Who do you consider to be the top 10 Heavyweights of all time?

Question

Here's my top ten:
1. Muhammad Ali
2. Jack Johnson
3. Joe Louis
4. Larry Holmes
5. Jack Dempsey
6. Sonny Liston
7. Gene Tunney
8. George Foreman
9. Rocky Marciano
10. Lennox Lewis

Any lists that rank Marciano #1 will not get best answer.

Woody, I had Patterson in my 10 slot and changed it at the last second. I had to think about it though.

Answer 1

I'm not quite sure about the order of the ranks 4 thru 9 from your list, but the names themselves I really can't argue with. I'm pondering on whether Lewis should stay at 10 or Floyd Patterson.

Answer 2

1. Muhammad Ali
2. Joe Louis
3. Jack Johnson
4. Sonny Liston
5. Larry Holmes
6. George Foreman
7. Rocky Marciano
8. Jack Dempsey
9. Floyd Patterson
10.Lennox Lewis
Honorable Mention- Mike Tyson

Answer 3

For me, there's 2 all time lists: the list where you "imagine a fight between guys from different eras, and then the smart list. The smart list is when you factor in a heavyweight's resume of top wins. Then you compare quality wins against other fighter's quality wins. When you do that, Muhammad Ali is undoubtedly #1, followed by George Foreman at #2. Lennox Lewis is a hard one to factor in, because while he beat the top fighters of his era, the TOP top fighters were already pretty far on their downward slide. That and the 2 one-punch KO losses. Louis had a great run, but steamrolled a bunch of nobodies, it's like beating your little sister at checkers 50 times in a row. Another thing that really hurts Louis in my mind is that he lost to Schmeling by KO, and it wasn't even close. Louis never did address the flaw he had in his fighting style that led to his getting KO'd by schmeling and knocked down a few times by inferior opposition.

But really, after Ali and Foreman, the next 8 are practically interchangable.

Answer 4

Your list is fine - almost like mine actually - except that I'd have to put Mike Tyson in place of Lennox Lewis. Reason? Tyson, in his prime (that is, before his legal troubles), was an exceptional athlete and a pure talent, never before seen in the history of the sport. And he did dominate the fight game from the mid-80's to the early 90's. Never mind if he self-destructed later on (just like Liston) when his unstable mind got the better of him, he still deserve a spot in the top 10.

Answer 5

I agree with your list your missing Tyson though and I might make a few changes but good list...