Who is Greater: Evander Holyfield or Barney Ross?

[8thSamurai]

Holyfield has cruiserweight and heavyweight champ with wins over

Tyson (2-0)
Bowe (1-2)
Qawi
Douglas
Dokes
Holmes
Moorer (1-1)
Rahman

Ross was a 3 weight world champ and has wins over

Tony Canzoneri (2x)
Jimmy McLarnin (2-1)
Ceferino Garcia 3x
Baby Joe Gans
Battling Battalino
Billy Petrolle 2x
Johnny Farr 2x
Frankie Klick 2x
Bobby Pacho 2x
Ray Miller
Tommy Grogan
Chuck Woods 2x
Izzy Jannazzo
Jack Burke
Sammy Fuller

[bklynboy]

Holyfield has cruiserweight and heavyweight champ with wins over

Tyson (2-0)
Bowe (1-2)
Qawi
Douglas
Dokes
Holmes
Moorer (1-1)
Rahman

Ross was a 3 weight world champ and has wins over

Tony Canzoneri (2x)
Jimmy McLarnin (2-1)
Ceferino Garcia 3x
Baby Joe Gans
Battling Battalino
Billy Petrolle 2x
Johnny Farr 2x
Frankie Klick 2x
Bobby Pacho 2x
Ray Miller
Tommy Grogan
Chuck Woods 2x
Izzy Jannazzo
Jack Burke
Sammy Fuller

That's a good question. My first impression was "of course" it's Barney Ross. The guy held undisputed titles in three divisions and went from one weight to another. But there is something to be said about someone who unifies the title in this day and age as well. His first fight against Tyson was fantastic. I don't know. It's hard comparing people from such different weight classes and eras.

[8thSamurai]

Am I weird if I found the first Tyson fight boring? All Holy did was walk him back aside from when they exchanged after the bell at one point. Maybe it was the upset that made it so good? I didn't see it live.

[rightsideup]

That's a good question. My first impression was "of course" it's Barney Ross. The guy held undisputed titles in three divisions and went from one weight to another. But there is something to be said about someone who unifies the title in this day and age as well. His first fight against Tyson was fantastic. I don't know. It's hard comparing people from such different weight classes and eras.

Hard question like comparing apples to g****s. I will go out on a limb and pick barney less losses more fights, good opponents. Holy is great too and this is hard question given the contrasting variable's.

[bklynboy]

Am I weird if I found the first Tyson fight boring? All Holy did was walk him back aside from when they exchanged after the bell at one point. Maybe it was the upset that made it so good? I didn't see it live.

Most of the time you'll see fighers staying away from a "Tyson" (swarming fighter with power). If the Tyson comes inside there's a clinch and the "Evander" will quickly get some distance. In this case Evander closed the gap, got inside Tyson's power and when Tyson tried to get some punching room Evander beat him to the punch.

(At least that's the way I remember it.) Perhaps I should rewatch it again.

[JAB5239]

Barney Ross and its really not close. Much, much better resume that Holy.

[8thSamurai]

Hard question like comparing apples to g****s. I will go out on a limb and pick barney less losses more fights, good opponents. Holy is great too and this is hard question given the contrasting variable's.

Holyfield is no doubt a great fighter. I was just in the NSB section and one of the guys didnt even know who Ross was so I figured I'd ask in here haha

[rightsideup]

Holyfield is no doubt a great fighter. I was just in the NSB section and one of the guys didnt even know who Ross was so I figured I'd ask in here haha

barney goes back a way's to the pre world war 2 era fought the best in three division's and was a three division champ in era when that was a special accomplishment. This is the history section so most poster's are either older or have read about the boxer's of the past.

[IronDanHamza]

Barney Ross without question.

Holyfield is an ATG and one of the greatest fighters of the last 20 years but Ross is a Top 20-25 ATG IMO. Holyfield isn't quite there.

[IronDanHamza]

Most of the time you'll see fighers staying away from a "Tyson" (swarming fighter with power). If the Tyson comes inside there's a clinch and the "Evander" will quickly get some distance. In this case Evander closed the gap, got inside Tyson's power and when Tyson tried to get some punching room Evander beat him to the punch.

(At least that's the way I remember it.) Perhaps I should rewatch it again.

I agree 100%.

It won Fight of the year that year but back then fight of the year was more like event of the year.

Tyson-Holyfield wasn't an exciting fight IMO nor was it Holyfields best win but it was the day the world finally gave him the credit he deserved.

It was even less exciting for me because despite being fans of both, I was a bigger fan of Tyson and I expected him to knock Holyfield out reasonably early.