The Greatest Heavyweight Champions of All-time

Following the sad passing of Joe Frazier this week, I’ve observed a lot of analysts debating where Smokin’ Joe would rank on a list of the greatest ever heavyweight champions. The general consensus was that he would be solidly within the top 10, with some people pushing him into the top 5. So, based on what I’ve seen or read about the great gloved champions, this would be my list:

1. Muhammed Ali – The finest athlete to hold the title and outstanding in the mid-60s, nobody even realised how strong his chin and heart were until he slowed down in the 70s.

2. Joe Louis – Longest unbeaten title run in history, Louis had fast hands and devastating power. Technically brilliant and so consistent.

3. Jack Johnson – The first black champ, he had good power and an outstanding footwork and defence. A man ahead of his time.

4. George Foreman – Best known for losing the Rumble in the Jungle, and for being the culinary saviour of single men everywhere. Before that, he was the most destructive puncher that ever entered a ring.

5. Jack Dempsey – Small but fast, and with great power. Question marks over his losses to Tunney and his avoidance of black fighters, but journalists in the first half of 20th Century rated him the best of all.

6. Sonny Liston – Like Foreman, a feared destroyer who became best known for his losses to Ali, although the second is highly dubious. Alongside Holmes, he had perhaps the best jab the division has seen.

7. Rocky Marciano – At 49-0, he holds the only undefeated record of any champion. Very small by modern standards, but extremely brave and a great right hand. Question marks over quality of opposition make him hard to properly assess.

8. Joe Frazier – Twice mauled by Foreman and ultimately outlasted by Ali, but for 5-6 years Frazier was an undefeated, all-action force of nature that possessed a crushing left hook and a huge heart.

9. Evander Holyfield – I’ve seen him ranked as high as 3rd and also out of the top 12. Very tough with good boxing skills and decent power. The last 10 years have somewhat tarnished his legacy.

10. Mike Tyson – Past his prime at 22, but before that he was outstanding. Very fast hands and powerful shoulders saw him knockout all before him. Ranks this low due to lack of longevity and some very ugly losses later in his career.

11. Larry Holmes – Had a tremendous jab, decent power and the second longest title reign in history. Often described as the most under-rated champ, but I would disagree – he was excellent, but not one of the absolute best, and reigned in a poor era.

12. Gene Tunney – Outstanding light heavyweight whose two victories over an older Dempsey probably warrant a place on this list. A very fine boxer with a good chin.

13. Lennox Lewis – Lots of physical tools, but too often chose to play it safe. Very powerful, although not the fastest. Would have been knocked out by most of those ranked higher.

14. Jim Jeffries – Battered by Johnson although was past his best by then. A good boxer with great stamina and heart.

15. Riddick Bowe – A waste of talent. Had excellent skills for a big man, but couldn’t control his weight. His first win over Holyfield showed what might have been.

Good post and seems fair enough to me. Tyson was certainly capable of much more than No 10. Largely a waste of talent.

I suppose overall TC I cant argue much with your choices. As we know different eras are hard to compare. I might have John L.Sullivan in somewhere and Rocky Marciano higher up the list. Yes Ali at no. is unquestionable.

Yeah, Marciano is a hard one to rank RKF. His record is perfect, with 49 wins from 49 fights, and 43 of them by knockout. He was very courageous and an exciting fighter, and his right hand was destructive.

What comes against him is that the best 4 fighters he fought were all past their prime, and 3 of them had him on the canvass. Archie Moore & Jersey Joe Walcott were 38, Joe Louis 37 and Ezzard Charles 33, and both Moore and Charles were really light-heavyweights. There are also the stories of his mob connections, which some believe helped build that perfect record.

Overall, a brilliant fighter who I could well have under-rated here, but I'd be reluctant to put him much higher as the era in which he reigned was devoid of any other great heavyweight to test him properly.

Rocky Balboa?

I'll tell you one thing, Tyson Fury will never get near the top 150 never mind the top 15!!!!

Very good list TC, will post mine when i get near a computer, not much difference really except a few changes in position!

In another weight, a certain Chris Enbank Junior made his professional fight debut tonight, he walked on accompanied by the great man and had the same walk on music too! Very classy performance by the lad and definately a future World Champ like the old man!

Ah here TC for fecks sake.....A top 15 without a mention of.....Drumroll...Boom Boom..."Know wha I mean 'Arry"