4 Naoya Inoue. Norton 11. But definitely NOT an all time top 10 Heavyweight.. 10 Best Undefeated Boxers in the History Ranked. But in 2021, he made a comeback with BKFC, then had a boxing . Jimmy Bivins (1940-1955, 86-25-1): 389, 7. Didnt he get beaten by a fat man? Holmes fought real fighters men like Earnie Shavers. 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) . Youre the only one with sense. And not only that but also his hands were huge. 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. Fury has combined pure boxing skills with underrated punching power to a supreme level amidst his growing dominance. Show some respect. His fight against Gane for the vacant heavyweight title is the headline event of UFC . George Foreman was a classical slugger (or brawler). And each of these incredible heavyweights did that: from titanic punchers to dazzling boxers. This site is owned and operated by Dimitar Ivanov. Yeah the same one who lost his title to a light heavy? 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. With his Peek-a-Boo guard and his quick head movement, it was really hard for his opponents to catch him. Current heavyweight superstars Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder also made the top 50. Critics point out that Marciano was small, clumsy and only made six title defences, mainly against ageing opponents. Eventually, he knocked out Louis with a devastating uppercut putting an end to one of the best heavyweight boxing fights; still remembered by the people. 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. That way it was really hard for them to catch him. He fought a total of 81 fights with 76 stunning wins. Thats a really cool technique. Ohh the Tysonites who think boxing was invented in 1984 are out in full force. 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. He ducked Shavers, Lyle and even an old Sonny Liston. Frazier competed during the golden age of heavyweight boxing. 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. Foreman demolished Frazier in both their fights, the only man that did or could. 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. 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. Many cite this as a feat of Marciano. Mike Tyson was the best fighter I ever saw. Foreman was also very tough and has a great punching power which makes it really hard to exchange with him. All the people who claim he never beat anyone forget that he won the title in a tournament. Lennox was most dangerous at a long distance where he can throw his right cross or uppercut with devastating power. As did fights from the greatest of the greats, from Rocky Marciano and Muhammad Ali to Larry Holmes . Roy Jones Jr. Roy Jones Jr. is also one of the larger fighters on this list. Bob Foster was one of the best light heavyweight boxers of all time. No way. Signature technique:Left hook -> Right Cross. Tyson in his prime was unstoppable. 9) Sugar Ray Leonard. However, Louis was able to take revenge for this match after two years. 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. But one needs to think in overall terms and career achievements. And if the other boxer continued to move forward, Johnson punished him by throwing quick but powerful uppercut (or sometimes hook) to the chin from the inside. 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). His 68 knockouts speak for themselves. There are many different ways to define who is the greatest boxer. 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. There will be many famous names and some iconic fights, knockouts, and upsets. A victory also could put Jones, 35, back in the conversation for top pound-for-pound fighter, a spot currently held by featherweight Alexander Volkanovski. Yes, Frazier is a better fighter than a Foreman, even though Foreman beat him up, twice. Tyson was not even the best of his era - Lost to Douglas, Holyfield TWICE, Lennox Lewis,Danny Williams and McBride.. Tyson NEVER beat anyone who beat him and Never came back when he was down in a fight . Foreman, who in 1994 knocke 4. Larry Holmes (1973-2002, 69-6-0): 330.3, 13. Joe Louis The brown bomber, was a mix of several boxing styles. 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. Signature technique:Slip the jab (outside) -> Right overhand. The strategy of Smokin Joe was simple to make his opponents step back using his constant pressure, feints, body shots and wrestling techniques (such as pushing the other boxers chest with his head). Only 2 losses, and he came back and rectified them. 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. Holyfield was only person fought well with tyson in his prime. My gripe is not fully with the omissions of Tyson, and Holyfield, as much as it is that those two were put in the same so called, Honorable pool as one of the god damn Klitschko brothers. Holmes went, what, 48-0. Plus, hes the only heavyweight world champion to have finished his career undefeated. 'Bones' hasn't fought since picking up a controversial decision win over Dominick Reyes in . Evander Holyfield (1984-2011, 44-10-2): 357.7, 10. 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. What time is the Jay Swingler vs. NichLMAO fight tonight. Hasim Rahman (1994-2014, 50-9-2): 115.1, 46. Ingemar Johansson (1952-1963, 26-2-0): 293.6, 15. The old man must have been a wild old rooster! And the shots you dont see hurt the most. But Wladimir beat better boxers and has much more title defenses and thats why is ranked higher in this list. 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. Doughlas got lucky and Lewis no match to him . As fate would have it, the most gifted athlete the heavyweights ever saw emerged just when the division was stacked with formidable talent like never before or since. Wheres Tyson? Lennox Lewis (1989-2003, 41-2-1): 547.9, 4. Even I know THAT! Well, at least Foremans hands. Of course, he has a great strategy for every different opponent. The Philadelphia icon couldnt cope with Big Georges otherworldly power - but he gave every other boxer he faced, including Ali, absolute hell. Tyson is a video-game. Dont be a hater all your life! 49. That way he built huge momentum in his punch and dramatically increased its power. But even if you take into account their overall careers, Id still give the edge to Foreman because of his comeback years. Sammy Angott 67. But no style is perfect and every boxer has his weaknesses. 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. A peak Tyson could not obliterate a mediocre Bonecrusher Smith, who had limited counter punching skills. A former champion in PRIDE and the UFC, he had an extremely impressive run from 1996 to 2006, where he went 28-3-1. He did what not one of the above mentioned ever did! Having held the world title for seven years, his late career comeback saw him defeat Ray Mercer and almost upset Oliver McCall. Check out which of today's heavyweight fighters make our top 10. Required fields are marked *. 4 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. 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. 3. Even after his decisive stoppage defeats to Muhammad Ali, he remained a force in the division thanks to his brute strength, devastating jab, and KO power in either fist. Ted Kid Lewis 65. 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. 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. Greatest Boxers of All Time The Top Ten 1 Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. (January 17, 1942 - June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer, activist, entertainer, poet, and philanthropist. It fell apart too soon for the youngest ever heavyweight champ, whose life and career unravelled quickly - but in the 1980s Tyson tore through the division like nobody before or since. Jon Jones doesn't believe Conor McGregor is one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time. His prime was a bit like Iron Mike himself: short, sharp and explosive. Smokin Joedid most of his knockouts, with that punch, while he was walking his opponents down. Many boxers thoughtthat this makes him predictable and easy to deal with. Cleveland Williams (1951-1972, 80-13-1): 186.6, 21. 29 Bob Fitzsimmons. Muhammad Ali 2. Here, DAZN lists its 10 Best Heavyweights of All Time, in no particular order. Honorable Mentions:Joe Jeannette, Jersey Joe Walcott, Max Schmeling, James J. Corbett, Max Baer, Jack Sharkey, Sam McVea,Peter Jackson, Evander Holyfield, Tom Sharkey, Floyd Patterson, Mike Tyson, Wladimir Klitschko, George Godfrey, John L. Sullivan, Johnny Risko. Primo Carnera (1928-1946, 89-14-0): 111.2, 48. 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. For your information, 38 isnt your prime, so yeah. A few years ago I've started boxing and I've quickly fallen in love with this awesome sport. You can check out the heavyweights that finished outside of the top 50 over at BoxRec. Shorboxing.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Some were renowned for their speed while others were famous for being heavy hitters. And those are things you cant see very often back then. Ya uhm no. 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. No Tyson in the list? Once boxers lose their quickness, theyre never the same. 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). Floyd Mayweather 6. Pure sweet science, master class boxing skills on display from Lewis across his brilliant career. Even one punch was enough as long as it connects clean. Smokin Joe was an absolute buzzsaw. Holyfield I choose him because hes very contemporary to MT) doesnt talk trash. And as the other boxers tried to close the distance, Wladimir got into a clinch or headlocked them (which is much easier when fighting with shorter boxers). Alexander Povetkin (2005 - present, 35-2-1): 148.3, 28. Jersey Joe Walcott (1930-1953, 50-20-1): 261.7, 16. And he had more power than Ali, especially with his jab. Thats why Joe was usually setting his overhandup with a jab to the head. When he was fighting with infighters, he just pushed them away as they tried to close the distance. They usually, stay at a mid-range, in position dangerous for both for them and for their opponents. FOUR. Ali finished his career with a 56-5 record with 37 KOs. Fury has made a case to be considered one of the best heavyweights ever, but just how good is he? But they, too, are among the greatest of all time, so thats not too shabby. 10. Foreman used his tremendous punching power so destroy his opponents body and to knock the wind out of them. l give credit to any boxer who can rectify their losses. 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. Deontay Wilder (2008 - present, 42-1-1): 122.8, 39. But that allowed him to cover much more distance and surprise his opponents (nobody was probably expecting a pro boxer to move that way). 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. 16 Reasons why Lebron is greater than Jordan. He has no comeback ability. Another thing: Joe Frazier and Rocky Marciano would be light heavyweights today. He was usually circling to his left while jabbing his opponents. That way he stopped the punches even before they were thrown. Lennox Lewis made the cut and Iron Mike didnt..laughable. Joe Frazier (32-4-1, 27 KO) Joe Frazier had beaten many great opponents including Buster Mathis, Doug Jones and Muhammad Ali (once). The Fight of the Century in March 1971, when he handed Muhammad Ali his first loss, was proof of that. Deontay Wilder! 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. He was the mad experiment of one of the greatest, if not the greatest, boxing minds ever in Cus Damato. That way he dropped Muhammad Ali in their first fight. Tyson should definitely be in the top 10. Cant understand this fixation with Tyson, all these guys mop the floor with Tyson. Reviled early on in his championship reign, he eventually became nothing less than an American icon. 1. 49-0! Pure sweet science, master class boxing skills on display from Lewis across his brilliant career. During the whole fight, he stood his ground and waited for Myke to attack first so he can counter him. Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports. 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. Also, this is a ranking of the greatest boxers and not of the best ones. For example, they both had knockout power and they both used their size and strength to control their opponents in the clinch. The first man to defeat Muhummad Ali, Frazier only lost to two men (Ali and George Foreman) despite fighting in the most competitive ever heavyweight era. Tyson would have destroyed a peak Holmes. Your email address will not be published. Still, the fact he beat Holyfield, Tyson, Vitali Klitschko, David Tua, Razor Ruddock and more says it all. MF & DAZN: X Series 005 Jay Swingler v NichLmao, Who won the PFL Challenger Series last night? Mike Tyson earn his stripes. At twenty, he couldve beaten anyone on the list EXCEPT Ali. I agree with you. With his 25 title defenses,Klitschko has one of the longest title reigns in the heavyweight division. Rocky Maricano, Riddick Bowe, Jersey Joe Walcott, Floyd Patterson, Wladimir Klitschko, Ken Norton, Chris Byrd, Archie Moore, and Ron Lyle. 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. We saw the skill but we were ROBBED of the will, his future, and his full potential. Then he was quickly lifting it up while releasing the blow. The Top Ranked Boxers of All-Time from California Before he went to jail, everyone ducked him. He was a pressuring fighter who wasnt afraid to exchange. 18.. He peaked early, lost Cus DAmato, then lost all focus because he was very immature. Name: Naoya Inoue. March 3, 2023 8:50 am ET. Sometimes he feinted a punch to the head but then went to the body. Lets set the record straight. He knew that Foreman was bigger and stronger than him and also that he deals pretty handily with infighters (as you can see in his fight with Joe Frazier). The Top 10 Boston Celtics of all Time. Modern heavyweights are often ridiculed as being a pale imitation of the legends of the 20th century whose legacies have been immortalised. *golf clap*. Famous fight:Sonny Liston vs Cassius Clay. Plus, he's the only heavyweight world champion to have finished his career undefeated. 31 Ezzard Charles. By Tyson Bruce 1. 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 . George Foreman: One of the hardest punchers in boxing history is revered both for his amazing power and his incredible comeback in the 1990s which culminated in his regaining the world title two decades after he lost it in the famous Rumble in the Jungle. His terrifying demolitions of Joe Frazier and Ken Norton, plus his legendary slugfest with Ron Lyle, will never be forgotten. He was a very patient fighter who wasnt always taking the risk to finish his opponents off. Best pure puncher who ever got in a ring. Sorry. Primo Carnera (1928-1946, 89-14-0): 111.2 48. Twenty-five consecutive title defenses more than imprinted Louis as one of the greatest heavyweights of all time. Listons Jab-Cross wasnt the normal 1-2 (jab-cross) combination with light but quick jab and powerful right hand. Holmes destroying Tyson? Jack Dempsey: Fast, aggressive and powerful, The Manassa Mauler revolutionized boxing with his swarming, all-action style. Couldnt be hurt. At 31-0-1, all thats left for the reigning WBC and lineal world heavyweight champion and former unified world champ is to snatch undisputed glory as the cherry on top. Foremans last 10 opponents were unbeaten or just had 1 loss. He had a record of 56-5 and his fights were always highly-anticipated . Top 15 All-Time Greatest Heavyweight Boxers (Style Breakdown) - ShortBoxing Top 15 All-Time Greatest Heavyweight Boxers (Style Breakdown) Written by Dimitar Ivanov in Boxing facts Approx Reading Time: 23 minutes There are many different ways to define who is the greatest boxer. The first boxer to set a million-dollar gate, Dempsey was the US superstar attraction of the 1920s with his savage fighting style, devastating power and rugged good looks. Ali, who is often considered the best boxer of all time, fell short of capturing the top spot in the rankings. What time is the Jay Swingler vs. NichLMAO fight tonight. He was also a very intelligent boxer, who was able to adjust his style according to the different opponents. Defeated such outstanding talents as Max Baer, Jack Sharkey, Bob Pastor, James Braddock, Tommy Farr, Billy Conn, John Henry Lewis, Max Schmeling, Jimmy Bivins, Lee Savold and Jersey Joe Walcott. Thudding around the ring? DAZN uses cookies to help us deliver our services and improve your user experience. Ernie Terrell (1957-1973, 46-9-0): 117.5, 43. In this article, I took into account not only the number of wins of the boxers or the titles they won but also their unique styles and what they bring to the table. Except that he was a fighter who occasionally, frustratingly, came in unprepared and fought below his level. He also kept his hands low and his chin up, which are common mistakes according to many coaches. Which actually was a really effective strategy he beat both those guys. Whos ranked an all time great? Tyson lost every fight that ever meant something. 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. Elmer Ray (1933-1949, 99-23-11): 170.8, 24. Evander also won their second fight after Tyson was disqualified after he bit Evanders ear several times but it was clear that Mike did that out of desperation. 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. Ranking Explanation . His strategy basically was to jab his opponents from a distance where they cant reach him andoccasionally land some powerful straight rights. Frazier was able to knock everyone out with it. THATs reality, Tyson fans. It lasted two rounds. Johnsons defense should rank him number one. Yeah, Holmes lost twice to Michael Spinks, while Tyson knocked out Spinks in 90 seconds. Biggest joke of the year . 7. Before he went to jail and before Cus DAmato died, he couldnt be touched. No substance. Many have failed at this. 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. Louis is the prime example of what it means to be a boxing legend. He was also small for the weight class (510 tall), compared to the other heavyweightsat that time, which was actually an advantage. Michael Hunter. Your email address will not be published. Walcott. Cant overlook Holmes place in heavyweight history. Kudos on not putting Tyson in the top 12. Since then Im always trying to improve my skills, by finding and testing new strategies, and training methods. Whether it was avenging his loss against Joe Frazier with two victories over his rival,taking the steam out of George Foreman at The Rumble in the Jungle or earning hard-fought wins over the rugged likes of Floyd Patterson and Ken Norton, Alis GOAT legacy resides on the heavyweight throne as the best. Joe Frazier: The man they called Smokin Joe doesnt get enough love on most ATG lists, but overlooked are two things: 1. He was good everywhere, no matter if he was fighting from the inside, or from a long distance. 12. Famous fight: Archie Moore vs Yvon Durelle I. Holmes style was similar to the style of Muhammad Ali (a classical out-boxer). how could you possible list frazier ahead of foreman, that is crazy, simply because foreman DESTROYED him twice. After that, he finished the combo with a powerful lead hook to the head. Simply, he beat more great heavyweights than any fighter before or since. Watch the DAZN Boxing Show and live fights on DAZN. Id probably say Tommy Burns, a good but small heavyweight from whom he took the crown. He never gave any of the three rematches in their heavyweight primes. Nicknamed The Greatest, he is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated sporting figures . But its his late-career comeback that sealed Foremans greatness. Holmes was completely washed up-way past his prime. Big heart, just would not be beaten. Robinson cannot beat a heavyweight. Get it? There are many great heavyweight boxers now like Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder but the names that made people fall in love with heavyweight boxing are the Tyson's and Ali's. This list consists of the greatest heavyweight boxing bouts in the history of the sport.