The ten greatest heavyweights of all time - Part 1

Boxing fans reminisce the sport’s past glory, when its stars enthralled the world, with a warm longing. With no offence to Klitschiko (the present world champion), this article is a tribute to the past glory of the sport and the men that defined it. This list includes the finest boxers in the heavyweight division.

10. MIKE TYSON

‘Iron Mike Tyson’ – the most popular figure in boxing history along with Ali. From WWII veterans in New York to a kid in rural Africa, everybody is familiar with Iron Mike. He rose to stardom in 1988, when he beat Michael Spinks to become the youngest heavyweight champion. His career spanned from 1985 to 2002, with a career record 50-6-2, out of which 44 were by knockout. He was 37-0 before his first loss in 1990. One of the hardest punchers boxing has ever seen, the man has been everywhere from the ring, prison to silver screen. Controversies surrounded him throughout his career, including the infamous biting of Evander Holyfield’s ear. With the talent that he possessed, this man’s career is filled with a lot of ‘what-ifs’, but he still manages a top 10.

9. JACK DEMPSEY

Also known as ‘Jack the Manassa Mauler’. Dempsey had a career record of 62-6-9, with 51 knockouts and 9 no-decisions. He held the world heavyweight title from 1919-1926. He was boxing’s first superstar, whose matches were like epic battles. He had speed, power and an exhilarating style, and fought with wild abandon. Despite being so dominant, his resume has some gaps. He did not fight the top black heavyweights of that time, which pushes him down this list.

8. EVANDER HOLYFIELD

Nicknamed the ‘Real Deal’, Holyfield started his career in 1984. He has a career record 42-10-2, with 27 knockouts. Holyfield was the bronze-medalist in the cruiser-weight division at the 1984 Olympics. He was at the heart of probably the second-best era in boxing history (the late 80′s and 90’s). Holyfield was among the best and most consistent fighters of the era. He also beat a better version of Mike Tyson. Holyfield was Lineal world champion from 1990-1992 and defended his title three times. It was his ‘never say die’ spirit that made him a great boxer and an even greater champion.

7. ROCKY MARCIANO

Active from 1947 to 1955, Rocky Marciano had an astounding career record (49-0), with 43 knockouts. Also known as the ‘Brocton Blockbuster’, he is the only boxer ever to retire without a loss. Standing only 5’10 inches tall and weighing 190 lbs, Rocky was among the most loved boxers of his time. At his zenith, he won the world heavyweight title and defended it six times. Although he had slow hands and feet, he was one of the toughest boxers the division has ever seen. The only drawback in his record is that his major wins came mainly against older, ‘over the hill’ boxers such as Joe Louis.

6. JOE FRAZIER

In a career than spanned from 1965 to 1981, Frazier had a career record of 32-4-1, with 27 knockouts. A 1964 Olympic gold medalist , he was world champion from 1970-1973 with 4 defenses. He was a major part of the widely recognized ‘greatest era’ in boxing history. Standing less than 6 feet tall, the man loved to fight. His arsenal included smothering body attacks and a vicious left hook. His only losses came against the monstrous talents of Ali and Foreman. His three matches against Ali, including the ‘Thrilla in Manila’ are considered among the greatest boxing matches ever.

Who are the top five boxers of all time? Find out in part 2!