Who are the Greatest Heavyweight of All-Time?

By Tim Burke October 23, 2024 14:03

Neil Leifer—Sports Illustrated

A fun topic to debate is the four best athletes in any sport the four best players or "Mt. Rushmore" of the greatest or best of all time. Arguably the most difficult sport to find a top four greatest ever for is boxing, especially with the weight classes. So this article will focus on boxing's most historic division boxing.

4. Lennox Lewis

Lennox Lewis is one of nine fighters to have won both a Gold Medal at the Olympics and become a lineal heavyweight Champion. He is also one of four fighters to become a two-time time-line heavyweight champion and one of three to become a three-time heavyweight champion. Throughout the 139-year history of boxing’s lineal heavyweight championship, three men have retired from boxing as the lineal champion: Gene Tunney, Rocky Marciano, and Lennox Lewis. Retiring on top significantly helps one's legacy. In terms of competition, Lewis defeated all-time greats such as Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, and Vitali Klitschko. He was one of the greatest ever.

3. Joe Louis

In terms of longevity, Joe Louis reigns supreme. Louis spent eleven years, eight months, and eight days as heavyweight champion of the world, defending his title 27 times in that span. It is the longest title reign in heavyweight history. Nobody defended the title more than Joe Louis either. Joe Louis also has the longest reign as lineal heavyweight champion. His title reign is the best that there ever was and ever will be.

2. Rocky Marciano

Only one heavyweight champion has ever retired undefeated and that is Rocky Marciano. The Brockton, Massachusetts, native was 49-0 with 43 knockouts, an astounding record. If that is not impressive enough for you, he accomplished all of that in only eight years of professional boxing. Marciano to retire undefeated after 49 fights with his brawling style might make him the toughest fighter in the history of the sport. Among boxing historians, the heavyweights of the late 40s and early 50s are considered among the weakest. As time has passed, athletes are better than they used to be. Boxers from that time were mostly brawlers. Today, more skilled, technical fighters would likely defeat the slower, less skilled brawlers of Marciano's eras. Still, his greatness cannot be denied.

1. Muhammad Ali

In sports, greatness is attributed often to overcoming adversity. To find out who the greatest boxer is several questions need to be answered. Who fought the best competition? Who overcame the most odds? The answer to that question is without a doubt, Muhammad Ali. As mentioned earlier, only nine men have won Olympic gold and lineal championships.
Not only is Muhammad Ali one of the men who accomplished that feat, but he also beat four other men on that list: Floyd Patterson, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, and Leon Spinks. Ali is also the only three-time lineal heavyweight champion in history, defeating Sonny Liston, George Foreman, and Michael Spinks to do so. Ali not only said he was the greatest, he proved it.