Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images. 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). Your email address will not be published. Joe Louis The brown bomber, was a mix of several boxing styles. 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. The top 10 heavyweights of all time Matt Christie lists the history's finest heavyweights 1. The Top Ranked Boxers of All-Time from California - AinsworthSports.com In a real fight with Smokin Joe, it was really hard to see the punch coming, because of the way he moved. But by doing that they often left their head open, which was a perfect opportunity for Iron Myke to land the knockout blow. If you dont think that has anything to do with it you are crazy. Frazier at #6 ABOVE Foreman? Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Floyd Joy Mayweather Jr. (Grand Rapids, MI, February 24, 1977) is an American professional boxing promoter and former professional boxer. how could you possible list frazier ahead of foreman, that is crazy, simply because foreman DESTROYED him twice. Besides this strategy, his size advantage was also a huge factor in those two fights (Lewis is 65 tall with 84 reach). Ingemar Johansson (1952-1963, 26-2-0): 293.6, 15. Foremans last 10 opponents were unbeaten or just had 1 loss. He was a powerful puncher and the most relentless fighter ever. He was very precise with this counter. A jab and a right hand. Ten greatest heavyweight fighters in MMA history: Fedor Emelianenko Of course, there are somesimilarities in the styles of the two brothers. He was a longtime contender who fought ranked fighters regularly beginning in the mid-1970s. Ive read a couple of bios and researched that era. 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. Jersey Joe Walcott (1930-1953, 50-20-1): 261.7, 16. Rocky Maricano, Riddick Bowe, Jersey Joe Walcott, Floyd Patterson, Wladimir Klitschko, Ken Norton, Chris Byrd, Archie Moore, and Ron Lyle. That allows you to mask your step and land the body shot. Go back and watch the Norton fight, even just round 15 if you dont have the time. Weight class: Bantamweight. Sorry. In 2005, Joe Louis was named the greatest heavyweight of all time by the International Boxing Research Organization. Age: 29. Dont let that KO reel fool ya. But can we put him up there with the absolute all-time greats just yet? Both ruined the division for a decade. Tyson Furys second title defence a sixth-round knockout of Dillian Whyte followed his October trilogy rematch victory over Deontay Wilder and kicked off more discussion as to where he stands among the greatest heavyweights of all time. That means this isn't a ranking from 1 to 10; rather the ten who, in this writer's opinion, make the cut. Does tag team boxing have a future in the sport? In other situations, he even used his left hook as a counter for right uppercuts or straights. Wills 16. And Archie Moore and Ezzard Charles. #3 Cain Velasquez (UFC record: 12-3, MMA record: 14-3) At his best, Cain . Both equally as boring and predictable. Michael Hunter. 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. Go to YouTube and watch his comeback wins (after nearly being stopped) vs Mike Weaver, Earnie Shavers, Renaldo Snipes. Joey. Both fighters liked to jab their opponent while circling to their left. Then he was quickly lifting it up while releasing the blow. He fought a total of 81 fights with 76 stunning wins. This site is owned and operated by Dimitar Ivanov. The 10 Greatest Heavyweight Boxers Of All Time - Inside the Ropes Boxing Top 15 All-Time Greatest Heavyweight Boxers (Style Breakdown). What is clear is the amount of opponents Tyson overwhelmed with his devastating power. 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. But thats just for starters. Ali is a three-time heavyweight world champion and is widely considered the best boxer of all time. Im Dimitar Ivanov. He also kept his hands low and his chin up, which are common mistakes according to many coaches. This is no small achievement. The biggest myth ever. Cleveland Williams (1951-1972, 80-13-1): 186.6, 21. With a sublime jab, toughness and an elite boxing brain, Holmes was a terrific all-rounder. Ali used this counter while he was circling to his left and jabbing his opponent. Bill Caplan's 20 greatest heavyweights - The Ring What time is the Jay Swingler vs. NichLMAO fight tonight. In an era when segregation was still legal, Louis' athleticism made him one of the few African-American celebrities of his time. Holmes was well old by then and took the fight with only a few weeks to train after a long lay off. Many cite this as a feat of Marciano. Mike tyson in his prime was unstoppable. Ranking top 10 greatest heavyweight boxers of all time He was 61 tall, but his reach was really impressive (84 in). The mold of a perfect fighter. After three years in prison, Tysons quickness was gone. Lennox was most dangerous at a long distance where he can throw his right cross or uppercut with devastating power. Possessing an uncanny ability to absorb punishment and keep coming until he landed his crushing right hand, Marciano never looked like an elite boxer but try telling that to all the men he pulverised in the ring. And if his opponent was a fastout-boxer, who liked to move a lot, Foreman usually pressured him against the ropes where he nullified his opponents speed advantage was nullified. 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. 49-0! Kudos on not putting Tyson in the top 12. His duels with George Foreman (Rumble in the Jungle, 1974) and Joe Frazier (Thrilla in Manila . He was constantly changing levels, bobbing and weaving, feinting and throwing body shots. Greatest of all time, Rocky Marciano. 'Bones' hasn't fought since picking up a controversial decision win over Dominick Reyes in . 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. List of current boxing rankings - Wikipedia Then he threw a wide, almost straight elbowed right overhand over the top. Holmes or V Klitschko never unified the title to become undisputed like the others. Retired undefeated. Notable Wins: TKO6 over Bill Brennan in 1918, KO1 over Fred Fulton in 1918, KO1 over Carl Morris in 1918, KO3 over Billy Miske in 1920, KO12 over Bill Brennan in 1920, 15 round points win over . No way. And as we know, the sport never stops toevolves so Joshua has an unfair advantage over Ali. Whos ranked an all time great? Biggest Boxing Knockouts in the heavyweight division? Great fighter but mentally and emotionally not in the same class with the ones you listed. Weight: 201 lbs (91.1 kg) Not all heavyweight boxers are fast, but that does not stop Michael Hunter from landing quick jabs and hooks on his opponent. These were the titles bestowed to the greatest fighter in the Rocky movies, the heavyweight boxing champion of the world: Apollo Creed ( Carl Weathers ). The old man must have been a wild old rooster! Note: keep in mind that, like all of our rankings, this is not a who-beats-who list, but one that emphasizes individual accomplishment in each fighters time and the quality of the opposition they bested (which is why, for example, we rate Joe Frazier above George Foreman). There will be many famous names and some iconic fights, knockouts, and upsets. Jimmy Bivins (1940-1955, 86-25-1): 389, 7. And Ali proved himself the best of them all. 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. 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. Since then Im always trying to improve my skills, by finding and testing new strategies, and training methods. He won the first one and was robbed by the judges in the third one. A former champion in PRIDE and the UFC, he had an extremely impressive run from 1996 to 2006, where he went 28-3-1. Smokin Joe was an absolute buzzsaw. Most of the knockout blows came from his right hand. 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. To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders, Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications, .css-n1h13z{color:black;color:#fff;}@media (prefers-color-scheme:dark){.css-n1h13z{color:#fff;}}Published10:53,03 September 2021 BST.css-qdg7d1{color:#72B97D;}@media (prefers-color-scheme:dark){.css-qdg7d1{color:#72B97D;}}| Last updated10:54,04 May 2022 BST. Simply, he beat more great heavyweights than any fighter before or since. For example against Sonny Liston, he was moving a lot, making him miss and countering him. Actually, considering his height and reach disadvantage compared to his opponents (he was5ft1012tall, and has the shortest reach in the heavyweight history only68), that was the best style for him. 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. He boasts solid wins over David Tua, Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Tommy Morrison, Ray Mercer and Vitali Klitschko. His joint record of defeating 21 boxers for the world heavyweight championship and winning 14 championship bouts was unbeaten for 35 years. Signature technique: Jab->Left hook to the body->Left hook to the head. The Rock from Brockton (his nickname) was one of the first boxers who developed this style of boxing. He is not the greatest because he wasnt a role model. Not to be mentioned is BS. George Foreman was a classical slugger (or brawler). And Kevin McBride TKOd Tyson is SIX. Had three fights with Ali. Another thing: Joe Frazier and Rocky Marciano would be light heavyweights today. Often titled the greatest boxer of all time, Leonard was also regarded as "Boxer of the Decade" back in the 1980s. More, and better, accomplishments. And that was exactly what he did. So for Holyfield, the only way to beat such a monster was to fight from the outside and to outpoint him. Crazy to think Mike Tyson was not part of that list. Dont be a hater all your life! That shows how adaptive and smart fighter Holyfield was in his prime which is the reason why he is one of the greatest ever. The greatest heavyweight boxers of the past 50 years: Where do Muhammad Marciano never fought Joe Louis. l give credit to any boxer who can rectify their losses. Naturally, heavyweights of the 1950s couldnt compete in-ring with giants like the Klitschko brothers. His strategy basically was to jab his opponents from a distance where they cant reach him andoccasionally land some powerful straight rights. Tags: Evander Holyfield George Foreman Greatest Heavyweight Boxers Jack Johnson Joe Frazier Joe Louis Larry Holmes Lennox Lewis Mike Tyson Muhammad Ali of all time Rocky Marciano Tyson Fury. Fury has made a case to be considered one of the best heavyweights ever, but just how good is he? DAZN uses cookies to help us deliver our services and improve your user experience. I think he is one of the greatest because of how better he was than his competition. Literally knocking over tomato cans. Two comeback fights, when he was pushing 40, spoiled that record - but nothing can change the fact that he is indeed The Greatest. Tyson would have torn apart Holmes in any era. His defense was just as impressive as his offensive skills. Of course, he has a great strategy for every different opponent. Salesmanship? Definitely, George Foreman is one of the most intimidating and exciting boxers to watch. Huh? He never gave any of the three rematches in their heavyweight primes. In total, he participated in 31 boxing matches with 28 wins, only 3 losses, and 24 knockouts. The 18 greates Coaches in College Football History. Melio Bettina (1934-1948, 83-14-3): 189.5, 20. The pair met in Las Vegas in April 2000 and Holyfield was awarded a highly controversial 12-round unanimous decision to emerge as boxing's first-ever four-time heavyweight champ. Even so, Wills holds wins over a host of top heavyweights including Luis Firpo, Big Bill Tate, Kid Norfolk, Sam Langford, Billy Miske, Sam McVea, Battling Siki, and the also criminally underrated Joe Jeannette. Essentially, had he entered the UFC at his best, he'd probably be considered their greatest Heavyweight of all time. A four time heavyweight champion (not to mention cruiserweight champion), The Real Deal never ducked anyone and fought through adversity too many times to count. Marciano 4. Antonio Cervantes 69. 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. Many boxers thoughtthat this makes him predictable and easy to deal with. Tyson in his prime was unstoppable. Zurcher vs. Evans full card results. 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. 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. Signature technique: Right cross counter over the jab. Cus was more than just his coach he was Tysons everything and guided him. Tyson makes lists because he talked trash with alacrity and had an unbelievable EARLY (ultra early) great run. A few years ago I've started boxing and I've quickly fallen in love with this awesome sport. 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. 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. It is a city of fights and fighters, of hockey and heroes, of broken dreams and immortal glory, a city unlike any other. The boy from Catsville New York is the second greatest. Tyson, maybe, but I have no issue with him being left off. 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. 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. Required fields are marked *. It was fast and precise but also very powerful. The Greatest Heavyweight Boxers of All Time Tyson ADMITS he bit EH (classy) out of frustration not knowing what to do when he knew hed lose). 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. Sonny Liston a brawler. ESPN rates Fury as the best current heavyweight and one of the heaviest heavyweight boxers of all time with 126 kg in November 2021. Cant make this list without Tyson and Holyfield. On his first night as a . Before he went to jail and before Cus DAmato died, he couldnt be touched. Evander Holyfield (1984-2011, 44-10-2): 357.7, 10. It is a damn shame and TRAGEDY what happened to Mike. I must say I like your list. Before he went to jail, everyone ducked him. Bob Baker (1949-1959, 51-16-1): 134.4, 34. A one-dimensional fighter. But they, too, are among the greatest of all time, so thats not too shabby. No Mike Tyson is a shame!! Your email address will not be published. Marciano was a classical infighter. A boxing enthusiast who is always eager to learn something new about boxing and share it! When Ali first retired, in 1978, he was a three-time heavyweight champ whod avenged every defeat. Nicknamed The Greatest, he is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated sporting figures . Mike Tyson was the best fighter I ever saw. The Best Boxing Records of All Time - Best Boxing 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. Frazier competed during the golden age of heavyweight boxing. His record is no different than Tommy Morrisons, same tomato cans, Tommy had an even higher KO %. 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!' When Louis first retired in 1948, he did so as champion with a 58-1 win-loss record. Perhaps one of the best boxers in MMA history, Frankie Edgar often went into the Octagon with a solid game plan. Floyd Patterson (1952-1972, 55-8-1): 321.5, 14. No one could take him, bigger fighters were not given the room or the time to punch. Lennox Lewis (1989-2003, 41-2-1): 547.9, 4. 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, . 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. In this article we will list 10 of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. The idea is to distract your opponents attention with the jab. As the other boxer threw a jab, Ali slightly moved his head, just enough to avoid being hit and then quickly returned a right cross over the top. A gift and a curse. Some were renowned for their speed while others were famous for being heavy hitters. Nor did he obliterate a mediocre Tony Tucker, both title fights in 1987. Muhammad Ali-56-5--(37): In terms of social and historical impact no one even comes close. Ya uhm no. Are you guys kidding me? 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) . Archie Moore deserves to be in this list, not only because of the fact that he held the heavyweight title for 10 years but also because of his unique style. He had one of the best jabs in boxing history. He should be considered as one of the best Lightweights of all time. Many fans think his style was boring, calling it jab and grab. Your email address will not be published. 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. Pure sweet science, master class boxing skills on display from Lewis across his brilliant career. Holmes defeated famous boxers including Trevor Berbick, Tim Witherspoon, Leon Spinks, Ken Norton, Gerry Cooney, and even the legendary Muhammad Ali. Mike Tyson earn his stripes. Marciano fought and beat the Shadow of Joe Louis SHADOW. The Easton Assassin was, for a long stretch, the most underrated heavyweight champion. With his never back style, granite chin and knockout power, he was a really exciting fighter to watch. Most great boxers have done this and Lennox Lewis only lost twice and then won in the rematch. Jon Jones returns at UFC 285 seeking heavyweight title and GOAT status Terence Crawford 63. 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. Frazier was a very carefully managed fighter who could not win against power punchers. 4. March 3, 2023 8:50 am ET. Yeah the same one who lost his title to a light heavy? Remove altitude and behavior, he is the greatest. Thats why Joe was usually setting his overhandup with a jab to the head. He ended up beating the defending champion to clinch the world lightweight title. He is an out-boxer (someone who maintain a distance from their opponent and throws fast and long punches) but unlike the most out-boxers, he has knockout power in both his hands. George Foreman has eclipsed boxing icon, Mike Tyson, as the all-time toughest heavyweight. Frazier 6. Chris Byrd (1993-2009, 41-5-1): 142.9, 30. Top 12 All-Time Greatest Heavyweights - The Fight City Hahahahahaha. 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. They usually, stay at a mid-range, in position dangerous for both for them and for their opponents. That definitely wasnt the prime Ali but still, there arent many people who can say that they have a win over such a boxer. Lewis only fought guys who were at the end of their careers. Anthony Joshua (2013 - present, 23-1-0): 116.9, 44. Clarence Henry (1948-1954, 34-6-1): 167.9, 25. He was usually circling to his left while jabbing his opponents. Langford was tiny when he fought Johnson. "I'm fighting to be the greatest fighter ever, not to be the best pound-for-pound right now," Jones said. Karel Sys (1932-1954, 117-15-10): 115.4, 45. The first fight makes our list of the "25 Greatest Heavyweight Contests of the Last 100 years. That way it was really hard for them to catch him. TGT Tips! Top 19 Heavyweights of all time - The Grueling Truth The Top 21 Offensive Linemen in NFL History. Then show me a fight where Tyson did anything similar. Brawlers arent the most technical boxers, thats why they rely mostly on their power and their chin. Simple: no heavyweight in history faced, let alone defeated, a trio of deadly greats like Liston, Frazier and Foreman.