Sorry, but this is a ridiculous top 5. On what planet does Liston place above Foreman? Vitali at 5 is the single worst opinion in boxing that I've seen.
Official OTH top 10 Heavyweight Rankings thread (Greatest and Head to Head)
- Thread starter Bogotazo
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Must specify which category that is.
Looks like head to head to me.
Beat some poor fighters on the way up,Avoided some.Just the two successful defences the 1st time around before Zaire,Then three in the 90s alphabet era
Ezzard Charles had 8 defences,He already beat legendary fighters @Light heavyweight too,Most probably a champion in every divison from super middleweight up if them straps was around back then + perhaps a olympic medal around super featherweight,Apparently Adrien Broner is 4weight champion
frankos1885
OTH Rankings Chairman
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Greatest:
1. Joe Louis
2. Muhammad Ali
3. Lennox Lewis
4. Larry Holmes
5. George Foreman
6. Joe Frazier
7. Rocky Marciano
8. Evander Holyfield
9. Sonny Liston
10. Mike Tyson
I wrestled with including Jack Dempsey, Jack Johnson, Gene Tunney and some other of the names you see commonly on these lists too but as someone else has said as much as there is information out there on them I'd feel fraudulent claiming that I declare them any better than what you can see with your own eyes. Top 6 are locked solid IMO, as ever I expect to get stick for Lewis - those below you could interchange with different opinions and facts.
Head-to-head:
1. Muhammad Ali
2. George Foreman
3. Mike Tyson
4. Joe Louis
5. Lennox Lewis
6. Riddick Bowe
7. Joe Frazier
8. Vitaly Kiltschko
9. Larry Holmes
10. Sonny Liston
Will come back to this for explanations this evening.
1. Joe Louis
2. Muhammad Ali
3. Lennox Lewis
4. Larry Holmes
5. George Foreman
6. Joe Frazier
7. Rocky Marciano
8. Evander Holyfield
9. Sonny Liston
10. Mike Tyson
I wrestled with including Jack Dempsey, Jack Johnson, Gene Tunney and some other of the names you see commonly on these lists too but as someone else has said as much as there is information out there on them I'd feel fraudulent claiming that I declare them any better than what you can see with your own eyes. Top 6 are locked solid IMO, as ever I expect to get stick for Lewis - those below you could interchange with different opinions and facts.
Head-to-head:
1. Muhammad Ali
2. George Foreman
3. Mike Tyson
4. Joe Louis
5. Lennox Lewis
6. Riddick Bowe
7. Joe Frazier
8. Vitaly Kiltschko
9. Larry Holmes
10. Sonny Liston
Will come back to this for explanations this evening.
Dillinja
OTH Poker Champion
Greatest
1. Muhammad Ali
2. Joe Louis
3. Lennox Lewis
4. George Foreman
5. Larry Holmes
6. Joe Frazier
7. Rocky Marciano
8. Evander Holyfield
9. Sonny Liston
10. Wladimir Klitschko
H2H
1. Lennox Lewis
2. Muhammad Ali
3. George Foreman
4. Vitali Klitschko
5. Larry Holmes
6. Sonny Liston
7. Evander Holyfield
8. Tyson Fury
9. Mike Tyson
10. Riddick Bowe
1. Muhammad Ali
2. Joe Louis
3. Lennox Lewis
4. George Foreman
5. Larry Holmes
6. Joe Frazier
7. Rocky Marciano
8. Evander Holyfield
9. Sonny Liston
10. Wladimir Klitschko
H2H
1. Lennox Lewis
2. Muhammad Ali
3. George Foreman
4. Vitali Klitschko
5. Larry Holmes
6. Sonny Liston
7. Evander Holyfield
8. Tyson Fury
9. Mike Tyson
10. Riddick Bowe
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I'll go H2H as ranking on achievements would take a lot more consideration.
1. lewis
2. Fury
3. Vitali
4. Ali
5. Wlad
6. Holyfield
7. Bowe
8. Foreman
9. Holmes
10. Liston
Fury could rise or drop down the list depending how his career goes, you can tell I like super heavyweights, there will always be a smaller guy who can take a win over them here or there but H2H is on consistency, I think that top 3 on their best night aren't takeable by normal sized heavies.
Ali and Evander are my favourite smaller heavies based on H2H ability, both showed they could hang with just about anyone, Foreman and Liston at their best have the skills and power to give anyone nightmares and neither goes down easy.
Mike Tyson does not have a home in my top 10 as I don't think he can beat a prime elite who wants to get stuck in to him, and Frazier it was shown against Foreman was liable to be poleaxed by big punching big men.
Joe Louis era and prior its not a fair comparrison.
1. lewis
2. Fury
3. Vitali
4. Ali
5. Wlad
6. Holyfield
7. Bowe
8. Foreman
9. Holmes
10. Liston
Fury could rise or drop down the list depending how his career goes, you can tell I like super heavyweights, there will always be a smaller guy who can take a win over them here or there but H2H is on consistency, I think that top 3 on their best night aren't takeable by normal sized heavies.
Ali and Evander are my favourite smaller heavies based on H2H ability, both showed they could hang with just about anyone, Foreman and Liston at their best have the skills and power to give anyone nightmares and neither goes down easy.
Mike Tyson does not have a home in my top 10 as I don't think he can beat a prime elite who wants to get stuck in to him, and Frazier it was shown against Foreman was liable to be poleaxed by big punching big men.
Joe Louis era and prior its not a fair comparrison.
Shadowboxer
Former Prediction League Champion
This is a head to head thread, no?
Foreman has spoken on his spars with Liston and the difficulties he gave him, and Vitali is a big solid lump that causes almost anyone problems.
Vitali isn't anywhere near top 10 on resume or achievements, but H2H is a problem.
frankos1885
OTH Rankings Chairman
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Thread is both greatest and head-to-head so the differences can be seen.
Shadowboxer
Former Prediction League Champion
Fair enough, that was my H2H list.
Obviously I don't rank Vitali as the 5th best heavyweight of all time.
All time
Ali
Louis
Lewis
Holmes
Foreman
Marciano
Holyfield
Frazier
Liston
Mike
I thought that was your greatest list. I was also pretty drunk.
Shadowboxer
Former Prediction League Champion
Come on now, mate.
I know I chat some shit on here but give me a bit of credit.
Vitali at number 5 all time
I was shocked. Felt like stabbing you to be honest. But it's all cleared up now.Come on now, mate.
I know I chat some shit on here but give me a bit of credit.
Vitali at number 5 all time
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What I've been mulling lately is whether Sam Langford deserves a spot in the top ten. He usually gets judged very highly based on his pound for pound credentials but he did fight a lot of opponents at heavyweight. His resume here:
Fireman Jim Flynn x5
Sam McVey x8
Kid Norfolk
Joe Jeanette x7
Harry Wills x2
Gunboat Smith
Philadelphia Jack O Brien
Jeff Clarke
Max Schrek
William Iron Hague
Klondike Haynes
Tony Ross
Sandy Ferguson
Sone of those might be below the heavy limit but was hard to make our some of the bouts.
He was the black and Mexican heavyweight champion but never got a shot at the world title holder though did ight Johnson prior to him becoming champion.
Fireman Jim Flynn x5
Sam McVey x8
Kid Norfolk
Joe Jeanette x7
Harry Wills x2
Gunboat Smith
Philadelphia Jack O Brien
Jeff Clarke
Max Schrek
William Iron Hague
Klondike Haynes
Tony Ross
Sandy Ferguson
Sone of those might be below the heavy limit but was hard to make our some of the bouts.
He was the black and Mexican heavyweight champion but never got a shot at the world title holder though did ight Johnson prior to him becoming champion.
frankos1885
OTH Rankings Chairman
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70 years ago today
Let's try and encourage every to have a go at this please. Get some great content for the front page going and some discussion that isn't the price of networks and PPVs happening.
Let's try and encourage every to have a go at this please. Get some great content for the front page going and some discussion that isn't the price of networks and PPVs happening.
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I suppose that’s up to you. But I think it’s more fair to say as they were. I don’t think supplements are tilting contests either way here.
For me kinda changes a couple of things, think Louis is great but would have style problems with a lot of quick-feeted guys with great chins for example, or would be a bit undersized whilst it wouldn't be weird if a 'modern' Joe Louis would be slightly more filled out etc. But with the latter approach it really gets into fantasy land