Ranking The Heavyweights in Their Eras

[HomicideHenry]

Everyone has their own lists, opinions, of who should of been where on a top ten list; ranking heavyweights 1-10 per era (every ten years) is no different. This is my list of the 1970's heavyweights.


#1- Muhammad Ali

-He defeated Bugner (2x), Frazier (2x), Norton (2x), Foreman, and just about every other name you could think of in an era that was deeply rich in talent. It's a no brainer that he is number one.

#2- Ken Norton

-Why Norton? You can argue he defeated Ali two of the three times they fought, and he also defeated a motley crue of prodigous fighters. But it is how he fared against Ali that makes him number two.

#3- Jimmy Young

-Why Jimmy Young? He was robbed against Muhammad Ali, he defeated George Foreman, and he also gave Ken Norton extreme fits. He was elusive and had some of the best reflexes the sport has ever seen.

#4- George Foreman

-Why Foreman? He annhilated Norton, Frazier (2x), and just about everyone else on this list and then some. But his mystique was blown by Muhammad Ali, and further damaged by a decision loss to Jimmy Young. Before that though he was considered unbeatable; he was the strongest and most ferocious heavyweight that may of ever lived.

#5- Joe Frazier

-Why Joe Frazier? He was the first man to defeat Muhammad Ali in the FOTC between two undefeated heavyweight champions. He also defeated the likes of Jerry Quarry, Oscar Bonavena, Joe Bugner, but he failed to meet Ken Norton at all, was destroyed twice by Foreman, and his reign as champion (outside of beating Ali) was against average competition.

#6- Joe Bugner

-Why Bugner? He went a combined 30 rounds with Muhammad Ali, and gave Frazier the same kind of treatment. He defeated the legendary Henry Cooper, a win he was never forgiven for. A man without a country, Bugner was a hard task master for anyone. One of the most durable heavyweights of all time.

#7- Oscar Bonavena

-Why Bonavena? He was robbed against Frazier, and was ahead on the score cards when he went into that fifteenth round against Ali. He gave all the top men one of their hardest fights. Awkward as he was, he had a strength and heart that could not be denied.

#8- Ron Lyle

-Why Lyle? He almost (key word is almost) defeated George Foreman in what was the most exciting heavyweight slugfest since Dempsey/Firpo. He also was ahead on the scorecards against Muhammad Ali, before getting stopped in the eleventh round (one can argue it was a premature stoppage at that).

#9- Floyd Patterson

-Why Floyd? True, he barely was in the era, but this was a man who was a better fighter post champion than he was as champion. Robbed against Jimmy Ellis, for what would have been Patterson's third world title, he also lost narrow decisions to Jerry Quarry. He came up short against Muhammad Ali, but Patterson still was the best technician of the era before retiring.

#10- Jerry Quarry

-Why Quarry? He gave everybody he ever fought tough times, but he didn't have the defense to deflect most of the power punches he absorbed. Often times his matches ended in cuts. He lost to Frazier, lost to Norton, lost to Ali (2x), but he also beaten Patterson and Earnie Shavers. He was not someone to slouch on.

[MEISINGER]

ali
foreman
frazier
norton
holmes
young
quarry
bonavena
bugner
shavers

[HomicideHenry]

ali
foreman
frazier
norton
holmes
young
quarry
bonavena
bugner
shavers

Nice list. I left out Holmes because he rose to prominance in the '79-80's, where I rank him as the #1 heavyweight easily of the 1980s.

[MEISINGER]

ali
foreman
frazier
norton
holmes
young
quarry
bonavena
bugner
shavers

Nice list. I left out Holmes because he rose to prominance in the '79-80's, where I rank him as the #1 heavyweight easily of the 1980s.

i agree with holmes being the best of the 80's
but he was a force in the 70's....way more so than patterson was

[HomicideHenry]

ali
foreman
frazier
norton
holmes
young
quarry
bonavena
bugner
shavers

Nice list. I left out Holmes because he rose to prominance in the '79-80's, where I rank him as the #1 heavyweight easily of the 1980s.

i agree with holmes being the best of the 80's
but he was a force in the 70's....way more so than patterson was

It is arguable. By Larry's own admissions by 1974 Ali couldn't do anything to Larry in sparring. I just don't think he made a big enough mark on the 1970s to of outshined Patterson. Holmes rise to the top was late '78-79, and that was the Shavers and Norton contest. One can argue Norton could have won that fight, it could easily of been a draw. Still, regardless, that's just my two cents.

[Crease]

It is arguable. By Larry's own admissions by 1974 Ali couldn't do anything to Larry in sparring. I just don't think he made a big enough mark on the 1970s to of outshined Patterson.

I don't disagree with you, but it's not like Larry to be humble is it? I mean the guy actually classes himself as the Greatest Heavyweight ever to walk the Earth.

[HomicideHenry]

It is arguable. By Larry's own admissions by 1974 Ali couldn't do anything to Larry in sparring. I just don't think he made a big enough mark on the 1970s to of outshined Patterson.

I don't disagree with you, but it's not like Larry to be humble is it? I mean the guy actually classes himself as the Greatest Heavyweight ever to walk the Earth.

It's a statement that I think Larry has the right to say. When he retired, he was given no real respect, wasn't even ranked among the top ten. Fast forward a decade or so later, he's top ten worthy. Now today, most rank him in the top five heavyweights of all time. For me personally, despite Holmes being a prick, is the only man I can see beating Muhammad Ali. By Ali's own admission, and Larry backing it up, from 1971-1975 Ali couldn't do much with Larry in sparring; Larry would block with his left and counter with rights all night long. Because of his time with Ali, knowing all the in's and out's of Muhammad, in combination with his own tremendous gifts as a fighter, a prime Larry Holmes imho could have beaten Holyfield, Tyson, Lewis, the Klitschko's, if not every other heavyweight champion to hold the linear title. Now, while it wouldn't have came easy, I believe Holmes would have beaten 9/10 19/20, etc of the all-time great's. I think the only man who would have given Larry problems would have been George Foreman, because of the sheer power and ferocity.

[MEISINGER]

It is arguable. By Larry's own admissions by 1974 Ali couldn't do anything to Larry in sparring. I just don't think he made a big enough mark on the 1970s to of outshined Patterson.

I don't disagree with you, but it's not like Larry to be humble is it? I mean the guy actually classes himself as the Greatest Heavyweight ever to walk the Earth.

It's a statement that I think Larry has the right to say. When he retired, he was given no real respect, wasn't even ranked among the top ten. Fast forward a decade or so later, he's top ten worthy. Now today, most rank him in the top five heavyweights of all time. For me personally, despite Holmes being a prick, is the only man I can see beating Muhammad Ali. By Ali's own admission, and Larry backing it up, from 1971-1975 Ali couldn't do much with Larry in sparring; Larry would block with his left and counter with rights all night long. Because of his time with Ali, knowing all the in's and out's of Muhammad, in combination with his own tremendous gifts as a fighter, a prime Larry Holmes imho could have beaten Holyfield, Tyson, Lewis, the Klitschko's, if not every other heavyweight champion to hold the linear title. Now, while it wouldn't have came easy, I believe Holmes would have beaten 9/10 19/20, etc of the all-time great's. I think the only man who would have given Larry problems would have been George Foreman, because of the sheer power and ferocity.

i agree 100%

[Expug]

I like that list that Meisinger has there. Looks good. I think Holmes does belong on a list of top 70s heavys. In 1976 he beat Roy "Tiger" Williams and from that point on he was on his way. Beat Shavers a couple times Norton and Weaver. But for sure,he is often thought of for his 80s reign.

[spudder56]

It is arguable. By Larry's own admissions by 1974 Ali couldn't do anything to Larry in sparring. I just don't think he made a big enough mark on the 1970s to of outshined Patterson.

I don't disagree with you, but it's not like Larry to be humble is it? I mean the guy actually classes himself as the Greatest Heavyweight ever to walk the Earth.

It's a statement that I think Larry has the right to say. When he retired, he was given no real respect, wasn't even ranked among the top ten. Fast forward a decade or so later, he's top ten worthy. Now today, most rank him in the top five heavyweights of all time. For me personally, despite Holmes being a prick, is the only man I can see beating Muhammad Ali. By Ali's own admission, and Larry backing it up, from 1971-1975 Ali couldn't do much with Larry in sparring; Larry would block with his left and counter with rights all night long. Because of his time with Ali, knowing all the in's and out's of Muhammad, in combination with his own tremendous gifts as a fighter, a prime Larry Holmes imho could have beaten Holyfield, Tyson, Lewis, the Klitschko's, if not every other heavyweight champion to hold the linear title. Now, while it wouldn't have came easy, I believe Holmes would have beaten 9/10 19/20, etc of the all-time great's. I think the only man who would have given Larry problems would have been George Foreman, because of the sheer power and ferocity.

X2 Larry was a truly great fighter

[Ambling Alp II]

ali
foreman
frazier
norton
holmes
young
quarry
bonavena
bugner
shavers

Thats a pretty good list. Always a a little tricky when you rate by a decade because some guys fought in the early part, some only in the later part.
#1-4 isd pretty easy, and in that order. Holmes probably did enough in the late 1970s to deserve to be #5. (Ranking him that high because of what he did in actual bouts, not cute stories about sparring that ahat even if true mean less than an NFL exhibition game.)
The rest had their ups and downs and you could argue the order from #6-10.
You could make a good case for Ron Lyle as well.

My have to take Bonavena out. And no, he was not ahead on the scorecards against Ali.

[MEISINGER]

ali
foreman
frazier
norton
holmes
young
quarry
bonavena
bugner
shavers

Thats a pretty good list. Always a a little tricky when you rate by a decade because some guys fought in the early part, some only in the later part.
#1-4 isd pretty easy, and in that order. Holmes probably did enough in the late 1970s to deserve to be #5. (Ranking him that high because of what he did in actual bouts, not cute stories about sparring that ahat even if true mean less than an NFL exhibition game.)
The rest had their ups and downs and you could argue the order from #6-10.
You could make a good case for Ron Lyle as well.

My have to take Bonavena out. And no, he was not ahead on the scorecards against Ali.

i agree 6-10 could be changed wthout any argument

[MEISINGER]

ali
foreman
frazier
norton
holmes
young
quarry
bonavena
bugner
shavers

Thats a pretty good list. Always a a little tricky when you rate by a decade because some guys fought in the early part, some only in the later part.
#1-4 isd pretty easy, and in that order. Holmes probably did enough in the late 1970s to deserve to be #5. (Ranking him that high because of what he did in actual bouts, not cute stories about sparring that ahat even if true mean less than an NFL exhibition game.)
The rest had their ups and downs and you could argue the order from #6-10.
You could make a good case for Ron Lyle as well.

My have to take Bonavena out. And no, he was not ahead on the scorecards against Ali.

and i also could care if larry could beat ali in sparring.actual bouts are my criteria

[HomicideHenry]

I am currently working on setting up a radio show sometime next week which will have both Cooney and Holmes talking about their legendary fight, in combination with stories of their careers and how they viewed eachother before and after the fight; and of course Larry's take on him versus the all-time greats. It be rather interesting.

And..... the scorecards may of said Ali was ahead, BUT everybody who saw that fight felt Bonavena was ahead, even the commentators felt Ringo was ahead, it appears no matter what Ali was going to get that win regardless of what went down; personally I think had Bonavena not been kayoed he would have won the fight by a two-three round margin. His awkwardness and bull strength presented much problems to Ali. I also feel Bonavena was robbed against Joe Frazier. He was alot better than given credit for.

[Ambling Alp II]

Everybody? I had never heard anybody say that Bonavena was ahead. Ali looked rusty, but someone would really have to have bias to think Bonavena was actually ahead. (That is as bad as someone claiming that Foreman won the first 7 rounds against Ali. Who was that again? )

The first Bonavena-Frazier fight would have been scored differently had it been under a 10 point must system instead of by rounds. Bonavena would have won a majority decision instead of losing one. (Assuming round one was scored 10-7 and all other rounds were scored 10-9.) Doesn't really matter for the sake of this thread though; that fight was in 1966 and this is about ranking the top fighters of the 1970s.

[HomicideHenry]

Everybody? I had never heard anybody say that Bonavena was ahead. Ali looked rusty, but someone would really have to have bias to think Bonavena was actually ahead. (That is as bad as someone claiming that Foreman won the first 7 rounds against Ali. Who was that again? )

The first Bonavena-Frazier fight would have been scored differently had it been under a 10 point must system instead of by rounds. Bonavena would have won a majority decision instead of losing one. (Assuming round one was scored 10-7 and all other rounds were scored 10-9.) Doesn't really matter for the sake of this thread though; that fight was in 1966 and this is about ranking the top fighters of the 1970s.

We need to do a round by round scoring with the forum members on Bonavena/Ali, much like we did for Cobb/Norton where IMHO saw Cobb winning that fight.

[Ambling Alp II]

I think this would be my top 10:

1.Ali
2.Foreman
3.Frazier
4.Norton
5.Holmes
6.Young
7.Quarry
8. Lyle
9.Shavers
10.Bugner

Had to take Bonavena and put Lyle in. Lyle beat Bonavena head to head, and also beat Bugner and Shavers.
Bonavena also lost to an old Patterson.
Still, my list is very close to Meisinger's.

[MEISINGER]

I think this would be my top 10:

1.Ali
2.Foreman
3.Frazier
4.Norton
5.Holmes
6.Young
7.Quarry
8. Lyle
9.Shavers
10.Bugner

Had to take Bonavena and put Lyle in. Lyle beat Bonavena head to head, and also beat Bugner and Shavers.
Bonavena also lost to an old Patterson.
Still, my list is very close to Meisinger's.

good list i debated lyle going in and like i said 6-10 or in this case 6-11
could easily be switched around and i don't think too many people would argue

[HomicideHenry]

THE TOP TEN HEAVYWEIGHT RANKINGS OF THE 1980s


#1- Larry Holmes

Simply the best, period. Who cares that the Coetzee fight didn't happen, who cares that the era was average at best. You cannot argue with 20 title defenses over seven years. He fought a Who's Who list of boxing: Witherspoon, Berbick, Norton, Ali, Shavers, Cooney, Cobb, LeDoux, Evangelista, Frank, Frazier, Leon Spinks, etc. Went 48-0-0 before losing a highly competitive and close fight to Michael Spinks, and lost a highly controversial rematch. Arguably the best jab in heavyweight history, and though unappreciated in his day, most fans and historians rank Holmes as a top five heavyweight champion today, and to a growing majority possibly the only man to of had a solid chance of beating a prime Muhammad Ali.


#2- Mike Tyson

Following the retirement of Holmes, and the reluctance of Michael Spinks to fight Tony Tucker in his maiden defense, the boxing world turned its eyes on a young kid from New York who bombed his way through the Junior Olympics and was now eating up journeyman across the nation. His lightning fast hands, amazing defense and bone crushing power made him a star long before he was even ranked among the top twenty in the world. It can be argued nobody (other than John L. Sullivan and Jim Jeffries) ever climbed their way to the top in more stellar fashion. He quickly unified the world titles and was soon being compared to the ATG heavyweights, some even wondering whether he was Ali's equal. However due to personal problems, substance abuse, and the loss of arguably the greatest team ever assembled in pro boxing (D'Amato, Atlas, Jacobs, Rooney) he lost the skills and competitive fire that made him great, losing to unheralded fringe contender Buster Douglas who was a 42-1 underdog.


#3- Michael Spinks

Without question one of the ATG 175 pound kings to start out with, Michael Spinks shook up the boxing world when he won a close decision over the dominant Larry Holmes. Though the rematch was a gift for Spinks, he was considered by and large to be THE true heavyweight champion of the world, even when Mike Tyson held the WBC/WBA/IBF world title straps. It is hard to believe now, but a good majority of the press at the time believed Spinks would beat Tyson. His win over the still dangerous and ever popular giant Gerry Cooney solidified this thought process in the public's mind. With his herky jerky defense and lightning fast hands, Spinks was very difficult to hit. His 91 second kayo loss to Mike Tyson was a sad end to what was one of the most successful stories in boxing history; however it can be argued that his impact, though such a short reign, made him superior to the men listed below him (though one can seriously argue they could have beaten him).


#4- Gerrie Coetzee

A top ranked contender since 1978, Coetzee chased the fame and fortune of being a world heavyweight champion, but it never came. A man without much personality, he did all his talking in the ring. He lost to John Tate in his first world title venture, but quickly showed his chops as a threat to anyone when he bombed out Leon Spinks in one round. He would kayo the much talented and popular Michael Dokes for the title, and for the rest of his reign chased down Larry Holmes. It would have been THE heavyweight fight of the 1980s, and would have unified the titles. Unfortunately, for reasons all political, it failed to happen. Holmes wanted upwards of 20 million plus to fight Coetzee. Many still wonder whether Coetzee would have done well against him. Though he would lose to Greg Page, Coetzee remained on the fringe into the early 1990s. He would make a return to the ring in the late 1990s against Iran Barkley, but would lose. No matter, he is arguably South Africa's greatest heavyweight and he made his mark on a division that was weakened by corruption and politics.


#5- Michael Dokes

A highly talented amateur, we all saw he had the goods back when he was a skinny kid boxing that exhibition with Muhammad Ali and wasn't phased one iota by the Greatest's verbial abuse. He had quite possibly the fastest hands in the business, comparable to that of Ali and Patterson, and he also packed a punch. Very skilled, he defeated Mike Weaver for the WBA title and many thought he was the best bet to spend your money on to beat Larry Holmes. Unfortunately, it was the 1980s. It was the era of excess. Dokes induldged himself in a life of drugs and high living, and it weakened him considerably. He lost the title to Coetzee, and went on a downward spiral. It wouldn't be until a promising up and comer named Evander Holyfield came along that Dokes cleaned up his act, and was dead set on showing the world what he was made of. He almost did. It was the non-title heavyweight fight of the 1980s; and one must wonder, would the prime Dokes of taken Evander?


#6- Tim Witherspoon

Some people never get respect, like Rodney Dangerfield said. It was true of Tim Witherspoon, a man who was champion of the world TWICE and yet he lived in an apartment he was embarassed to show his friends and family. He gave a prime Larry Holmes one of his toughest fights, and 'Spoon was simply the most underated man on this list. It can be argued he would have beaten my #3-5 without much problem. So skilled was he that Witherspoon fought competively until the 2000's, on the fringe of the top fifteen-twenty. The would be fights that come to mind, 'Spoon vs. Holyfield, Tyson, etc. all boggles the mind. He could have beaten them, but wasn't given no respect. What might have been.


#7- Evander Holyfield

At the time he was a mystery. Here was a man who was too big for 175 but too small for 200. He won what was then considered a joke title (Cruiserweight/Junior Heavyweight), and then came into the heavyweight scene and nobody knew what to expect from him. Today we know him as the greatest Cruiserweight champion of all time, and one of the top ten heavyweight kings; but in the 1980s, he was a mystery and his kayo win over Dokes (and Thomas) made him legit, but still the critics said he wouldn't stand a chance against Mike Tyson. Even with all the 'what ifs' he makes this list, because the talent he had and what he become in the 1990s, was all there in the 1980s; we just couldn't see it.


#8- Pinklon Thomas

6'3 235 pounds, he was THE MAN. Skilled as he was strong, swift as he was colorful. Thomas had all the capabilities of being world heavyweight champion. But it wasn't meant to be. Sure he picked up the WBC title against Witherspoon, and defended it against Mike Weaver, and he lost it to Berbick. That doesnt matter. Look at the resume again: Coetzee (Draw), Tills (KO8), you can't deny the man his successes. But people see the failures. So what he lost to Tyson, people forget he broke his hand early in the fight, and he gave Tyson arguably his toughest fight in his reign. Forget he lost to Holyfield too in '88. The man had TALENT.


#9- Gerry Cooney

Forget all the "White Hope" ballyhoo, this man was DANGEROUS. So what he lost to Holmes, so did 19 other high profile opponents. Forgive him for his loss to Michael Spinks too, the man fought but a few times in the next few years; he was plagued by personal tragedies and substance abuse problems. Most say Tyson was the hardest punching man of the 1980s, but I beg to differ. Cooney's left hook was the single hardest punch of the era, and often times it was enough to put to sleep top rated men. His kayos of Jimmy Young and Ken Norton are legendary, and even Larry Holmes said it himself had Gerry Cooney fought anyone else the night they fought, he would have been champion. Its probable, Cooney was scheduled to face Mike Weaver but that fight didn't happen, so he took on Holmes instead. He fought harder in defeat, and in the late rounds he had Holmes hurt so bad that Larry has said time and again in the years that followed "Thank God the bell rang". He was big, he was powerful, he was tough, he was colorful, he had it all; yet he came up short. Its been said Gerry Cooney was a product of our own ideals, and this could be true, arguably no other contender in any weight division since the sport began was ever put on a higher pedestal than Gerry Cooney. It wasn't about race either, it was the potential that he had.


#10- Tony Tucker

6'5" 240 pounds he had an amazing undefeated streak when he met Mike Tyson in the ring for the IBF/WBA/WBC championship. He previously had defeated the much touted James Broad, and the talented (but often times lazy) Buster Douglas. He was originally scheduled to fight Michael Spinks, but Spinks sensed the danger of this man and dropped his IBF strap instead. The Tyson fight was a very competitive fight, and Tucker gave him the sort of trouble that few thought he could. He was 34-0-0 and Tyson was 30-0-0, seldom have we seen two undefeated champions face eachother. Tucker would fight one more time before the 80s drew to a close, but he would continue boxing til 1998, picking up the NABF title (2x's) against Orlin Norris and David Dixon, losing in WBA/WBC/WBO title bouts against Lennox Lewis, Bruce Seldon and Herbie Hide before losing his NABF championship to notorious mauler/hugger John Ruiz.

[MEISINGER]

THE TOP TEN HEAVYWEIGHT RANKINGS OF THE 1980s


#1- Larry Holmes

Simply the best, period. Who cares that the Coetzee fight didn't happen, who cares that the era was average at best. You cannot argue with 20 title defenses over seven years. He fought a Who's Who list of boxing: Witherspoon, Berbick, Norton, Ali, Shavers, Cooney, Cobb, LeDoux, Evangelista, Frank, Frazier, Leon Spinks, etc. Went 48-0-0 before losing a highly competitive and close fight to Michael Spinks, and lost a highly controversial rematch. Arguably the best jab in heavyweight history, and though unappreciated in his day, most fans and historians rank Holmes as a top five heavyweight champion today, and to a growing majority possibly the only man to of had a solid chance of beating a prime Muhammad Ali.


#2- Mike Tyson

Following the retirement of Holmes, and the reluctance of Michael Spinks to fight Tony Tucker in his maiden defense, the boxing world turned its eyes on a young kid from New York who bombed his way through the Junior Olympics and was now eating up journeyman across the nation. His lightning fast hands, amazing defense and bone crushing power made him a star long before he was even ranked among the top twenty in the world. It can be argued nobody (other than John L. Sullivan and Jim Jeffries) ever climbed their way to the top in more stellar fashion. He quickly unified the world titles and was soon being compared to the ATG heavyweights, some even wondering whether he was Ali's equal. However due to personal problems, substance abuse, and the loss of arguably the greatest team ever assembled in pro boxing (D'Amato, Atlas, Jacobs, Rooney) he lost the skills and competitive fire that made him great, losing to unheralded fringe contender Buster Douglas who was a 42-1 underdog.


#3- Michael Spinks

Without question one of the ATG 175 pound kings to start out with, Michael Spinks shook up the boxing world when he won a close decision over the dominant Larry Holmes. Though the rematch was a gift for Spinks, he was considered by and large to be THE true heavyweight champion of the world, even when Mike Tyson held the WBC/WBA/IBF world title straps. It is hard to believe now, but a good majority of the press at the time believed Spinks would beat Tyson. His win over the still dangerous and ever popular giant Gerry Cooney solidified this thought process in the public's mind. With his herky jerky defense and lightning fast hands, Spinks was very difficult to hit. His 91 second kayo loss to Mike Tyson was a sad end to what was one of the most successful stories in boxing history; however it can be argued that his impact, though such a short reign, made him superior to the men listed below him (though one can seriously argue they could have beaten him).


#4- Gerrie Coetzee

A top ranked contender since 1978, Coetzee chased the fame and fortune of being a world heavyweight champion, but it never came. A man without much personality, he did all his talking in the ring. He lost to John Tate in his first world title venture, but quickly showed his chops as a threat to anyone when he bombed out Leon Spinks in one round. He would kayo the much talented and popular Michael Dokes for the title, and for the rest of his reign chased down Larry Holmes. It would have been THE heavyweight fight of the 1980s, and would have unified the titles. Unfortunately, for reasons all political, it failed to happen. Holmes wanted upwards of 20 million plus to fight Coetzee. Many still wonder whether Coetzee would have done well against him. Though he would lose to Greg Page, Coetzee remained on the fringe into the early 1990s. He would make a return to the ring in the late 1990s against Iran Barkley, but would lose. No matter, he is arguably South Africa's greatest heavyweight and he made his mark on a division that was weakened by corruption and politics.


#5- Michael Dokes

A highly talented amateur, we all saw he had the goods back when he was a skinny kid boxing that exhibition with Muhammad Ali and wasn't phased one iota by the Greatest's verbial abuse. He had quite possibly the fastest hands in the business, comparable to that of Ali and Patterson, and he also packed a punch. Very skilled, he defeated Mike Weaver for the WBA title and many thought he was the best bet to spend your money on to beat Larry Holmes. Unfortunately, it was the 1980s. It was the era of excess. Dokes induldged himself in a life of drugs and high living, and it weakened him considerably. He lost the title to Coetzee, and went on a downward spiral. It wouldn't be until a promising up and comer named Evander Holyfield came along that Dokes cleaned up his act, and was dead set on showing the world what he was made of. He almost did. It was the non-title heavyweight fight of the 1980s; and one must wonder, would the prime Dokes of taken Evander?


#6- Tim Witherspoon

Some people never get respect, like Rodney Dangerfield said. It was true of Tim Witherspoon, a man who was champion of the world TWICE and yet he lived in an apartment he was embarassed to show his friends and family. He gave a prime Larry Holmes one of his toughest fights, and 'Spoon was simply the most underated man on this list. It can be argued he would have beaten my #3-5 without much problem. So skilled was he that Witherspoon fought competively until the 2000's, on the fringe of the top fifteen-twenty. The would be fights that come to mind, 'Spoon vs. Holyfield, Tyson, etc. all boggles the mind. He could have beaten them, but wasn't given no respect. What might have been.


#7- Evander Holyfield

At the time he was a mystery. Here was a man who was too big for 175 but too small for 200. He won what was then considered a joke title (Cruiserweight/Junior Heavyweight), and then came into the heavyweight scene and nobody knew what to expect from him. Today we know him as the greatest Cruiserweight champion of all time, and one of the top ten heavyweight kings; but in the 1980s, he was a mystery and his kayo win over Dokes (and Thomas) made him legit, but still the critics said he wouldn't stand a chance against Mike Tyson. Even with all the 'what ifs' he makes this list, because the talent he had and what he become in the 1990s, was all there in the 1980s; we just couldn't see it.


#8- Pinklon Thomas

6'3 235 pounds, he was THE MAN. Skilled as he was strong, swift as he was colorful. Thomas had all the capabilities of being world heavyweight champion. But it wasn't meant to be. Sure he picked up the WBC title against Witherspoon, and defended it against Mike Weaver, and he lost it to Berbick. That doesnt matter. Look at the resume again: Coetzee (Draw), Tills (KO8), you can't deny the man his successes. But people see the failures. So what he lost to Tyson, people forget he broke his hand early in the fight, and he gave Tyson arguably his toughest fight in his reign. Forget he lost to Holyfield too in '88. The man had TALENT.


#9- Gerry Cooney

Forget all the "White Hope" ballyhoo, this man was DANGEROUS. So what he lost to Holmes, so did 19 other high profile opponents. Forgive him for his loss to Michael Spinks too, the man fought but a few times in the next few years; he was plagued by personal tragedies and substance abuse problems. Most say Tyson was the hardest punching man of the 1980s, but I beg to differ. Cooney's left hook was the single hardest punch of the era, and often times it was enough to put to sleep top rated men. His kayos of Jimmy Young and Ken Norton are legendary, and even Larry Holmes said it himself had Gerry Cooney fought anyone else the night they fought, he would have been champion. Its probable, Cooney was scheduled to face Mike Weaver but that fight didn't happen, so he took on Holmes instead. He fought harder in defeat, and in the late rounds he had Holmes hurt so bad that Larry has said time and again in the years that followed "Thank God the bell rang". He was big, he was powerful, he was tough, he was colorful, he had it all; yet he came up short. Its been said Gerry Cooney was a product of our own ideals, and this could be true, arguably no other contender in any weight division since the sport began was ever put on a higher pedestal than Gerry Cooney. It wasn't about race either, it was the potential that he had.


#10- Tony Tucker

6'5" 240 pounds he had an amazing undefeated streak when he met Mike Tyson in the ring for the IBF/WBA/WBC championship. He previously had defeated the much touted James Broad, and the talented (but often times lazy) Buster Douglas. He was originally scheduled to fight Michael Spinks, but Spinks sensed the danger of this man and dropped his IBF strap instead. The Tyson fight was a very competitive fight, and Tucker gave him the sort of trouble that few thought he could. He was 34-0-0 and Tyson was 30-0-0, seldom have we seen two undefeated champions face eachother. Tucker would fight one more time before the 80s drew to a close, but he would continue boxing til 1998, picking up the NABF title (2x's) against Orlin Norris and David Dixon, losing in WBA/WBC/WBO title bouts against Lennox Lewis, Bruce Seldon and Herbie Hide before losing his NABF championship to notorious mauler/hugger John Ruiz.

looking at your list i laughed.sorry
but after going through the who beat who
this is the toughest decade to rate

i will post my list shortly as i am still fighting personal feelings compared to in
ring accomplishments

[HomicideHenry]

It was a tough era to rank, and I imagine my conclusion to some would be laughable, and I can't say I can disagree either. So many good men on this list who may be ranked higher or lower, and of course there's men I didnt put on the list (Weaver, Page, etc). Very hard era to rank, it came down to me potential of what some of these men had, and past accomplishments (in the case of Spinks at 175), but I dont think anyone can dispute my #1 and #2.

[MEISINGER]

It was a tough era to rank, and I imagine my conclusion to some would be laughable, and I can't say I can disagree either. So many good men on this list who may be ranked higher or lower, and of course there's men I didnt put on the list (Weaver, Page, etc). Very hard era to rank, it came down to me potential of what some of these men had, and past accomplishments (in the case of Spinks at 175), but I dont think anyone can dispute my #1 and #2.

no your 1 and 2 are dead on
i keep looking at the who beat who
and damn its like they all lost to each other lol

hardest decade to rank and 3-15 of any ones list will be interchangeable

i'll give it a wack

holmes
tyson
witherspoon
thomas
dokes
holyfield
tucker
page
spinks
coetzee
cooney
weaver
tate
bruno
williams

i know i listed 15 but they are so evenly matched from 8-15

[HomicideHenry]

I cant really refute your list, like I said and you pointed out also, these men traded wins and losses all the time, no one really stood out above another by that much of a margin.

[MEISINGER]

I cant really refute your list, like I said and you pointed out also, these men traded wins and losses all the time, no one really stood out above another by that much of a margin.

its amazing to me
i grew up watching the 80's.and loved this division more than any other
thought it would be easy to rate these guys
this was way harder than the 70's

[HomicideHenry]

Wait until we do the 1990s and other eras