BoxRec

1a) Muhammad Ali -Fastest heavyweight to ever live. Defeated seven IBHOF inductees and three other top ten atgs. Transcended his sport
1b) Joe Louis- Greatest counterpuncher in heavyweight history and devastating finisher. Transcended his sport
2) George Foreman- Fought 81 times finished 80 of them. Absolutely took apart two great fighters in Joe Frazier and Ken Norton. Oldest man to regain the heavyweight title at 45.
3) Larry Holmes- His twenty consecutive title defenses is second to only Joe Louis' 25
4) Joe Frazier- First man to beat Muhammad Ali and took him to Hell and back in their three epic clashes.
5) Jack Dempsey- The Manassas Mauler was pound for pound, the hardest puncher in heavyweight history. I ranked him highly because of his cultural significance.
6) Jack Johnson- First black heavyweight champion who won on defensive prowess. Another boxer I rated highly on cultural significance.
7) Sonny Liston- Devastating puncher who flattened Floyd Patterson
8) Evander Holyfield- A warrior. He would trade with anybody. Exposed Tyson. Douglas beat him first but many , fairly or unfairly considered it a fluke.
9) Rocky Marciano-His undefeated record speaks for itself
10) Lennox Lewis- Great jab and huge right. Complete student of the ring.

The criteria I used was ring record, cultural significance, and how they would fare in fantasy match ups.

Nice list, my only issue would be Dempsey that high. The other 10 are also on my list.

Louis
Ali
Holmes
Holyfield
Foreman
Frazier
Johnson
Lewis
Marciano
Liston

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Nice list, my only issue would be Dempsey that high. The other 10 are also on my list.

Louis
Ali
Holmes
Holyfield
Foreman
Frazier
Johnson
Lewis
Marciano
Liston

You don't usually see Holyfield ranked that high. What's your reason for that?

Trent wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Nice list, my only issue would be Dempsey that high. The other 10 are also on my list.

Louis
Ali
Holmes
Holyfield
Foreman
Frazier
Johnson
Lewis
Marciano
Liston

You don't usually see Holyfield ranked that high. What's your reason for that?

Resume, though I think there are a group of fighters that fit from 4-14.

Holy has a great resume but he fought too long... But that's not unique.

I don't know why so few boxers don't heed the admonition "that there's no shame in quitting while you're ahead."

ThatOne wrote: I don't know why so few boxers don't heed the admonition "that there's no shame in quitting while you're ahead."

I think, especially for heavyweight champions, the money is too good to pass up. The majority did not go to school and that income needs to last for awhile. Plus, you've been to the mountaintop and delusionally you think you can always do it again. Look at Holyfield and his one-man crusade to be heavyweight champion again, for example.

I'd have thought he would have made enough money in his career to live a modest life after the Lewis fight?

Holyfield foreclosed on his mansion in 2012 and now reportedly he is down to his last million. More money, more problems.

Trent wrote:I'd have thought he would have made enough money in his career to live a modest life after the Lewis fight?

Having 11 children from 6 different women seems to take a bite out of the finances . . . .