The greatest heavyweight boxers of all time
Until the likes of MannyPacquaio and Floyd Mayweather Jr, heavy weight boxing was the biggest draw across all the 17 weight divisions. Over the years the heavyweight title fights were always global events and still are today, the weight division has produced some of the most memorable legends in boxing.
A heavyweight boxer must weight in at 200lbs+, and at that size be able to deal with some serious blows. The most recent fight between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder is uncontested proof that the heavyweight boxing is still king
The different champions across all weight divisions
Mike Tyson
To the younger generation Tyson is probably better know for television and movie box office reasons. But for boxing fans Iron Mike was a boxing superstar and the biggest draw in boxing for years, he is also the last undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
Tyson pummled Buster Douglas, Evander Holyfield, Riddick Bowe and Lennox Lewis to become the unified champion. In his prime Tyson was unbeatable in his power, hitting ability and speed i the heavyweight decision. His time in jail set him back a lot and he never recovered his brutal finishing ability in the ring after it.
Boxing is hugely physically demanding sport and Iron Mike made it even more so with his brutally devastating fight style
Evander Holyfield
Evander earned is first heavyweight title when he knocked out Buster Douglas in the third round in 1990, he would have a bright future ahead of him. He will be always be remember for his battles with fellow heavyweights Mike Tyson and Riddick Bowe, who defeated him in 1992, but Evander was able to regain his title by defeating him in 1993.
Holyfield fought Tyson twice, winning both bouts, one of which included the famous ear bite incident!
Joe Lewis
Lewis was an American boxing legend who competed from 1934 to 1951. He reigned as the world heavyweight champion all the way from 1937 to 1949, and is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, he still holds the record for most consecutive title defences at the heavyweight division, which is also the record for most consecutive title defences in boxing history. His 27 title fight wins are a record that will go unbeaten for sometime.
Rocky Marciano
The ‘only’ 5ft 10 Rocky finished a perfect 49-0 with 43 wins coming by knock out. His career was short lived compared to most of the future fighters, only lasting from 1947-1956, but he holds the record for the longest undefeated streak by a heavyweight.
Different Boxing Belts Explained
Wladimir Wladimirovitsch Klitschko
Klitschko is a Ukrainian former professional boxer who competed from 1996 to 2017. He held the world heavyweight championship twice, including the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO. Known for his exceptional knockout power, Klitschko is ranked send to Joe Lewis with an incredible 25 title fight wins.
Muhammad Ali
Ali transcended boxing and indeed sport in general unlike anyone else in the world at that time, he was and still is for many, the greatest sportsman of the 20th Century. Ali is not only considered the greatest boxer of all time across all divisions but also one of the greatest and most respected sports people ever.
His speed and grace in the ring for a heavyweight fighter were just amazing to watch and he had the looks and sharp wit and personality to match this awe inspiring fight style. He is the only boxer in the history of the heavyweight division to become Lineal world heavyweight champion three times. He had 22 title fight wins in his now legendary career.
Ali was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease in 1984 and he died at the age of 74 in June 2016.
The greatest boxers of all time
The Others
George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Joe Fraizer were all legends of their time too. Nowadays the big names in Heavyweight boxing are Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
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