Ranking the Lineal Heavyweight Champs

[Ambling Alp II]

Thought this might be interesting. I ranked all the lineal heavyweight champions. Not really that interested in discussing Ali and Louis for the billionth time, but rather looking at some of the other guys.
For me their were clusters where several guys were roughly even. Rating #3-13 is hard. From about #16 to about #23 is as well. Actually rating the bottom part may be be even more interesting.

Obviously, all of these guys had pluses and minuses. Let me know what you think.
Anyway, here it is:

1. Ali
2. Louis
3. Foreman
4. Johnson
5. Frazier
6. Holmes
7. Holyfield
8. Lewis
9. Marciano
10. Dempsey
11. Liston
12. Tyson
13. Jeffries
14. Bowe
15. Tunney
16. Patterson
17. Charles
18. Walcott
19. Schmeling
20. Baer
21. Sharkey
22. Fitzsimmons
23. Corbett
24. Douglas
25. W. Klitschko
26. M. Spinks
27. Moorer
28. Fury
29. Johansson
30. Carnera
31. Willard
32. Braddock
33. Rahman
34. Briggs
35. Burns
36. L. Spinks
37. Hart

[prewarboxing]

That's quite a good list. I keep well away from these debates as there are so many imponderables.

Your choice at 28 is interesting. I suspect the floodgates on this choice are about open!

Stand back!

Miles Templeton

[cfang]

Thought this might be interesting. I ranked all the lineal heavyweight champions. Not really that interested in discussing Ali and Louis for the billionth time, but rather looking at some of the other guys.
For me their were clusters where several guys were roughly even. Rating #3-13 is hard. From about #16 to about #23 is as well. Actually rating the bottom part may be be even more interesting.

Obviously, all of these guys had pluses and minuses. Let me know what you think.
Anyway, here it is:

1. Ali
2. Louis
3. Foreman
4. Johnson
5. Frazier
6. Holmes
7. Holyfield
8. Lewis
9. Marciano
10. Dempsey
11. Liston
12. Tyson
13. Jeffries
14. Bowe
15. Tunney
16. Patterson
17. Charles
18. Walcott
19. Schmeling
20. Baer
21. Sharkey
22. Fitzsimmons
23. Corbett
24. Douglas
25. W. Klitschko
26. M. Spinks
27. Moorer
28. Fury
29. Johansson
30. Carnera
31. Willard
32. Braddock
33. Rahman
34. Briggs
35. Burns
36. L. Spinks
37. Hart

1 and 2 are certs and the next 6 after that are in any order. I would put Tyson at 9 and Wlad at 10. Having douglas ahead of Wlad is ridiculous. He had one good night and couldn't be arsed to train hard for his first defence. Wlad has a 69/64 (53ko) record and fought at the highest level for 20 years., 20 odd title wins and at 41 gave aj all he could handle. A totally different class to douglas.

[margaret thatcher]

Well, Lawrence Cley Bey hurt Wlad in the amateurs, in the tournament Wlad won Olympic gold, there is that knock against Wlad too

[Ambling Alp II]

Wlad had three embarrassing losses to three nobodies. That has to count against him big time. At least when Douglas lost, it was to someone better than that. There is no one near the top 10
The sheer amount of Title defenses is a bogus stat. Means nothing at all.

The Tyson win was kind of a big deal. Light years better than any win Klitschko had. He had other decent wins.

[margaret thatcher]

David Bey, Mike White, Jesse Ferguson, a draw with Tangsted. Is that such a high level? Knocked out by Tucker as well, who was good but not really stand out good. Savarese obviously years after his prime tbf. Holyfield is really the only top fighter that he lost to and of course he was destroyed

I would say actually, why not Rahman ahead of Wlad as well, rather than 8 spots below? A bigger single win than anything Wlad has and over a fighter comparable to and possibly better than Mike Tyson. He also beat a guy who stopped Wlad! And he battered a guy who should have gotten the decision over Brewster right after Brewster beat Wlad. Should really have a win over Tua as well. Their h2h was when Rock was well finished so it's not that relevant.

Seems like a shoe in using that same logic?

[Onetimeonly]

David Bey, Mike White, Jesse Ferguson, a draw with Tangsted. Is that such a high level? Knocked out by Tucker as well, who was good but not really stand out good. Savarese obviously years after his prime tbf. Holyfield is really the only top fighter that he lost to and of course he was destroyed

I would say actually, why not Rahman ahead of Wlad as well, rather than 8 spots below? A bigger single win than anything Wlad has and over a fighter comparable to and possibly better than Mike Tyson. He also beat a guy who stopped Wlad! And he battered a guy who should have gotten the decision over Brewster right after Brewster beat Wlad. Should really have a win over Tua as well. Their h2h was when Rock was well finished so it's not that relevant.

Seems like a shoe in using that same logic?

Rock beat tua twice and he beat two guys that stopped wlad!

[margaret thatcher]

Lol oh ya, totally forget that he beat Purrity too.

[Onetimeonly]

Lol oh ya, totally forget that he beat Purrity too.

He also sent vitali cowering into retirement! Baltimore proud!

[Ambling Alp II]

David Bey, Mike White, Jesse Ferguson, a draw with Tangsted. Is that such a high level? Knocked out by Tucker as well, who was good but not really stand out good. Savarese obviously years after his prime tbf. Holyfield is really the only top fighter that he lost to and of course he was destroyed

I would say actually, why not Rahman ahead of Wlad as well, rather than 8 spots below? A bigger single win than anything Wlad has and over a fighter comparable to and possibly better than Mike Tyson. He also beat a guy who stopped Wlad! And he battered a guy who should have gotten the decision over Brewster right after Brewster beat Wlad. Should really have a win over Tua as well. Their h2h was when Rock was well finished so it's not that relevant.

Seems like a shoe in using that same logic?

You also have to take a look at the stages of a fighter's career. Douglas had not reached his best in some of these losses. All of these guys had pluses and minuses. Certainly some of these are arguable. My main point in my last post was that Klitschko was nowhere near the top 10.
Rahman had some pluses. He also lost to Maskeav, a way past it Holyfield and John Ruiz.

[Contendeh]

Hart doesn’t get enough credit for his win over Jack Johnson. Yes, it’s a disputed win, but it’s no blanket robbery either.

Like most exciting, swarming fighters he wasn’t much good past 30. Too many ring battles.

[Caractacus]

Number One !
It was not "Dr. Ironfist's fault so many listed here were born so many years earlier.

[Ambling Alp II]

Number One !
It was not "Dr. Ironfist's fault so many listed here were born so many years earlier.

I didn't list him because he never a lineal champion. Not to mention that he wasn't every good.

[Ambling Alp II]

Hart doesn’t get enough credit for his win over Jack Johnson. Yes, it’s a disputed win, but it’s no blanket robbery either.

Like most exciting, swarming fighters he wasn’t much good past 30. Too many ring battles.

From what I recall, he probably only legitimately won about 6 or 7 rounds. (I wasn't at the fight myself ) Though against Johnson, that isn't bad.
I didn't mean to rip by ranking him last. Obviously most fighters didn't even get on this list. Just don't see how he could be ranked over many guys that are on the list.

[Caractacus]

Number One !
It was not "Dr. Ironfist's fault so many listed here were born so many years earlier.

I didn't list him because he never a lineal champion. Not to mention that he wasn't every good.

\
Mon, ate you serious ?

[Ambling Alp II]

Dead serious. He never had one win in his career that really meant anything. 0-2 in fights that meant anything. Quit like a dog in one of them. And yes, I have heard all of the excuses.

[Caractacus]

Dude, that aint no way to be talking about the "V-Man".

[Onetimeonly]

He's 100% correct, v may as well stand for vagina.

[Ambling Alp II]

Didn't reall want to talk about Vitaly Klitschko; he isn't a lineal champion.
Contendeh mentioned Marvin Hart. Should he be up their higher?
Don't see how I can rate him higher than Tommy Burns, but maybe Burns should up a bit as well.

[Onetimeonly]

Didn't reall want to talk about Vitaly Klitschko; he isn't a lineal champion.
Contendeh mentioned Marvin Hart. Should he be up their higher?
Don't see how I can rate him higher than Tommy Burns, but maybe Burns should up a bit as well.

I think Briggs should definitely be last.

[Ambling Alp II]

I think you could make a good case for that. Take out the controversial decision over an ancient Foreman, and there isn't much.

[Cojimar 1946]

I don't see why Briggs is considered lineal. Foreman spent years refusing to fight highly ranked opponents and lost general recognition as champion because of this.

Surely if a champion refuses to fight the best for a long enough period they should no longer be recognized as champion.

[Onetimeonly]

So much for this thread.

[Caractacus]

Dr. IronFist vrs Lineal HW Champion no. 34.

[Onetimeonly]

Dr. IronFist vrs no.34.