List of Top 10 boxers of all time - who would you guys consider?

First topic message reminder :

Sorry I have limited knowledge in boxing compared to you guys, so when i say my top 10 i am gonna rate it on whom i saw/heard and who come to my mind instantly.

1]M Ali [Clausius Clay] [Undisputed Skill]
2]M Tyson [Undisputed power and reaction]
3]Lennox Lewis[Undisputed performance no negative stats]
4]Evander Holyfield [Undisputed consistency]
5]Wladimir Klitschko [N no. of titles]
6]Vitali Klitschko {one of the best modern day fighter I have seen]
7]Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
8]George Foreman
9]Manny Pacquiao
10]Joe Louis

Other names i can remember of
Hasim Rahman
David Haye
Joe Louis
Rocky Marciano
Larry Holmes
Tommy Burns

would like to know your views guys.

This topic has comedy gold within, the Jesus vs King Arthur part had me in stitches.

All this list is, is some heavyweights that the world knows about with Mayweather and Pacquiao thrown in for good measure. A genuine top 10 can't exclude Robinson, Armstrong etc.

Silly.

JabMachineMK2 wrote:

All this list is, is some heavyweights that the world knows about with Mayweather and Pacquiao thrown in for good measure. A genuine top 10 can't exclude Robinson, Armstrong etc.

Silly.

May be you are right, but personally I have never heard about them [Robinson and Armstrong], the only Armstrong I know is the one who landed on Moon and that too only by papers and media.

Do some reading.

http://www.ibhof.com/pages/about/inductees/inducteeindex.html

DirectView wrote:

JabMachineMK2 wrote:

All this list is, is some heavyweights that the world knows about with Mayweather and Pacquiao thrown in for good measure. A genuine top 10 can't exclude Robinson, Armstrong etc.

Silly.

May be you are right, but personally I have never heard about them [Robinson and Armstrong], the only Armstrong I know is the one who landed on Moon and that too only by papers and media.

Wait a second, you have heard of the fairly obscure Tommy Burns but haven't heard of the legendary and near on untouchable Sugar Ray Robinson and Henry Armstrong?

Bit suspicious.

DirectView wrote:

JabMachineMK2 wrote:

All this list is, is some heavyweights that the world knows about with Mayweather and Pacquiao thrown in for good measure. A genuine top 10 can't exclude Robinson, Armstrong etc.

Silly.

May be you are right, but personally I have never heard about them [Robinson and Armstrong], the only Armstrong I know is the one who landed on Moon and that too only by papers and media.

DirectView wrote:

JabMachineMK2 wrote:

All this list is, is some heavyweights that the world knows about with Mayweather and Pacquiao thrown in for good measure. A genuine top 10 can't exclude Robinson, Armstrong etc.

Silly.

May be you are right, but personally I have never heard about them [Robinson and Armstrong], the only Armstrong I know is the one who landed on Moon and that too only by papers and media.

Did he land on the moon... Or a desert in the Midwest. Can't trust what the papers say.
Anyway, some background on these guys for you.

Armstrong had an incredible reach, his nickname was stretch... The elastigirl of his day. Some thought he was on drugs, accusations that resurfaced when his great grandson lance was caught blood doping.

Robinson had an amazing life story. His family were Swiss, their boat to America sank and robinson was washed up on a desert island. He learnt to box using coconuts as speedballs. Something his sparring partner man Friday wasn't happy about.

Talented family the robinson's... Ray's nephew tom wrote the song war baby as a tribute to robinson's battles with jake la motta. His cousin Robert Robinson was the much loved presenter of call my bluff and ask the family.

milkyboy wrote:Talented family the robinson's... Ray's nephew tom wrote the song war baby as a tribute to robinson's battles with jake la motta.

And he was then imprisoned for a crime he blatantly didn't commit and lost his life trying to escape, which still upsets me to this day.

They then all got lost in space too.

88Chris05 wrote:

milkyboy wrote:Talented family the robinson's... Ray's nephew tom wrote the song war baby as a tribute to robinson's battles with jake la motta.

And he was then imprisoned for a crime he blatantly didn't commit and lost his lift trying to escape, which still upsets me to this day.

Didn't a female descendant host the tv show The Weakest Link?

DirectView wrote:

JabMachineMK2 wrote:

All this list is, is some heavyweights that the world knows about with Mayweather and Pacquiao thrown in for good measure. A genuine top 10 can't exclude Robinson, Armstrong etc.

Silly.

May be you are right, but personally I have never heard about them [Robinson and Armstrong], the only Armstrong I know is the one who landed on Moon and that too only by papers and media.

Henry Armstrong you can be forgiven for, but Sugar Ray Robinson is regarded by both fans and pro's as the greatest boxer that ever lived. Before making lists like this in a place as intimidating as this can be, it'd be a good idea to do some research first - that was my point.

Intimidating? Us?

Atila wrote:

88Chris05 wrote:

milkyboy wrote:Talented family the robinson's... Ray's nephew tom wrote the song war baby as a tribute to robinson's battles with jake la motta.

And he was then imprisoned for a crime he blatantly didn't commit and lost his lift trying to escape, which still upsets me to this day.

Didn't a female descendant host the tv show The Weakest Link?

Indeed. Two Goats in one family

JabMachineMK2 wrote:

DirectView wrote:

JabMachineMK2 wrote:

All this list is, is some heavyweights that the world knows about with Mayweather and Pacquiao thrown in for good measure. A genuine top 10 can't exclude Robinson, Armstrong etc.

Silly.

May be you are right, but personally I have never heard about them [Robinson and Armstrong], the only Armstrong I know is the one who landed on Moon and that too only by papers and media.

Henry Armstrong you can be forgiven for, but Sugar Ray Robinson is regarded by both fans and pro's as the greatest boxer that ever lived. Before making lists like this in a place as intimidating as this can be, it'd be a good idea to do some research first - that was my point.

Oh yea I have heard about Sugar Ray Robinson, I know him more as Sugar Ray than just Robinson.

I opened the topic for research only, I thought i would collect a lot of names from fans and make a list watch those fighters video in youtube, sadly not even one has compiled a list for me.

Rowley wrote:

Dipper Brown wrote:
I've even seen people put fighters from the 20s in their ATG lists. How can you possibly know?

Just googled top ten military generals and chose the first list that came up.

http://www.thetoptens.com/top-military-generals/

Am reasonably confident whoever put this together did not serve alongside or against Julius Ceaser.

not even heard of the top 3, all overhyped with nostalgia i tell thee, hung dao clearly avoided the russians and giap has question marks about giving certain substances to his troops

You lot are meanies. This poor lad just wants a top ten list to compare notes.

Mate, top ten lists are subjective, but as the reigning rookie of the year, I think mine carries a little more weight.

1) Corrie Sanders
2) Vitali Klitsckho
3) Ken Norton
4) Sergio Martinez
5) Manny Pacquiao
6) Lara
6) Keith Thurman
7) Gerrie Oosthuizen
8) Tommy Oosthuizen
9) Kallie Knoetze
10) Vic Toweel

No Brian Mitchell then Raf?

He wasn't good looking enough.

Always tricky, DV, as there is a hell of a lot of competition for only ten places. I think Robinson, Armstrong, Harry Greb, Ezzard Charles and Ali are five absolute musts in a top ten and it'd take a very good argument for me to drop 'em any lower.

Outside of that, there's a group of names who I'd personally say could / should be in or around the ten as well, in rough-ish order; Bob Fitzsimmons, Sam Langford, Ray Leonard, Benny Leonard, Roberto Duran, Floyd Mayweather Jr, Pernell Whitaker, Barney Ross and Gene Tunney. Some have stronger claims than others, perhaps, but they'd be in the mix for those 6-10 placings.

The next few names are guys who I don't think really have a top ten claim, but would be the next best candidates and who obviously would get support for a top ten spot from others, as there is so much competition; Eder Jofre, Mickey Walker, Carlos Monzon, Roy Jones Jr, Willie Pep, Sandy Saddler, Alexis Arguello, Jimmy McLarnin, Michael Spinks, Joe Louis, Bernard Hopkins, Jimmy Wilde, Ricardo Lopez, Julio Cesar Chavez, Pacquiao etc. None of them are top tenners for me, but ask enough people on the site and no doubt you'll get some support for their claims in some cases eventually.

As I said, a whole lot of quality to try and fit in to just ten spaces.

Not sure how many of them you'll know, but they're the kind of names you should have a butchers at if you're interested in trying to see who the very best of the lot have been as a rough guide. Going back in history a fair bit, which isn't everyone's cup of tea, but if that's what you're after then take a look at their records, watch them on YouTube (not all will be available due to the era they boxed in) and weigh up whose achievements resonate with you most and you'll end up with a pretty good list of your own further down the line, mate.

kingraf wrote:You lot are meanies. This poor lad just wants a top ten list to compare notes.

Mate, top ten lists are subjective, but as the reigning rookie of the year, I think mine carries a little more weight.

1) Corrie Sanders
2) Vitali Klitsckho
3) Ken Norton
4) Sergio Martinez
5) Manny Pacquiao
6) Lara
6) Keith Thurman
7) Gerrie Oosthuizen
8) Tommy Oosthuizen
9) Kallie Knoetze
10) Vic Toweel

Thx for the list, outside 1],2],5] i guess i have no clue of most boxers listed in it, i saw Corrie Sanders box both Klits and I was very impressed on his aggressive style, I loved the way he knocked Wlad out, he even launched a few outright punches on Vitali but Vitali somehow held it and knocked Corrie of when he lost his gas, but why did u rate him ahead of Vitali thou? Do you give more preference to style of play over records.

88Chris05 wrote:Always tricky, DV, as there is a hell of a lot of competition for only ten places. I think Robinson, Armstrong, Harry Greb, Ezzard Charles and Ali are five absolute musts in a top ten and it'd take a very good argument for me to drop 'em any lower.

Outside of that, there's a group of names who I'd personally say could / should be in or around the ten as well, in rough-ish order; Bob Fitzsimmons, Sam Langford, Ray Leonard, Benny Leonard, Roberto Duran, Floyd Mayweather Jr, Pernell Whitaker, Barney Ross and Gene Tunney. Some have stronger claims than others, perhaps, but they'd be in the mix for those 6-10 placings.

The next few names are guys who I don't think really have a top ten claim, but would be the next best candidates and who obviously would get support for a top ten spot from others, as there is so much competition; Eder Jofre, Mickey Walker, Carlos Monzon, Roy Jones Jr, Willie Pep, Sandy Saddler, Alexis Arguello, Jimmy McLarnin, Michael Spinks, Joe Louis, Bernard Hopkins, Jimmy Wilde, Ricardo Lopez, Julio Cesar Chavez, Pacquiao etc. None of them are top tenners for me, but ask enough people on the site and no doubt you'll get some support for their claims in some cases eventually.

As I said, a whole lot of quality to try and fit in to just ten spaces.

Not sure how many of them you'll know, but they're the kind of names you should have a butchers at if you're interested in trying to see who the very best of the lot have been as a rough guide. Going back in history a fair bit, which isn't everyone's cup of tea, but if that's what you're after then take a look at their records, watch them on YouTube (not all will be available due to the era they boxed in) and weigh up whose achievements resonate with you most and you'll end up with a pretty good list of your own further down the line, mate.

I really didn't know 90% of the names you mentioned, but i always thought Tyson , Lewis , Holyfield and klits are some of the all time greats but to my shock almost 99% of the posters have a different view.

I was a big fan of Tyson, he genuinely ruined his career but otherwise not many can really stand with him in the ring at his prime.

Well as the old adage goes, "So goes the Heavyweight division, so goes boxing" I guess. In the context of the Heavyweight division (which has been the most lucrative and covered, in fairness) then all those guys you've talked about are great, but there are 17 weight classes.....Or 8 if you're one of those mardy old-school types! Plenty of cracking fighters there to have a look at.

Depends on your benchmark for all time greats. All of the guys you mentioned are definite All time heavyweight greats. I think they are all time greats, given the size of the talent pool over 120 years of boxing, but they aren't quite elite.