It seems like, during these lockdown times, just about everyone is making a Top-10 boxing list of some kind – be it greatest fighters, greatest fights, greatest rounds. One man who is more entitled than most to compile a list of greatest-ever heavyweights, one man who is certainly worth listening to, is the one and only “Big George” Foreman.
Foreman took some time out to speak with UK paper The Sun, and the former two-time world ruler who also won Olympic gold gave his Top-10 greatest heavyweights. Foreman also explained his decisions.
Here’s Foreman’s Top-10:
1: Joe Louis
2: Rocky Marciano
3: John L Sullivan
4: Jack Johnson
5: Muhammad Ali
6: Floyd Patterson
7: Lennox Lewis
8: Mike Tyson
9: Evander Holyfield
10: Jack Dempsey
An interesting list. We can assume Foreman himself is missing from the list purely due to George’s modesty in not placing himself on the list. Some fans will wonder why Joe Frazier fails to make the list, while others will wonder why Ali is as low as No5.
Foreman spoke with SunSport, explaining why he placed who where:
“Joe Louis is greatest of all time heavyweight as far as a boxer is concerned,” Foreman said. “My number two heavyweight to leave boxing undefeated, Rocky Marciano. Number three in John L Sullivan. Four is Jack Johnson. Number five is Muhammad Ali. They [casual fans who were not interested in boxing but watched Ali’s fights) never even saw a boxing match in their lives, because he was a great man and the greatest personality and overall, to talk about Muhammad Ali from a pure boxing perspective is a put-down. He was greater than that. Everybody’s life has been better because of Ali.”
Foreman has long since said Louis is the greatest-ever heavyweight in his opinion, and plenty of fans agree with him. Many more, however, list Ali at the very top. Is Foreman’s Top-10 one you can agree with, or do you find plenty to disagree with? Should Sonny Liston be on Foreman’s list? How about Gene Tunney. We could go on all day!