1970's Heavyweight Top 10

Chopping Right · Post by **Chopping Right** » 20 May 2005, 12:40

This has probably been done dozens of times before but it's always a moot point. Top 10 seventies heavyweights, and for argument's sake we can assume they are at their peaks, be that early, mid or late 70's.

1. Muhammad Ali
2. George Foreman
3. Larry Holmes
4. Joe Frazier
5. Ken Norton
6. Ron Lyle
7. Earnie Shavers
8. Jerry Quarry
9. Jimmy Young
10. Joe Bugner

The_Power · Post by **The_Power** » 20 May 2005, 14:01

Holmes is too high based on 70's achievements IMO.

Tantum · Post by **Tantum** » 20 May 2005, 14:15

1980-10-02 Muhammad Ali WTKO 11 WBC Heavyweight Title
1980-07-07 Scott LeDoux WTKO 7 WBC Heavyweight Title
1980-03-31 Leroy Jones WTKO 8 WBC Heavyweight Title
1980-02-03 Lorenzo Zanon WKO 6 WBC Heavyweight Title
1979-09-28 Earnie Shavers WTKO 11 WBC Heavyweight Title
1979-06-22 Mike Weaver WTKO 12 WBC Heavyweight Title
1979-03-23 Ossie Ocasio WTKO 7 WBC Heavyweight Title
1978-11-10 Alfredo Evangelista WKO 7 WBC Heavyweight Title
1978-06-09 Ken Norton WSD15 WBC Heavyweight Title
1978-03-25 Earnie Shavers WUD12 Eliminator for WBC Heavyweight Title

I'd put him up with Frazier and Foreman...

Grimm · Post by **Grimm** » 20 May 2005, 15:35

Tantum wrote:1980-10-02 Muhammad Ali WTKO 11 WBC Heavyweight Title
1980-07-07 Scott LeDoux WTKO 7 WBC Heavyweight Title
1980-03-31 Leroy Jones WTKO 8 WBC Heavyweight Title
1980-02-03 Lorenzo Zanon WKO 6 WBC Heavyweight Title
1979-09-28 Earnie Shavers WTKO 11 WBC Heavyweight Title
1979-06-22 Mike Weaver WTKO 12 WBC Heavyweight Title
1979-03-23 Ossie Ocasio WTKO 7 WBC Heavyweight Title
1978-11-10 Alfredo Evangelista WKO 7 WBC Heavyweight Title
1978-06-09 Ken Norton WSD15 WBC Heavyweight Title
1978-03-25 Earnie Shavers WUD12 Eliminator for WBC Heavyweight Title

I'd put him up with Frazier and Foreman...

There are 4 fights that are in the 80's though.

Tantum · Post by **Tantum** » 20 May 2005, 15:46

The calendar started on the year one... So everything starts with a 1.

1-100 is the first century

1901-2000 is the 20th century

71-80 is the 70's.

JC · Post by JC » 20 May 2005, 15:52

wouldn't it make sense if it was 1st January 1970 to 31st december 1979

Tantum · Post by **Tantum** » 20 May 2005, 15:53

It would, but it isn't.

Grimm · Post by **Grimm** » 20 May 2005, 15:55

Tantum wrote:The calendar started on the year one... So everything starts with a 1.

1-100 is the first century

1901-2000 is the 20th century

71-80 is the 70's.

I thought that when we got in the year 2000 we were in the 21st century.

Tantum · Post by **Tantum** » 20 May 2005, 15:56

Then you'd be disregarding 1 year in prior history.

Chopping Right · Post by **Chopping Right** » 20 May 2005, 16:24

I think we have to discount 1980 for reasons of custom (70-79 was the 70's to most folk), but I still think Holmes did enough in 78 and 79 to give him a high ranking. How high is debatable of course, personally I wonder about Joe Frazier's usually high ranking so I place Holmes higher.

dempseyfire · Post by **dempseyfire** » 20 May 2005, 16:38

Ok, including Holmes's fights from 1980.

1) Ali (lost a few and got some gift decisions but still with wins over Norton (2nd fight), Foreman, Lyle, Quarry, Foster, Ellis, Bonavena, Frazier etc. he has to be considered tops.

2) George Foreman -Gets here with blowouts of top HWs Frazier and Norton as well as knockouts over Lyle, Chuvalo, and Peralta.

3) Joe Frazier-His best years were really 1969-1970 but still with wins over a close to prime Ali, Quarry, Bugner, and Ellis, he makes it to number 3

4) Larry Holmes-Big wins over Shavers and Norton. Not much else in terms of big wins but hell he never lost so he makes number 4.

5) Ken Norton-Beat Ali twice, took Holmes to the wire, beat Jimmy Young, a faded Quarry, exposed Bobick, and beat a slew of decent upper top teners and top 20s.

6) Jimmy Young-A short prime, but at his best he was REALLY up there. Beat Ali, Foreman, Lyle, drew with Shavers in a fight many felt he won, and gave Norton a close fight (although I don't think it was a robbery like some do). Downsides are that he lost to a few tomato cans and lost his discipline after he Norton fight.

7) Jerry Quarry-The tough skilled veteran spoiled the parades of Ron Lyle, Mac Foster, and Earnie Shavers.

8) Ron Lyle-Could have been so much more if he had started boxing earlier and not became professional at age 30. Beat Ellis, Mathis, Bonavena, and Shavers. Took George Foreman to war and almost prevailed.

9) Earnie Shavers-BIG BIG puncher with under-rated boxing skills but who's inability to relax in the ring ensured his meltdown in many a fight. Faded against Ali in a fight some felt he deserved, got dominated by Holmes but knocked Larry down with a helluva shot. He did beat Ellis, Young, and a faded Norton (all in the first round) but he never managed to stay at the top.

10) Joe Bugner-Tough aussie who gave went the distance with Lyle, Ali, and Frazier but never had the ability to fire off on all cylinders.

Chopping Right · Post by **Chopping Right** » 21 May 2005, 05:09

I think the main debating point on this issue is whether Frazier or Holmes is the number 3 guy to Ali and Foreman. For me Frazier just didn't do enough outside of the fights with Ali, he did beat Quarry and Bugner but the only other guy from my overall top 10 he met was Foreman, and Big George really beat Joe badly twice. I suppose that could still be seen as more than Holmes did in the same period, so to a certain extent I am basing my judgement of the possible outcome of a peak Frazier v a peak Holmes, and for me that is a Holmes win.

BTW - Bugner wasn't an Aussie, he was a Brit back in the 70's. Actually he was born in Hungary but his entire pro career until the mid-80's was based in the UK, then he became "Aussie Joe".

The_Power · Post by **The_Power** » 21 May 2005, 17:30

So 1980 is the 70's.