re: Boxing fans: Give me your top 10 all-time heavyweights

Prime Tyson was 22 years old.

Patterson is my favorite heavyweight ever. He had balance issues as well as a glass jaw which was a reason he got knocked down so much.

But he absolutely had brilliant hand speed plus he had a lot of pop for somebody his size. He just couldn't hang when heavyweights started getting larger, although he had nothing to be ashamed of in his second fight with Ali, the final fight of his career. He actually threw and connected with the last punch in that fight, before it was stopped because his eye was closed. Good man, too.

The deal with Liston, he probably wouldn't have had anything for Sonny anyway but he was under so much pressure going into that fight from people who didn't want Liston anywhere near the title because of his mob connections and the thug aura attached to him. President Kennedy even told him to his face that he had to beat Liston. It's a miracle he made it into the ring that night.

IMO Patterson became a better fighter after losing the title. And if he could've made light-heavyweight or cruiserweight ... he was a middleweight in the Olympics but he put on size pretty quickly and he'd have had trouble making anything but heavyweight ... he'd have been an ATG. I still think he's arguably top 25 among heavys.

1. Jake Paul
2. Muhammad Ali
3. Olexander usyk
4. Butterball
5. George foreman
6. Sugar ray leonard
7. Buster douglas
8. Iron mike tyson
9. Jack dempsey
10. Apollo creed

Nope

Rodrick Bowe

Crazy no one has Tyson Fury on their list.

Dominated the Klitchkos and for his size he might have the best fluid movement.

Nasty jab to keep people off. His head movement is almost like a middleweight.

His footwork doesn’t make sense for 6’9

He’s a tough out for anyone.

Most will disagree but I think Ali gets beat by quite a few boxers. He’s a small man.

Great post OP. I agree with your top two although they are pretty much equal in my eyes. Ali had so many great qualities, the jab, hand and foot speed, toughness and ring iq. Louis was the greatest combination puncher in heavyweight history. Fast hands, a lot of power, and when he got someone in trouble he knew how to finish them. He was never intimidated by anyone, he had the mental toughness just like Ali.

I love Marciano and Dempsey but I wonder if they could have held up against the likes of Foreman and Liston who were much bigger. Both ferocious fighters though. It would make for an all time dream bout in heaven if at their peak Marciano fought Dempsey.

I don't agree with your Frazier comment. I think the pre exiled Ali, think of Ali vs Cleveland Williams or Ali vs Liston, would handle Frazier quite well. Foreman would always destroy Frazier and I believe Liston would also. Just a bad match up for Frazier. Frazier would make a great fight with either Marciano or Dempsey however.

Everyone has their own opinions on the greatest boxers because that is all it is, speculation. It sure is fun to think about however.

I said I personally don't rate active athletes when I look at all-time greats in any sport and Vlad is in my top 15. Top 15 of every heavyweight who ever stepped into the ring is a fairly significant ranking.

Tyson could fight Holyfield 100 times and he’d never win. Same can be said about Joe Frazier and George Foreman. Styles make fights.

quote:

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No 45 year old will ever win a championship like Foreman did in any major sport

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Nicklaus won The Masters at 46 and Mickelson won the PGA Championship at 50.