Your opinion on best boxers ever? Top 5

[mrhnau]

I just read a short blurb on ESPN about The Top 50 Boxers (http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/greatest/featureVideo?page=greatest4150&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab4pos2). The link only discussed the 50-41 boxers, but I'm sure more are to come. I'll try to post them here as they come.

Now, who do you think deserves the top 5? Any weight class, best pound for pound fighters in history.

Here is my list
1. Muhammed Ali - the guy revolutionized the sport, and was fantastic in his prime
2. Fexix "Tito" Trinidad - never seen a small guy hit harder
3. Mike Tyson - at his peak, I'd pit him against any other fighter
4. Rocky Marciano - only undefeated heavyweight, though I wish he fought some more big names
5. "The Prince" Naseem Hamed - the guy was so enjoyable to watch fight! so unconventional. Get knocked down alot, but almost always knocked down his opponent more!

The list is not necessarily the best records, I'm sure others have had better, but the most entertaining and best in their prime. The guys I'd pay to see in their prime :) I've paid to see a few of these guys fight...

Whats your list?

[jks9199]

I wouldn't include Mike Tyson. What he had going for him, in my opinion, was POWER. And, early in his career, under Cus D'amato, disciplined training. Even very early on, I think a GOOD counterpuncher who didn't try to prove that he could take Tyson's punches would have frustrated him and beaten him.

I do think that Ali was the greatest we've seen yet; he brought an incredible talent and ability to the ring. He was one of the very few "mouths" that could really back it up! I love watching films of his fights; I'm still astounded by the way that he could backpedal, and still knock someone out!

I think Ray Leonard deserves at least consideration; he was talented, and classy. He really brought professionalism to being a boxer, I think.

[CTKempo Todd]

I wouldn't include Mike Tyson. What he had going for him, in my opinion, was POWER. And, early in his career, under Cus D'amato, disciplined training. Even very early on, I think a GOOD counterpuncher who didn't try to prove that he could take Tyson's punches would have frustrated him and beaten him.

I do think that Ali was the greatest we've seen yet; he brought an incredible talent and ability to the ring. He was one of the very few "mouths" that could really back it up! I love watching films of his fights; I'm still astounded by the way that he could backpedal, and still knock someone out!

I think Ray Leonard deserves at least consideration; he was talented, and classy. He really brought professionalism to being a boxer, I think.

You HAVE to put Tyson in there..How the heck can you NOT. He absolutely CRUSHED his opponents like no other boxer I can remember. It would be news if somebady last more than 6 rounds..Don't kid youself. There NO one who could have beaten Mike Tyson in his day. Crushing Power, youth and speed (he was pretty quick) are a tough combination to overcome.
No way man..He is in.
He would have been an all time great if he did not destroy himself. What a train wreck.

Agree on Ali, Agree on consideration for Leonard, and Marvin Hagler for that matter. (definate top 10s)

This thread is going to turn into the barber shop scene from "Coming to America" LOL

[Andrew Green]

Sugar Ray Robinson generally takes #1 on these lists, and pound for pound was probably the best.

Tyson had more then power, but he certainely had that. Watch his early fights, back when he was climbing to the top and putting everyone out in round one, he could move. His post jail fights where a different story, but before that he was worthy of consideration.

[JadecloudAlchemist]

Is this only modern last century can it be anyone in the world?
because mine go beyond this century and America :)
I'll will post my top 5 but given since you started the thread I will wait for clarfication.

speaking about the boxers already mention I think Tyson is an animal guess that can be taken any which way. I think Rocky(not the movie) was a great boxer and would be in my top 10. I don't know if I would put Ali in my top 5 my top 10 yes I would pick the Brown bomber Joe Louis who has a great fight record. There are so many but I will admit Ali was great at show boating.

[Steel Tiger]

[quote=Andrew Green;781222]Sugar Ray Robinson generally takes #1 on these lists, and pound for pound was probably the best.quote]

I have to agree with you on this, he was sweet to watch. But I'm also liking Leonard and Hagler. Among the heavies I like Ali, Louis, and Marciano. Tyson early fights were devastating but I have always prefers boxers to fighters.

[Mariachi Joe]

Rocky Marciano
Joe Lewis
Julio Cesar Chavez
Muhammed Ali
Joe Frazier

[stickarts]

I agree with much of what has been already posted.
Ali was a big man that moved like a smaller man and was just amazing, and we probably never even saw the best of him. He was just starting to peak when he had his 3 year layoff. Watch his fight against Cleveland Williams. He threw a flurry of 7 punches that you could barely see. He would start to throw a punch while still out of range, float in and hit him, and float out again before his opponent could react.

I think in his day Jack Johnson was a pretty scary guy. I don't know if he is top 5 or not but I thought him worth mentioning.

Really its difficult to compare people from different eras.

[Brian R. VanCise]

Wow so many so I will go with a few that I watched alot!

Muhammed Ali
Joe Frazier
Sugar Ray Leonard
Marvelous Marvin Hagler
Thomas the Hit Man Hearns

There really are to many to list.

Mike Tyson was also fun to watch early on....
So was Prince Nazeem, not to mention
Chavez, Paco, etc...

If I had to pick two it would be :
Muhammed Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson!

[tellner]

"Sugar" Ray Robinson
Rocky Marciano
Muhammed Ali
Joe Louis
Figg? Molineux? Mendoza? Corbett?

[Tames D]

Sugar Ray Leonard
Muhammed Ali
Roberto Duran
Indian Red Lopez
Thomas Hearns

[bushidomartialarts]

1. Champions
2. Hanes
3. Under Armor
4. Fruit of the Loom
5. Frederick's of Hollywood Peekaboo (Elephant Model)

[cstanley]

1. Ali
2. Sugar Ray Robinson
3. Duran (in his prime)
4. Marciano
5. Joe Frazier/Joe Lewis (tie)

Boxers are underrated by karate guys and other martial artists. Few martial artists, if any, hit as hard or as fast as professional boxers. Plus, they have tremendous endurance.
Ali had it all. Had the government not screwed him, he would have achieved even more.

There is a great story about Ali when he was flying with a Sports Illustrated reporter. The plane was about to take off, and the announcement came to fasten seat belts. A pretty stewardess came by and noticed Ali did not have his seat belt buckled. She asked him to please buckle his belt. Ali flirted with her and said, "Baby, Superman don't need no seat belt." The stewardess replied, "Baby, Superman don't need no airplane. Now, buckle that seatbelt.":ultracool

[mrhnau]

Is this only modern last century can it be anyone in the world?
because mine go beyond this century and America :)
I'll will post my top 5 but given since you started the thread I will wait for clarfication.


Older boxers are fine... might provide some interesting reading :) One reason I've kept mine fairly recent is due to the film I've seen and the fights I've got to watch in real time. Hard for me to judge how great a fighter was just by statistics...

[JadecloudAlchemist]

Fair enough.
I would pick:
Sean O'grady
Joe Louis
Jack Dempsey
Rocky Maricano
Joe Fraizer

I left out the old school guys such as James Cobett and left out others who had great stats to keep it simply as fight reels and fights I have seen.

[mrhnau]

Their completed list of top 50 (http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/greatest/featureVideo?page=greatest150)

I'm looking at this list and going... huh????

[JBrainard]

I wouldn't include Mike Tyson. What he had going for him, in my opinion, was POWER. And, early in his career, under Cus D'amato, disciplined training. Even very early on, I think a GOOD counterpuncher who didn't try to prove that he could take Tyson's punches would have frustrated him and beaten him.

I completely disagree. As I mentioned in another thread, he's not just a powerhouse. Tyson spent a lot of time studying the mechanics of boxing, what works and what doesn't.
I once saw a boxing match (can't remember who the players were) where the one hit the other so hard that the recipiant of the punch went into a violent full body muscle spasm. That's a whole lot of power in one punch! But is that boxer a household name like Tyson? Nope.

[mrhnau]

I completely disagree. As I mentioned in another thread, he's not just a powerhouse. Tyson spent a lot of time studying the mechanics of boxing, what works and what doesn't.
I once saw a boxing match (can't remember who the players were) where the one hit the other so hard that the recipiant of the punch went into a violent full body muscle spasm. That's a whole lot of power in one punch! But is that boxer a household name like Tyson? Nope.
The guy should at least be in the top ten, IMHO

[The Kai]

Tyson was fun to watch, but did he ever fight anyone of talent?

I liked Boom Boom Mancini,
How about Roy Jones Jr?

[Tames D]

Their completed list of top 50 (http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/greatest/featureVideo?page=greatest150)

I'm looking at this list and going... huh????
You know, I've been a boxing fan from day one, but I'm embarrassed to say that I've never heard of 3 or 4 of those guys...

[tshadowchaser]

my list looks like this but necessarily in this order
Sugar Ray Robinson
Muhammed Ali
Rocky Marciano
Sugar Ray Leonard
Marvelous Marvin Hagler
tyson

I know I have 6 not 5 listed

[redfang]

I would have to put Tyson in my list, just because I always really enjoyed watching his fights. I recently watched several of fights on espn classic. I had forgotten how good he was when he was young. He was incredibly fast, this was probably a bigger asset than his pure strength, which was tremendous. He was always much shorter than his opponents, with a much shorter reach, but it never mattered (until his trainer died of course and his discipline and training went down the tubes with his personal life.), he was a bull, each fist was one of the horns.

So, love fest for a sociopathic, ear-biting, sex offender over, here's my list (in no real order):

Tyson
Ali
Sugar Ray Robinson
Sugar Ray Leonard
Julio Cesar Chavez

I'm going to throw in a sixth, Jake LaMotta, as an honorary, after all I've only seen about two of his fights on espnclassics, but because ya gotta love Raging Bull with Deniro as LaMotta.

[Jutt-]

Mike Tyson easily was one of the best in his peak.
Lennox Lewis has to be up there to.
Steve Collins is another Middlewieght legend IMO.
Oscar De La Hoya.
Muhammed Ali - save the best till last ;)

[Cabalcincotiros]

1) Henry Armstrong.
2) Ray Leonard.
3) Jack Dempsey.
4) Rocky Marciano.
5) Cassius Clay (Muhammed Ali).

[mrhnau]

Lennox Lewis has to be up there to.
Lewis was good, but GOSH was he boring to watch.... Most of the fights I watched just about put me to sleep. He had a few action fights, but most went like this:

jab jab clinch... jab jab clinch.... jab jab clinch... throw an occassional hook in there... jab jab clinch...

If they guy did not have 18 feet long arms, he would not have been nearly as good. I would have loved to see him box someone much larger than himself w/ a decent amount of skill, though I admit, those guys are hard to find these days...

[14 Kempo]

Well, whether or not they were the best, the ones I tuned into watch were ...

- Muhammad Ali
Simply revolutionized the sport and had quite a lot of competition during this era.
- Mike Tyson
Like it or not, devastating in the early years. Lost it with the passing of Cus and signing with King

Then this weight class during the time, the most competetive I remember while I watched boxing ...
- Sugar Ray Leonard
- Marvin Hagler
- Roberto Duran
- Thomas Hearns

[IcemanSK]

Off the top of my head. In no particular order.

Harry Greb
Marvin Hagler
Muhhamed Ali
Sugar Ray Roboinson
Julio Ceasar Chavez

Each can argued for or against. If I thought about it, I'd add or subtract someone.

[Tong Po]

In no particular order and limiting myself to 5

Joe Louis
Muhammad Ali
Rocky Marciano
Sugar Ray Robinson
George Foreman

[kidswarrior]

Rocky Marciano
Clay/Ali (although I could have done without the mouth :ultracool)
Sugar Ray
Jack Dempsey
Gene LeBell--hey, it's my list, and have you seen his fight with Milo Savage? :D

[MA-Caver]

Rocky Balboa
Apollo Creed
Clubber Lang
Eddie 'Kid Natural' Scanlon
Walter Gulick
Sean Thornton

Oh... you meant real life fighters... well then...uh, I'll go with the ESPN list. :idunno:

[K831]

Wow, tough. This is the first five;

Sugar Ray Robinson
Muhammad Ali
Roberto Duran
Rocky Marciano
Willie Pep

Second Group:

Joe Louis
Benny Leonard
Henry Armstrong
Mike Tyson
Jack Dempsey
George Foreman
And of course James J Braddock

[Skip Cooper]

It seems that one's opinion about who is the best top fighters depends on the era they were watching them in...

My favorites in no certain order:

Roy Jones Jr.
Mickey Ward
Oscar de la Hoya
Wladimir Klitschko
Bernard Hopkins

Up and coming fighters that I like:

Alfonso Gomez
Kermit Cintron
Miguel Cotto
Paul Williams
Rocky Juarez

[LegLockGuy]

Mike Tyson
Evander Holyfield
Bernard Hopkins
Shannon Briggs
and Arturo Gatti

Hell, Mike Tyson is even a hero of mine, he's one of the reasons that got me into fighting.

[Karatedrifter7]

Jewish boxers from the 30's
Max Baer
Al "The Bronx Beauty" Singer
Ben Jeby
Barney Ross
Battling Levinsky
Those were the best.

[warxjournal]

rocky balboa x5

[searcher]

Marciano-I learned to destroy an opponents are BEFORE you knock them out.
Dempsy-The guy looked like a felon.
Foreman-In his prime, he was a beast.
Holyfield-A cruiserweight that became a heavyweight champ.

Buster Douglas-not that he is one of the greatest, but he was the first to prove that Tyson was not invincible.

[Kosho Gakkusei]

This is my list:

1. Rocky Balboa
2. Apollo Creed
3. Clubber Lang
4. Ivan Drago
5. Tommy Gunn

I have only seen a limited amount of boxers fight -less than 30% of ESPN's list so I'm not qualified to say who was the best ever.

Ali was incredible to watch so quick and slick.
I've seen a little bit of Marciano and he was tough.
Frazier had an amazing left hook.
Tyson was terrifying back in the day but you were disappointed if you bought the PPV because it was over so quick.

_Don Flatt