So for Holyfield, the only way to beat such a monster was to fight from the outside and to outpoint him. The Ring magazine ranked him the No.53 of the 100 greatest punchers of all time. 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. Following in Alis footsteps, Holmes could be as cold as Ali was charismatic but he could fight. Required fields are marked *. Ali is a three-time heavyweight world champion and is widely considered the best boxer of all time. He was a longtime contender who fought ranked fighters regularly beginning in the mid-1970s. (Legal and Illegal Clinching). But of course, there are some differences between both fighters. This is the website where I share everything Ive learned. After he throws a jab, Klitschko often stuck his hand in his opponents face, blocking their vision with his glove. Joe Frazier (1965-1981, 32-4-1): 340.3, 12. 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. Holmes defeated famous boxers including Trevor Berbick, Tim Witherspoon, Leon Spinks, Ken Norton, Gerry Cooney, and even the legendary Muhammad Ali. None of the fighters listed knocked out opponents the way Tyson did with speed and fury!!!! Power, toughness, and unsurpassed conditioning were Rockys calling-cards, along with a brutal relentlessness which no one in his era could withstand. Holmes 8. If only Cus would have lived ten more years I think Tyson would be top 5. Age: 29. Best pure puncher who ever got in a ring. Before he went to jail, everyone ducked him. He was very precise with this counter. Because Joshua is much bigger and he is generations ahead of Ali. Also, this is a ranking of the greatest boxers and not of the best ones. And that was exactly what he did. Pro boxing record: 23 wins (20 knockouts). He is not the greatest because he wasnt a role model. Tyson should be on here all right. Top 10 Boxers Of All Time: According to many experts and historians, the top 10 boxers of all time are: Muhammad Ali: Ali is widely considered the greatest boxer of all time, he was not only a three-time heavyweight champion, but also a cultural icon and political activist. Top 10 Greatest Heavyweight Boxers Of All Time 10 Mike Tyson 9 Lennox Lewis 8 Rocky Marciano 7 Joe Frazier 6 Evander Holyfield 5 Larry Holmes 4 George Foreman 3 Jack Dempsey 2 Joe Louis 1 Muhammad Ali Top 10 Greatest Heavyweight Boxers Of All Time 10 Mike Tyson Image Credit- ABC News Your email address will not be published. He was an aggressive counterpuncher (someone who pressures his opponents, to make them throw punches, so he can counter), but he was also skilled infighter a boxer who likes to fight at a very close distance. ESPN rates Fury as the best current heavyweight and one of the heaviest heavyweight boxers of all time with 126 kg in November 2021. Most of the times Johnson kept a distance from his opponents and fought from the outside but that doesnt mean he wasnt able to out grapple them in the clinches. Johnsons defense should rank him number one. A jab and a right hand. Unless perhaps Tyson Fury has anything to say about that. 33 Ted (Kid) Lewis. He was much bigger and longer than most of his opponents (which is normal when youre 6 6 tall with 81 in reach) and he used this advantage very efficiently. Cleveland Williams (1951-1972, 80-13-1): 186.6, 21. Joe Louis 4. Defeating a 26-year-old Michael Moorer at the age of 45 back in November 1994 to once again be crowned as heavyweight champion demonstrated how a heavyweights power is the last to leave his hands. Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis didnt fear Tyson and were able to subsequently bully the bully. 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. Many people think that Lennox Lewis was a boxer-puncher, but I think he was a combination between an out-boxer and a brawler. Tyson ADMITS he bit EH (classy) out of frustration not knowing what to do when he knew hed lose). Having held the world title for seven years, his late career comeback saw him defeat Ray Mercer and almost upset Oliver McCall. Sonny Liston a brawler. George Foreman has eclipsed boxing icon, Mike Tyson, as the all-time toughest heavyweight. Joe Baksi (1940-1954, 61-9-3): 109.8 49. Simply, he beat more great heavyweights than any fighter before or since. Whos ranked an all time great? He destroyed Holmes. He was usually circling to his left while jabbing his opponents. No way. Riddick Bowe This site is owned and operated by Dimitar Ivanov. Great fighter but mentally and emotionally not in the same class with the ones you listed. 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. 18.. 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. Everyone, maybe save Sonny Liston and Vladimir Klitschko, overcame tough situations in a fight and found a way to win. 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. 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. Rocky Marciano: With the highest knockout percentage of all heavyweight champions and boasting wins over such greats as Archie Moore, Jersey Joe Walcott, Joe Louis and Ezzard Charles, the undefeated "Brockton Blockbuster" proved himself a remarkable warrior. Here, DAZN lists its 10 Best Heavyweights of All Time, in no particular order. Thats why it was hard for them to defend them. A thunderous left hook, relentless work ethic and an awkward pressure-fighting style: Smokin Joe was a force of nature. With a technique called by him The Dempseys drop step, he was able to generate huge power in his punches no matter how close or how far away from his opponents he was. Or Williams, Ellis and Folley. Ive read a couple of bios and researched that era. 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. Holmes had been out of action 2 years and was 38. 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. 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. Mike Tyson W: 50 (44 KOs), L: 6, N/C: 2 Best win: KO1. Cruiserweights May 1994 Issue Evander Holyfield Dwight Qawi Carlos DeLeon Ossie Ocasio Orlin Norris Super Middleweights May 1994 Issue Chong-Pal Park Sugar Ray Leonard Thomas Hearns James Toney Michael Nunn Jr Middleweights May 1994 Issue A 1987 version of Mike would have demolished him. David Haye (2002-2018, 28-4-0): 133.4, 36. 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. As did fights from the greatest of the greats, from Rocky Marciano and Muhammad Ali to Larry Holmes . Other Links > Boxing > Top Ranked Ranked Boxers by State Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . But Marciano did one thing really well: win. Karel Sys (1932-1954, 117-15-10): 115.4, 45. Larry Holmes is the very definition of a warrior. All the people who claim he never beat anyone forget that he won the title in a tournament. No place for Riddick Bowe, who had the tools but not the application, nor - controversially - his rival Evander Holyfield: the cruiserweight GOAT (but there are some legitimate question marks over the sculpted warriors rise in weight). The fighters, listed chronologically, are John L. Sulllivan, James Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons, James Jeffries, Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Sonny Liston, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Riddick Bowe, Lennox Lewis, Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko. However there is no denying that the current crop a field that includes Wilder,Anthony Joshua, Oleksandr Usyk and more with WBC and The Ring champ Fury sitting top of the heap have produced the most exciting spell for the 200lbs+ realm in a long time. These are hardly heavyweight limelights and I mention Tysons age 38 because considering the legit comebacks going on, Tyson was NOT that old. Among all the professional boxers in the world, the following 30 can be considered the best boxers of all time. Louis too, though I think Louis courage would put him over Tyson. Cus was more than just his coach he was Tysons everything and guided him. Foreman was also very tough and has a great punching power which makes it really hard to exchange with him. He was also competing in the light heavyweight division althoughnever got the belt there. 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. 11. Ali. l give credit to any boxer who can rectify their losses. There are many different ways to define who is the greatest boxer. And inane. Tyson never once rose from the canvas or walked through fire to win a fight. Which actually was a really effective strategy he beat both those guys. 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;}}Published14:07,30 August 2020 BST.css-qdg7d1{color:#72B97D;}@media (prefers-color-scheme:dark){.css-qdg7d1{color:#72B97D;}}| Last updated15:48,12 August 2021 BST. And both components of his fighting game have been on display in all three of his fights against Deontay Wilder one of boxings biggest punchers of all time and his unanimous decision points win over Wladimir Klitschko. After that, he finished the combo with a powerful lead hook to the head. 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. 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. However, Louis was able to take revenge for this match after two years. As one of the world's greatest boxers of all time, Roberto Duran had 31 consecutive wins before he stepped into the ring with Ken Buchanan in 1972 for his first shot at the title. Then he just waited for his opponents to take the bait, so he can counter them with a short lead hook to the head. 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. Picking just 10 great heavyweights from 100+ years means some elite champions have to miss out. Mike Tyson earn his stripes. Tyson was a combination puncher who liked head-body-head combos and has a knockout power in both his hands. Thats how he knocked many of his opponents out thehard jab stunned them and the cross got the job done. Jon Jones doesn't believe Conor McGregor is one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time. Lennox Lewis is too low. Because if you want to walk somebody down, youre probably going to get some punches in the face, so you need to know how to deal with them. DAZN uses cookies to help us deliver our services and improve your user experience. Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports. Essentially, had he entered the UFC at his best, he'd probably be considered their greatest Heavyweight of all time. At a long distance,Archie Moore was using the basic boxing guard and stood in an almost sideways stance. All a fighter can do is dominate their own era and prove their greatness in their own time. Kick ass on half that page at least. Nearly none of his games lasted more than 15 rounds. Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 - April 12, 1981), best known as Joe Louis was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. Rocky Marciano 12. Plus, he's the only heavyweight world champion to have finished his career undefeated. George Foreman. And Archie Moore and Ezzard Charles. Henry Armstrong 10. He fought a total of 81 fights with 76 stunning wins. In this article we will list 10 of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. But strictly off resume, he belongs closer to the bottom of this list than to the top. Amazingly, he defended his title on 14 different occasions against 13 different boxers from the year he won it until 1974. Tyson is completely overrated. Shane Mosley couldnt beat Vernon Forrest, but who had the better career? But no style is perfect and every boxer has his weaknesses. When Ali first retired, in 1978, he was a three-time heavyweight champ whod avenged every defeat. Henry Cooper (1954-1971, 40-14-1): 118.8, 42. & Lennox Lewis could? All eyes will be on Jon Jones at UFC 285 as arguably the greatest MMA fighter in history makes his long-awaited return as a heavyweight after three years away.. Expectations are high as Jones, 35 . Both ruined the division for a decade. 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. He has done it all from being a boxing sensation to enjoying a successful career as an actor and a rapper. Tyson had little heart but plenty quit in him. You can see that in his fights with Mike Tyson and his fight with Evander Holyfield where he was just pushing them back or pushing their heads down every time they closed the gap. In an era when segregation was still legal, Louis' athleticism made him one of the few African-American celebrities of his time. A gift and a curse. A fearsome puncher no doubt, but see Holyfield above. Lennox Lewis: Of all the legendary names to inhabit a heavyweight era in the 1990s that was one of the deepest in boxing history, Lewis might very well be its best and most complete fighter. Wheres mike Tyson? Many cite this as a feat of Marciano. That way he stopped the punches even before they were thrown. A young Holmes most likely beats Tyson, but apart from that, Holmes is without a doubt in the top ten all-time, while Tyson, to the surprise of many, is not. He was a powerful puncher and the most relentless fighter ever. When the going got tough, Tyson had problems. There will be many famous names and some iconic fights, knockouts, and upsets. In his great boxing career, Jones has won several world titles, and he also won a Silver medal at the Olympics in 1988. With his 25 title defenses,Klitschko has one of the longest title reigns in the heavyweight division. No iron mike?? 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. Among his vanquished foes are Sam Langford, Tommy Burns, James J. Jeffries, Stanley Ketchel, Jim Flynn, Joe Jeannette and Sam McVea. Lets set the record straight. Tyson took the title in a lackluster period after an admittedly STRONG early run but gave out fast. Gypsy King retained his WBC crown with a stunning KO of Deontay Wilder The Week Staff 11 Oct. Is it the toys? Didnt he get beaten by a fat man? Holyfield I choose him because hes very contemporary to MT) doesnt talk trash. But that was way easier to be said than done. No substance. Modern heavyweights are often ridiculed as being a pale imitation of the legends of the 20th century whose legacies have been immortalised. OP doesn't seem to be asking for P4P. Signature technique: Jab->Left hook to the body->Left hook to the head. Any ranking also shouldnt be about which boxer beats which in some fantasy fight. Mike Tyson was knocking people out! Tyson should definitely be in the top 10. The technique of that punch wasnt perfect at all, (every boxing coach will be shocked if he sees it), but that doesnt mean it wasnt effective. Holmes was completely washed up-way past his prime. Are you guys kidding me? He was also fightingcomfortably in both boxing stances orthodox and southpaw and was switching between them to get a superior angle during the fight. Top 15 All-Time Greatest Heavyweight Boxers (Style Breakdown). Beating Sonny Liston to win his first championship as a 7-to-1 underdog, defeating chief rival Joe Frazier two out of three times, stopping the undefeated George Foreman as a 4-to-1 underdog (to regain the title), outpointing Kenny . He was always moving forward, fighting in aclose distance, pushing and bullying his opponents. This group included Leonard himself and three others; Roberto Durn, Thomas Hearns, and Marvin Hagler. Ali used this counter while he was circling to his left and jabbing his opponent. So in order to beat such fighter, Holyfield had to fight from the inside. Ernie Terrell (1957-1973, 46-9-0): 117.5, 43. Brawlers are willing to take a punch so they can land one. In total, he participated in 31 boxing matches with 28 wins, only 3 losses, and 24 knockouts. Joe Louis The brown bomber, was a mix of several boxing styles. Fury has made a case to be considered one of the best heavyweights ever, but just how good is he? Ali, who is often considered the best boxer of all time, fell short of capturing the top spot in the rankings. 4 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. To be The Greatest, Ali needed rivals to push him and Frazier was one of his best. MF & DAZN: X Series 005 Jay Swingler v NichLmao, Who won the PFL Challenger Series last night? But Wladimir beat better boxers and has much more title defenses and thats why is ranked higher in this list. Most athletic slugger I ever saw. Zora Folley (1953-1970, 79-11-6): 134.3, 35. Ali finished his career with a 56-5 record with 37 KOs. When Louis first retired in 1948, he did so as champion with a 58-1 win-loss record. You can see in some of his fights how he rag dolls the other boxers and even picking them up after dropping them. Holmes was a deadbeat along with Klitschko. Here, DAZN lists its 10 Best Heavyweights of All Time, in no particular order. Thats why they dont have complex footwork and they arent light on their feet like, for example, the out-boxers. The mold of a perfect fighter. 27 Abe Attell. 12. 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. George Foreman was a classical slugger (or brawler). Bob Foster was one of the best light heavyweight boxers of all time. Watch the DAZN Boxing Show and live fights on DAZN. Holmes threw that combo usually while he was circling around his opponents. Height: 6 ft 2 in. March 3, 2023 8:50 am ET. Then he threw a wide, almost straight elbowed right overhand over the top. He was a pressuring fighter who was really explosive (especially with his left hook).