My list of the top ten heavyweight boxers of all time

[unique_freak]

I made a list of the top ten heavyweight boxers of all time. The first top five are in order, and then I have a list of five honorable mentions that are in no particular order except for being below the top five.

In my list, I am ranking the top top ten heavyweights of all time in terms of their entire careers, not who was the best heavyweight boxers on the best days of their careers. So in my list, I value consistency over being spectacular for a short time period. More specifically, I value consistency against top ranked opponents. I am far more forgiving of a heavyweight boxer's losing matches after his prime than I am of him losing matches in his prime because all boxers' skills diminish when they get older.

I am defining a boxer's prime as under 30 years old (not 30 years old and under). I know that this is arbitrary, but I had to pick some number as a cutoff for a boxer's prime.

Here is my list:

The Greatest Heavyweight boxers of all time

1# Joe Louis
Official record: 66-03
Record in prime : 53-01
Height: 6'1"
Reach: 76"

IMO, Joe Louis is the GOAT. The only significant stain on Joe Louis' record was Joe Louis' loss against Max Schmeling in 1936 when Joe Louis was 22 years old. But no heavyweight boxer in all of history has had as much consistency against top ranked competition as Joe Louis did. Joe Louis was world champion for eleven years. Joe Louis had 26 successful title defenses over those 11 years, which is the most successful title defenses of any heavyweight world champion in history. Almost all of those 26 successful title defenses that Joe Louis had were against top ten contenders. And Joe Louis boxed in an era in which boxing was a lot more popular than it is now. There was a much deeper pool of talent in boxing during Joe Louis' career than there is today.

2# Muhammad Ali
Official record: 56-05
record in prime: 34-01
Height: 6'3"
reach: 78"

Muhammad Ali also had a lot of consistency against a lot of top ranked competition. A lot of people say that Muhammad Ali was the goat, but I disagree with that. There are two significant stains on Muhammad Ali's career: 1# Muhammad Ali's loss to Joe Frazier in 1971 when Muhammad Ali was in his prime. 2# Muhammad Ali's loss to Leon Spinks is another significant stain on Muhammad Ali's career given that Leon Spinks' record was 26-17, and it was his eighth professional fight when he went up against Muhammad Ali. ----Joe Louis' three losses were to Max Schmeling, Ezzard Charles, and Rocky Marciano. All three of those guys were prima donnas.

3# Rocky Marciano
Official record: 49-0
Record in prime: 44-0
Height: 5'10"
Reach: 67"

Given that Rocky Marciano had a perfect record, why do I rank Rocky Marciano below Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali? Mainly because I believe that Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali beat greater competition than Rocky Marciano did. Secondly, Rocky Marciano just barely eked out a victory in several of his matches. I cannot argue with success though. A number three ranking is actually extremely elite.

4# Larry Holmes
Official record: 69-06
Record in prime: 32-0
Height: 6'3"
Reach: 81"

Larry Holmes was unbeatable in his prime. Larry Holmes had 20 successful title defenses as world heavyweight champion, which is more than any heavyweight champion in history except for Joe Louis and Wladimir Klitschko.

5# Lennox Lewis
Official record: 41-02
Record in prime: 27-01
Height: 6'5"
Reach: 84"

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order except below the top five)

Wladimir Klitschko
Official record: 64-05
Three losses in Wladimir Klitschko's prime keep him off my top five list.

George Foreman
Official record: 76-05

Jack Dempsey
Official record: 68-06

Oleksander Usyk
Official record: 23-0

Evander Holyfield
Official record: 44-10
Record in prime: 28-0

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What do you agree with on my list? What do you disagree with about my list?

I didn't include Tyson Fury on the list because I believe that Fury carefully maneuvered his career to make it look better than it actually is. Fury ducked boxing Usyk and Anthony Joshua for years to retain his WBC title. When Fury finally boxed Usyk, Fury lost. Then Fury lost his rematch with Usyk. Fury still hasn't boxed Anthony Joshua.

 

[PureImagination]

I wish I was 6‘ so I could fight better

 

[unique_freak]

Don't we have any boxingcels here?

@ilieknothing I remember your discussing the fight card on the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul event. Why don't you contribute something?

It took a lot of time and effort to type out the OP. I hope someone has something to say about my list.

 

[Kanye's Cousin]

I used to be a real sportfancel, but couldn't keep up with it, I just felt like I was watching people perform amazingly, succeed, and make memories, I was living through their success for some time. Then years passed by and it suddenly became painful to watch them while I was degrading in nothingness. Wish I could give my input but I don't know these boxers well enough to give an honest opinion.

 

[based_meme]

Don't we have any boxingcels here?

@DeliriousMerchant

 

[BornToLose]

Fury beating Klitschko was impressive but yeah he was twice humbled by Usyk. Don't know enough historically speaking. Wanted to see Fury vs AJ when a belt was on the line.

 

[unique_freak]

Fury beating Klitschko was impressive but yeah he was twice humbled by Usyk. Don't know enough historically speaking. Wanted to see Fury vs AJ when a belt was on the line.

Fury beating Klitschko was not so impressive in light of the fact that Klitschko was 40 years old.