BoxRec

Please tell me in your own opinion, if Evander Holyfield was ranked as the best Cruiserweight of all-time, who was the second best? Carlos De Leon? Dwight Muhammad Qawi? Orlin Norris? Ossie Ocasio? Who?

No clear answer with the weight change changing things but I think haye

Marco Huck, David Haye..

Tomasz Adamek, probably,

Trio of superb wins over American opposition, stopping former undisputed champ O'Neil Bell, sealing an epic points win over Steve Cunningham with three knockdowns and stopping unbeaten Jonathan Banks after taking a huge right hand.

Adamek had stamina, could take a shot, his timing and accuracy really were impressive at this weight. Was solid at absolutely everything and on superb form but with the global recession there was no money at cruiserweight fighting US opposition.

Really wish he had gone to Germany where there was decent business for the likes of Huck and YP Hernandez, as opposed to getting a few heavyweight paydays but losing control of his career.

Adamek had a good career at light heavyweight and did beat a world class heavyweight but cruiserweight, 200-pounds, was the only place he was an elite fighter who could do it all.


Juan Carlos Gomez really looked unbeatable as a lanky 190-pounder, back in the day before the weight limit went up ten pounds. He would've toyed wi rival title holders Johnny Nelson, Fabrice Tiozzo/Virgil Hill - & Vassiliy Jirov would've been an entertaining fight.

Talent wise I'd say Guillermo Jones. He is not even active but still can take Lebedevs punches and come back to destroy his face. Started out as a pro at 147lbs. Doesn't appear to train hard but hits like bricks.

Usyk, Gassiev or Briedis could emerge as superstars of the division.

- OP presumes falsely that Mr Field is the best.

Huck 13-3-1, 6KO
JC Gomez 11-0, 9KO
Jirov 7-1, 6 KO
Field 6-0, 5 KO

Denis Lebedev has two better scalp names in Roy Jr and Toney and vastly bigger/stronger than any cruiser Field faced. Jirov gave a juiced Toney all he could handle whereas shortly afterwards, Toney easily dispatched Field.

Field was in a weak, nascent beginning of the division. Good shout for Adamek as well.

Couple of ways to sort this I guess


The most general.....Who was the best who fit that weight, regardless of what division (or timeline) he actually fought in?

The timeline crowds the discussion with former HW's I guess.

Or the most formal....based on just the performances sanctioned at that weight class?


Or something in between?

scorpio83 wrote:Please tell me in your own opinion, if Evander Holyfield was ranked as the best Cruiserweight of all-time, who was the second best? Carlos De Leon? Dwight Muhammad Qawi? Orlin Norris? Ossie Ocasio? Who?

David Haye was the best Cruiserweight. Holyfield outgrew the division with his 18th fight. So he developed his skills much more as a Heavyweight. I would rank James Toney as the 2nd best because the skilled underdog pounded Holyfield’s ribs like he was his daddy. I'm certain he would have beaten Holy far worse as a Cruiserweight, using the experience and mastery Toney brought when he dominated undefeated Vassiliy Jirov, 31-0, in his 72nd fight. Of course in his next fight Toney eviscerated Holyfield as well. How Holy could be considered the favorite in that fight is attributable to the general lack of knowledge out there.

On one hand I feel like saying it was James Toney, but quite frankly, the Qawi who fought Holyfield the first time would have beaten him decisively.

Agreed, a guy like DeLeon would be hell for toney too. Hard to put him that high off of one win. I'd probably say Huck.

Got to be David Haye unified the division. I guess based on either talent or resume. Resume got to be Haye. Talent maybe Toney the last 20 years has been some really good ones.

I'd go with Marco Huck

I think Juan Carlos Gomez has probably got the best claim to 2nd place alltime.

I really wouldn't like to put Huck in as number one or two. Granted he made many title defenses and had some spectacular battles (Afolabi II, Glowacki).

Clowned by Steve Cunningham, who stopped him.

Didn't rematch Lebedev, whom most felt beat him.

The big rivalry wasn't against a rival beltholder but Ola Afolabi, slick and dangerous no doubt. But hardly the big name on the world scene.

Stepped out of his comfort zone and was blasted out - albeit in a great fight - by Glowacki, who didn't last long as a champion.

And some fortunate decisions. He really benefited fighting in Germany. Good but I'd hate to see him even considered.

Seamus wrote:I think Juan Carlos Gomez has probably got the best claim to 2nd place alltime.

yes he was superb. Lean and mean with superb speed and power.

world ranked wrote:Got to be David Haye unified the division. I guess based on either talent or resume. Resume got to be Haye. Talent maybe Toney the last 20 years has been some really good ones.

Haye was very good. Shame he lifted weights and bulked himself out of the division. Three consecutive terrific wins. All by stoppage. Fragomeni, in their bloody and exhausting battle; Mormeck in the dramatic up and downer in France; and blasting out Enzo Maccarinelli in the big U.K. unification.

Adamek also had three fine wins at the weight and won lineal honours. Didn't have Haye's size and athleticism but more solid all round, more stamina and durability - responded far better to big shots - and the more technically correct.

Both did outstanding work before pursuing heavyweight delusions and both have as case as #2 cruiserweight in my view. They got on with it in the meaningful fights and didn't mess about.

Autobarn wrote:

world ranked wrote:Got to be David Haye unified the division. I guess based on either talent or resume. Resume got to be Haye. Talent maybe Toney the last 20 years has been some really good ones.

Haye was very good. Shame he lifted weights and bulked himself out of the division. Three consecutive terrific wins. All by stoppage. Fragomeni, in their bloody and exhausting battle; Mormeck in the dramatic up and downer in France; and blasting out Enzo Maccarinelli in the big U.K. unification.

Adamek also had three fine wins at the weight and won lineal honours. Didn't have Haye's size and athleticism but more solid all round, more stamina and durability - responded far better to big shots - and the more technically correct.

Both did outstanding work before pursuing heavyweight delusions and both have as case as #2 cruiserweight in my view. They got on with it in the meaningful fights and didn't mess about.

I know Adamek beat Cunningham who was his other big wins a cruiserweights.

Seamus wrote:On one hand I feel like saying it was James Toney, but quite frankly, the Qawi who fought Holyfield the first time would have beaten him decisively.

Frankly, you're full.. Qawi had nothing for Toney.. An old Toney beat on heavies like Holy and Guinn like he was their daddy.. He won the 1st fight with Sam Peter too.. Qawi lost badly to a Foreman who was old and slow -- he couldn't do anything to George. Qawi lost to Spinks, Holy, Ocasio, and unknown greenies like Robert Daniels and Mike Hunter.. Qawi was a real fighter. He took a shot and worked his short arms -- but his best weight was 175.

Qawi combined the height of a Featherweight with all the moves of a fire hydrant. Those big 6-footers took aim at him and kept firing from afar. Short Stuff could only dodge so many shells and the ones that nailed him made a real impact on the stubby character. I'm amazed more big guys didn't duplicate the back-to-back KO's that Evander and Foreman laid on Qawi... Shows how lazy some of those guys were -- and content to win a D.

I think it's pretty clear that Holyfield is the best cruiserweight ever - at least since the division has existed - there have been lots of great small heavyweights in the past who could have given Evander a run for his money.

BroughtonRulesRefuge wrote:- OP presumes falsely that Mr Field is the best.

Huck 13-3-1, 6KO
JC Gomez 11-0, 9KO
Jirov 7-1, 6 KO
Field 6-0, 5 KO

Denis Lebedev has two better scalp names in Roy Jr and Toney and vastly bigger/stronger than any cruiser Field faced. Jirov gave a juiced Toney all he could handle whereas shortly afterwards, Toney easily dispatched Field.

Field was in a weak, nascent beginning of the division. Good shout for Adamek as well.

Comparing records, I agree - others are more accomplished at cruiserweight, but in terms of how good they were at their best, Evander surely has to be #1. I think it's important to remember that Holyfield was old and WELL past his best when Toney beat him.

I don't think it mattered how young Holyfield was... Toney would always have beaten the living crap out of him... Too easy to get inside EH's punches and rip his body up... I don't think Toney wanted to end the fight just yet.. He wasn't laying those body shots in with a will.. Holy just couldn't take it anymore.

Gomez... I think if Orlin Norris would have campaigned at cruiserweight his whole career he would be talked about a whole lot more.

Juan Carlos Gomez went undefeated as a Cruiserweight... He was 10-0 in World Cruiserweight Title Fights.

...you mean there was more than one cruisweight active at the same time?