My Top 20 Greatest Heavyweight Champions Ever

The list does not include active boxers such as Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury and Joseph Parker.

20 Michael Spinks

Boxing record
Total fights 32
Wins 31
Wins by KO 21
Losses 1

Michael Spinks will always be remembered for being destroyed by a prime Mike Tyson but he was also the man to end Larry Holmes dominance of the heavyweight division.

19 Michael Moorer

Total fights 57
Wins 52
Wins by KO 40
Losses 4
Draws 1

Like Spinks Michael Moorer will usually be remembered for being the man knocked out by an old George Foreman and he was always a better light heavyweight than heavyweight. He beat Holyfield and he was two time world champion.

18 James J. Jeffries

Boxing record
Total fights 23
Wins 19
Wins by KO 14
Losses 1
Draws 2
No contests 1

Stepped out of a 6 year retirement to fight Jack Johnson and decisively lost. Before that he was unbeaten.

17 Sonny Liston
Total fights 54
Wins 50
Wins by KO 39
Losses 4

Had his reign of being heavyweight champion cut short by Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) before that he was unbeaten and considered unbeatable. Very few people gave Ali a chance.

16 Joe Frazier

Total fights 37
Wins 32
Wins by KO 27
Losses 4
Draws 1

The first man to beat Ali known for his non stop pressure and vicious left hook.

15 Evander Holyfield

Total fights 57
Wins 44
Wins by KO 29
Losses 10
Draws 2
No contests 1

Ridiculously brave and caused some huge upsets throughout his long career.

14 Riddick Bowe

Boxing record
Total fights 45
Wins 43
Wins by KO 33
Losses 1
No contests 1

Beat up badly twice by the underrated Golata but won both fights on DQ. Best known for his trilogy against Holyfield.

13 John L. Sullivan

Total fights 44
Wins 40
Wins by KO 34
Losses 1
Draws 2
No contests 1

John Lawrence Sullivan (October 15, 1858 – February 2, 1918), also known as the “Boston Strong Boy”, was an Irish-American boxer recognized as the first heavyweight champion of gloved boxing, holding the title from February 7, 1882, to 1892. He is also generally recognized as the last heavyweight champion of bare-knuckle boxing under the London Prize Ring Rules.

12 Wladimir Klitschko

Total fights 69
Wins 64
Wins by KO 53
Losses 5

Klitschko holds the record for the longest combined world championship reign in boxing history at 4,383 days; the most wins in world title bouts and undisputed championship bouts and most consecutive defenses of the undisputed title

11 George Foreman

Boxing record
Total fights 81
Wins 76
Wins by KO 68
Losses 5

Beat up Joe Frazer twice but was later stopped by Ali and retired for ten years before coming back and becoming the oldest heavyweight champion ever when he knocked out Michael Moorer.

Continued from https://steemit.com/sport/@wolvoman80/my-top-20-greatest-heavyweight-champions-ever-20-to-11

10 Larry Holmes

Beat a very old and faded Ali and was dominant in the early part of the 80s.

Boxing record
Total fights 75
Wins 69
Wins by KO 44
Losses 6

9 Vitali Klitschko

Vitali Klitschko has never actually been losing a fight! He was up on the judges cards in both loses and both loses were caused through injury (a bad cut above his eye against Lewis and an injured shoulder against Cris Byrd.

Total fights 47
Wins 45
Wins by KO 41
Losses 2

8 Lennox Lewis
Beat an old Mike Tyson but also beat Holyfield, Razor Ruddock, Andrew Golota, Michael Grant, David Tua, Tony Tucker, Ray Mercer, Shannon Briggs, Vitali Klitschko and others.

Total fights 44
Wins 41
Wins by KO 32
Losses 2
Draws 1

7 Jack Dempsey

Delivered one of the worst beatings ever seen in the boxing ring on Jesse Willard famous for his viscous attacks and failing to head to a neutral corner against Gene Tunney

Total fights 75
Wins 54
Wins by KO 44
Losses 6
Draws 9

6 Rocky Marciano

Never lost unbelievable determination with a dangerous punch. His knock out of Jersey Joe Walcott displays his amazing punching power.

Total fights 49
Wins 49
Wins by KO 43
Losses 0

5 Mike Tyson
Total fights 58
Wins 50
Wins by KO 44
Losses 6
No contests 2

The youngest heavyweight champion of all time and despite his amazing career in which he was dominant throughout the late 80s he could have and should have been even better. Still great though and for a few years in his prime he looked unbeatable.

4 Jack Johnson
First black heavyweight he was universally hated by white America. Most of his loses come very late in his career (a few come early) Jack Johnson was dominant for the best part of seven years and even his loss against Willard is questionable as he claims he took a dive. Skeptics however ask why wait till round 26 before taking a dive?

Total fights 104
Wins 73
Wins by KO 40
Losses 13
Draws 10
No contests 5

3 Gene Tunney

Never as loved or celebrated as Jack Dempsey but he holds an amazing record with only one loss which he avenged 4 times! Out boxed a faded Jack Dempsey twice.

Total fights 85 (17 newspaper decisions)
Wins 65
Wins by KO 48
Losses 1
Draws 1
No contests 1

2 Joe Louis
Louis was ranked as the best heavyweight of all time by the International Boxing Research Organization, and was ranked number one on The Ring magazine’s list of the “100 greatest punchers of all time” Louis’ championship reign lasted 140 consecutive months, during which he participated in 26 championship fights (he would probably have fought more if his time in the army did not stop him.)

Total fights 69
Wins 66
Wins by KO 52
Losses 3

1. Muhammad Ali

Some might put Joe Louis at number one I would not argue with that but I’m putting Ali at number one. This is due to his wins against Sonny Liston, Joe Frazer and his best win of all against George Foreman. Ali carried on fighting past his prime and much too long but at his best he was as quick as any heavyweight that has ever lived, powerful, brave and smart he also had his prime years taken away as he was stripped of being world champion and did not fight for 3 years aged from 25 to 28.

Total fights 61
Wins 56
Wins by KO 37
Losses 5