Go back and watch the Norton fight, even just round 15 if you dont have the time. That allowed him to throw a powerful right cross without his opponents see it by moving his left glove off their eyes a split of the second before the cross lands. More, and better, accomplishments. He nearly lost twice to Ringo Bonevena and was bitch-slapped by Foreman. Shane Mosley couldnt beat Vernon Forrest, but who had the better career? Oliver McCall (1985-2019, 59-14-0): 121.6, 40. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Floyd Joy Mayweather Jr. (Grand Rapids, MI, February 24, 1977) is an American professional boxing promoter and former professional boxer. No iron mike?? Jeffries 15. With his Peek-a-Boo guard and his quick head movement, it was really hard for his opponents to catch him. 4. Before he went to jail, everyone ducked him. He competed from 1996 to 2007, 2009 to 2010, 2011 to 2015, and made a one-fight comeback in 2017. No way. Rocky Marciano A staggering 49-0 record 43 of which by knockout and counting wins over the likes of Joe Louis, Ezzard Charles and Archie Moore, Marciano was among the most feared heavyweights of all time. 7. Mike Tyson should be in the top 12! Gypsy King retained his WBC crown with a stunning KO of Deontay Wilder The Week Staff 11 Oct. Top 50 fighters of 21st century named 50-31 50: Andy Ruiz 49: Ray Mercer 48: Frank Bruno 47: Jack Sharkey 46: Paddy Ryan 45: David Tua 44: Ron Lyle 43: Gerry Cooney 42: Michael Spinks 41: Roy. Louis' points total puts him well clear of the 'Greatest,' who finished second with an impressive 757.9 points. Mike tyson in his prime was unstoppable. In boxing history, Gerald Arthur Cooney came as the one who gave contenders the most powerful punches. I agree with you. 16 Reasons why Lebron is greater than Jordan. Jack Johnson is too high. Lewis only fought guys who were at the end of their careers. Frazier loved this technique changing the levels to make his opponents think hes going to the body and the landing a clean left hook to the head. And both components of his fighting game have been on display in all three of his fights against Deontay Wilder one of boxings biggest punchers of all time and his unanimous decision points win over Wladimir Klitschko. Ali and George Foreman were much bigger. 5. Twenty-five consecutive title defenses more than imprinted Louis as one of the greatest heavyweights of all time. The first black heavyweight champion was a flamboyant, controversial character but in the ring he was a scientist. He was good everywhere, no matter if he was fighting from the inside, or from a long distance. Marciano was a classical infighter. James J. Jeffries: The Boilermaker was revered for decades as one of the greatest ringman in the history of the sport as his combination of bone-crunching power, durability and amazing stamina allowed him to retire undefeated in 1904. In my opinion, Moore was a boxer-puncher (someone who is good everywhere inside, outside, can fight in any stance, etc) because he was fighting effective no matter if it was in the clinch or from a long distance where he was circling around his opponents and jabbing them Muhammad Ali style. Feel free to add your thoughts and comments! Also, this is a ranking of the greatest boxers and not of the best ones. Tyson is completely overrated. In 2005, Joe Louis was named the greatest heavyweight of all time by the International Boxing Research Organization. You can see in some of his fights how he rag dolls the other boxers and even picking them up after dropping them. Lennox Lewis is too low. Journeyman Leroy Caldwell fought many of the best heavyweights from the late 1960s to the early 1980s. Muhammad Ali is the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time according to major Sports publications like Sports Illustrated, NBCSports, BBC, and ESPN SportsCentury. His defense was just as impressive as his offensive skills. He knew that Foreman was bigger and stronger than him and also that he deals pretty handily with infighters (as you can see in his fight with Joe Frazier). Top 100 greatest boxers of all time: 70-61 70. Lets set the record straight. Three time champ and he was the king of the 90s, which was a very good generation for heavyweights. Because if you want to walk somebody down, youre probably going to get some punches in the face, so you need to know how to deal with them. Table of Contents 1. Cruiserweights May 1994 Issue Evander Holyfield Dwight Qawi Carlos DeLeon Ossie Ocasio Orlin Norris Super Middleweights May 1994 Issue Chong-Pal Park Sugar Ray Leonard Thomas Hearns James Toney Michael Nunn Jr Middleweights May 1994 Issue Brawlers are willing to take a punch so they can land one. 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. I must say I like your list. Drederick Tatum is The Simpsons equivalent of former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. Jack Johnson usually prevented his opponents from entering into a clinch by resting his hands on their shoulder and pushing them back. 9. Whos ranked an all time great? He has no comeback ability. After a standout amateur career, he turned pro in 1934. The old man must have been a wild old rooster! His right overhand was a really had punch, because Luis was able to transfer the power from hisfeet, through the body, to the fist very efficiently with a crisp technique. He had one of the best jabs in boxing history. With his 25 title defenses,Klitschko has one of the longest title reigns in the heavyweight division. The Top Ten. Roscoe Toles (1931-1950, 45-10-6): 140.1, 31. Ali didnt have the power of boxers such as Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Sonny Liston, but he was really skilled and was definitely very smart fighter with high fight IQ. How do you say Tyson beats Lewis when Lewis actually beat Tyson? He is an out-boxer (someone who maintain a distance from their opponent and throws fast and long punches) but unlike the most out-boxers, he has knockout power in both his hands. A 1987 version of Mike would have demolished him. Following in Alis footsteps, Holmes could be as cold as Ali was charismatic but he could fight. No substance. 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. Signature technique: Uppercuts in the clinch. So in order to beat such fighter, Holyfield had to fight from the inside. Absolutely, Mr. Weiler. Salesmanship? He reinvented himself over and over again. As I already mentioned, with the drop step, Dempsey was able to hit really hard, regardless of the distance he did that from a long-range but also in the clinch. That means this isn't a ranking from 1 to 10; rather the ten who, in this writer's opinion, make the cut. Lennox Lewis (1989-2003, 41-2-1): 547.9, 4. Do people not know that Lewis beat Tyson in 8 rounds? The greatest heavyweight is the best boxer by default, as they beat everyone across ALL divisions. Applause for not ranking Tyson. Evander Holyfield 7. But that way Ali was much more mobile and was able to see the punches better and to slip them. Signature technique: Right cross counter over the jab. Aged 46 and pudgy and smiling, rather than sculpted and scowling, the American KOd heavyweight champ Michael Moorer with one punch in 1994, claiming back his crown 21 years after he first won it. The best lightweight boxers in the world, named and ranked The best British pound for pound boxers right now, named and ranked 10. The style he developed required goodhead movement and timing. Before he went to jail and before Cus DAmato died, he couldnt be touched. how could you possible list frazier ahead of foreman, that is crazy, simply because foreman DESTROYED him twice. And lame. For your information, 38 isnt your prime, so yeah. Frazier was able to knock everyone out with it. Well, at least Foremans hands. Tyson 10. Of course, there are somesimilarities in the styles of the two brothers. Holyfield should be on the list. 1 Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. (January 17, 1942 - June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer, activist, entertainer, poet, and philanthropist. Holmes was well old by then and took the fight with only a few weeks to train after a long lay off. A jab and a right hand. Holmes was a deadbeat along with Klitschko. Marciano never fought Joe Louis. During the whole fight, he stood his ground and waited for Myke to attack first so he can counter him. Ken Norton should get at least an honorable mention. Simple: no heavyweight in history faced, let alone defeated, a trio of deadly greats like Liston, Frazier and Foreman. That shows how adaptive and smart fighter Holyfield was in his prime which is the reason why he is one of the greatest ever. His ring career lasted between 1968 and 2001. Holyfield held his own, 15 rounds, against a young Lennox Lewis (who destroyed Tyson), and, beat (not on the scorecards) Nikolai Valuev LATE in EVs career. He was known for his deadly hitting power throughout his famous boxing career. Respect. Signature technique:Left hook -> Right Cross. Shorboxing.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. And every time they tried, he used that opportunity to land a right cross over their punch. The Top 21 Offensive Linemen in NFL History. Unless perhaps Tyson Fury has anything to say about that. Nationality: Japanese. And as we know, the sport never stops toevolves so Joshua has an unfair advantage over Ali. Only 2 losses, and he came back and rectified them. A young Holmes most likely beats Tyson, but apart from that, Holmes is without a doubt in the top ten all-time, while Tyson, to the surprise of many, is not. Height: 6 ft 2 in. But when the other boxers came close to him, he transitioned to a crossguard so he can defend both his body and his head effectively. Lennox Lewis 11. Current heavyweight superstars Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder also made the top 50. 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. Boxing legends Rocky Marciano and Sonny Liston finished third and fourth respectively, with Lewis rounding off the top five. He was able to knock everyone out with every type of punch, even with a simple jab. And they enabled him to vanquish, among others, Ken Norton, Earnie Shavers, Gerry Cooney,Tim Witherspoon, Mike Weaver and Trevor Berbick. He was an aggressive counterpuncher (someone who pressures his opponents, to make them throw punches, so he can counter), but he was also skilled infighter a boxer who likes to fight at a very close distance. Cant get upset by your list, since I cant even take you seriously.. Even one punch was enough as long as it connects clean. A former champion in PRIDE and the UFC, he had an extremely impressive run from 1996 to 2006, where he went 28-3-1. One of the favorite Holyfields combinations started with a quick jab to the head, then he lowered his body and head while making a step forward and throwing a lead a hook to the body. When talking The Greatest heavyweights, Alis name reigns supreme. Fury has combined pure boxing skills with underrated punching power to a supreme level amidst his growing dominance. Muhammad Ali has been named the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time and the greatest athlete of the 20th century by the magazine 'Sports Illustrated'. Jack Dempsey (1914-1927, 59-6-9): 146.7, 29. As did fights from the greatest of the greats, from Rocky Marciano and Muhammad Ali to Larry Holmes . He is not the greatest because he wasnt a role model. It was full power with every punch. A fearsome puncher no doubt, but see Holyfield above. He fought a total of 81 fights with 76 stunning wins. Two comeback fights, when he was pushing 40, spoiled that record - but nothing can change the fact that he is indeed The Greatest. I agree with you. Signature technique:Slip the jab (outside) -> Right overhand. As Joe liked to say, Nuff said.. Most great boxers have done this and Lennox Lewis only lost twice and then won in the rematch. Your email address will not be published. He was always moving forward, fighting in aclose distance, pushing and bullying his opponents. Big George knocked the hell out of Frazier twice and Smoking Joe is ranked over Foreman? Holyfield was only person fought well with tyson in his prime. Not a bad list, but a few observations: Fury has combined pure boxing skills with underrated punching power to a supreme level amidst his growing dominance. Frazier is the only man to defeat Muhammad Ali when he was anywhere close to his prime. Famous fight:Sonny Liston vs Cassius Clay. Although he didnt make the list, it doesnt mean he isnt a major problem for the legends at the top of this list. Sugar Ray Leonard 9. Boxing record: Total fights - 22, Wins - 20, Wins by KO - 14, Losses - 1, Draw -1. Amen!! Sugar Ray Robinson 3. And not only that but also his hands were huge. Anyone who puts Joe Frazier ahead of a serious power-puncher is ignorant. Weight class: Bantamweight. However there is no denying that the current crop a field that includes Wilder,Anthony Joshua, Oleksandr Usyk and more with WBC and The Ring champ Fury sitting top of the heap have produced the most exciting spell for the 200lbs+ realm in a long time. 33 Ted (Kid) Lewis. Prison? Wheres Tyson? Another boxings greatest robberies. Nearly none of his games lasted more than 15 rounds. Besides this strategy, his size advantage was also a huge factor in those two fights (Lewis is 65 tall with 84 reach). Big heart, just would not be beaten. Sometimes Archie was using the crossguard to bait his opponents. Lennox was feinting a right cross to make his opponents lower their head to dodge the shot. Great fighter but mentally and emotionally not in the same class with the ones you listed. No place for Riddick Bowe, who had the tools but not the application, nor - controversially - his rival Evander Holyfield: the cruiserweight GOAT (but there are some legitimate question marks over the sculpted warriors rise in weight). Louis too, though I think Louis courage would put him over Tyson. He was thrill-a-minute, exemplified by his fight with Luis Angel Firpo, where Dempsey knocked his opponent down seven (7) times, got blasted through out of the ring himself, then scrambled back through the ropes to eventually knock out Firpo. 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. However, Louis was able to take revenge for this match after two years. No one better to learn from. Thats why many of his wins are on points (which wasnt highly appreciated by the fans, who want to see knockouts). This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. His duels with George Foreman (Rumble in the Jungle, 1974) and Joe Frazier (Thrilla in Manila . Possessing an uncanny ability to absorb punishment and keep coming until he landed his crushing right hand, Marciano never looked like an elite boxer but try telling that to all the men he pulverised in the ring. Fury has made a case to be considered one of the best heavyweights ever, but just how good is he? After that, he finished the combo with a powerful lead hook to the head. Signature technique: Multiple hooks to the body. Doughlas got lucky and Lewis no match to him . Jersey Joe Walcott (1930-1953, 50-20-1): 261.7, 16. Deontay Wilder! Thats insane. And dont forget Terrell, Shavers and Chuvalo. 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. Often titled the greatest boxer of all time, Leonard was also regarded as "Boxer of the Decade" back in the 1980s. Bob Foster was one of the best light heavyweight boxers of all time. Listons Jab-Cross wasnt the normal 1-2 (jab-cross) combination with light but quick jab and powerful right hand. Tyson could not get past the defense of Lewis and he got knocked out. Even I know THAT! Not to be mentioned is BS. The Jeffries fight was a huge event, but I didnt think this a popularity contest and I dont know how to explain that a 6-year retired ex-champion could be considered one of a guys best wins. If he had people around him who had cared about him he may have won every fight. So Maybe Tyson is in the top10 of his era .. Back in the day, Leonard was also part of "The Fabulous Four.". Smokin Joe was an absolute buzzsaw. If only Cus would have lived ten more years I think Tyson would be top 5. Gene Tunney (1915-1928, 79-1-4): 464.7, 6. Here, DAZN lists its 10 Best Heavyweights of All Time, in no particular order. And Joe knew exactly how to do that he was able to time almost every punch and to dodge it or block it. This group included Leonard himself and three others; Roberto Durn, Thomas Hearns, and Marvin Hagler. Weight: 201 lbs (91.1 kg) Not all heavyweight boxers are fast, but that does not stop Michael Hunter from landing quick jabs and hooks on his opponent. For example against Sonny Liston, he was moving a lot, making him miss and countering him. Here are the top 25 greatest boxers of all time: 26 Honorable Mentions: Gene Tunney, Marvin Hagler, Julio Cesar Chavez, Manny Pacquiao & The Klitschko's The history of boxing is such that this could be a list of the 250 greatest boxers of all-time, and there would still be some great names left out. At a long distance,Archie Moore was using the basic boxing guard and stood in an almost sideways stance. Rocky Marciano A staggering 49-0 record 43 of which by knockout and counting wins over the likes of Joe Louis, Ezzard Charles and Archie Moore, Marciano was among the most feared heavyweights of all time. He had a record of 56-5 and his fights were always highly-anticipated . He is like Morrison, as Stevey below says. Cant overlook Holmes place in heavyweight history. After three years in prison, Tysons quickness was gone. 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. BoxRec ranked heavyweights, both past and present, and awarded each fighter with an overall score based on its points system. Throw in Norton, Quarry, Patterson, Lyle and Bonavena too. And against George Foreman, he was staying at the ropes blocking all punches for several rounds, gassing Foreman out so he can finish him later. Couldnt be hurt. With his, size, his punching power, and his chin, Foreman wasnt afraid to trade punch for punch no matter what type of opponent he was facing. Unless perhaps Tyson Fury has anything to say about that. But that was way easier to be said than done. This is no small achievement. Wheres mike Tyson? 4 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Picking just 10 great heavyweights from 100+ years means some elite champions have to miss out. These are hardly heavyweight limelights and I mention Tysons age 38 because considering the legit comebacks going on, Tyson was NOT that old. And at the end of the day, the effectiveness of the technique is much more important than its appearance. But honestly, his career and overcoming personal obstacles along the way to date already have him among the greatest heavyweights of all time on our list. Also, both loses clearly because he didnt take the fights as seriously as he should have, but when he did, he made quick work of both. 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. When talking The Greatest heavyweights, Alis name reigns supreme. MF & DAZN: X Series 005 Jay Swingler v NichLmao, Who won the PFL Challenger Series last night? But they, too, are among the greatest of all time, so thats not too shabby. Foreman destroyed Frazier on two occasions. A peak Tyson could not obliterate a mediocre Bonecrusher Smith, who had limited counter punching skills. Jimmy Ellis (1961-1975, 40-12-1): 114.2, 47. It is a city of fights and fighters, of hockey and heroes, of broken dreams and immortal glory, a city unlike any other. 49-0! Archie Moore, Louis, Walcott are all better, and win over Rocky if younger. Marciano 4. You can check out the heavyweights that finished outside of the top 50 over at BoxRec. *golf clap*. None of the fighters listed knocked out opponents the way Tyson did with speed and fury!!!! Tags: Evander Holyfield George Foreman Greatest Heavyweight Boxers Jack Johnson Joe Frazier Joe Louis Larry Holmes Lennox Lewis Mike Tyson Muhammad Ali of all time Rocky Marciano Tyson Fury. Cus was more than just his coach he was Tysons everything and guided him. Muhammad Ali 2. A few years ago I've started boxing and I've quickly fallen in love with this awesome sport. Wills are you crazy? He also kept his hands low and his chin up, which are common mistakes according to many coaches. Maybe Tyson would beat prime Lennox Lewis, but a prime Larry Holmes? Tyson could never deal with adversity, which is why he doesnt belong on the list of ATGs. Usually, he did this when his opponents were pressed against the ropes. Simply, he beat more great heavyweights than any fighter before or since. Mike Tyson W: 50 (44 KOs), L: 6, N/C: 2 Best win: KO1. Liston was nearly knocked out by Cleveland Williams, and also had trouble from Amos Lincoln, but he beat both of them. He never gave any of the three rematches in their heavyweight primes. Signature technique:Right cross feint -> Right uppercut. A true STUDENT of the sweet science. Some were renowned for their speed while others were famous for being heavy hitters. Holyfield 9. DAZN uses cookies to help us deliver our services and improve your user experience. 6. Cant believe some of these comments! Famous fight: Archie Moore vs Yvon Durelle I. Holmes style was similar to the style of Muhammad Ali (a classical out-boxer). When he was fighting with infighters, he just pushed them away as they tried to close the distance. Dont be a hater all your life! Top 10 Best UFC Heavyweight Fighters Of All time..Welcome back to Sports Paradise, today on the channel we're going to be talking about the Top 10 Best UFC H. Division-By-Division - The Greatest Fighters of All-Time As selected by The Ring magazine in various years. But honestly, his career and overcoming personal obstacles along the way to date already have him among the greatest heavyweights of all time on our list. He was very precise with this counter. Ya uhm no. And as the other boxers tried to close the distance, Wladimir got into a clinch or headlocked them (which is much easier when fighting with shorter boxers). No Mike Tyson is a shame!! Jon Jones doesn't believe Conor McGregor is one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time. But definitely NOT an all time top 10 Heavyweight.. 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. Smokin Joe was an absolute buzzsaw. Many fans think his style was boring, calling it jab and grab. Dont let that KO reel fool ya. Eventually he would be being hit with pinpoint left hooks and right crosses. The technique of that punch wasnt perfect at all, (every boxing coach will be shocked if he sees it), but that doesnt mean it wasnt effective. When you think of how hard it is to be a successful heavyweight boxer, (or even an unsuccessful one) it is amazing to consider that Mrs. Klitschko gave birth to two, who made it all the way. He also liked to put his gloves on his opponents gloves to trap their hands. He wasnt the fastest boxer with the greatest footwork his feet were planted most of the time, so he can punch as hard as he possibly can. Max Baer, Max Schmeling, James J. Braddock and Jersey Joe Walcott all felt Louis wrath. 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. The list obviously includes the likes of Iron Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali but where do they fall on this boxing heavy Show chat replay. 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. Tyson Furys second title defence a sixth-round knockout of Dillian Whyte followed his October trilogy rematch victory over Deontay Wilder and kicked off more discussion as to where he stands among the greatest heavyweights of all time. Very hard to argue against your selections. Holmes threw that combo usually while he was circling around his opponents. But in 2021, he made a comeback with BKFC, then had a boxing . With a technique called by him The Dempseys drop step, he was able to generate huge power in his punches no matter how close or how far away from his opponents he was. 1. When was Tyson ever able to overcome anyone who fought back? He was usually much bigger and stronger than his opponents and he easily controlled them in the ring. Without a doubt for me. Whether it was avenging his loss against Joe Frazier with two victories over his rival,taking the steam out of George Foreman at The Rumble in the Jungle or earning hard-fought wins over the rugged likes of Floyd Patterson and Ken Norton, Alis GOAT legacy resides on the heavyweight throne as the best. In his great boxing career, Jones has won several world titles, and he also won a Silver medal at the Olympics in 1988. Because all the danger comes from his left hand, so if his opponents are aware of that, they can easily defend his most dangerous weapon and beat Frazier pretty handily. (Legal and Illegal Clinching). George Foreman was a classical slugger (or brawler).