Muhammad Ali - It’s very hard to argue against Ali as being the best heavyweight boxer of all time. A former world heavyweight boxing champion, he also claimed the title “Sportsman of the Century” in 1999. The self proclaimed “Greatest of All Time” was also the first to win the title three times. One has to wonder how he might have done if not for his incarceration for refusing to go to the Vietnam War in 1967. He became the champion when he knocked out Sonny Listen in 1964. Ali was the heavyweight boxing champion for seven years until losing to Joe Frazier in 1971. He regained the title when he knocked out George Foreman in 1974. Ali kept the title for a few years until losing to Leon Spinks in Febuary 1978. Ali took the title back from Spinks in September 1978. He kept the title for two years until being knocked out by Larry Holmes in the 10th round in October 1980.
Rocky Marciano - Some people actually think Marciano was a better boxer than Ali. Marciano’s career as a professional heavyweight boxer is easily defined by its record, he is the one fighter to retire undefeated including a win over Joe Louis. This Italian-American was definitely one of the best and the toughest boxers of all time.
Jack Johnson - Johnson was the first ever African-American heavyweight champion. With his fourteenth round TKO against Tommy Burns of Canada he became the world heavyweight boxing champion and paved the way for many of the other men on this list.
Joe "The Brown Bomber" Louis - Louis held the world heavyweight title from 1937 to 1948, with an astounding twenty-five successful title defenses during his reign. Louis was inducted into the boxing hall of fame in 1990.
George Foreman - Standing 6’4", Foreman is a boxing living legend. His most notable fights in his early career were his knockout against Joe Frazier in 1973 and his loss to Muhammad Ali in 1974. Foreman later became the oldest man to win a world championship when, at age 45, Foreman knocked out Michael Moorer, age 26, on November 5, 1994 to reclaim the title he held more than 20 years earlier. He kept the title until losing to Shannon Briggs in 1997. He had great physical strength. Foreman is now a successful businessman and a Christian minister that has his own church.
Joe "Smoking Joe" Frazier - Frazier began going to the gym to get himself into shape. But, one thing led to another, and he began competing. Frazier proved he was indeed one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time after defeating Ali in 1971.
Mike "Iron Mike" Tyson - Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion of the world, claiming the World Boxing Council strap at the age of 20 in November 1986. Relatively small for a heavyweight boxer, Tyson battled with punching power, knocking out more than 90% of the men he faced. Tyson lost the title to Buster Dougless in Febuary 1990. He regained the belt by easily winning the title from Frank Bruno in March 1996 by knocking him out in the third round. Tyson lost the title to Evander Holyfield later on that year. He was known to have had a big drug problem during his boxing career.
Lennox Lewis - Standing 6’5”, Lewis was a determined fighter. Lewis became the world heavyweight boxing champion in Febuary 1997. He retired as the champion in 2003. He was born in England to Jamaican parents.
Larry Holmes - His left jab is considered one of the greatest weapons in the history of the sport. Holmes was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1978 to 1983. He made twenty successful title defenses, second only to Joe Louis' twenty-five.
Floyd Patterson - After Rocky Marciano retired in 1956, Patterson took the mantle as top heavyweight boxer at the tender age of twenty-one years old. He was also the first heavyweight boxer to regain the title. Patterson won the gold medal at the 1952 Olympic Games as a middleweight.
Jack Dempsey - Dempsey was an American boxer who held the world heavyweight title from 1919 to 1926. Dempsey's aggressive style and great punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. He was half Irish-American and a quarter Jewish and another quarter Cherokee Indian.
Sonny Listen - Listen was known for his toughness, punching power and intimidating appearance who became the world heavyweight boxing champion in 1962 by knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round. Listen was champion until he was knocked out by Muhammad Ali in 1964.
Evander "The Real Deal" Holyfield - After winning the bronze medal in the Light Heavyweight division at the 1984 Summer Olympics, he became a professional at the age of 21. Holyfield moved to the cruiserweight division in 1985 and won his first title the following year, when he defeated Dwight Muhammad Qawi. He would then go on to defeat Carlos De Leon, becoming the undisputed world cruiserweight boxing champion. Holyfield moved up to heavyweight in 1988 and defeated Buster Douglas for the heavyweight title in 1990. He kept the title until losing to Riddick Bowe in December 1992. He became the champion again after fighting Bowe for the second time in November 1993. Holyfield lost the title to Michael Moorer in April 1994. But won it back when he defeated Mike Tyson in September 1996. Holyfield was the champion for three years until losing to Lennox Lewis in 1999.
Ken Norton - It wasn't until he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps that Ken was introduced to boxing. In time, Ken became the best boxer to ever fight for the Marines. Norton's professional ring career began in 1967 at the age of 23. Norton made boxing history in 1973 when he met Muhammad Ali. Norton won and broke Ali's jaw in the process. In 1974, Norton fought George Foreman, but the fight was stopped in the second round and Norton lost. Norton fought Ali again in 1976, who was now the world heavyweight boxing champion since regaining the title with an eighth round knockout of George Foreman in 1974. Ali won the fight with Norton. The heavyweight champion Leon Spinks elected to fight a return bout against Ali rather than face the still dangerous Norton, the top contender. The World Boxing Council, which had mandated a Spinks-Norton bout for their championship, withdrew its recognition of Spinks as champion. On March 18, 1978, the WBC named Norton its champion by virtue of his win over Jimmy Young. The WBC stated that they considered Norton's victory over Jimmy Young November 1977. Norton was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992.
Donovan "Razor" Ruddock - Ruddock was a Canadian heavyweight boxer. He was a promising Heavyweight of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Ruddock earned the "Razor" nickname early on for his cutting jab but he was better known for a powerful left hook, which he called "The Smash." One of the best exhibitions of his left hook power, was his brutal 1990 knockout of former Heavyweight champion Michael Dokes.
The End
