My top 50 heavyweights of all time MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

[BrocktonBlockbuster49]

Here is my top 50 list. I thought as a christmas special, i would wait until christmas to post my list. ENJOY!


My top 50 heavyweights of all time

1. Joe Louis- Prime 1938-1942
2. Muhammad Ali- Prime 1964-1967
3. Sonny Liston - Prime 1958-1960
4. Jack Johnson- Prime 1907-1910
5. Rocky Marciano- Prime 1951-1952
6. Joe Frazier- Prime 1967-1971
7. Larry Holmes- Prime 1978-1982
8. Jack Dempsey- Prime 1918-1919
9. George Foreman- Prime 1970-1974
10. Mike Tyson - Prime 1986-1988
11. James Jeffries- Prime 1899-1904
12. Jersey Joe Walcott- Prime 1946-1952
13. Lennox Lewis- Prime 1993-2001
14. Harry Wills- Prime 1916-1921
15. Evander Holyfield- Prime 1988-1993
16. Floyd Patterson - Prime 1956-1965
17. Sam Langford - Prime 1909-1912
18. Ezzard Charles- Prime 1946-1951
19. Max Schmeling- Prime 1929-1939
20. Peter Jackson- Prime 1880's
21. Joe Jeanette- Prime 1908-1913
22. Riddick Bowe- Prime 1991-1993
23. George Godfrey- Prime 1925-1928
24. Elmer Ray - Prime 1942-1947
25. Gene Tunney- Prime 1924-1928
26. Jerry Quarry- Prime 1967-1973
27. Jack Sharkey- Prime 1926-1932
28. James Corbett- Prime 1889-1894
29. Max Baer - Prime 1932-1935
30. Ken Norton- Prime 1973-1978
31. Jimmy Young - Prime 1974-1977
32. Cleveland Williams - Prime 1958-1963
33. Archie Mooree- Prime 1952-1955
34. Tim Witherspoon- Prime 1982-1983
35. Sam Mcvea - Prime 1907-1911
36. John L Sullivan- Prime 1880's
37. Ron Lyle - Prime 1973-1976
38. Eddie Machen- Prime 1957-1962
39. Tony Tucker- Prime 1985-1987
40. Ike Ibeaubuchi- Prime Late 1990's
41. Ingemar Johannsen- Prime 1958-1961
42. Pinklon Thomas- Prime 1982-1985
43. Ernie Terell- Prime 1963-1967
44. Clarence Henry- Prime 1950-1952
45. Mike Weaver- Prime 1979-1983
46. Lee Q Murray- Prime 1943-1947
47. Denver Ed Martin- Prime 1902-1904
48. David Tua- Prime 1996-2000
49. Tom Sharkey- Prime 1896-1899
50. Larry Gains- Prime 1926-1931



* I will wait until wlads career is over until i finalize my ranking of him

[pundit]

Good picks are mixed with total nonsense. We know Brock doesn't like Tunney, but #25, behind Schmeling, Godfrey, Ray??? Patterson above Charles?

[Syntax Error]

It's all about opinions.

I don't necessarily agree with the choices but it would be a dull world if we all agreed.

It's quite hard to do top 50 lists without changing your mind constantly.

[pundit]

Here is my (preliminary) attempt. Have to say though that from #30 or so this becomes a fishy business, and fighters can be ordered in various ways. I also did some corrections on Brock's "prime" years -- Marciano had only one prime year allegedly, while Schmeling hat 10 (!). I reckon Brock overlooked Michael Spinks and maybe also Bob Fitzsimmons.

1. Muhammad Ali Prime 1963-1967
2. Joe Louis Prime 1935-1942
3. Larry Holmes Prime 1978-1984
4. Jack Johnson Prime 1906-1910
5. George Foreman- Prime 1970-1974
6. Sonny Liston Prime 1958-1962
7. Lennox Lewis- Prime 1997-2001
8. Sam Langford - Prime 1909-1912
9. Joe Frazier- Prime 1967-1971
10. Gene Tunney- Prime 1924-1928

11. Rocky Marciano- Prime 1951-1954
12. Jack Dempsey- Prime 1918-1922
13. Mike Tyson - Prime 1986-1990
14. Ezzard Charles- Prime 1946-1950
15. Harry Wills- Prime 1916-1921
16. James Jeffries- Prime 1899-1904
17. Evander Holyfield- Prime 1996-1999
18. James Corbett- Prime 1889-1894
19. Max Schmeling- Prime 1929-1933
20. Jersey Joe Walcott- Prime 1946-1951

21. Floyd Patterson - Prime 1956-1962
22. Peter Jackson- Prime late 1880's
23. Jack Sharkey- Prime 1926-1930
24. Michael Spinks, prime 1985-87
25. Ken Norton- Prime 1973-1978
26. Max Baer - Prime 1932-1935
27. Riddick Bowe- Prime 1992-1995
28. Joe Jeanette- Prime 1908-1913
29. Jerry Quarry- Prime 1967-1973
30. Bob Fitzsimmons- Prime 1896-99

31. Archie Moore- Prime 1952-1955
32. Elmer Ray - Prime 1942-1947
33. Tim Witherspoon- Prime 1983-1986
34. Jimmy Young - Prime 1974-1977
35. Cleveland Williams - Prime 1958-1963
36. George Godfrey- Prime 1925-1928
37. Sam McVea - Prime 1907-1911
38. Ron Lyle - Prime 1973-1976
39. Pinklon Thomas- Prime 1982-1985
40. Mike Weaver- Prime 1979-1983

41. Billy Conn- Prime 1941/42 (at HW)
42. Ernie Terrell, prime 1963-67
43. Tom Sharkey- Prime 1896-1899
44. Earnie Shavers, prime 1976-79
45. Vitali Klitschko- Prime 2002-04
46. Lee Q Murray- Prime 1943-1947
47. Ingemar Johannsen- Prime 1958-1961
48. Eddie Machen- Prime 1957-1962
49. Primo Carnera- Prime 1932-34
50. Tommy Loughran, prime 1929-33

Fighters just missing the cut: Joe Choynski, Jess Willard, Larry Gains, Paolino Uzcudun, Earnie Schaaf, Young Stribling, Jim Braddock, Harry Kid Matthews, Zora Folley, Jimmy Ellis, Tony Tucker, Razor Ruddock, Frank Bruno, David Tua.

Hororable mention (out of competition) : John L Sullivan

[BrocktonBlockbuster49]

Tua above Byrd?!?!? Why?

good question. honestly i felt bryds preformance vs tua was a great one, but i also think he faced a way overweight unmoitvated tua.


too me, tua head to head is a threat to anyone in history. tua at his peak had incredible power, incredible chin, great stamina, very strong. tuas combination of power/chin/stamina made a dangerous combination for other figthers to deal with. also tua when was in shape in the 1990s at mid 220s, he had more speed/more motivation, he was hungry and he was relentless. i think tua head to head matches up better vs the rest of the field than bryd does.


bryd too me struggled an awful lot. i thought bryd lost to an old golota and fres oquendo, both major marks on his record. past his prime or not, bryd should never had that much trouble with jameel mccline, a fight that was basically a draw! NEVER! even in his prime, when byrd stepped up to the best fighters he faced klitschkos and ike, he failed miserably getting totally dominated in each fight. in fairness, I admit tua struggled too in some of his biggerfights too.

- tua ike fight will go down as a classic, it was dead even hard fought affair. this is a fight that really sold me on tua. ike on the otherhand beat the hell out of bryd. many thought tua won the ike fight. i feel ike was the 2nd best heavyweight of that era behind lennox.




bottom line is i think tua at his best matches up better vs the rest of the field than byrd. i feel tua has incredible physical tools that will make him a threat to anyone in history. bryd too me seemed like a southpaw poor mans jimmy young.




i defintley considered putting byrd in my top 50, but i ended up putting him as one of my "just misses". i cant put everyone in.

[BrocktonBlockbuster49]

pundit, please spare us your "redefining primes". they are my choices, so deal with it.

i had a nice little chuckle when i read you defined walcotts prime as 1946-51. we all know pundit is no fan of marciano and is extremley bias against the rock, so it sure wasnt coincidental that pundit ended walcotts prime as 1 year before walcott fought rocky. anything to further enhance his degrading of marciano he will use to his benefit.

i find it funny that pundit left out the year 1952, when during that year walcott put on the best preformance of his career nearly beating top 10 ATG rocky marciano, beat ATG ezzard charles, and walcott was heavyweight champion in 1952!

yet somehow, pundit decided walcotts prime to end in 1951, despite 1952 being a better year for him than 1951. marciano detractors will do anything to take away from the rocks legacy.


so i must ask pundit, why did you not put 1946-52?? why the cut off point between 1951 and 1952??

[BrocktonBlockbuster49]

I rrealize some of my choices my seem very odd to some, but i stand by them 100%. i have done a lot of research and film studying and newspaper reading and i am very confident. perhaps a few picks my bias side took over, but overall i tried to be as objective as possible.


merry christmas

[BrocktonBlockbuster49]

Good picks are mixed with total nonsense. We know Brock doesn't like Tunney, but #25, behind Schmeling, Godfrey, Ray??? Patterson above Charles?

tunney can certainly be rate over godfrey, and if i were to switch them, there wouldnt have an issue. i ultimitley picked godfrey over tunney cause i feel head to head he beats tunney, and head to head without the cuffs, godfrey matches up better vs the rest of the field and is more prove heavyweight.

tunney's lack of accomplishments at heavyweight, and lack of top level fights at heavyweight, ducking godfrey, and fact he retired without fighting the 3 best heavyweights of his era, hurts him. tunney simply did not prove himself enough at heavyweight. tunney didnt prove himself against a wide variety of styles at heavyweight. tunney never fought black fighters, nor did tunney ever fight a heavyweight weighing over 200lb. tunneys whole heavyweight legacy is based off of two wins over a washed up rusty jack dempsey(one controversially).

from what i have read, it seemed tunney was a bit of a snob, but i can't say for sure since i never met the man nor will i ever will. its safe to say i am not a tunney fan, and i do think hes overated ONLY as a heavyweight. but i respect his fighting ability and # 25 @ heavyweight is certainly not something to pout about. its still a good ranking.




elmer violent ray is one intrigueing fellow, and a bit of a mystery. hes extremley understudied. Ray was one of the best heavyweights of the 1940s. I have newspaper reports stating louis managers as quoting they wanted no part of elmer ray when louis returned from the war, because they thought ray was so dangerous. and he beat near peak versions of two top 20 heavyweights of all time charles and walcott.


ray was a puncher swarmer, a rare gem. ray had extremley long 80" reach along with his 6'2 height, excellent physical tools. along with his devastating power in both hands was great punching abilities and solid skill for his fighting style. his defense worked behind a crouch along with bobbin/weavin. ray had very solid inside fighting skills, and was an all around complete fighter. add rays devastating power to his all around talent, and his physical tools and you had a helluva fighter.

i feel ray at his peak matches up very well vs the rest of the field in head to head matchups. rays style, physical tools, all around talent, and devastating power make him a threat to anyone.

as for accomplishents, rays prime record was something like 80-3!!! I think ray also has the heavyweight record for most consecutive KO's, which is a big mark. ray beating two top 20 heavyweights of all time charles and walcott and beating other solid contenders like leroy haynes, sid peaks, obie walker, otis thomas, perk daniels, lee savold make quite a respectable resume. not to mention ray missed out on fighting alot of the contenders of that era caused fighters refused to fight him cause he was too dangerous!




max schmeling is most certainly deserving over gene tunney. max schmeling proved himself far more at heavyweight than tunney did, and max schmeling DOMINATED the # 1 heavyweight of all time. tunney beat a washed up dempsey twice, which is comes nowhere near to matching schmelings quality of wins. schmeling simply was alot more proven at heavyweight than tunney, and schmeling matches up vs the rest of the field head to head just as good as tunney. in fact, i think schmeling beats tunney if they ever fought. finally, schmeling didnt hide behind the color line, or avoid fighting some of his top contemporary heavyweights like tunney did.

i really like max schmelings style. he also had the physical tools sporting big muscle proportions for a 6'1 195lb 76" reach. schmeling also was a power punching counterpuncher, a very dangerous style.



godfrey and tunney i had trouble decing on. i have spoken enough on godfrey, but take away the handcuffed fights and hometown decisions and godfrey has very little losses. it came down to head to head. i felt godfrey at his best(without cuffs) beats tunney, and matches up better against the rest of the field than tunney. tunney simply did not prove himself enough at heavyweight.



michael spinx didnt prove himself enough at heavyweight. his whole legacy is realistically going 1-1 vs a far past his prime larry holmes and beating a washed up drugged up cooney. spinx also ducked his top rated challenger tony tucker so this is a big mark against him. lets see how spinx does vs pinklon thomas, witherspoon, page, tubbs, etc. he never fought them and he missed out on fighting alot of the 1980s best heavyweights so this makes him unproven.


both tunney and spinx had too few fights at heavyweight and both were unproven @ heavyweight.

[pundit]

pundit, please spare us your "redefining primes". they are my choices, so deal with it.

i had a nice little chuckle when i read you defined walcotts prime as 1946-51. we all know pundit is no fan of marciano and is extremley bias against the rock, so it sure wasnt coincidental that pundit ended walcotts prime as 1 year before walcott fought rocky. anything to further enhance his degrading of marciano he will use to his benefit.

i find it funny that pundit left out the year 1952, when during that year walcott put on the best preformance of his career nearly beating top 10 ATG rocky marciano, beat ATG ezzard charles, and walcott was heavyweight champion in 1952!

yet somehow, pundit decided walcotts prime to end in 1951, despite 1952 being a better year for him than 1951. marciano detractors will do anything to take away from the rocks legacy.


so i must ask pundit, why did you not put 1946-52?? why the cut off point between 1951 and 1952??

Fine, 1952 then. Although it's true that I consider the Walcott Marciano fought post-prime. Walcott's prime is hard to pin down. He got world champ vs. Charles in 51, but Charles was on his way down by the time Walcott beat him. Walcott's best fight was probably his disputed loss to Joe Louis in 1947, and perhaps his real prime is 1946-48 -- his peak year is certainly 1947.

[pundit]

Tua above Byrd?!?!? Why?

good question. honestly i felt bryds preformance vs tua was a great one, but i also think he faced a way overweight unmoitvated tua.

Just look at how both performed vs. Buchibuch. Tua was way post-prime when he fought Byrd. Byrd doesn't belong into the top 80. A guy who twice looked like a bloody amateur against Vlad Klitschko -- who himself will have a hard time making the top 40 when he retires -- can't be ranked higher.

[pundit]

Brock, some time ago you did a top 15 for each decade since 1900. Could you make one for the 1890s? I'd be interested in your ranking.

http://www.boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... 9&start=56

Thanks,
P

[TheRiverCityHippy]

Here is my top 50 list. I thought as a christmas special, i would wait until christmas to post my list. ENJOY!


My top 50 heavyweights of all time

1. Joe Louis- Prime 1938-1942
2. Muhammad Ali- Prime 1964-1967
3. Sonny Liston - Prime 1958-1960
4. Jack Johnson- Prime 1907-1910
5. Rocky Marciano- Prime 1951-1952
6. Joe Frazier- Prime 1967-1971
7. Larry Holmes- Prime 1978-1982
8. Jack Dempsey- Prime 1918-1919
9. George Foreman- Prime 1970-1974
10. Mike Tyson - Prime 1986-1988

i think the fact ali went 5-1 against three fellow top 10`ers on that list in liston, frazier and foreman should be enough to earn him no 1 spot.
liston and foreman were regarded as nigh on unbeatable when ali beat them too.

[BrocktonBlockbuster49]

Brock, some time ago you did a top 15 for each decade since 1900. Could you make one for the 1890s? I'd be interested in your ranking.

http://www.boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... 9&start=56

Thanks,
P

sure bud.


ps we will always disagree on charles-walcott, but i respect your opinion. I do agree that walcotts best preformance was probably louis I, but i also feel walcotts preformance vs marciano I was every bit as good.


about the only difference between walcott who fought louis and walcott who fought marciano, was walcott had faster legs/more mobile when he fought louis. but against marciano, walcott displayed agressiveness, punching skills, he didnt show vs louis. walcott who fought marciano was stronger, more aggresive, better puncher when he fought marciano as well as retaining top speed/sharpness so i feel walcott who fought marciano was nearly/as good as the walcott who fought louis.


walcott in 1946 struggled greatly with joey maxim in 3 fights, i cant see the walcott of 1952 struggling to beat joey maxim. i realize sylistically walcott didnt match up well vs maxim, but still.




keep up the comments!

[pundit]

max schmeling is most certainly deserving over gene tunney. max schmeling proved himself far more at heavyweight than tunney did, and max schmeling DOMINATED the # 1 heavyweight of all time. tunney beat a washed up dempsey twice, which is comes nowhere near to matching schmelings quality of wins. schmeling simply was alot more proven at heavyweight than tunney, and schmeling matches up vs the rest of the field head to head just as good as tunney. in fact, i think schmeling beats tunney if they ever fought. finally, schmeling didnt hide behind the color line, or avoid fighting some of his top contemporary heavyweights like tunney did.

OK, if you boil Tunney down to his 6 fights at HW perhaps one can argue this way -- ALTHOUGH these are still pretty impressive fights that should get him at least a top 20 rating: Greb, Gibbons, Risko (all top ATG 100 heavyweights), Dempsey, Dempsey, Heeney (also top 100).

This splitting of careers explains also why other light-heavyweights who crowned their careers with an excursion to HW -- like Michael Spinks, Tommy Loughran, Billy Conn -- don't make your rankings, and why Ezzard Chrlaes is barely top 20. I feel though this does no justice to these folks and I prefer a different approach -- look an the entire career and then see how this matches up for a HW ranking.

Btw, Schmeling was in awe of Tunney, describing how he was at ringside when Tunney toyed with Heeney.

i really like max schmelings style. he also had the physical tools sporting big muscle proportions for a 6'1 195lb 76" reach. schmeling also was a power punching counterpuncher, a very dangerous style.

So do I. I stubbornly keep Max in my top 20, around Holyfield's or Walcott's level, because I think this is where he belongs. I recently saw Schmeling vs. Sharkey again, and don't quite get why most writers say Sharkey dominated the first 3 rounds. He didn't. Schmeling clearly won the first, jumping in-out like a light-heavyweight and leading again and again with a sharp jab. The second was about even, Sharkey edged the third. Then came the lowblow.

[BrocktonBlockbuster49]

tom heeney top 100 heavyweight? BAHAHAH! heeney was a joke, he was a poor choice for tunneys last title defense. tunney chose him because he was the least dangerous of the contenders to his throne.

Greb, Gibbons, Risko (all top ATG 100 heavyweights), Dempsey, Dempsey, Heeney (also top 100).

he did not beat risko at riskos best. he beat a raw risko.


greb is a middlweight and tunney still lost twice to him, gibbons was a good deal past his prime, risko was green, dempsey was way over the hill, heeney was no world beater. as you see its not very impressive.

* one of tunneys better heavyweight wins was over hard punching charlie weinhart.

sorry to nitpick, but in this case i had too.

[BrocktonBlockbuster49]

what i find funny that many people fail to mention is ali never beat prime versions of liston and frazier. liston was nowhere near his prime as was
frazier when ali beat them. in fact, ali is 0-1 vs a prime frazier, getting his ass handed to him over 15. something that many people elude.

[HomicideHenry]

As much as I respect you Brocky, I cannot see passed how you ranked Liston over Holmes, Dempsey, Foreman, Jeffries, Walcott, Johnson, just to name a few. I will admit Liston beat alot of capable fighters, hell he was a great puncher, more than likely a top 5 puncher---but number 3 of ALL times?

If Liston had problems with Ali, he would have problems against Holmes as well. I don't see the Liston who beat Patterson beating Jack Johnson either. Nor do I see him beating Walcott and in ways, I can't see him stopping his protege Foreman, at least the 80's and 90's George, though the 70's George was faster and possibly stronger.

Myself, in terms of what someone did with the title and overall who they beat and how they beat them---definately Joe Louis as number one. But then again Johnson had easy pickings against the men he faced as well in his era, and though he don't have the 11 year reign or 25 title defenses, there was no one on the planet who could have beaten Johnson in his prime.

You can make alot of serious cases for alot of the fighters on your list. Myself I have Louis, Dempsey and Marciano as my top #3 PUNCHERS who held the title and that's not in any particular order, as I can make just as good a case that one is equal or differs from the other.

As far as ANY HW in general on an all time basis, I hold Harry Wills, and the George Godfrey(s) and Peter Jackson, who wasn't on your list, as well as Jem Mace in very high esteem, but I myself hold some of the bare knucle era fighters on equal ground with the more modernized fighters.

[Jaclem]

..making lists can be a listless exercise...and the heavyweights have been done so awfully much.....and putting them in order is futile. still...i am always grateful for christmas gifts....and accept them in the spirit they're given.

no fine tuning here from me.....but i'll add that joe louis flattened elmer ray in an exhibition match when elmer the violent one got a little too cute. i've already bellowed too much about the decision ray got over ezzard...which is how he got his number one rating, and that ezz flattened him in a rematch.

his record isn't dazzling, but curtis 'hatchetman' shepard on a good night would cold- cock some of those on this list.

[TheRiverCityHippy]

what i find funny that many people fail to mention is ali never beat prime versions of liston and frazier. liston was nowhere near his prime as was
frazier when ali beat them. in fact, ali is 0-1 vs a prime frazier, getting his ass handed to him over 15. something that many people elude.

it could also be argued that the ali frazier beat wasnt in his prime, after his long lay off.
the versions of liston, frazier and foreman who ali fought would beat anyone on louis record imo.
the early 70`s foreman would flatten the likes of schmelling and baer imo.

[Ezzard]

Merry Xmas, Brockton and Pundit...

What more does Holyfield have to do to be above Tyson? He spanked him twice. His win over Bowe is better than any of Tyson's wins. Hell, his losing effort in the 2nd fight with Lewis is more impressive than any of Tyson's wins.

BB, Schmeling and Tunney were far superior fighters to Paterson. You have a blind spot with Floyd and your sentimentality clouds your judgement.

Hope you both enjoy the holidays...

[pundit]

Merry Xmas, Brockton and Pundit...

What more does Holyfield have to do to be above Tyson? He spanked him twice. His win over Bowe is better than any of Tyson's wins. Hell, his losing effort in the 2nd fight with Lewis is more impressive than any of Tyson's wins.

BB, Schmeling and Tunney were far superior fighters to Paterson. You have a blind spot with Floyd and your sentimentality clouds your judgement.

Hope you both enjoy the holidays...

Merr X-mas Ezzard. I just feel that Holyfield was never the force at HW that Tyson was in the late 1980s, and Holy's wins came over a Tyson who was years past his prime.

[BoxBuzz]

Seasons' Beatings....or Merry Christmas whichever you prefer. Interesting thread here...I'll just continue to read and learn.

[Ambling Alp]

what i find funny that many people fail to mention is ali never beat prime versions of liston and frazier. liston was nowhere near his prime as was
frazier when ali beat them. in fact, ali is 0-1 vs a prime frazier, getting his ass handed to him over 15. something that many people elude.

it could also be argued that the ali frazier beat wasnt in his prime, after his long lay off.
the versions of liston, frazier and foreman who ali fought would beat anyone on louis record imo.
the early 70`s foreman would flatten the likes of schmelling and baer imo.

I agree. No way does Louis match Ali's record.
I find it funny the lengths people will go to rate someone a head of Ali.
Liston was nowhere near near his prime when he lost to Ali? What fight previous to the fight he lost to Ali did Liston show that he was nowhere his prime?
Ali was 0-1 against a prime Frazier? So his two wins over Frazier don't count? Frazier was closer to his prime when he won than Ali was when Frazier won.
And Ali didn't have his ass handed to him in their first fight. It wasn't one of his best performances but he still gave a "prime" Joe Frazier a very tough fight. That's not nearly as bad as being knocked out by Max Schmeling.

[pundit]

what i find funny that many people fail to mention is ali never beat prime versions of liston and frazier. liston was nowhere near his prime as was
frazier when ali beat them. in fact, ali is 0-1 vs a prime frazier, getting his ass handed to him over 15. something that many people elude.

it could also be argued that the ali frazier beat wasnt in his prime, after his long lay off.
the versions of liston, frazier and foreman who ali fought would beat anyone on louis record imo.
the early 70`s foreman would flatten the likes of schmelling and baer imo.

I agree. No way does Louis match Ali's record.

It's very close.

[Ambling Alp]

tom heeney top 100 heavyweight? BAHAHAH! heeney was a joke, he was a poor choice for tunneys last title defense. tunney chose him because he was the least dangerous of the contenders to his throne.

Greb, Gibbons, Risko (all top ATG 100 heavyweights), Dempsey, Dempsey, Heeney (also top 100).

he did not beat risko at riskos best. he beat a raw risko.


greb is a middlweight and tunney still lost twice to him, gibbons was a good deal past his prime, risko was green, dempsey was way over the hill, heeney was no world beater. as you see its not very impressive.

* one of tunneys better heavyweight wins was over hard punching charlie weinhart.

sorry to nitpick, but in this case i had too.

Sorry to nitpick, but as has been pointed out many times, Heeney was the most deserving opponent for Tunney to fight. He had beaten Risko and had a draw with Sharkey.
Risko was already a ranked contender when Tunney beat him.
Beating Dempsey the 2nd time was a pretty good victory. Dempsey wasn't that old, and wasn't rusty after having fought Sharkey just 3 months before Tunney.
There is no previous fight that Gibbons showed that he was past his prime when Tunney beat him.