Boxing - obligatory best heavy weight boxer ever thread

Kevin_rc_ie

My vote goes for Iron Mike in his hay day.

Geiger

To be honest I haven't seen a lot of the older Heavyweight champs in action. I've read plenty about them, in fact I just finished a great book on champs starting with John L Sullivan and ending with post-Tyson Lewis. So I can only really comment on what I know best. For me it's Ali with his technical ability and Tyson for the absolute wrecking ball force. Both men man one hell of an impact but in very different ways. Civil rights were brought into the spotlight by Ali and Tyson was accessible to even casual fans. Oh yeah, and they had a few exciting fights between them

The Rooster

Ali, because he is The Greatest

thebuyer

the brockton blockbuster...marciano...never beaten

snakeater

Yeah, for me its also Marciano, never beaten and one of the toughest boxers ever.

Guy:Incognito

Tysons brute force probably would have beaten ali's technical abilities more often than not had they fought each other, imo. I just don't think ali had the stopping power to put tyson down. Tyson in his prime I mean of couse, I could knock him out now.

The advantage tyson has is th eadvantage all sportmen now have over ones of the past, they are better trained and better athletes. It' slike when they compare footballers, yes George Best was the most skillfull but theres no way he could live in the premiership nowadays, he wouldnt be fit enough, then you have to bring in his lifestyle, he couldnt sustain it back then never mind now.

I'm not comparing Ali if he was around today, to Tyson if he was in his prime. It's Ali in his prime ( and in his era) V's Tyson in his and I cant see Ali winning. I mean how many sportsmen reguarly smoked and drank in the past compared to now. With the differences in diet alone its hard to compare.

Sgtshaft

Stekelly wrote:

I'm not comparing Ali if he was around today, to Tyson if he was in his prime. It's Ali in his prime ( and in his era) V's Tyson in his and I cant see Ali winning. I mean how many sportsmen reguarly smoked and drank in the past compared to now. With the differences in diet alone its hard to compare.

I remember when the same thing was said about Ali when he was about to fight Foreman and we all know what happened then, and on another note about Tyson I can clearly remember Tyson refused to fight Foreman (even though he was in his forties) because Tyson’s camp was scared that Foreman would beat him due to Foreman’s fighting style.

But I have to say Ali has to be the greatest after all he was three times champion even after his five year banishment from boxing

Harry2001

Ali for me ahead of Rocky Marciano and Joe Louis.

Tyson would not even make my top 10, have a look at his record and see the bums the guy fought in his prime, the heavyweight division was piss poor in those days as it is now

Guy:Incognito

Harry2001 wrote:

Tyson would not even make my top 10, have a look at his record and see the bums the guy fought in his prime, the heavyweight division was piss poor in those days as it is now

You can only fight whats in front of you, its not Tysons fault who else was in the division, Doesnt take away from the guys ability.

Harry2001

Stekelly wrote:

You can only fight whats in front of you, its not Tysons fault who else was in the division, Doesnt take away from the guys ability.

Yeah but it makes a huge difference to the guys legacy, he can not be classed as a great IMO because he was not tested against any decent opponents, it’s all fine and dandy blowing away the bum of the month I would have liked to have seen him really tested in his prime and we would have seen his true ability.

Big Ears

thebuyer wrote:

the brockton blockbuster...marciano...never beaten

same for me , he had more heart than any other fighter than ever lived .

I also re-read a book recently ranging from John .L. Sullivan to Lewis .
It had the word boxing (blue in colour) as the title with Holyfield , ALi and Lewis all o the cover . Photographs were done by the Daily Mail , any chance its the same book ? .

Geiger

Big Ears wrote:

same for me , he had more heart than any other fighter than ever lived .

I also re-read a book recently ranging from John .L. Sullivan to Lewis .
It had the word boxing (blue in colour) as the title with Holyfield , ALi and Lewis all o the cover . Photographs were done by the Daily Mail , any chance its the same book ? .

Yeah, that's the one. It's one of the most comprehensive boxing books I've read and the pictures are great as well. I'd reccommend it to everyone.

DoctorEdgeWild

I'd go for Tyson followed by Ali followed by Joe Louis. Notable mentions for Marciano, Dempsey and possibly Foreman.

Although I think most people would go for Ali if you conducted a poll among the gemeral public as opposed to boxing fans.

Davey Devil

I'd have to go for Rocky, you can only beat what's put infront of you and he always did. It is impossible to compare boxers from different era's though.

How about the best boxers ever though? Everyone gets too caried away with heavyweights. My favourite is Roberto Duran although it's hard to argue that Sugar Ray isn't the best ever.

Big Ears

Davey Devil wrote:

How about the best boxers ever though? Everyone gets too caried away with heavyweights. My favourite is Roberto Duran although it's hard to argue that Sugar Ray isn't the best ever.

You're talking about Leonard not Robinson right ?

Crunch

Mike Tyson

Big Ears

Crunch wrote:

Mike Tyson

Mike was in and around his prime when he lost to Buster Douglas(who never bet anyone good before Tyson or after Tyson) how can someone who did that be considered the greatest ever . He didn't beat the same opposition as Ali or almost all undisputed champs before him (bar the really olden days , like the time of Jack Johnson) .

Not to mention Mikes 'reign of terror' didn't actually last that long and to top it all off he lost to Kevin McBride . Now I know plenty of former champs come back and get beat by poor fighters but I would say McBride is the worst fighter ever to beat a former champ . I don't even have to mention the two defeats to Holyfield , his loss to Lewis and his loss to Danny Williams to put up an argument as to why he shouldn't be considered the best .

Top 10 : easily , number 1: not a chance .