Longest Living Heavyweight Champion

[evrenb]

1. Max Schmeling - 99 years
2. Jack Sharkey 91 years
3. Jack Dempsey - 87 years
4. Jess Willard - 86 years
5. Gene Tunney - 81 years
6. Jersey Joe Walcott - 80 years
7. James Jeffries - 77 years
8. Ingemar Johannson - 76 years
9. Ernie Terrell - 75 years (still living)
10. Tommy Burns - 73 years
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11. Muhammad Ali - 72 years (still living)
12. Floyd Patterson - 71 years
13. Ken Norton - 70 years
14. James Braddock - 69 years
15. Joe Frazier - 67 years
16. Joe Louis - 66 years
17. James Corbett - 66 years
18. Jack Johnson - 66 years - accident
19. George Foreman - 65 years (still living)
20. Larry Holmes - 64 years (still living)
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21. Mike Weaver - 62 years (still living)
22. Primo Carnera - 60 years
23. Leon Spinks - 60 years (still living)
24. Gerrie Coetzee - 59 years (still living)
25. Michael Spinks - 57 years (still living)
26. Tim Witherspoon - 56 years (STILLL LIVING)
27. Pinklon Thomas - 56 years (still living)
28. Tony Tubbs - 56 years (still living)
29. Marvin Hart - 55 years
30. Bob Fitzimmons - 54 years
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31. Michael Dokes - 54 years
32. Ezzard Charles - 53 years
33. Trevor Berbick - 52 years (murdered)
34. Max Baer - 50 years
35. Greg Page - 50 years
36. Rocky Marciano - 45 years (accident)
37. John Tate - 43 years (accident)
38. Sonny Liston - 38 years (unknown)

Fascinating . . .

[BoxBuzz]

How was Schmeling doing in his last years?

[evrenb]

How was Schmeling doing in his last years?

He was doing good...all set for the magical century...considering the hard career and some beatings he took he is a marvel!!

[p4p1]

1. Max Schmeling - 99 years
2. Jack Sharkey 91 years
3. Jack Dempsey - 87 years
4. Jess Willard - 86 years
5. Gene Tunney - 81 years

If memory serves didn't all those guys start boxing in their late teens or in Willard's case their late 20s? I wonder if it's a little bit more than a coincidence.

[dempseyfire]

1. Max Schmeling - 99 years
2. Jack Sharkey 91 years
3. Jack Dempsey - 87 years
4. Jess Willard - 86 years
5. Gene Tunney - 81 years

If memory serves didn't all those guys start boxing in their late teens or in Willard's case their late 20s? I wonder if it's a little bit more than a coincidence.

The majority of fighters start around their late teens. I doubt many on that list began boxing prior to 15-16 years old

One is actually struck by how few of those guys developed dementia late in life. There was Charles, Patterson, and Johannson (I think). The tragic end of Page. But I think that's it. Almost all of the guys who didn't make it to old age died from accidents or non-boxing related health issues.

[scorpio83]

evrenb,

You excluded Jimmy Ellis the former WBA Heavyweight Champion who was 74 when he passed away earlier this month and he is top 10 on the longest living heavyweight champions and Tommy Burns was number 11. Other longest living heavyweight champions that you excluded are:

James "Bonecrusher" Smith - 61 (still living)
John L. Sullivan - 59 (heart disease)
Tony Tucker - 55 (still living)
James "Buster" Douglas - 54 (still living)
Frank Bruno - 52 (still living)
Evander Holyfield - 51 (still living)
Oliver McCall - 49 (still living)
Lennox Lewis - 48 (still living)
Mike Tyson - 47 (still living)
Bruce Seldon - 47 (still living)
Riddick Bowe - 46 (still living)
Michael Moorer - 46 (still living)
Roy Jones Jr. - 45 (still living)
Oleg Maskaev - 45 (still living)
Chris Byrd - 43 (still living)
John Ruiz - 42 (still living)
Vitali Klitschko - 42 (still living)
Hasim Rahman - 41 (still living)
Nicolay Valuev - 40 (still living)
Wladimir Klitschko - 38 (still living)

If you count the WBO title:

Francesco Damiani - 55 (still living)
Ray Mercer - 53 (still living)
Michael Bentt - 49 (still living)
Henry Akinwande - 48 (still living)
Corrie Sanders - 46 (shot to death)
Tommy Morrison - 44 (multiple organ failure)
Shannon Briggs - 42 (still living)
Herbie Hide - 42 (still living)
Lamon Brewster - 40 (still living)
Sultan Ibragimov - 39 (still living)
Siarhei Liakhovich - 38 (still living)

[evrenb]

evrenb,

You excluded Jimmy Ellis the former WBA Heavyweight Champion who was 74 when he passed away earlier this month and he is top 10 on the longest living heavyweight champions and Tommy Burns was number 11. Other longest living heavyweight champions that you excluded are:

James "Bonecrusher" Smith - 61 (still living)
John L. Sullivan - 59 (heart disease)
Tony Tucker - 55 (still living)
James "Buster" Douglas - 54 (still living)
Frank Bruno - 52 (still living)
Evander Holyfield - 51 (still living)
Oliver McCall - 49 (still living)
Lennox Lewis - 48 (still living)
Mike Tyson - 47 (still living)
Bruce Seldon - 47 (still living)
Riddick Bowe - 46 (still living)
Michael Moorer - 46 (still living)
Roy Jones Jr. - 45 (still living)
Oleg Maskaev - 45 (still living)
Chris Byrd - 43 (still living)
John Ruiz - 42 (still living)
Vitali Klitschko - 42 (still living)
Hasim Rahman - 41 (still living)
Nicolay Valuev - 40 (still living)
Wladimir Klitschko - 38 (still living)

If you count the WBO title:

Francesco Damiani - 55 (still living)
Ray Mercer - 53 (still living)
Michael Bentt - 49 (still living)
Henry Akinwande - 48 (still living)
Corrie Sanders - 46 (shot to death)
Tommy Morrison - 44 (multiple organ failure)
Shannon Briggs - 42 (still living)
Herbie Hide - 42 (still living)
Lamon Brewster - 40 (still living)
Sultan Ibragimov - 39 (still living)
Siarhei Liakhovich - 38 (still living)

Hi I missed Ellis and James Smith....I stopped at 1986 (didnt explain) as relatively near vintage...good work...amazing how top 4 fought in the same era....

[Syntax Error]

Fascinating indeed.

Ernie Terrell is the oldest living Heavyweight champion.

I don't think anyone will ever beat Schmeling's record, but you never know with modern day science. 8)

It's remarkable for anyone to live to 99, especially an old-time boxer.

[evrenb]

Fascinating indeed.

Ernie Terrell is the oldest living Heavyweight champion.

I don't think anyone will ever beat Schmeling's record, but you never know with modern day science. 8)

It's remarkable for anyone to live to 99, especially an old-time boxer.

Considering the absolute hammering at the hands of Baer (including backfists) and the massacre from Louis its amazing he made it out of the 1930's !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Syntax Error]

Fascinating indeed.

Ernie Terrell is the oldest living Heavyweight champion.

I don't think anyone will ever beat Schmeling's record, but you never know with modern day science. 8)

It's remarkable for anyone to live to 99, especially an old-time boxer.

Considering the absolute hammering at the hands of Baer (including backfists) and the massacre from Louis its amazing he made it out of the 1930's !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Absolutely spot on.

He must have been on the same serum as Captain America!

[evrenb]

Seriously...what a success he was...he went on to work..high up in coca cola company and was very wealthy...he had a beautiful wife for many years...owned a beautiful mansion...lived til 99 and died rich...theres my role model right there!! Lol

[scorpio83]

You're welcome evrenb.

I forgot to tell you that you made one mistake on one former world heavyweight champion's age. Jack Johnson did not died at 66, but he died at age 68 from a horrible car accident.

Jack Johnson (March 31, 1878-June 9, 1946)

[evrenb]

You're welcome evrenb.

I forgot to tell you that you made one mistake on one former world heavyweight champion's age. Jack Johnson did not died at 66, but he died at age 68 from a horrible car accident.

Jack Johnson (March 31, 1878-June 9, 1946)

You see I done that deliberately to see if y'all paying attention!

[scorpio83]

Sorry, actually Jack Johnson was killed in a car accident at aged 68 on June 10, 1946.