But they were avenged and the degree to which Rahman and McCall were supposed to stand no chance is exaggerated. However, what really puts Ali number one all time is his quality of opposition. Modern heavyweights are often ridiculed as being a pale imitation of the legends of the 20th century whose legacies have been immortalised. Tyson gives up fast when he senses hes losing. The record speaks for itself. He has no comeback ability. At a very leisurely pace over the last couple of years, The Fight City has offered its own idiosyncratic rankings of the all-time greatest boxers in each of the eight traditional weight classes. Muhammad Ali's comic line - "Earnie hit me so hard, it shook my kinfolk back in Africa" - was meant in part for laughs but you get his point. He was usually circling to his left while jabbing his opponents. DAZN uses cookies to help us deliver our services and improve your user experience. Final record: 66-3, with 52 knockouts. Both Louis and Ali have stated in their primes, Rocky probably would have beaten them. 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. Joe Louis won his first world heavyweight title in 1937 and held that title for . 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 competed from 1996 to 2007, 2009 to 2010, 2011 to 2015, and made a one-fight comeback in 2017. However, Vitalis style was much more entertaining to watch and he was much more appreciated by the fans. The Fight of the Century in March 1971, when he handed Muhammad Ali his first loss, was proof of that. Max Schmeling (1924-1948, 56-10-4): 183, 22. 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. You can see that in his fights with Mike Tyson and his fight with Evander Holyfield where he was just pushing them back or pushing their heads down every time they closed the gap. Apollo is hands down the greatest boxer in . George Foreman was a classical slugger (or brawler). Mike Tyson started every fight by putting pressure on his opponents. Holmes destroying Tyson? Foreman was also very tough and has a great punching power which makes it really hard to exchange with him. Frazier was able to knock everyone out with it. Wills are you crazy? Signature technique:Bob and weave->Left hook to the head. At 31-0-1, all thats left for the reigning WBC and lineal world heavyweight champion and former unified world champ is to snatch undisputed glory as the cherry on top. Credit: PA 50. If he had people around him who had cared about him he may have won every fight. Yeah the same one who lost his title to a light heavy? And they probably didnt expect to get three of those hard jabs to the head in a row. In other situations, he even used his left hook as a counter for right uppercuts or straights. The Top Ranked Boxers of All-Time from California Thats why Joe was usually setting his overhandup with a jab to the head. Dempsey was also developed great head movement, footwork and he was able to fight in both stances. Jimmy Bivins (1940-1955, 86-25-1): 389, 7. Biggest Boxing Knockouts in the heavyweight division? Cant believe some of these comments! And it was one of his main weapons. Following in Alis footsteps, Holmes could be as cold as Ali was charismatic but he could fight. Twenty-five consecutive title defenses more than imprinted Louis as one of the greatest heavyweights of all time. He ended up beating the defending champion to clinch the world lightweight title. He was a pressuring fighter who wasnt afraid to exchange. He was also a very intelligent boxer, who was able to adjust his style according to the different opponents. Zurcher vs. Evans full card results. 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. Holmes threw that combo usually while he was circling around his opponents. Does tag team boxing have a future in the sport? Age: 29. Smokin Joe was an absolute buzzsaw. And Joe knew exactly how to do that he was able to time almost every punch and to dodge it or block it. The reason why he is one of the greatest boxers is that he has wins over boxers fighting in all styles out-boxers, brawlers, other infighters. He won the first one and was robbed by the judges in the third one. Usually, its easier to counter the jab by slipping it inside (moving your head to your left) but Marciano was leaning to his right most of the time while he was fighting, so it was much natural for him to move his head to his right and slip the jab outside. These are hardly heavyweight limelights and I mention Tysons age 38 because considering the legit comebacks going on, Tyson was NOT that old. But in 2021, he made a comeback with BKFC, then had a boxing . Unlike his brother (Wladimir), who was an out-boxer, Vitali was a brawler. Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis didnt fear Tyson and were able to subsequently bully the bully. He peaked early, lost Cus DAmato, then lost all focus because he was very immature. He reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949, and is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. George Foreman has eclipsed boxing icon, Mike Tyson, as the all-time toughest heavyweight. Tyson at 12 is good. Henry Cooper (1954-1971, 40-14-1): 118.8, 42. 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. 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. Even after his decisive stoppage defeats to Muhammad Ali, he remained a force in the division thanks to his brute strength, devastating jab, and KO power in either fist. And Ali proved himself the best of them all. 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. He was able to knock everyone out with every type of punch, even with a simple jab. Signature technique: Jab->Left hook to the body->Left hook to the head. Anthony Joshua (2013 - present, 23-1-0): 116.9, 44. Cant get upset by your list, since I cant even take you seriously.. A true STUDENT of the sweet science. Jack Johnson: Boxings first Black champion of the big men was remarkably quick, very hard to hit, and dangerous with either fist. How do you say Tyson beats Lewis when Lewis actually beat Tyson? And at the end of the day, the effectiveness of the technique is much more important than its appearance. Signature technique:Right uppercut to the body -> Right uppercut to the face. Ali, who is often considered the best boxer of all time, fell short of capturing the top spot in the rankings. Sorry, if Holmes is on they should both be in the top 5. Joe Frazier (1965-1981, 32-4-1): 340.3, 12. Lennox Lewis: Defeats to Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman, both of which he avenged with emphatic wins, do not obscure the fact that Lewis was the dominant heavyweight of the 1990s. Walcott. He is like Morrison, as Stevey below says. 4 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Bonecrusher Smith happened WAY too early. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. Henry Akinwande (1989-2008, 50-4-1): 126.7, 37. Zora Folley (1953-1970, 79-11-6): 134.3, 35. Hasim Rahman (1994-2014, 50-9-2): 115.1, 46. Tyson is a video-game. If a new fan asked me what Johnsons best win was and why, Id have a hard time convincing them. Critics point out that Marciano was small, clumsy and only made six title defences, mainly against ageing opponents. But strictly off resume, he belongs closer to the bottom of this list than to the top. Except that he was a fighter who occasionally, frustratingly, came in unprepared and fought below his level. 31 Ezzard Charles. For your information, 38 isnt your prime, so yeah. Any ranking also shouldnt be about which boxer beats which in some fantasy fight. Many fans think his style was boring, calling it jab and grab. Everyone, maybe save Sonny Liston and Vladimir Klitschko, overcame tough situations in a fight and found a way to win. Vitali Klitschko (1996-2012, 45-2-0): 349.2, 11. Tyson, maybe, but I have no issue with him being left off. As one of the world's greatest boxers of all time, Roberto Duran had 31 consecutive wins before he stepped into the ring with Ken Buchanan in 1972 for his first shot at the title. And inane. And he had more power than Ali, especially with his jab. He nearly lost twice to Ringo Bonevena and was bitch-slapped by Foreman. Cant overlook Holmes place in heavyweight history. 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. No Mike Tyson is a shame!! Holyfield , Lewis , Douglas got the best of him yet Tyson never faced Foreman or either of the Klitscko brothers I believe these three fighters could have beat Tyson as well Also Riddick Bowe would have a Big advantage over Tyson. Thats why it was really hard to predict when Frazier was going to throw the left hook. Foreman demolished Frazier in both their fights, the only man that did or could. He was also small for the weight class (510 tall), compared to the other heavyweightsat that time, which was actually an advantage. After beating Wilder, Fury is widely regarded as the lineal heavyweight champion. Height: 6 ft 2 in. Picking just 10 great heavyweights from 100+ years means some elite champions have to miss out. Go to YouTube and watch his comeback wins (after nearly being stopped) vs Mike Weaver, Earnie Shavers, Renaldo Snipes. Amen!! Antonio Cervantes 69. 1. 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. This is supposed to be joke right? 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. OP doesn't seem to be asking for P4P. Rocky Marciano (1947-1955, 49-0-0): 692.2, 2. Sometimes he feinted a punch to the head but then went to the body. Ali was definitely the most famous but also the most successful out-boxer. Some were renowned for their speed while others were famous for being heavy hitters. He was a very patient fighter who wasnt always taking the risk to finish his opponents off. 2.1 Heavyweight (201 lbs+ - 91.18 kg+) 2.2 Cruiserweight (200 lbs - 90.72 kg) 2.3 Light heavyweight (175 lbs - 79.38 kg) . Drederick Tatum is The Simpsons equivalent of former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. Thats an old-school boxing technique which Foreman effectively applied during the golden age of boxing. He did what not one of the above mentioned ever did! Ohh the Tysonites who think boxing was invented in 1984 are out in full force. 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. Essentially, had he entered the UFC at his best, he'd probably be considered their greatest Heavyweight of all time. Simple yet effective. Holmes defeated famous boxers including Trevor Berbick, Tim Witherspoon, Leon Spinks, Ken Norton, Gerry Cooney, and even the legendary Muhammad Ali. He developed one of the hardest jabsin boxing history. This is a list of current professional boxing rankings, which includes the latest rankings by each one of the sport's four major sanctioning bodies, . He was constantly changing levels, bobbing and weaving, feinting and throwing body shots. Holyfield was only person fought well with tyson in his prime. Eventually, he knocked out Louis with a devastating uppercut putting an end to one of the best heavyweight boxing fights; still remembered by the people. Topics:.css-wpf514{color:#72B97D;}Mike Tyson, Boxing News, Boxing, Joe Louis, Lennox Lewis, muhammad ali, Wladimir Klitschko, Drake has made TWO mammoth bets on Jon Jones vs Ciryl Gane at UFC 285, fans think he's 'cursed' one of them, 'Hold my hands up!' At 31-0-1, all thats left for the reigning WBC and lineal world heavyweight champion and former unified world champ is to snatch undisputed glory as the cherry on top. Or Williams, Ellis and Folley. 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. And as we know, the sport never stops toevolves so Joshua has an unfair advantage over Ali. how could you possible list frazier ahead of foreman, that is crazy, simply because foreman DESTROYED him twice. A victory also could put Jones, 35, back in the conversation for top pound-for-pound fighter, a spot currently held by featherweight Alexander Volkanovski. Bob Foster was one of the best light heavyweight boxers of all time. Rocky Maricano, Riddick Bowe, Jersey Joe Walcott, Floyd Patterson, Wladimir Klitschko, Ken Norton, Chris Byrd, Archie Moore, and Ron Lyle. Plus, hes the only heavyweight world champion to have finished his career undefeated. Id probably say Tommy Burns, a good but small heavyweight from whom he took the crown. Even one punch was enough as long as it connects clean. 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. What about Tyson? Maybe thats not the most exciting boxing style but its definitely really effective when it comes to winning, without taking much damage. Pacquiao .more #1680 of 1,902 Tyson never once rose from the canvas or walked through fire to win a fight. Marciano fought and beat the Shadow of Joe Louis SHADOW. For example, they both had knockout power and they both used their size and strength to control their opponents in the clinch. 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. Boxing legends Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis have all secured a place in the top 10 heavyweight boxers of all time. Holmes went, what, 48-0. Pure sweet science, master class boxing skills on display from Lewis across his brilliant career. Tyson usually used that combination when his opponents were covered up and were pressed against the ropes. Famous fight:Jack Dempsey vs Jess Willard. What time is the Jay Swingler vs. NichLMAO fight tonight. No. Top 15 All-Time Greatest Heavyweight Boxers (Style Breakdown) - ShortBoxing Top 15 All-Time Greatest Heavyweight Boxers (Style Breakdown) Written by Dimitar Ivanov in Boxing facts Approx Reading Time: 23 minutes There are many different ways to define who is the greatest boxer. He was a pressuring fighter who was really explosive (especially with his left hook). Most of the knockout blows came from his right hand. Watch the DAZN Boxing Show and live fights on DAZN. Max Baer, Max Schmeling, James J. Braddock and Jersey Joe Walcott all felt Louis wrath. The first black heavyweight champion was a flamboyant, controversial character but in the ring he was a scientist. 18.. And Archie Moore and Ezzard Charles. Required fields are marked *. Norton 11. Holmes was well old by then and took the fight with only a few weeks to train after a long lay off. Sonny Liston a brawler. A prime Holmes would have battered Tyson into submission. He had one of the best jabs in boxing history. Louis too, though I think Louis courage would put him over Tyson. 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. But thats not the reason why he is on that list. A three-time world heavyweight champion, Lewis outpointed Evander Holyfield (essentially twice), laid Mike Tyson flat on his back via a devastating knockout and let Vitali Klitschko know that hes not to be messed with as part of his polished resume. Tyson would never beat Sonny Liston or Joe Frazier or Deontay Wilder for that matter. A master boxer, Johnson didnt own the raw one-punch power of other heavyweight greats but he was a cunning defensive genius who knew how to land his own shots. He is not the greatest because he wasnt a role model. Tyson had little heart but plenty quit in him. Gene Tunney (1915-1928, 79-1-4): 464.7, 6. Huh? (Legal and Illegal Clinching). The first boxer to set a million-dollar gate, Dempsey was the US superstar attraction of the 1920s with his savage fighting style, devastating power and rugged good looks. To be The Greatest, Ali needed rivals to push him and Frazier was one of his best. The similaritiesheavyweight champion, jail sentence, exotic lifestyle and signature voiceare. Holyfields great defensive skills and toughness allowed him to withstand Tysons punches and eventually to knock him out inthe 11th round (in their first fight). The biggest myth ever. Literally knocking over tomato cans. His famous defeat six years after to Jack Johnson has, over time, obscured his achievements, but theres no arguing with victories over James J. Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons, Joe Choynski and Sailor Tom Sharkey. Muhammad Ali (1960-1981, 56-5-0): 757.9. Mike Tyson earn his stripes. Lennox was feinting a right cross to make his opponents lower their head to dodge the shot. The best lightweight boxers in the world, named and ranked The best British pound for pound boxers right now, named and ranked 10. For this combo Vitaly used his left hook, not to hurt his opponents but just to push their head to his right, where he can catch them with his devastating right cross. Some sort of elaborate prank? But no style is perfect and every boxer has his weaknesses. Wills 16. Reviled early on in his championship reign, he eventually became nothing less than an American icon. Joe Frazier (32-4-1, 27 KO) Joe Frazier had beaten many great opponents including Buster Mathis, Doug Jones and Muhammad Ali (once). Brawlers are willing to take a punch so they can land one. Then show me a fight where Tyson did anything similar. Before he went to jail and before Cus DAmato died, he couldnt be touched. Required fields are marked *. Respect. Because of his style, Wladimir took much less damage during his career than Vitali. But one needs to think in overall terms and career achievements. 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. 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). Signature technique: Uppercuts in the clinch. Are you joking? Im Dimitar Ivanov. Signature technique:Lazy Jab -> Powerful cross to the head. But of course, there are some differences between both fighters. FOUR. Tyson was a thicker, harder-hitting Joe Frazier. So he was a thought matchup for everyone. A thunderous left hook, relentless work ethic and an awkward pressure-fighting style: Smokin Joe was a force of nature. For example, Muhammad Ali is a much greater boxer than Anthony Joshua, because of his competition and the things he accomplished but I dont think that he is able to beat Joshua if they fought in their primes. Power, toughness, and unsurpassed conditioning were Rockys calling-cards, along with a brutal relentlessness which no one in his era could withstand. All the people who claim he never beat anyone forget that he won the title in a tournament. And Kevin McBride TKOd Tyson is SIX. Most athletic slugger I ever saw. Accolades: A . Scoring a pair of second-round TKOs of Joe Frazier and Ken Norton are a sample size of how terrifying Foreman was in his era. Big heart, just would not be beaten. Only 2 losses, and he came back and rectified them. Boxing movies share tropes with sports movies generally, but throughout its history, the real-life version has tended to attract both bona fide athletes and a cross-section of America's less . Accurate list! Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports. Fury has made a case to be considered one of the best heavyweights ever, but just how good is he? Using this technique Klitschko made many of his KOs. 49. Signature technique:Left hook -> Right Cross. The difference? US legend Louis made a record 25 heavyweight title defences and only lost once in his prime: to Max Schmeling, who picked out a flaw in Louiss technique. There are many great heavyweight boxers now like Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder but the names that made people fall in love with heavyweight boxing are the Tyson's and Ali's. This list consists of the greatest heavyweight boxing bouts in the history of the sport. Worst list Ive ever seen Still, the fact he beat Holyfield, Tyson, Vitali Klitschko, David Tua, Razor Ruddock and more says it all. 2. Didnt he get beaten by a fat man? 27 Abe Attell. It is a damn shame and TRAGEDY what happened to Mike. Known in years past as "Sin City" and "Babylon on the St. Lawrence", it saw more than its share of ring legends over the decades. Anyone know Bernard Hopkins? 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. It fell apart too soon for the youngest ever heavyweight champ, whose life and career unravelled quickly - but in the 1980s Tyson tore through the division like nobody before or since. Other Links > Boxing > Top Ranked Ranked Boxers by State Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . So Marciano was always trying to close the gap and start an infight. Mike Tyson was the best fighter I ever saw. Plus, he's the only heavyweight world champion to have finished his career undefeated. MUHAMMAD ALI 56-5 (37), 1960-1981 ENJOYED three reigns as world champion during a 21-year-career. And those are things you cant see very often back then. Fury has combined pure boxing skills with underrated punching power to a supreme level amidst his growing dominance. Among his vanquished foes are Sam Langford, Tommy Burns, James J. Jeffries, Stanley Ketchel, Jim Flynn, Joe Jeannette and Sam McVea. He had a record of 56-5 and his fights were always highly-anticipated . Thats a boxer who likes to exchange. Many people think that Lennox Lewis was a boxer-puncher, but I think he was a combination between an out-boxer and a brawler. 11. Without further ado, here is my countdown of Canada's 5 greatest boxers of all-time: 5. He was 61 tall, but his reach was really impressive (84 in). Nationality: Japanese. Zurcher vs. Evans full card results. Larry Holmes: An awesome jab, a dangerous right hand, tremendous heart, and astonishing recuperative powers were among the attributes The Easton Assassin brought to the ring. Muhammad Ali: Why is Ali number one? Fury has made a case to be considered one of the best heavyweights ever, but just how good is he? Jersey Joe Walcott 66. JOE LOUIS has been named the greatest heavyweight of all time by George Foreman - with Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson also on the list but no WBC champion Tyson Fury. 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. He became a national hero at a dark time during the nation's history and a symbol of anti-Nazi sentiment leading into World War 2. Frazier was a very carefully managed fighter who could not win against power punchers. Foremans last 10 opponents were unbeaten or just had 1 loss. Riddick Bowe Larry Holmes is the very definition of a warrior. By Tyson Bruce 1. 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. That allowed him to jab his opponents from a distance without putting himself in danger. Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 - April 12, 1981), best known as Joe Louis was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. Holyfield was a completely different fighter in his fight against George Foreman. It was fast and precise but also very powerful. Joe Louis Knockouts - Best of Brown Bomber (Tribute) 2. Often titled the greatest boxer of all time, Leonard was also regarded as "Boxer of the Decade" back in the 1980s. He was also competing in the light heavyweight division althoughnever got the belt there. Sonny Liston: In the late 50s and early 60s Liston devastated the division with knockouts over Cleveland Williams, Nino Valdes, Roy Harris, Zora Folley and Eddie Machen, before taking the title from Floyd Patterson in 1962. And that was exactly what he did. But they, too, are among the greatest of all time, so thats not too shabby. Thats a really effective combination, especially when fighting against someone fast and slick, who like to move his head a lot. Famous fight: Archie Moore vs Yvon Durelle I. Holmes style was similar to the style of Muhammad Ali (a classical out-boxer). Greatest of all time, Rocky Marciano. Dempsey 14. Here, DAZN lists its 10 Best Heavyweights of All Time, in no particular order. His 68 knockouts speak for themselves. 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.
