Nicknamed "Brown Bomber" for his fearsome fists, Joe Louis is considered one of the best heavyweight boxers of all time. Both fighters liked to jab their opponent while circling to their left. Alan Belcher has been the BKFC heavyweight champion for less than a week, and he has lofty ambitions about the types of fights that could come next. That means this isn't a ranking from 1 to 10; rather the ten who, in this writer's opinion, make the cut. Marciano fought and beat the Shadow of Joe Louis SHADOW. March 3, 2023 8:50 am ET. If only Cus would have lived ten more years I think Tyson would be top 5. In 1980, Holmes beat Ali in the 10th round by corner stoppage. Holyfield was a completely different fighter in his fight against George Foreman. Joe Frazier (32-4-1, 27 KO) Joe Frazier had beaten many great opponents including Buster Mathis, Doug Jones and Muhammad Ali (once). Which makes your opponent lower his guard to protect his body and you can land a hard hook to the head. Absolutely, Mr. Weiler. Deontay Wilder (2008 - present, 42-1-1): 122.8, 39. But no style is perfect and every boxer has his weaknesses. All the people who claim he never beat anyone forget that he won the title in a tournament. What time is Shevchenko vs. Grasso tonight? I like him more now that he is HONEST about his career, his shortcomings. The Brockton Blockbuster owns the most famous heavyweight record: 49-0. And those are things you cant see very often back then. The greatest heavyweight is the best boxer by default, as they beat everyone across ALL divisions. Mike Tyson W: 50 (44 KOs), L: 6, N/C: 2 Best win: KO1. Required fields are marked *. Ya uhm no. Foreman destroyed Frazier on two occasions. Fury has combined pure boxing skills with underrated punching power to a supreme level amidst his growing dominance. What time is the Jay Swingler vs. NichLMAO fight tonight. Obviously, Liston has, by far, the longest reach in the heavyweight class back then. Gene Tunney (1915-1928, 79-1-4): 464.7, 6. Does tag team boxing have a future in the sport? Eventually he would be being hit with pinpoint left hooks and right crosses. 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. You can check out the heavyweights that finished outside of the top 50 over at BoxRec. Ali, who is often considered the best boxer of all time, fell short of capturing the top spot in the rankings. He would have no chance if he fought from a distance against someone with a longer reach. Top 50 fighters of 21st century named 50-31 50: Andy Ruiz 49: Ray Mercer 48: Frank Bruno 47: Jack Sharkey 46: Paddy Ryan 45: David Tua 44: Ron Lyle 43: Gerry Cooney 42: Michael Spinks 41: Roy. Terence Crawford 63. 'Big' George, 71, won the world heavyweight championship repeatedly. Thats important because sometimes the greatest boxer doesnt necessarilyneed to be able to beat everybody else. Frazier at #6 ABOVE Foreman? But such punches are very easy to be seen because they require building huge momentum. That allowed him to jab his opponents from a distance without putting himself in danger. Henry Armstrong 10. 33 Ted (Kid) Lewis. Go play somewhere else, child. 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. 4 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Tyson had little heart but plenty quit in him. Perhaps one of the best boxers in MMA history, Frankie Edgar often went into the Octagon with a solid game plan. Few fighters have had the menacing aura Tyson carried to the ring and while brutal punch power was his trademark, peak Tyson also boasted fast hands, a sneaky jab, head movement and a strong chin. The 10 Best Heavyweight Boxers In The World Right Now, Named And Ranked. Hard to justify given what Foreman did to Frazier twice, but of course, styles make fights and Foreman was the worst possible match for Frazier. Another thing: Joe Frazier and Rocky Marciano would be light heavyweights today. Power, toughness, and unsurpassed conditioning were Rockys calling-cards, along with a brutal relentlessness which no one in his era could withstand. Jon Jones doesn't believe Conor McGregor is one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time. Many have failed at this. He boasts solid wins over David Tua, Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Tommy Morrison, Ray Mercer and Vitali Klitschko. Floyd Mayweather 6. He peaked early, lost Cus DAmato, then lost all focus because he was very immature. FOUR. 12. Frazier was a very carefully managed fighter who could not win against power punchers. So for Holyfield, the only way to beat such a monster was to fight from the outside and to outpoint him. And Joe knew exactly how to do that he was able to time almost every punch and to dodge it or block it. Picking just 10 great heavyweights from 100+ years means some elite champions have to miss out. Frazier above Foreman? Doughlas got lucky and Lewis no match to him . MF & DAZN: X Series 005 Jay Swingler v NichLmao, Who won the PFL Challenger Series last night? All a fighter can do is dominate their own era and prove their greatness in their own time. Both equally as boring and predictable. But by doing that they often left their head open, which was a perfect opportunity for Iron Myke to land the knockout blow. That allows you to mask your step and land the body shot. Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis didnt fear Tyson and were able to subsequently bully the bully. Wheres mike Tyson? Holmes threw that combo usually while he was circling around his opponents. Foreman 5. No iron mike?? But that way Ali was much more mobile and was able to see the punches better and to slip them. Cus was more than just his coach he was Tysons everything and guided him. His style relied mostly on footwork, speed and timing. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. & Lennox Lewis could? 9. Jimmy Ellis (1961-1975, 40-12-1): 114.2, 47. And they are similar in age so how can you talk about their primes? That list is crap. Literally knocking over tomato cans. Simple: no heavyweight in history faced, let alone defeated, a trio of deadly greats like Liston, Frazier and Foreman. But its his late-career comeback that sealed Foremans greatness. A staggering 49-0 record 43 of which by knockout and counting wins over the likes of Joe Louis, Ezzard Charles and Archie Moore, Marciano was among the most feared heavyweights of all time. I remember how he destroyed Holmes! 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. He won the first one and was robbed by the judges in the third one. Nor did he obliterate a mediocre Tony Tucker, both title fights in 1987. Foreman was also very tough and has a great punching power which makes it really hard to exchange with him. With his 25 title defenses,Klitschko has one of the longest title reigns in the heavyweight division. Smokin Joe was an absolute buzzsaw. 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. Henry Akinwande (1989-2008, 50-4-1): 126.7, 37. OP doesn't seem to be asking for P4P. Haha he was falling all over the place, shaking his head like the little bitch that he was!! Shane Mosley couldnt beat Vernon Forrest, but who had the better career? And a peak Tyson would have obliterated a peak Lennox Lewis too. This list is absolute dooodooo. Are you guys kidding me? Look at Tyson get hammered (YOUNGER than Larry Holmes) in his last two fights against journeymen. Both ruined the division for a decade. Stone-faced, unstoppable, with a jab that felt like someone jammed an electric light bulb in your face (said opponent James J Braddock). During the whole fight, he stood his ground and waited for Myke to attack first so he can counter him. That way he stopped the punches even before they were thrown. Respect. Harry Wills: Vastly underrated today, its easy to forget that for a time in the 1920s The Black Panther was the best heavyweight in the world, and there was great demand for a showdown with official world champ Jack Dempsey, but it never came to be. He ended up beating the defending champion to clinch the world lightweight title. It was a powerful, stiff jab and Liston put all his weight behind it to make it even harder, trying to knock his opponents out. Vitali Klitschko (1996-2012, 45-2-0): 349.2, 11. 10. The Youngest Heavyweight Champion ever, a record that will never be broken, is the only true accolade Mike has to his name. Top 12 All-Time Greatest Welterweight Fights, Top 12 All-Time Greatest Muhammad Ali Performances, Top 12 All-Time Greatest Heavyweight Punchers, Top 12 Reasons Why Muhammad Ali Is Forever The Greatest. 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. Mike Tyson was in an awfully weak era. Whos ranked an all time great? When you think of how hard it is to be a successful heavyweight boxer, (or even an unsuccessful one) it is amazing to consider that Mrs. Klitschko gave birth to two, who made it all the way. The only four-time heavyweight world champion in boxing history, Holyfields victory over Riddick Bowe and wins over Mike Tyson, in particular, more than illustrate his warrior footprint in the sport's lore. And Jersey Joe Walcott, who made him look amateurish and dropped him at like 39 years of age. They plant their feet so they can generate as much power as they possibly can. In such situations, he switched his stance into a southpaw and threw a lead uppercut with his right hand to the body, followed by another one to the head. In more recent times, Deontay Wilder and his 10 consecutive title defenses demonstrated his own feared punching power and greatness that shouldn't be overlooked, either. The boy from Catsville New York is the second greatest. Because Joshua is much bigger and he is generations ahead of Ali. Larry Holmes (1973-2002, 69-6-0): 330.3, 13. Nicknamed The Greatest, he is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated sporting figures . Modern heavyweights are often ridiculed as being a pale imitation of the legends of the 20th century whose legacies have been immortalised. A former champion in PRIDE and the UFC, he had an extremely impressive run from 1996 to 2006, where he went 28-3-1. Gypsy King retained his WBC crown with a stunning KO of Deontay Wilder The Week Staff 11 Oct. Then he was quickly lifting it up while releasing the blow. Ali finished his career with a 56-5 record with 37 KOs. Roberto Duran 8. He also kept his hands low and his chin up, which are common mistakes according to many coaches. 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. What time is the Jay Swingler vs. NichLMAO fight tonight. No one could take him, bigger fighters were not given the room or the time to punch. Weight class: Bantamweight. Ken Norton should get at least an honorable mention. Any ranking also shouldnt be about which boxer beats which in some fantasy fight. 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. Although he didnt make the list, it doesnt mean he isnt a major problem for the legends at the top of this list. In his short prime, Tyson is a serious challenge for anyone. Using this technique Klitschko made many of his KOs. And Archie Moore and Ezzard Charles. And inane. I agree, those two losses are crap. Not his fault if he fought and beat old men as champ. Mike Tyson started every fight by putting pressure on his opponents. 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. Tyson lost every fight that ever meant something. With respect you talk rubbish when you assert that a peak Tyson would obliterate a peak Lennox Lewis!!! And they probably didnt expect to get three of those hard jabs to the head in a row. A metropolis where hundreds of young warriors train and battle each day in its many gyms, it is where Archie Moore, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and Bernard Hopkins all found greatness. Antonio Cervantes 69. Holmes had been out of action 2 years and was 38. Rocky Marciano A staggering 49-0 record 43 of which by knockout and counting wins over the likes of Joe Louis, Ezzard Charles and Archie Moore, Marciano was among the most feared heavyweights of all time. If a new fan asked me what Johnsons best win was and why, Id have a hard time convincing them. That way he dropped Muhammad Ali in their first fight. He wasnt the fastest boxer with the greatest footwork his feet were planted most of the time, so he can punch as hard as he possibly can. Holmes defeated famous boxers including Trevor Berbick, Tim Witherspoon, Leon Spinks, Ken Norton, Gerry Cooney, and even the legendary Muhammad Ali. Credit: PA 50. Following in Alis footsteps, Holmes could be as cold as Ali was charismatic but he could fight. No one better to learn from. Ted Kid Lewis 65. He was very precise with this counter. The Rock from Brockton (his nickname) was one of the first boxers who developed this style of boxing. Evander Holyfield (1984-2011, 44-10-2): 357.7, 10. Signature technique: Jab->Left hook to the body->Left hook to the head. Didnt he get beaten by a fat man? Thats an old-school boxing technique which Foreman effectively applied during the golden age of boxing. The best American pound for pound boxers right now, named and ranked, The best super-middleweights in the world, named and ranked, The best lightweight boxers in the world, named and ranked, The best British pound for pound boxers right now, named and ranked. Thats because he has knockout power, especially with his right hand, but he wasnt effective at all when he needed to fight at a close range. One of the favorite Holyfields combinations started with a quick jab to the head, then he lowered his body and head while making a step forward and throwing a lead a hook to the body. Tyson was a thicker, harder-hitting Joe Frazier. He was doing that by keeping his lead hand low, making himself vulnerable for crosses. Arguably the divisions greatest puncher. The mold of a perfect fighter. And he had more power than Ali, especially with his jab. 1. Holyfield had a trilogy with Riddick Bowe, beat Foreman, who, while old, had a serious comeback, earlier killed Frasier and Norton inside two rounds, then 5 for Frazier, beat Ron Lyle, and later beat Michael Moorer, half his age, whod BEATEN Holyfield. Final record: 66-3, with 52 knockouts. Clarence Henry (1948-1954, 34-6-1): 167.9, 25. The Top Ranked Boxers of All-Time from California Why Boxers can Bet on Themselves (but Not Against Themselves), How Many Heavyweight Boxing Belts are There? George Foreman (1969-1997, 76-5-0): 233.3, 19. For example against Sonny Liston, he was moving a lot, making him miss and countering him. Foremans last 10 opponents were unbeaten or just had 1 loss. The vast majority of boxing historians consider Joe Louis to be the greatest puncher of all time. Johnson 12. Mike Tyson earn his stripes. Mike Tyson 5. Tyson is completely overrated. In more recent times, Deontay Wilder and his 10 consecutive title defenses demonstrated his own feared punching power and greatness that shouldn't be overlooked, either. He was usually circling to his left while jabbing his opponents. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Floyd Joy Mayweather Jr. (Grand Rapids, MI, February 24, 1977) is an American professional boxing promoter and former professional boxer. 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. The list obviously includes the likes of Iron Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali but where do they fall on this boxing heavy Show chat replay. Simply, he beat more great heavyweights than any fighter before or since. Peak Big George demolished unbeaten Frazier inside two rounds, then did the same to tough Ken Norton. The Tyson of the late 80s definitely belongs there. However, what really puts Ali number one all time is his quality of opposition. But they, too, are among the greatest of all time, so thats not too shabby. Go back and watch the Norton fight, even just round 15 if you dont have the time. Holmes destroying Tyson? Ken Norton (1967-1981, 42-7-1): 135.2, 32. And its hard to say that someone that has the highest knock out percentage and never lost isnt at least top two, or more likely number one. And against George Foreman, he was staying at the ropes blocking all punches for several rounds, gassing Foreman out so he can finish him later. In my opinion, Moore was a boxer-puncher (someone who is good everywhere inside, outside, can fight in any stance, etc) because he was fighting effective no matter if it was in the clinch or from a long distance where he was circling around his opponents and jabbing them Muhammad Ali style. To be The Greatest, Ali needed rivals to push him and Frazier was one of his best. When talking The Greatest heavyweights, Alis name reigns supreme. Dont be a hater all your life! Couldnt be hurt. However, Louis was able to take revenge for this match after two years. But when the other boxers came close to him, he transitioned to a crossguard so he can defend both his body and his head effectively. He was usually much bigger and stronger than his opponents and he easily controlled them in the ring. Like most of the brawlers, Liston wasnt the fastest boxer which caused him problems against quick out-boxers, as you can see in his fight with Ali. But then he threw an uppercut making his opponents fall right into the punch. Even I know THAT! His ring career lasted between 1968 and 2001. Holmes was completely washed up-way past his prime. Larry Holmes is the very definition of a warrior. "I'm fighting to be the greatest fighter ever, not to be the best pound-for-pound right now," Jones said. Ali used this counter while he was circling to his left and jabbing his opponent. He spent five years of his prime in jail and then people fought him. When Louis first retired in 1948, he did so as champion with a 58-1 win-loss record. Louis' points total puts him well clear of the 'Greatest,' who finished second with an impressive 757.9 points. 6. And not only that but also his hands were huge. Three time champ and he was the king of the 90s, which was a very good generation for heavyweights. Wins over Jess Willard, Georges Carpentier, Jim Flynn, Big Bill Tate, Billy Miske, Luis Firpo, Gunboat Smith and Jack Sharkey. He was known for his deadly hitting power throughout his famous boxing career. Tyson at 12 is good. Since then Im always trying to improve my skills, by finding and testing new strategies, and training methods. Was the baddest man on the planet!!!! Boxing record: Total fights - 22, Wins - 20, Wins by KO - 14, Losses - 1, Draw -1. Jack Johnson: Boxings first Black champion of the big men was remarkably quick, very hard to hit, and dangerous with either fist. Simple yet effective. Cant overlook Holmes place in heavyweight history. But definitely NOT an all time top 10 Heavyweight.. How do you say Tyson beats Lewis when Lewis actually beat Tyson? Ali is also consistently ranked among the greatest athletes of the century. Leave Iron Mike out, Mike Tyson Likely Deserves Mention For His Impressive Wins Over Numberous Belt Holders Including Larry Holmes Trevor Berbick Frank Bruno James Bone Crusher Smith Bruce Seldon Michael Spinks Tony Tubbs And Tony Tucker. Max Baer, Max Schmeling, James J. Braddock and Jersey Joe Walcott all felt Louis wrath. Sometimes Archie was using the crossguard to bait his opponents. The legendary Joe Louis was named the best of the best across all eras of boxing, with BoxRec awarding the 'Brown Bomber' a whopping 1,012 points. 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. Top 19 Heavyweights of all time - The Grueling Truth Today we rank the 20 greatest Heavyweights of all time, some on this list may surprise you while others may not. Famous fight:Jack Johnson vs Frank Moran. 5. But that allowed him to cover much more distance and surprise his opponents (nobody was probably expecting a pro boxer to move that way). Johnsons story as a whole is worth learning about. Both Louis and Ali have stated in their primes, Rocky probably would have beaten them. Johnson never granted a title shot to another African-American boxer - maintaining the odious colour bar during his six-year reign - but he was ahead of his time in the ring. Greatest of all time, Rocky Marciano. 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. Granted you can say in his era there was a lack of talent, but this is beyond his control. We saw the skill but we were ROBBED of the will, his future, and his full potential. 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. The Top Ten. BoxRec ranked heavyweights, both past and present, and awarded each fighter with an overall score based on its points system. What time is Shevchenko vs. Grasso tonight? That way he was nullifying the reach and height advantages of his opponents. Biggest Boxing Knockouts in the heavyweight division? He has done it all from being a boxing sensation to enjoying a successful career as an actor and a rapper. Evander Holyfield should be top ten. Ranking Explanation . Holyfield was a boxer-puncher. Dominant wins over Eddie Machen, George Chuvalo, Jimmy Ellis, Oscar Bonavena, Doug Jones, Bob Foster, Buster Mathis, Jerry Quarry and Joe Bugner prove the point. 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. Twenty-five consecutive title defenses more than imprinted Louis as one of the greatest heavyweights of all time. Big George knocked the hell out of Frazier twice and Smoking Joe is ranked over Foreman? Ali didnt have the power of boxers such as Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Sonny Liston, but he was really skilled and was definitely very smart fighter with high fight IQ. But Marciano did one thing really well: win. This is no small achievement. He has no comeback ability. Accolades: A . A tall, rangy, Olympic gold medallist with a pulverising jab, high ring IQ and KO power, British-born Lewis could be even higher on this list. Wills 16. (Legal and Illegal Clinching). 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. Retired undefeated. Or Williams, Ellis and Folley. McVea and Jeannette were great, but were at their best several years after they last fought Johnson. 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. But in 2021, he made a comeback with BKFC, then had a boxing . Norton 11. 27 Abe Attell. He developed one of the hardest jabsin boxing history. Tyson is in the top 5, hands down. 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. Signature technique:Bait a cross -> Counter with a check lead hook. The Ring magazine ranked him the No.53 of the 100 greatest punchers of all time. Muhammad Ali 2. Ken Norton. Joe Louis: Deadly power, astonishing timing and accuracy, and an amazing 25 defenses of the heavyweight crown make The Brown Bomber one of the greatest boxers who has ever lived, at any weight. Tyson gives up fast when he senses hes losing. Then he threw a wide, almost straight elbowed right overhand over the top. Joe Baksi (1940-1954, 61-9-3): 109.8 49. No way. Instead, Lennox Lewis represents their era as an all time great, and the 11th best ever? His fight against Gane for the vacant heavyweight title is the headline event of UFC . Feel free to add your thoughts and comments! The 18 greates Coaches in College Football History. Melio Bettina (1934-1948, 83-14-3): 189.5, 20. Because of his style, Wladimir took much less damage during his career than Vitali. Ruslan Chagaev (1997-2016, 34-3-1): 123.1, 38. So I know it reasonably well. Couldnt agree more. Tyson would never beat Sonny Liston or Joe Frazier or Deontay Wilder for that matter. Plus, he's the only heavyweight world champion to have finished his career undefeated. Thudding around the ring? What about Tyson? I take Lennox Lewis by knockout in later rounds. Behind that crisp, piercing jab of his, Holmes enjoyed an eight-year run as world heavyweight champion, defeating the likes of Ken Norton, Earnie Shavers and Muhammad Ali along the way. Signature technique:Slip the jab (outside) -> Right overhand. Marciano never fought Joe Louis. Ohh the Tysonites who think boxing was invented in 1984 are out in full force.