Top 10 GOAT Heavyweight Champs

[Shayn•Da•Pain]

1. Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali 56-5, 37 KOs, 4 time Champion
2. Joe Louis 69-3, 55 KOs, Longest time spent as Champ for 11 years, and 25 title defense. A very techincally sound boxer
3. Jack Dempsey 66-6, 51 KOs Invented the Dempsey Roll, a style used by other Champs including Mike Tyson. Hard hard hitter.
4. Jack Johnson 89-2 49 KOs Amazing rise to Champ through a very racist era. Hard hitting smooth boxer. Hard chin also.
5. Gene Tunney 80-1 48 KOs, Tunney was a Marine who used his great conditioning and iron will to win many fights. Including two wins over Dempsey, even though the second fight was controversial with "the long count".
6. George Foreman 76-5 68 KOs, Foreman invented the Lean Mean Grillin Machine...nuf said.
7. Rocky Marciano 49-0 43 KOs, Only undefeated Champ ever. 89.5% KO rate.
8. Larry Holmes 69-6 44 KOs, 2nd most title defenses with 20. Great overall boxer, student of the game he had deep knowledge of the sport.
9. Lennox Lewis 41-2 32 KOs, Great size and technecal boxer. Nobody could rush him. 15 title defenses.
10. Mike Tyson 50-6 44KOs, Maybe the hardest hitter ever. In his prime he was called unbeatabe.

Honorable mention: Joe Frazier, Evander Holyfield, Riddick Bowe, Floyd Patterson, Michael Spinks, Max Schmeling, Sonny Liston, Max Baer,

[Steel Mamba]

Smokin Joe?

Beat Ali in his prime and would have won the 3rd fight had his corner not stopped it.

[stevsta]

Smokin Joe?

Beat Ali in his prime and would have won the 3rd fight had his corner not stopped it.

ali had to sit out a while if im not mistaken due to an altercation between him and the draft

[Shayn•Da•Pain]

Smokin Joe?

Beat Ali in his prime and would have won the 3rd fight had his corner not stopped it.

Yeah I put him in honorable mention. Joe was a very good brawler, but not sound boxer technically speaking. But Joe only had 37 pro fights total, and to be honest with myself I think Evander, Lennox, Holmes, and Tyson were all better boxers. Not to say Joe Frazier couldn't stand in the ring with them and possibly win, but my money would be on those guys because they had more tallent IMO. And surely Frazier isn't worth discussing as a top 5 or 6 of all-time. So take your choice if you want to make your list of who you would replace Frazier with.

edit: And no Frazier wasn't winning the fight against Ali. He had some good moments in the middle but Ali took the first two rounds with his usual quick jabs and combos. Frazier finally got Ali gassed and against the ropes, but Ali came back late and started smashing Frazier. He knocked Fraziers mouthpiece out the ring in the 12th or 13 round, I can't remember which one. Ali began to really blast Frazier. It's said Ali hit Frazier harder than anybody had ever hit him before. Frazier's corner stopped the fight because Fraziers face was beginning to swell pretty bad around his eye, Ali was obvioiusly ahead on the cards, and Frazier was slowing down and taking some big shots from Ali...no sir, Frazier wasn't going to win that fight.

[Shayn•Da•Pain]

Wow...nobody here likes boxing? I thought there were at least a few guys who'd be interested to debate this topic.

[Steel Mamba]

That's true but, Ali did not and was not going to come out for the 14th round he admitted to telling his cornermen to take his gloves off. Frazier wanted badly to continue fighting, it was his corner that stopped him and it just so happens that they officially stopped the fight before Ali did. So, technically Frazier was seconds away from defeating Ali twice.

[stevsta]

george foreman higher that tyson?... u gotta be kiding me

tyson was great but didnt really live up to his name against the big names out there

[Shayn•Da•Pain]

george foreman higher that tyson?... u gotta be kiding me

Believe it. Foreman in his prime was awesome. Foreman knocked Joe Frazier down 6 times in two rounds on his way to a KO victory of one of the best ever. Foreman's first loss came to Ali himself, and it was foremans ONLY knockout loss. Amazing. He was simply amazing.

Ali said it's impossible to rush inside Foreman, nobody can do it. Tyson would end up like Frazier, knocked the fuck out.

Foreman had a longer career and was one of the GOAT no doubt.

In his prime Foreman was competative with some of the best ever, litterally. Oh and Ken Norton Sr, is another HOF boxer he beat.

Oh and don't forget the Foreman grill!!! LOL

_______________

Consider this
Foreman 76-5 with 58 KO's
Tyson was 50-6 with 44 KO's.

Foreman rated #9 in Ring Magazines 100 greats punchers of all time.
Tyson rated #16 in Ring Magazines 100 greatest punchers of all time.

Foreman went 40-0 before he lost to Ali
Tyson went 37-0 before he lost to a guy named Buster...yeah...Buster...

Foreman was Male Athlete of the Year in 1994, Jordon in 93, and Cal Ripkin Jr in 95.
Tyson never got this award.

Foreman was the US Amature Champion in 1968.
Tyson was not the US Amature Champion.

Foreman won Gold in the Olympics.
Tyson won Silver in the Junior Olympics.

I understand Tyson is a favorite of most guys under 40. I'm 29 myself, I remember being in awe of Tyson. He was amazing to watch. I also remember Foreman as a 48 year old man and wondering why he wouldn't just quit...I saw Tyson murder cats, and Foreman was old and barely holding on. It wasn't until I started to study the history of the sport that I finally understood how strong Foreman was as a younger boxer. In my mind Foreman could beat Tyson more often than not. Even when Foreman was 40+ I think he could have stood toe to toe with Tyson. In fact Foreman was calling for that match to happen when Tyson lost to Buster...Fucken Buster!

[Senser81]

Horrible list. Dempsey at #3? How many title defenses did he have? 2? He also lost to Tunney...TWICE. George Foreman above undefeated Rocky Marciano? Lennox Lewis above Mike Tyson?

[Shayn•Da•Pain]

Horrible list. Dempsey at #3? How many title defenses did he have? 2? He also lost to Tunney...TWICE. George Foreman above undefeated Rocky Marciano? Lennox Lewis above Mike Tyson?

Don't even get me started on Rocky Marciano. Fuck that. He faught in the weakest era of heavyweight boxing. He faught bums. His manager was the IBC matchmaker Al Weill who set him up with the easiest fights. Most of the big names he faught were over the hill. Jersey Joe Walcott was in his 40's, Lee Savold was on his 137th and final fight, LaStarza lost in the closest decission of his career and most ringside attendees claimed LaStarza won that fight. Rocky retired early because he wanted to go out as the only undefeated boxer. Big fucken deal. He wasn't as pollished a boxer as anybody on the top 10 list, he only stays on my list because of his heart, and of course his record.

In 1952 Ring Magazine polled 40 boxing experts. All 40 experts saw Rocky Marciano fight, they knew Jack Dempsey. Jack Dempsey was ranked #1, Joe Louis #2, Jack Johnson #3, Rocky Marciano was ranked #7. I believe the contemporary boxing experts eyes over blind stats anyday. Rocky's undefeated record is the biggest scam ever in Boxing. Al Weill was a criminal for how he raised Rocky up and made a fortune on him.

Tyson adopted Dempsey's style of boxing you idiot. Mike had great respect for Jack Dempsey and thought he was the best boxer ever. He's said it himself plenty of times. Jack invented the "Dempsey Roll" which is one of the more aggressive boxing styles today.

Dempsey won the Light Heavyweight title twice, And successfully defended the World Heavyweight Title before winning the NBA title as well, and then again won another title match after that before losing to Tunney. Jack was still the most innovative boxer of his era and still effects heavyweight boxing today. More than 2 defenses...

Oh and BTW the fight known as "The Long Count Fight" when Dempsey knocked Tunney down but failed to go to his neutral corner (new rule at the time) Tunney was down for 14 seconds. The crowd errupted when Tunney knocked Dempsey out but failed to go to his own neutral corner. It's fucken retarded that Dempsey lost that fight. Dempsey was so good he and Tunney drew 104,000 people to watch that fight. No other boxer has ever drawn such a crowd.

George Foreman would have destroyed Marciano. Marciano was a lot like Frazier. Both were great brawlers, Frazier I think was maybe a better boxer technically, but Rocky had heart. George made Frazier look foolish knocking him down 6 times in two rounds, he'd do the same to Rocky.

Rocky never faught a heavy hitter. The biggest guy he faught was a 40+ year old Joe Louis 6'3 213 lbs. Foreman was 6'4 230ish and rated the #9 biggest hitter by Ring Magazine. Jersey Joe Walcott and Archie Moore were the biggest hitters Rocky ever faced, and they were both 189 to 195 lbs, and both of them put Rocky on the canvass. Foreman was a better fighter.

Ali said "Foreman had me out on my feet, he just didn't know it." Mean Foreman was within an inch of knocking Ali out. That close to beating the best ever. Even if Foreman didn't win that fight he was on the level to compete in that fight.

As for Lennox Lewis, yes I take him above Tyson. Tyson was great in his prime. Just super amazing, sure. But he really turned into a bum. Tyson lost to Evander Holyfield twice and Lennox Lewis kicked his ass as well. Lennox also beat Evander Holyfield.

I know you love my lists, but STFU because you don't know shit. Simply put you're a dumbass.

[Senser81]

Don't even get me started on Rocky Marciano. Fuck that. He faught in the weakest era of heavyweight boxing.

Weakest era of heavyweight boxing has been from Lennox Lewis to present. Marciano's era was weak, but at least they only had one heavyweight champion. Any number of heavyweights can be called 'champion' now.

He faught bums.

Joe Louis was the original 'bum fighter', not Marciano.

In 1952 Ring Magazine polled 40 boxing experts. All 40 experts saw Rocky Marciano fight, they knew Jack Dempsey. Jack Dempsey was ranked #1, Joe Louis #2, Jack Johnson #3, Rocky Marciano was ranked #7. I believe the contemporary boxing experts eyes over blind stats anyday. Rocky's undefeated record is the biggest scam ever in Boxing. Al Weill was a criminal for how he raised Rocky up and made a fortune on him.

Didn't know this was 1952. I would guess that if the people in 1952 would know that no other heavyweight champ would go undefeated, they might have ranked him higher than #7, no?

[FirstTimer]

Joe Frazier>Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson>Lennox Lewis

Not having Joe Frazier in the Top 10 is laughable.

[Shayn•Da•Pain]

Joe Louis was the original 'bum fighter', not Marciano.

Yeah because Max Schmeling, Arturo Godoy, Primo Carnera, Max Baer, Buddy Baer, Jersey Joe Walcott, Jack Sharkey, and Billy Conn were all bums. STFU LOL@ Joe Louis fighting bums. You're a dumbass. Not only did Joe Louis fight better fighters than Rocky, but Carnera, Baer, and Baer were all bigger hitters than anybody Rocky faught as well.

[Shayn•Da•Pain]

Joe Frazier>Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson>Lennox Lewis

Not having Joe Frazier in the Top 10 is laughable.

How are you always on the heels of Senser in every conversation? Are you always attached to his ass like this?

Finally a statement I can get behind though. Yeah I faught myself about Frazier. I wish I could have gotten past him having just 32 wins and 27 knockouts while Mike Tyson had 50 wins and 44 KO's to go with his 37 strait wins to start his career...I really like Frazier though.

[Liquidrob]

Lewis was better than Mike

I was a big Tyson fan like everyone else growing up, but Lewis was just a better boxer and would have beat any form of Mike Tyson, even the young one

Tyson could probably land a bomb and beat Lennox, but besides that Lewis would wear him out 9 out of 10 times