Who do you feel should be in your top-10 heavweight ever list?

[Mintcar923]

Everyone has their own opinion on what the top heavyweight list of all time heavyweight should look like. Mike Tyson is my favorite heavyweight of all time. Its primarily because I believe at his best he had been the greatest heavy of my time. He also had been the one to open my door to the world of boxing. However, as a realist I must give even greater respect to the three most dominant heavyweight champions that came before him and rate them a bit higher. Oh, and I don't rate the Klits at all. Reason being, in my mind it is wiser to wait until a boxers career is over to put everything together to justly rate them.

I rate Joe Louis #3 because he had the longest string of defenses. I know many people don't give him credit for the alleged "bum-o-them-month" opponents. But, hey it still counts. Also, he was a hero to America back in the '30's and '40's.

I rate Ali #2 because of his charisma, popularity, immense talent, will-to-win, and the fact that he was the original three-time heavyweight champ.

I rate Rocky #1 because he fought the best of his time and thats all a champion could possibly do. There were quite a few weak era's that have passed in the last 60 years and his record of 49-0 still has yet to be broken.
IMO I just don't see how he could have elevated himself higher than what he had accomplished. I believe its unjust to not rate the man the highest until someone comes along and outdoes what he did.

[Capaedia]

Joe Louis went 58-1 against much better opposition. What does an undefeated record mean in comparison with fighting every man to reach #1 contender for a full quarter of a century? (Missing only two, due to the war)

Or taking the scalps of Frazier, Liston and Foreman, as Ali did?

[Danieltapia]

I was torn between Ali and Louis so I picked Louis.

[NChristo]

I'm a bit confused, 5 people have voted for Larry Holmes as the greatest HW Champ and Ali has no votes at all ?.

[Mintcar923]

Joe Louis went 58-1 against much better opposition. What does an undefeated record mean in comparison with fighting every man to reach #1 contender for a full quarter of a century? (Missing only two, due to the war)

Or taking the scalps of Frazier, Liston and Foreman, as Ali did?

As I thought I had explained.. All a fighter can do is fight the best opposition in his own era. Many people believe Muhammad Ali's era is much stronger than Joe Louis' era. Yet, there are many who put Joe ahead of Muhammad perhaps because they believe Joe would have done just as well if he fought in another time period.

I guess it's a matter of opinion. I suppose you could speculate that Marciano would've lost had he fought in another era. But, it never happened so we'll never know for sure. The Klits era is known to be an extremely weak one. Yet, as dominant as they are they have suffered defeats at one point or another. I'm sure everyone agrees Mike Tyson was far superior to Buster Douglas and yet, he did suffer defeat in his heavyweight dominance at one point. So, I think the fact that Marciano's record still stands 60 years later definitely means something regardless of someones opinion that his wasn't the strongest era.

According to the late great Don Dunphy the top 3 heavyweights ever were Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, and Muhammad Ali. And, I happen to agree with him. I don't think theres anything wrong with that. But, I must say that each in the top 10 could possibly beat the other on any given night. They were all very great fighters.

[SBleeder]

1. Ali
2. Louis
3. Holmes
4. Foreman
5. Dempsey
6. Johnson
7. Liston
8. Frazier
9. Lewis
10. Holyfield
11. Tyson
12. Marciano

Mintcar: Do you rank Joe Calzaghe as the greatest 168 and Light-heavyweight of all time? Or maybe Sven Ottke? No blueprints on either of them.

[Sugarj]

I'm a bit confused, 5 people have voted for Larry Holmes as the greatest HW Champ and Ali has no votes at all ?.

Its great to see recognition for Larry, I voted Ali though.

20 years or so ago, we wouldn't have seen as many votes for Larry. Only now in retirement is he really being appreciated.

[Scott9945]

Its great to see recognition for Larry, I voted Ali though.

20 years or so ago, we wouldn't have seen as many votes for Larry. Only now in retirement is he really being appreciated.

That's happening with Lennox Lewis and I predict it will happen wih Wladimir Klitschko too.

[New England]

over the course of many years i go back and fourth on ali and louis. they are the two best and there's really no question about that.


i voted for muhammad ali.

H2H and resume wise i think he's the greatest HW of all time.

[New England]

1. Ali
2. Louis
3. Holmes
4. Foreman
5. Dempsey
6. Johnson
7. Liston
8. Frazier
9. Lewis
10. Holyfield
11. Tyson
12. Marciano

Mintcar: Do you rank Joe Calzaghe as the greatest 168 and Light-heavyweight of all time? Or maybe Sven Ottke? No blueprints on either of them.

ahh the legendary ottke. the immortal ottke.

i prefer early to mid period ottke myself. what a stylist he was. a tart sprinkle of dissonance in this game for brutes