Your favourite heavyweight of all time?

[Robbi]

This question is not just based on your favourite heavyweight of all time inside the ring, but also combine it with the fighters life outside the squared circle, only if you wish.

How influential were they socially, and to their generation?.

Do you have one particular heavyweight you just admire so much inside the ring that you continually watch them on video and DVD?.

Do you have a certain heavyweight you admire so much you just can't stop reading about his life from various books?.

Note: Don't vote who was the greatest. Please express your opinion on who was the greatest when posting about your own personal favourite. Although you may well come to the conclusion the greatest heavyweight of all time, may well be your own personal favourite as well.

Example 1: You may well vote for Evander Holyfield, who doesn't have the historical background like Jack Johnson, but you grew up watching his fights with Bowe and Tyson.

Example 2: James J Braddock, journeyman to heavyweight champion. Possibily the movie "Cinderella man" may well have drawn you to Braddock like a magnet.

Example 3: Muhammad Ali may well be the greatest heavyweight without question in your eyes, but Mike Tyson went about his business with more distinction and excitement than "The Greatest".

If your choice is not on the poll, please select "other" and let us all hear your views.

[chrisroxthem]

i do really like james j braddock based off the movie cinderella man. but i think my favorite heavyweight of all time will probably end up being larry holmes or rocky marciano. both tough sonsofbitches and amazing fighters.

[thunder06]

Rocky Marciano because he feared no one and there wasn't anything particularly special about him. A regular guy with no outstanding physical qualities, he just trained his ass off and fought as hard as he could till the end. He also knew when to hang 'em up and made plenty of money in retirement.

[salsanchezfan]

Joe Louis; he faced a lot in and out of the ring, and in both showed uncommon dignity and grace under fire.

[Little_Mac]

Dempsey- no other heavyweight did more to thrust boxing into mainstream media IMO.

[Marnoff]

Mike Tyson
Jack Dempsey
Sonny Liston

in that order.

Nice list.

I like Mike Tyson, Jack Dempsey, and Rocky Marciano.

[BOGART]

I'll list mine chronologically because I don't know if I have one definite favorites.

Jack Dempsey- There's definitly a feeling of romanticism with the era and Dempsey is large part of it

Joe Louis- Offensive perfection and a fine human as well

Muhammad Ali- Charisma, legend, and the best heavyweight ever

Larry Holmes-One of the big names when I started really following boxing. Every one else I knew disliked him so I guess I enjoyed being different at the time

Lennox Lewis- As time goes on I appreciate him more and more

I find it hard to really like or dislike any fighter so I dont have many favorites, I just enjoy good matches. But those few are the ones that would probably be above the usual heavyweight for me.

[C. M. Clay II]

Muhammad Ali - he was fearless both in and out of the ring. He also set the prototype for the modern super-heavyweight, big, fast, and sharp!:good

[Lacyace]

Larry Holmes - In his prime, he was the best all-around heavyweight boxer in history.

[Jupiter1610]

Smokin' Joe Frazier- had heart in gobs inside the ring, pressed on against every opponent he faced.

[Lostmykeys]

George Foreman

- Nigh unbeatable head to head

-2nd career cemented it.

[Senya13]

Jim Jeffries
Sonny Liston
Mike Tyson

[My dinner with Conteh]

My Top 5 (alphabetical):

Ali
Foreman
Holyfield
Johnson
Lewis

[Jack Dempsey]

Dempsey, obviously

[My dinner with Conteh]

George Foreman

- Nigh unbeatable head to head

-2nd career cemented it.


Not unbeatable though, maybe unbeatable in a punch up but he could be outwitted.

[Holmes' Jab]

Larry Holmes: Perhaps the most under-appreciated HW Champ in history? Did everything in the ring extremely affectively, head-to-head he'd have a great chance of defeating any HW who ever lived. In my view.

Joe Louis: The greatest HW champion of all time- in my opinion. Economically devestating inside the ring, an absolute gentleman outside it who represented his country, race and the sport of boxing impecably.

Evander Holyfield: My sentimental favourite HW when I grew up in as a youngster in love with the sport. He always got involved in incredible, adrenaline pumping ring-wars and had a knack of defying the odds time after time- a true warrior in every sense of the word. I'll never forget that first fight vs Tsyon, barely anybody gave Evander a hope in hell of getting past the mid-rounds- yet he pulled off one of the most perfect performances in HW history.

[janitor]

In chronological order-

Peter Jackson

Jim Jeffries

Jack Johnson

Sam Langford

Jack Dempsey

Joe Louis

I guess that I am atracted to the social history aspect as much as to the action. All of these guys provide both in spades.

[McGrain]

There's only one for me.


<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

[janitor]

There's only one for me.


<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Floyd Patterson.

[JohnThomas1]

Floyd Patterson.

:rofl

Now that was a fukking ripper!!!! Hahahaha

[McGrain]

Floyd Patterson.

He's harly even in that photo he's had such a horrible hammering.

[heerko koois]

Tim whitherspoon .....

[TBooze]

Got to be Ali....

[heerko koois]

:smoke Got to be Ali....

Not Clay ?

[Cachibatches]

Joe Louis; he faced a lot in and out of the ring, and in both showed uncommon dignity and grace under fire.
He made America look at a black man as a hero. And even if he could never say it directly, he made AMerica realize that the Zazis were evil becasue they were racist.

[BoppaZoo]

my top 3 is in order.

1. Joe Louis
2. Floyd Patterson (i wish Floyd was around now he'd be a cruiserweight)
3. Mike Tyson

but for me Floyd Patterson is one of the guys i really respect and think doesnt get much respect around here.

[McGrain]

but for me Floyd Patterson is one of the guys i really respect and think doesnt get much respect around here.

I agree with you. And him getting in with Liston the second time is one of the bravest things i've ever seen a fighter do. How do you rate him for heart?

[BoppaZoo]

I agree with you. And him getting in with Liston the second time is one of the bravest things i've ever seen a fighter do. How do you rate him for heart?high infact you would have to have big balls to get in the ring being the size he was. im pretty sure he fought most of his career in heavyweight around the 190 mark.

yep massive balls the size of Coconuts.:good
in other words huge heart. he had that swagger about him also the kind you respect and wish him the best before every fight.
like if you walked past him in the street a bet you would say like millions of others did to Floyd.
Good Luck Champ. The Peoples Champ.

[Minotauro]

I would say Charles but I classify him as a light-heavyweight, so I'll go with:
1. Jersey Joe Walcott
2. Floyd Patterson
3. Joe Frazier
4. Rocky Marciano
5. Sonny Liston

[Joe E]

in no particular order:1.rocky marciano:for his grit and sheer determination.2.larry holmes:one of the most skilled and under appreciated heavys ever.3.sonny liston:man never caught a break in his life.4.jersey joe walcott:the classic cutie.5.ezzard charles:another un apprciated champ.thank you.:smoke

[Robbi]

Larry Holmes. Simply because I enjoy watching him.

Muhammad Ali and Lennox Lewis as well.

[Boro chris]

Ali-The most gifted Heavy of all time-Graceful and wonderful to watch.

Louis- The most proffecient and exact. Chilling combo's

Lewis- For Patriotic reasons. He also handled himself with class throughout his career.

[garymcfall]

I picked Ali for obvious reasons really
but i must also mention Mike Tyson

I feel extremely sorry for this guy i dont think he is a bad guy at all i think life has handed him a raw deal. He was the most naturally gifted heavyweight i think of his era maybe ever and i hope things work out for him.