I think this mostly terrific list misses the boat by including Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson and excluding Evander Holyfield. Holyfield whipped Tyson when he was past his prime, and Lewis was held to extremely unimpressive decisions against a very faded Holyfield. While Lennox Lewis can be arguably called the best heavyweight of the early 2000's, the 1990's belonged to Holyfield who fought a generally higher caliber of opposition and won more convincingly and fought with more heart. For that reason, and his KO losses to two bums Lennox Lewis doesn't deserve an all-time great sniff let alone a top ten ranking. Tyson's credentials are even less convincing. His best victory was against a light heavyweight in Michael Spinks. He lost or quit against anyone who ever gave him a tough fight and could have never withstood the mental pressure of fighting any of the other greats as his fights with Buster Douglas (!) and Holyfield showed.

Also, I'm going to commit sacrilege and take exception to Rocky Marciano's high placement on this list. Larry Holmes was not far off with his jock strap comment. Marciano's undefeated record deserves respect, but he was too small to compete with the big heavyweights of the 70's, and his best victories came against fighters of very advanced age. In fact, Ali, Foreman and Frazier deserve the 1-2-3 spots in that order for having tested their mettle against each other in the best era the heavyweight division has ever known. Giants walked the earth in the heavyweight division in the 1970's. Ken Norton probably would have thrashed Marciano.

Shane,
Thanks for taking the time to respond to my list. I did long soul searching about Holyfield, whom I greatly admire. I was at both of his fights with Tyson and agree he was more mentally tough than Tyson. It's just that Tyson defined a generation and Holyfield I don't believe was as good as Lewis or Riddick Bowe. Holyfield was a very good, not great heavy. If you want to put him in 10th spot instead of Tyson I won't argue. But if you put in Holyfield I think Jersey Joe Walcott comes knocking on the door and maybe Floyd Patterson.

Lowell

Shane, thank you, thank you for having this discussion with me. I love it. People have criticized Rocky for being small and fighting old guys. Those are valid criticisms. He hit tremendously hard and could take a punch as well as Ali, maybe better. And God did he have heart. I once told Floyd Patterson that Liston was a great figher -- he was -- and Floyd got a sour face and said, "When did he ever have to get off the canvas like Rocky did against Walcott?" The point: Rocky had incredible heart. I couldn't rate him lower but I don't quarrel if you do. I wouldn't pick Norton over Rocky. Norton couldn't take a shot and froze up against big hitters like Cooney and Shavers. If Rocky hit him Rocky would have murdered him. Finally I can't put Frazier as No. 3. I love Frazier but Liston would have knocked him out. Simple as that. Frazier was made to order for Sonny. Shane, on a good night Sonny would have KO'd Louis.

Lowell

Wolcott and Moore were 38 and 39 when they fought the Rock, and Moore was coming up from light heavy and he also knocked Rocky down. Rock beat up Moore, but didn't catch up with Walcott until the 13th round of their first fight. I think he was a strong but not necessarily murderous puncher and I think Liston, Frazier, Ali, Foreman and Larry Holmes would have whipped him. Liston was tremendous. You could be right about him beating Frazier or anyone else. And the circumstances around his fights with Ali are too bizarre to take either of those two fights at total face value, especially the second fight. However, I agree that we never saw Liston face adversity like that. Sonny's argument would be that he didn't have to. Especially against Patterson, who he batted around the ring!

Mike Tyson did define a generation, and early in his career when he moved his head and threw combinations he was a legitimate terror with his hand speed and power. But his mental weaknesses to me indicated that Holyfield would have beat him in their primes. Simply put, when the other guy fought back and didn't go away he folded. Bowe wasn't good enough long enough to surpass Holyfield, and Holyfield did beat him decisively in their rematch, and I think would have KO'd him were it not for Fan Man. Lennox had his hands full with an old Holyfield. I think a younger Holyfield would have found a way to get to that soft chin, and again all of his accomplishments are clouded by his two terrible, terrible KO losses to journeymen.

And yes, perhaps I was overdoing it saying Norton would have bet Marciano. And to me Floyd Patterson is an even worse call as an all-timer. He was not just beaten he was demolished by Liston and Johansen and was also a sub-190 lb. guy. I don't see him competing with the big heavies of the 70's or even Holyfield who had a comparable skill set but with better power and a much, much sturdier chin. Holyfield was never bounced around the ring by anybody. Even last year when he fought that bear from Russia.

Great comments and for my two cents there hasn't been a great heavyweight since the 70's. Tyson was exciting but he didn't stand the test of time. If you think about other sports, in order to be in the hall of fame you have to have longevity. You have to be able to stand and deliver for years. Take baseball, a few good seasons won’t cut it. Now I know we can’t expect boxers to last as long as baseball players but Tyson WAS exposed early in his career and he was never the same after that. In my mind he’s not on the list unless you are giving a nod to the last 20 years.

I don’t give a nod to the last 20 years and I think the heavyweight division has sucked for years. (“Sucked” – technical term).

It is spot on that when Tyson moved his head and threw combo’s he involved terror. He took my breath away with his step back uppercut (and a few guys’ heads off). Early on I was thrilled about Mike Tyson and yeah I know the sob story about how he split with his manager and about his childhood. Bottom-line actions have consequences and he made bad decisions and it cost his some glory and millions of dollars.

He’s not on my list…period.

I think every man who's won a title at heavyweight since Larry Holmes has had enormous flaws, except Evander Holyfield. I will give the nod to Holyfield. He was big enough, active enough and tough enough physically and mentally. I don't necessarily think he beats any of the titans of the 70's, but I think he gives them a fight. Particularly Frazier who was smaller than Ali and Foreman.