15 most Important Heavyweight Champions of alltime!!

These are the figures who's names transcend the sport more than others either in Stature or other ways, some are record breakers, some just huge figures in history, some by taking part in huge historical events!! and some just the first of a kind!!....In my opinion anyway...For me the 15 most Important heavies of alltime!!!

1. Muhammad Ali
2. Jack Johnson
3. Mike Tyson
4. Jack Dempsey
5. Joe Louis
6. Rocky Marciano
7. John L Sullivan
8. George Foreman
9. James Corbett
10. Jim Jeffries.
11. Bob Fitzsimmons..
12. Lennox Lewis
13. Sonny Liston
14. Tommy Burns
15. Larry Holmes

How can Dempsey be number 4 mate he would not fight black champs that is not good for boxing imo?

Marciano should be in there he is the only unbeaten heavyweight champ I think he deserves a spot

Whilst some may be more obvious than others would you be so kind as to elaborate and expand on the reasons for their inclusion in this list?

Tell me who and I'll explain why....

Marciano is in the list.

No major quibbles from me. Might bump Louis to third as I think his role in the eradication of the colour line is somewhat underrated. Johnson broke it, but Louis got rid of it for good.

Would probably put Sullivan higher aswell, maybe 3rd/4th with Louis.

Corbett ahead of Foreman and Marciano for me as he was an early pioneer.

Dear Lord, just do as I ask TRUSSMAN and try not to see it as a ruse to have a pop....I'm just interested in your reasoning as to why

Corbett was the first modern boxer etc.....It's a tough one Manos as it's subjective but I do think these 15 in their different ways were the most important

cheers..

Haven't seen a thread like this for, ooh...must be days.

I'd have Evander in there somewhere.

OK I'm struggling with Foreman's inclusion who is most remembered for being on the LOSING end of one of the most historic fights in HW history and then perhaps secondly for regaining the HW crown when Michael Moorer (never boxing's most consistent performer) decided to commit career suicide and let big George have one free shot at him. There have always been big men, there have always been bad men... George was neither the biggest or the baddest.

However, that's just my opinion of the man.

Go away Balti...childish little boy...pathetic

Foreman was the oldest heavy champion DAVE..

Yes I appreciate that, hence me mentioning it above...but he only achieved that feat only by virtue of a lapse in concentration from Moorer who was, if memory serves, coasting along quite nicely.

However, for me, it doesn't make him stand out...but I thank you for taking the time to explain your reasons for including him.

Hillary might have accidentally found a way to climb Everest....

But he still did it!

Always a pleasure..

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Hillary might have accidentally found a way to climb Everest....

But he still did it!

Always a pleasure..

Everest didn't hang it's chin out to dry. Give the name-calling a miss though Truss; you're meant to be a grown man.

Where's Holyfield Truss? Moved up from Cruiser, unified the division has some notable scalps and is the only 4 time champ?

Spinks has more claim than Holy really......as the first reigning 175er...

Talking importance rather than talented...

Holy would be top 15 then... but you know Holy isn't a transcending figure really like the above..

Hillary "accidentally" climbed Everest eh? He wasn't blown to the top by a freak gust of wind, was he?

Also, the inference that beating Michael Moorer is akin to climbing Everest is too daft to take seriously. More like doing the Three Peaks walk...and I did that when I was eleven.

I said might have.....

Yes you said 'might' have but the fact remains that he didn't. Nor was he given the opportunity to complete the feat when all looked lost by Everest having a lapse in concentration and "levelling out a bit at the end"

Lewis should be higher as he brought an end to the american dominance of the heavyweights and was britains best ever heavyweight showing that the americans were no longer in charge of the division. That was a big deal for the americans who were not used to having a heavyweight champ from outside america and to be honest i cant think of one good american heavyweight since then. Lewis scared the top american heavyweights because he was not intimidated by them and guys like Bowe were to chicken to face him. Tyson also would not face him earlier he had to get don king to pay lewis not to fight him Imagine getting paid NOT to fight someone? Sweet!

It was kind of accidental...they took the South side route when Mallory had failed because he couldn't get up the 2nd step on the North face..dying in the process!!

They didn't know there would be route up there.....trial and error...

Stop telling me what was a big deal for me you little squirt..

No way I'd have Spinks ahead of Holy. He did very little at HW in comparison..

No but he left a legacy as the first reigning light heavy to....etc.

Still I respect your opinions.....even 667's or 669's what ever he is these days..

Cheers TRUSSMAN66...or 55...or 5 or whatever you call yourself these days. I can't keep up what with you quitting the boards all the time.

I can't keep up....

Stating the obvious there..

As is me saying you're an clown of the highest order

you're an clown...

An clown.... was she one of your famous feminist types of the early 20th century like Pankhurst???

It is a subjective list. Personally wouldn't have Foreman in there - Frazier probably transcended the sport more. Dempsey would be second on my list.

Foreman was huge in every way....So called unbeatable animal in the 70's to one of Boxing's biggest draws in the 90's..can't agree there mate.

so let's just say I'm right..

The unbeatable animal myth was fairly quickly put to bed and I don't think he was champ long enough to truly transcend the sport.

Subjective reasoning so I'm going to agree with myself that I'm right and you're wrong.

You don't think Foreman transcended in his second coming???

Put the two together add the oldest to win tag and you have an important figure..

i'd be tempted to have schmeling above either liston or lewis depending on what nationality fitzsimmons is viewed as, schmeling was the 1st european heavyweight world champion, the 2 louis fights alone are examples of hyge historical events that he took part in

I did consider Max.......The Louis fights were huge in their own right...

Could be swapped for Burns I suppose......

Schmelling-Louis 1 was non-title though...

Good post though and you may be right....

I'd be tempted to have James Buster Douglas in the lower regions of the list just because of that one fight that shocked the world, sure he was a terrible champion and waste of talent but that's still surely the biggest upset in the history of the sport.

Evander Holyfield should be in there because his game on the Sega Megadrive is an absolute classic and his achievements merit a place. I'm tempted to say that the Klitschko brothers should be in there just because if they weren't around at the moment the division would be as bad as the cruiserweights. I'd maybe find room for Floyd Patterson as well.

Because his game on the sega is a classic...

That's a good one..

Achievement wise Riddick Bowe probably rates ahead of Tommy Burns....

Not the point....

Holy doesn't seem as important historically as others in the list......Tunney isn't in it either...


Great fighter though..

Just realised that Frazier isn't on the list, with Ali at number one I think you have to find a place for Frazier as he is such a huge part of Ali's legacy and was a great champion in his own right and part of the golden generation of Heavyweight boxing.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:you're an clown...

An clown.... was she one of your famous feminist types of the early 20th century like Pankhurst???

Seems the swear filter kicked in there...it's supposed to say a-hole. Still, the gist of the comment is understood....Coco!

No problems with the list Truss, and anyhow, most of the other names you left out but are worthy of consideration have been mentioned. The only other name I'd (very generously) throw in would be Moorer, as the first left-hander to win the Heavyweight crown. Difficult to see who he could even possibly take the place of, though. Good article, fella.

Good article mate.

No problems with the names I would change the order slightly. Top 2 are without question.

Ali is probably the most important boxer of all time and Johnson being the first black heavyweight world champion is without doubt second.

Louis I would have third for breaking down the proverbial colour wall that was reinforced in the wake of Johnson.

Sullivan would be fourth just for being the transitional guy and Tyson fifth because you can question his record but like alongside Ali he is probably better known worldwide than any other boxer in history.