The best heavyweight 1985-2005

pundit · Post by **pundit** » 23 Nov 2006, 22:26

Let's have a poll on this one.

JCS · Post by **JCS** » 23 Nov 2006, 23:53

Its between Lewis and Holyfield.. Can't decide.

Sweet Scientist · Post by **Sweet Scientist** » 24 Nov 2006, 00:00

Lewis edges Holyfield who edges Bowe...Tyson last, where he belongs...

JCS · Post by **JCS** » 24 Nov 2006, 00:04

I thought Bowe was 4th.. Tyson 3rd.. both FAR from Holyfield and Lewis.

Heartbreak_Kid79 · Post by **Heartbreak_Kid79** » 24 Nov 2006, 08:45

In rank order

1. Lewis
2. Tyson
3. Holyfield
4. Bowe

If Bowe would have been at the top longer i would have put him above Evander. He got the better of Evander in their trilogy but he only made 2 defences!

Lewis made a total of 15 defences
Tyson 10 defences- though 9 were in the 80s when he was at his destructive best
Evander 7 (6 if you discount that bogus draw vs Lewis)

Heartbreak_Kid79 · Post by **Heartbreak_Kid79** » 24 Nov 2006, 08:46

Sweet Scientist wrote:Lewis edges Holyfield who edges Bowe...Tyson last, where he belongs...

well if we are taking the 80s into account, Tyson earns 2nd place in my view. He made 9 defences, though over a short time period

The Durable Dane · Post by **The Durable Dane** » 24 Nov 2006, 08:51

Lennox Lewis

JC · Post by JC » 24 Nov 2006, 10:29

It seems most discord on this forum of late has come from discussing these four guys.

dempseyfire · Post by **dempseyfire** » 24 Nov 2006, 11:53

I can't believe Lewis is beating Evander in this poll 8-3 right now . . .

I think it partly has to do with the fact of people's memories. Lewis reigned supreme from 2000-2003 despite an embarassing KO loss to Rahman.

Holyfield in that time span has lost to Byrd, Donald, Byrd, and had an awful trilogy with Ruiz.

But at their best, the Real Deal was the best HW.

pundit · Post by **pundit** » 24 Nov 2006, 11:56

I have Lennox by a very small margin over Evander, ultimately because when everything is said and done he came out on top. Tyson's prime was too short in my view to rank him #1, even though he was the most exciting. And Bowe's legacy consists mostly disappointed hopes.

But it's a close call between LL, EH and MT, and votes for EH or MT can be well justified.

Sweet Scientist · Post by **Sweet Scientist** » 24 Nov 2006, 14:04

dempseyfire wrote:I can't believe Lewis is beating Evander in this poll 8-3 right now . . .

I think it partly has to do with the fact of people's memories. Lewis reigned supreme from 2000-2003 despite an embarassing KO loss to Rahman.

Holyfield in that time span has lost to Byrd, Donald, Byrd, and had an awful trilogy with Ruiz.

But at their best, the Real Deal was the best HW.

I think they are very close...head to head competition tips it towards Lewis...they were both getting old by the time they met...Lewis' upset losses through off the time frame...virtually a tie, but I'll give Lewis an ever so slight edge, IMO...(If Lewis would have won those upsets, would we still be discussing this?)

Sweet Scientist · Post by **Sweet Scientist** » 24 Nov 2006, 14:10

Heartbreak_Kid79 wrote:
Sweet Scientist wrote:Lewis edges Holyfield who edges Bowe...Tyson last, where he belongs...

well if we are taking the 80s into account, Tyson earns 2nd place in my view. He made 9 defences, though over a short time period

But if you're taking the '90's into account, he drops to dead last...

monkeybusiness · Post by **monkeybusiness** » 24 Nov 2006, 14:31

1 Lewis
2 Holyfield
3 Tyson
4 Bowe

Bowe is the classic 'could have been...'

JAHamilton77 · Post by **JAHamilton77** » 24 Nov 2006, 14:44

This is my order, but its relatively close.
Lewis - Tyson - Holyfield - Bowe

dr_devious · Post by **dr_devious** » 24 Nov 2006, 17:05

Lennox Lewis.......would put the other 3 about equal. Tyson might well have kayoed the lot at his peak, on the other hand if the fights had gone past 5 or 6 rounds hed be done for. Lewis and Holyfield were the most consistent, Lewis got the better of their series. Bowe was "what might have been", got the better of Holy but he did duck Lewis, Tyson the most explosive

dempseyfire · Post by **dempseyfire** » 24 Nov 2006, 17:58

Sweet Scientist wrote:
dempseyfire wrote:I can't believe Lewis is beating Evander in this poll 8-3 right now . . .

I think it partly has to do with the fact of people's memories. Lewis reigned supreme from 2000-2003 despite an embarassing KO loss to Rahman.

Holyfield in that time span has lost to Byrd, Donald, Byrd, and had an awful trilogy with Ruiz.

But at their best, the Real Deal was the best HW.
I think they are very close...head to head competition tips it towards Lewis...they were both getting old by the time they met...Lewis' upset losses through off the time frame...virtually a tie, but I'll give Lewis an ever so slight edge, IMO...(If Lewis would have won those upsets, would we still be discussing this?)

Lennox was in his prime when he fought Evander (he became a better balanced fighter under Steward). Evander was clearly past it (look at film of Evander vs Bean, Lewis, and Ruiz then him vs Cooper, Foreman, Dokes . . .different fighter) Many had him beating Lennox in a close fight in the rematch. If he'd been younger and actually used his legs/thrown combinations, Lewis would've been knocked out.

JC · Post by JC » 24 Nov 2006, 18:05

Holyfield was at his best when he was still throwing those vicous combos with his great workrate as he did against Foreman, they would have given Lewis all kinds of problems.

kovit · Post by **kovit** » 24 Nov 2006, 21:03

1. Mike Tyson
2. Evander Holyfield
3. Lennox Lewis
4. Riddick Bowe

bollox · Post by **bollox** » 24 Nov 2006, 21:41

Lewis
Holyfield
Tyson
Bowe

JAHamilton77 · Post by **JAHamilton77** » 24 Nov 2006, 22:25

Sweet Scientist wrote:
Heartbreak_Kid79 wrote:
Sweet Scientist wrote:Lewis edges Holyfield who edges Bowe...Tyson last, where he belongs...

well if we are taking the 80s into account, Tyson earns 2nd place in my view. He made 9 defences, though over a short time period
But if you're taking the '90's into account, he drops to dead last...

90's he only had the loss to Douglas in 90 and the two Holyfield debacles. How does that since him to last? If you are going to sink Mike its the 00's with the loss to Lewis and the pair to Williams and McBride.

Have to consider Holyfield, Bowe, & Lewis all started heavyweight campaigns in 88, 89, & 89 respectively Mike was already a champ at this point.

Bowe also has a huge bite taken out from 96-05 a time when he might have arguably been nuttier than Mike Tyson.

Its a close call on all of them.

Tantum · Post by **Tantum** » 25 Nov 2006, 00:15

I would say

Holyfield
Lewis
Tyson
Bowe

Head to head I'd pick Bowe over Tyson prime for prime though... He'd open up a KEG of whoop ass on Tyson.

Sweet Scientist · Post by **Sweet Scientist** » 25 Nov 2006, 02:24

JAHamilton77 wrote:
Bowe also has a huge bite taken out

Tyson must have got hungry again...

iceman21287 · Post by **iceman21287** » 25 Nov 2006, 03:12

Tough call for me between Lennox, Evander and Tyson.

Tyson achieved the most in my view, but for a far shorter period of time than the other two.

I would rank Holyfield as the greatest overall fighter, taking his Cruiserweight history into account, but purely as a heavyweight I would favor Lewis.

Lewis between 1995-2001 was about as dominant as any heavyweight since Tyson in the late 80s. He has two blips on his record, but I don't think either of them are as big of blips as Buster Douglas.

Bowe, to me, didn't really accomplish anything other than beating Holyfield two out of three times (which is a pretty big accomplishment). Take away the Holyfield fights and his top opponent is Andrew Golota. Take away Golota and his top opponents are 1990s versions of Pinklon Thomas and Tony Tubbs, Bruce Seldon, Michael Dokes, Larry Donald and Herbie Hide. Tyson may have had a relatively thin resume, but at least he had a prime Tubbs and Thomas, as well as Michael Spinks, a past-prime Larry Holmes and a few other solid fighters under his belt.

1. Lennox Lewis
2a. Evander Holyfield
2b. Mike Tyson
4. Riddick Bowe

kovit · Post by **kovit** » 25 Nov 2006, 03:56

I still rank Tyson #1, then Holyfield #2, Lennox Lewis at #3, and Riddick Bowe at #4, because Tyson beats more champions in his time of his reign than Holyfield, Lewis, and Bowe.

Ezzard · Post by **Ezzard** » 25 Nov 2006, 08:31

1. Holyfield
2. Lewis
3. Tyson
4. Bowe

The best heavyweight 1985-2005

Who was the best heavyweight 1985-2005

The best heavyweight 1985-2005