of the late 80s definitely belongs there. 1 on all 30 ballots, he would have had a perfect score of 30. All of the fighters on this list were great. A reasonably good list. Louis was in and out of Sanatoriums, and according to his son, when out, would hide under the table with the cloth pulled down. Now, Kossobutskiy will make his North American debut against his best opponent to date. Very impressive. I remember how he destroyed Holmes! We saw the skill but we were ROBBED of the will, his future, and his full potential. Gene Tunney (1915-1928, 79-1-4): 464.7, 6. I think he is one of the greatest boxers not only because of the fact he was a champion or because of his title defenses but also because of his unique style. Dempsey 14. Cunning and clever, The Galveston Giant didnt just defeat his opponents, but often humiliated them with his skill, smarts and unceasing control of the ring. You can subscribe to the print and digital editions of RING magazine by clicking the banner or here. BoxRec ranked heavyweights, both past and present, and awarded each fighter with an overall score based on its points system. 16), Vitali Klitschko (No. Vernon Forest 74. These are hardly heavyweight limelights and I mention Tysons age 38 because considering the legit comebacks going on, Tyson was NOT that old. And dont forget Terrell, Shavers and Chuvalo. Tyson foreshadowed todays social media world where fame often counts for more than character. People remember how good Ali was when he was young. Mandatory Cr. It took Corbett 21 modern rounds to stop Sullivan when Sullivan was 34 years old, had been inactive for three years and was drinking constantly. But one needs to think in overall terms and career achievements. Tyson was a thicker, harder-hitting Joe Frazier. W.Klitschko 12. Absolutely, Mr. Weiler. Biggest joke of the year . Against Williams I heard his ligament snap when he was gong in to finish him off. Joe Frazier (No. One fight can go a long way toward defining a fighters legacy. And lame. Johnny Dundee 77. Sam is an enthusiastic member of the GiveMeSport team, taking on the role of Academy Editor in June 22, moving over after a seven month stint with ThisIsFutbol. Two voted for Jack Johnson. He was a bully and a quitter. Not his fault if he fought and beat old men as champ. Any ranking also shouldnt be about which boxer beats which in some fantasy fight. Firpo of Argentina is still a cultural hero and legendary sports figure in South America because of his time as a heavyweight contender during the roaring 20s, primarily due to his epic fight with Jack Dempsey that is remembered as one of the greatest fights of all time and the quintessential heavyweight slugfest. Tyson in his prime was unstoppable. Among his vanquished foes are Sam Langford, Tommy Burns, James J. Jeffries, Stanley Ketchel, Jim Flynn, Joe Jeannette and Sam McVea.

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