Best Heavyweight Boxers That Ever Lived.

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

I love Rocky Marciano, but I won't put the blinders on about him just because he was Italian.

He wouldn't have layed a glove on Ali, and if he ever fought a young George Foreman coming ahead the way he did, Foreman would have literally killed him. It would have mimicked the Foreman-Frazier fight ("Down goes Frazier. Down goes Frazier").

Marciano, given the weight, probably would have beaten any man his size (180-190 pounds). But the generation of heavyweights that came after him were just too big.

I agree with you on Marciano being too small. Ali was way bigger than him.

Yeah, I mean it's hardly an insult to say that Marciano would have beaten anyone who ever lived, who weighed less than 200 pounds. It's actually a very big compliment.

It's just that between the advent of prenatal drugs, better dietary knowledge and the possibility of steroids, the heavyweights jumped 50 pounds in weight and 3 or 4 inches in height in a single generation. And in all fairness, the heavyweights of today are even bigger than that!

215-220 is small by today's standards.

Yeah, it's just like the bodybuilding analogy in the other thread, Nicky. Today's athletes are just much bigger.

How a good big man usually beats a good little man.

Listen for Cosell's famous call at 34 seconds in.

In the "Superfight", computer algorithms had Marciano knocking out Ali in the 13th round. For filming, Marciano was 50lbs under his fighting weight and wore a toupee when sparring with Ali. I think a 1988 Mike Tyson would have knocked them both out in early rounds.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Super_Fight

I remember when that computer fight originally aired. It was a joke then and an even bigger one now.

Yeah people are bigger too, I read that an average US male is over 200 pounds now, that's a heavyweight!!!

Controversial yes, but disagree the outcome was a joke. He fought some great boxers in his time, though Joe Louis was past his prime at 37.

Yep, I remember the computer fight...

It's a good list, they all deserve to be there!

Frazier remains my favourite.

The current crop of heavies couldn't lick the spit of these fella's boots.

You're right on the MONEY!

I agree . They had it.

They sure did FROST!

I am a massive boxing fan but the heavies of today are screwed

They are all massive but unfortuneately most of them can't fight worth a light, and the couple who can (ie The Klitschkos) are as boring as can be!!

Give me the middles and welters any day

I read an article a few years ago that gave a good analysis of why there are no competitive American heavyweights. The writer linked it to the American passion for record-breaking in other sports. Players in baseball, hockey, etc., are getting bigger in order to run up scores, break records, etc. So, any kid who's big and shows athletic ability doesn't go into boxing (where only a small handful of contenders actually make money and get the piss beat out of them) but goes into a team sport. There he can have a lengthy, well-paying career even if he isn't the top player--and live to tell about it. That analysis also hints to me why steroid use is rampant--the bigger the guys, the more records broken.

Tyson!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tyson could have been the first guy on the list. He blew it with all the dope he did and not training for fights. That is why he lost to Buster Doughless.

Would agree there NJB55.

And i would also agree. One of the most common things you hear in boxing is "Mike Tyson in his prime"?????

Shame he blew his prime years before he even hit 25

When Tyson was married, he lived in Basking Ridge NJ, not far from where I lived. I heard the cops were called many times for "domestic violence." Imagine if you were the cop wh had to call on Iron Mike and get him to stop.

Lets address the whole Tyson V Ali thing, Ali wins hands down, period. Remember Ali had an incredible jaw so he could take Tyson's punches, just watch Holyfield v Tyson 1 to see how to dismantle Tyson...clinical!!

Well, contrary to popular opinion back in the '80s, I don't think you beat Tyson by backing up. The guys who beat him, and beat him fairly easily, like Douglas, Holyfield and Lewis, all beat him by standing up to him and backing him off. The guys who ran from him got owned. So Ali would have had to do a little more than just stay on his bicycle and jab. He would have had to come forward eventually.

That being said, I agree that Ali would have beaten him. It's strictly an opinion, but I think Ali would have gotten so inside of Tyson's head in the days leading up to the fight, that Tyson would have been frustrated into going head hunting. Ali would have danced early, counter punched when possible, and eventually backed Tyson down, knocking him out in the later rounds.

One need look no further than the Ali v. Frasier trilogy to determine how Ali would have done against Tyson or any other boxer. Ali's backing up was only a technique that he employed judiciously and it was effective.

That's what I meant, Oli. Ali would've backed up against Tyson judiciously, until it benefited him to come forward. And that's when I think he would have really gotten to Tyson.

Gentlemen, Do you feel any fights have been fixed by the so called if thar ever one Mafia ?

You're kidding, right?

More guys took a dive for Frankie Carbo than for Ringling Brothers .

But that was a long time ago. Fixing any major sporting event today would be extremely difficult.

You are right if you're referring to after 1990, when Tyson lost to Dougless in Tokyo, Japan. But from 1985 till the fight with Big Buster he was unstoppable and dangerous, and I'm sure would have won. If you have ever watched Tyson fight back then you'd know that. After Tyson fired his first professional trainer Kevin Rooney in early 1990 and was persuaded by Black mob Godfather Don King, and started hanging around the Black Power crowd is when Tyson totally started to suck big. He went down hill after that. Then he went to prison for that rape and got out in 1995. Telling Kevin to leave, drugs, drinking, Don King, women and prison is what messed Mike Tyson up.

yeh just sayen PB

Tyson was at his best under trainer Kevin Rooney. In 1987-88, Ali would not have lasted more than a few rounds against Tyson. No fancy footwork or rope-a-dope would have done Ali any good. IMO, Tyson would have punched right through all that and knocked him straight to the canvas. In the post Rooney years he went downhill and by the time he fought Holyfield he was already washed up. Ali could have easily beaten a 1990's Tyson. Watch the Tyson vs Holmes or vs Spinks in '88.

Thank you HT2, that was what I said as well.

Exactly, PB. Ali fought with his brain as well as his hands. I think Holyfield did the same with Tyson. I think Tyson came into the ring expecting Holy field to pass out from sheer fright, and when he didn't--when he fought confidently and with courage--Tyson crumbled.

I believe that key measure for determining the best heavyweights is the quality of their opponents and how often they fought quality opponents. That would put Ali and Louis at the top.

It's kind of hard to say... They all were great, though...

I agree tyson in his prime was the best. Guys could not even make it thru the first round against him

Granted, but s lot of those guys were fairly piss poor! Do you think an Ali, Frazier or a Foreman would have let Tyson stomp through them in the first round like some of those fellas did??

Maybe until second round then...just kidding. It's hard to say but for a brief period in late 1980's, as long as kept his personal life in order and under a good trainer, he seemed tops. Just as Marciano needed trainer Charlie Goldman to achieve greatness, Tyson needed someone like Rooney. The fighters you mention had much better style and class in the ring, I'll give you that, but Tyson had something I'd never seen before.

True, Tyson did bring the 80's heavies a much needed shake-up!!

He was fun to watch for a couple of years way back when. I can still remember the look of pure fear on Michael Spinks face....before he even got in the ring with him

Ah, the fear factor! It was totally absent in the first Holyfield fight. Mike was expecting Evander to crumble before the bell sounded for round 1--he didn't then and for the remainder of that fight. Mike was totally baffled. Evander won as much with his brain as with his fists.

Holyfield is the MAN!!!

He really was.

You hear the phrase "he had a lot of heart" probably too often. But in Holyfield's case, boy, was it ever true. I honestly don't recall too many fighters who had his type of determination.

But it's a shame that he didn't know when to hang up the gloves .

It's hard to believe he's still active. On the other hand Larry Holmes was almost 53 in his last fight.

PB, just like your typical boxer. Yeah, Mr. Holyfield lost his home a while back and went BK, a lot of professional boxers end up broke because many were poor before hitting the big time and they don't know how to manage their money correctly. At least that's part of it. Could be why he went back into boxing, he was retired for a while, but that didn't last long.

Sad thing about BOXERS is a lot of them bring their ghetto friends along with them and their friends use them for money. Happens to so many great fighters. Tyson was famous for having his homeboy groupies follow him everywhere he went.

Many boxers also are addicted to the sport.

Lewis is fighting that German guy soon. Or did he already? Don't follow boxing much anymore.

Lennox Lewis retired from the ring several years ago, but he had already fought (and controversially beaten) the elder Klitschko!!!