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14 Year Anniversary of The Bite Fight

6/28/2011

Evander Holyfield floors Mike Tyson with a left hook in their November 1996 fight.

In November 1996, Evander Holyfield shocked the world by defeating Mike Tyson. The fight was the second loss of Tyson's career, and the rematch resulted in what is now known as "The Bite Fight" which took place 14 years ago today.

This was the first major boxing event that I witnessed live on PPV, and from that time on, I was hooked on boxing. First, allow me to backtrack and explain how these two gladiators found themselves in the ring on this particular night.

Backstory

Tyson and Holyfield were originally scheduled to clash in 1990 when Tyson was the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion, but Tyson was shockingly knocked out by Buster Douglas. Therefore, Holyfield had no choice but to fight Douglas instead. (It only took three rounds for Holyfield to win the championship from Douglas). Tyson was supposed to fight Holyfield for the title the following year, but was convicted of rape and sent to prison.

During Tyson's imprisonment, Holyfield defended the title against Bert Cooper, George Foreman, and Larry Holmes. He eventually lost the belts to Riddick Bowe, but recaptured the crown in a rematch. Then, in 1994, Holyfield was outpointed by Michael Moorer, losing the championship again. The former champion was diagnosed with a heart condition and retired.

1995 was the comeback year for both boxers. Holyfield's heart appeared to have been misdiagnosed, and he returned to the ring against the relentless Ray Mercer. (Holyfield became the first man to floor the fighter). But, his comeback was derailed in a rubber match with Riddick Bowe when Holyfield was abruptly stopped. He looked to be a washed up fighter again, just as he had the previous year with Michael Moorer.

Meanwhile, Tyson was released from prison the same year. Almost immediately after his release, he won two of the heavyweight championships. Tyson was easily wrecking his competition, and it appeared to be the 1980s all over again. Though the three-year layoff robbed Tyson of his timing and punching accuracy, he maintained his fast hands and explosive power.

Tyson was supposed to fight Lennox Lewis for the WBC championship, but paid him off and went for Evander Holyfield instead, who looked to be a finished fighter. However, "The Real Deal" had a surprise for everyone. In their 1996 confrontation, Holyfield didn't fear Iron Mike. He out-punched and out-muscled the champion. Tyson's strategy was to get rid of Evander with one big punch early on, but it didn't work. "I knew I could take his punches," Holyfield told ESPN several years ago. Holyfield spent the evening countering Tyson and walking him backwards, where he was ineffective. Tyson was out on his feet in the 11th round when the contest was stopped. We had a new WBA champion.

Some claimed Holyfield's victory was a fluke. Others agreed with Tyson's allegation of headbutts. Some said that Tyson underestimated Holyfield and didn't take the fight as seriously as he should have. A rematch was set for June 1997. Boxing is an unpredictable sport, but what Tyson did that night couldn't have been foreseen by anyone.

June 28, 1997

Holyfield blocks a crushing left hook from Tyson as Referee Mills Lane looks on.

In the first round, Evander picked up where he left off the previous November. Tyson only threw one punch at a time, allowing Holyfield to respond by countering and clinching. I remember rooting for Iron Mike, but it wasn't looking good. In the last minute of the round, Holyfield realized that Mike wasn't going to fight aggressively or put together any dangerous combinations, so he let his fists fly. They had a few thrilling exchanges, but Holyfield always got the better of Tyson. He kept the challenger on the backfoot, and would unload at least two or three counter punches to every one punch Tyson missed.

Winner of Round 1: Evander Holyfield
Reason: Higher Number of Landed Punches and Ring Generalship

I remember being somewhat bored watching the second round. Holyfield opened a nasty cut over Tyson's right eye with a headbutt. Now, in my honest opinion, I think the two headbutts in this round were accidental. Holyfield has a habit of dipping down for leverage before he unloads. Tyson is also a fighter who fights forward. As a result, both guys were coming forward with their heads at the same time. There were two occasions in this round where Tyson appealed to Referee Mills Lane, who did nothing.

Once again, Tyson wasn't being aggressive enough. There were two scenarios when he leapt in with a big left hook, but didn't follow up with anything. Throwing one punch at a time will never work against a natural counter-puncher like Evander Holyfield. Besides, Tyson has faster hands and a harder punch that Holyfield. Holyfield was also four years older. It should have been Evander who was intimidated; not Tyson.

I was not impressed by Evander's strategy, but I was also disappointed by Tyson's decision to allow himself to "slow dance" with Evander during the clinches. A younger Mike Tyson would have been banging Holyfield's body while in clinches. But the Mike Tyson on this night was submissive to the stronger man. Meanwhile, the challenger had a really bad cut. The blood was on the verge of sliding into his eye.

Winner of Round 2: Evander Holyfield
Reason: Ring Generalship (Despite constant clinching and mauling)

Things picked up tremendously during the third round. Tyson began to fight frantically. He stayed in Evander's face, unloading punches tremendously. He failed to hurt the champion, but his onslaught was so constant that Holyfield couldn't counter. This was the Mike Tyson I was waiting on. If he had fought at this pace during their original fight, I have no doubt that he would have eventually KO'd Evander.

The crowd began to chant "TYSON!! TYSON!! TYSON!!"

Holyfield threw the occasional punch in retaliation, but his only defense to Mike's swarming attack was to clinch. Late in the round, Tyson leapt in with a left hook, but missed and was clinched by the champion. That's when Tyson bit his right ear. (pictured below)

The startled champion grabbed his ear and starting jumping up and down, twirling in circles. I clearly saw the bite, but I thought maybe my eyes had deceived me. Surely Mike Tyson wouldn't bite him. But what I saw was real. Just when Holyfield stopped leaping in pain, he was pushed into the ropes by an angry Mike Tyson. A lengthy time-out ensued. Originally, Mills Lane wanted to immediately disqualify Tyson, but changed his mind after talking to the ring doctor. Instead, two points were taken from Tyson.

The round resumed with 33 seconds left. Tyson charged Holyfield and continued his assault, although neither man landed any effective punches. During a clinch, Tyson bit Holyfield's left ear. Again, Holyfield grimaced in severe pain. The two continued a tentative brawl until the bell rang. Mike Tyson was disqualified for the second ear bite. I remember the ring being crowded and Tyson going beserk trying to get at the champion. My dad told me that they stopped the fight. Bummer.

Tyson's career was never the same after this shameful incident. After being banned from boxing for a year, he fought several more times, but his reputation became a joke; he became more of an ear-chomping punchline rather than a serious contender. He got another title shot against Lennox Lewis in 2002, but was knocked out in 8 rounds. The disgraced contender finally hung up the gloves after losing to a journeyman fighter named Kevin McBride in 2005.

Meanwhile, Evander Holyfield continues to box today. He's currently the WBF Heavyweight Champion at the age of 48.

Final Thoughts

I feel cheated in a sense because Tyson could have beaten Holyfield. He just didn't have a set strategy. His only plan was to land one monster punch and get an early knockout. It's true that Holyfield didn't fear Tyson and out-muscled him, but he fought a Mike Tyson on the decline with limited skills. If they had fought ten years before, I have no doubt in my mind that the outcome would have been different, especially given Holyfield's bad habit of attempting to go toe-to-toe with big punchers. That decision cost him his first fight with Riddick Bowe, and it almost got him knocked out by Bert Cooper. Holyfield is famous for having a big heart in the ring, but his heart would have gotten him slaughtered by a prime Mike Tyson, who topped Evander in speed, skill, power, accuracy, aggression and timing.

As for Tyson, this bout hurts his legacy in countless ways. Most casual people don't remember that he was the youngest heavyweight champion in history, or that he was the first-ever Undisputed Heavyweight Champion. Some people have forgotten how much of a terror he was in the 1980s. But unfortunately, everybody remembers the bite fight.

Holyfield and Tyson reconciled in 2009 on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

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Mike Tyson Demolished Michael Spinks 23 Years Ago--The beginning of the end

6/26/2011

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Tomorrow, it will be 23 years since Mike Tyson destroyed Michael Spinks in 91 seconds to win the lineal championship. Many fans feel that Tyson was at his absolute peak in this brief encounter. That may be true, but this fight marks the beginning of the end. In my eyes, his demolition of Michael Spinks was a bittersweet victory.

In the mid to late 1980s, you didn't want Mike Tyson staring at you from across the ring. He not only knocked people out within seconds, but he did it in such a brutal fashion. There were other sluggers who scored devastating knockouts before Tyson--people like George Foreman, Sonny Liston, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, etc--but none of them routinely brutalized people the way young Tyson did. He was the second coming of Jack Dempsey, who, like Tyson, was a relatively small man with a reputation for demolishing his foes within seconds, no matter how big or skilled they were.

By the time Tyson got around to Spinks, he had already unified all three of the heavyweight championships and was the most feared man on the planet. It might be amusing today, but some experts back then thought that Spinks may have been the one guy who stood a chance of beating Iron Mike. Tyson's former trainer Teddy Atlas reportedly went on record picking Spinks to pull off an upset.

Michael Spinks was scared to death. He was one of many Tyson opponents who was beaten long before he ever climbed in the ring. Moments before the fight, you could see on his face that he was a nervous wreck as he plodded around the ring like a zombie in a trance. Meanwhile, Tyson came to the ring looking like a warrior. No theme music, no robe, not even socks. (Another influence from his hero, Jack Dempsey)

A little over a minute into the fight, Spinks fell to a knee after suffering a crucial right hook to the ribs from a ferocious Tyson. He took the standing eight count, and apparently decided to get revenge. Just after the count, he threw a right hand at Tyson, who slipped the punch and countered with a thunderous right hand that landed right on the chin. Spinks fell on his back and was counted out by the referee. The crowd noise was deafening.

This was another example of what made Tyson so special and appealing to the public. With the exception of Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks was the best name on Tyson's resume. This was the fight that confirmed Mike Tyson as The Man on the heavyweight scene. Lennox Lewis didn't turn pro until the following year. Evander Holyfield was not yet a heavyweight, and Riddick Bowe was still a novice. The era was all Tyson's. But as I said before, this was a bittersweet victory.

Just after the fight, trainer Kevin Rooney was fired. It's a shame too, because Rooney and Tyson were an unstoppable force together. It's no coincidence that after Rooney's exit, Tyson's skills began to unravel. He stopped moving his head, he lost his accuracy, and gradually stopped throwing combinations and working the body. He fell in love with his power, and his training habits suffered. By 1989, all of Cus D'Amato's people were out, and Don King's people were in. For those who were in denial about Tyson's decline, they should have been awakened when Tyson was hurt and buckled by Frank Bruno the following year. The cat finally hopped out of the bag when Tyson got humiliated and knocked out by a journeyman heavyweight named James Buster Douglas in 1990.

For all these reasons, I have mixed feelings about this fight. It was a massacre, and I'll admit that it was one of Tyson's best performances. But it signals the beginning of the end because nothing went right in Tyson's life after this fight. I'd like to compare it to Michael Jackson's Thriller album. Yes, it was the peak of M.J.'s popularity, and many people say it was the singer at his best. But it changed his life forever, and he could only go downhill from there. This fight could be considered Mike Tyson's "Thriller."

Courtesy of Mike Tyson's official facebook page.

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The 9 Year Anniversary of Lennox Lewis Versus Mike Tyson

6/7/2011

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Today, it has been nine years since Lennox Lewis humiliated and brutalized Mike Tyson. I remember it well. It was June 8, 2002. The fight took place in my hometown of Memphis, TN. The entire city was buzzing about this fight, and celebrities were crawling all over town. I was in the 11th grade, and had some friends over to watch the fight live. My parents and sister watched the fight as well. It was the first (and only) fight party I've thrown.

Predictions:

Everyone around me was betting on a Tyson win, and I was no different. Here was my reasoning.

1) Then, as now, I had my concerns about the chin of Lennox Lewis. In April of the previous year, a right hand from Hasim Rahman shattered Lennox Lewis and took his Undisputed Championship. Rahman is no Mike Tyson, but he knocked Lewis goofy. Lennox also suffered a one-punch knockout loss to Oliver McCall in 1994. McCall and Rahman are not knockout artists--they're generally held in light regard as fighters. Lewis avenged his losses to them, but the fact remained--Lewis could be knocked out at any given moment.

2) Though he wasn't the sensational beast that he had been in the 1980s, Mike Tyson was still dangerous. He still put the behinds in arena seats. He maintained his explosive power and speed, but was no longer throwing combinations or using his trademark defense. After prison, he had lost his punching accuracy. He now plodded forward, looking to end things with one big punch. And, it's been proven twice that one punch is all you need to beat Lennox Lewis.

3) I felt even better when Evander Holyfield predicted a Tyson win. He fought both guys, so his opinion was of great value to me. He explained that Tyson will leap off the mat just to land a punch. Evander also stated that Tyson's assault would be too much for Lewis.

Styles Make Fights

As a boxing fanatic, I knew what each man needed to do to win. I'd studied their styles enough to know.

What Mike Tyson Must Do: Tyson would need to get inside of Lewis' long reach and pound away. Using his shorter arms, he'd have to get in close and blast away at the body and the head. Tyson is known for his ferocious uppercuts and hooks. Whether he hits you in the head or body, you're most likely going down. With Iron Mike, one punch can put you to sleep, but if he puts a string of punches together, forget about it. The 2002 version of Mike Tyson didn't throw combinations anymore, but as long as he kept throwing punches, he'd increase his chances of a knockout. He should bob and weave to slip Lewis' jab and counter viciously. Cutting the ring and cornering Lewis against the ropes would also work to Tyson's advantage.

What Lennox Lewis Must Do: Lennox Lewis refers to himself as a "Five Dimensional" fighter, classifying himself as a boxer-puncher-mover. He's telling the truth. The guy could box, punch hard, and move moderately well for a man his size. In facing Tyson, Lewis would be best off keeping Tyson at a distance with his long, telephone pole jab. Tyson is only dangerous when he gets inside. Using his jab and reach, Lewis could prevent Tyson from getting close and landing his bombs. Lewis is good enough of a fighter to slug it out toe-to-toe with Mike Tyson, but that puts him at a disadvantage because Tyson would be in range to do some serious damage. A 6'5 man trading with Mike Tyson on the inside is gonna find himself on the canvas sooner than later.

Getting the Popcorn and Sodas ready...

It was an electric night. I remember when Tyson came out to DMX's song, "What's my name!" I was completely hyped. Tyson looked more calm than usual, which was odd because he had been such an aggressive whirlwind earlier in the year to promote this fight. He talked of eating Lennox's kids, and, months earlier, even bit the man's leg at the wild press conference. So, to see a mellow Mike Tyson was a bit strange. At the time, I figured he was just focused. But looking back at the fight all these years later, you can see the insecurity all over his face as he approached the ring. His heart was not in this fight.

Moments later, Lennox Lewis came out looking completely stoic. His song of choice was the laid back "Crazy Baldheads" by the late Bob Marley. The song's reggae groove matched Lewis' relaxed demeanor. There was no emotion on his face--the Heavyweight Champion was focused and ready. He had his long dreads braided neatly into a bun. In addition, his beard and hairline had obviously been trimmed professionally. It looked as if Lewis had just been lined up by Steve Harvey's barber.

There was a team of security personnel in yellow shirts that divided the two heavyweights. Tyson and Lewis stared at each other from across the ring. Lewis showed no fear of Tyson. He looked relaxed, confident, and ready.

The heavyweight champion clearly had the support of the British fans in attendance, but it has to be noted that Tyson was the favorite of the crowd. Everybody came to see "The Baddest Man On The Planet" reclaim his throne.

The Fight

As predicted, Tyson steamrolled Lewis at the opening bell. He came in low, bobbing and weaving, looking to get inside and counter Lewis with his trademark hooks and uppercuts. He looked similar to the ferocious Mike Tyson of the 1980s; even exchanging jabs with the much taller Lewis. Shortly into the round, Tyson attempted to rush Lewis with a short right hand, but the champion countered with a thunderous uppercut and dazed him. Tyson staggered into the ropes where Lewis pounded on him until they clinched and separated. (pictured above) Tyson was hurt. Despite this, the challenger continued to press Lewis for the remainder of the round, even landing two minor left hooks--one of which staggered Lewis.

Things looked dangerous for the champion because he was brawling with Mike, but he fought back effectively. Lewis' strategy was apparently to uppercut Tyson whenever he got inside, or clinch and lean on him, smothering his punching space. (Referee Eddie Cotton later penalized him for holding.) Tyson won the round, no doubt because he forced the action.

During the break, Lewis' trainer, Emmanuel Steward, told the champion to settle down and not fight Tyson's fight. Great advice. Meanwhile, in Tyson's corner, the contender said to his trainer, "Ronnie, I'm hurt." It was the beginning of the end.

Round two began and Lewis adopted a new strategy--he hid behind his long jab and kept Tyson at a distance. After getting struck with another hard uppercut, Tyson relinquished his aggressive assault. From this point on, Lewis had his way. On the few occasions when Tyson got inside, he got smashed with uppercuts. A younger Tyson would have kept pressing Lewis, but the Mike Tyson of 2002 was content taking punishment for 8 rounds. The former champion even told his trainer, Ronnie Shields, that he wanted to quit after the 7th round, but Shields forced him back into the ring for round 8. Meanwhile, Emmanuel Steward was cursing Lewis out in his corner, begging the champion to put Tyson away. (Lewis explained years later that he hurt his right hand, which is why he didn't throw it much in the later rounds).

In the 8th round, Lewis dropped Tyson to a knee with a left uppercut. Shortly after the standing 8 count, Lewis threw his right hand, and Tyson was out. The fallen contender could have gotten up, but you could see in his eyes that he wanted no more. Those who didn't like Tyson thoroughly enjoyed this moment. Mike Tyson took a beating for seven rounds of this fight, and most fans agree that Lewis punished Tyson worse than Evander Holyfield and Buster Douglas did.

Final Thoughts:

This was a fight that Tyson could have won, even at this point in his career. He just submitted to Lewis after taking an uppercut in the first round. Iron Mike was still a fast and explosive puncher, but his heart just wasn't in the sport anymore. In fact, I believe that Tyson could have beaten Evander Holyfield in 1996-97. But, Holyfield had a strategy, and Mike didn't. It's as simple as that. Holyfield countered Mike's looping punches and walked him backward. Tyson, on the other hand, was relying on landing one monster punch. Lewis and Holyfield both caught a fading Mike Tyson who became discouraged and vulnerable if he didn't knock you out early.

This was the fight that Tyson needed to win. If he knocked out Lewis, all of his previous losses would have meant zilch. People would say that Iron Mike is the greatest heavyweight of all time when he keeps his head on straight. Not only would Mike have beaten the best heavyweight on the scene, but he would have become a three-time Heavyweight Champion in the process.

As for Lennox Lewis, he too, needed to win this fight for his legacy. He cleaned out the heavyweight division during the 1990s and early 2000s, even unifying the heavyweight championships. But if Tyson had beaten him, he'd never be viewed as an all time great. Lewis was certainly the best of his era, but the fact that he beat washed up versions of Holyfield and Tyson hurts his standing a little. To this day, a lot of American fans don't give Lewis his credit, despite his accomplishments and huge wins over talented competition.

People still debate on who would win between a prime Lewis and a prime Mike Tyson. Lennox Lewis had previously defeated other fighters with Tyson's style. (David Tua, Ray Mercer, Lionel Butler, Tommy Morrison, etc) But to be blunt about it, Tyson is better than each of them. When it comes to countering, defense, aggression, and speed, Tyson was way ahead of the curve. Lennox wouldn't know what hit him, and would find himself asleep for a count of 20.

I still go back and watch this fight from time to time. The first round is the most exciting. If Tyson had fought at this fast pace for the entire fight, I have no doubt that he would have landed the magic punch he needed to deck Lewis.

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A.J. Dugger's List Of The Top Ten Greatest Heavyweight Champions Of All Time

6/3/2011

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Larry Holmes. 69 Wins (44 KOs) 6 Losses

Larry Holmes is seriously underrated. It's a real shame, because he was a terrific talent during his era. Why is he overlooked? For starters, he reigned during the early 80s, sandwiching himself right between the eras of Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson, two of the most popular boxers ever. And secondly, he didn't have any memorable rivalries in the squared circle. He beat Gerry Cooney, Tim Witherspoon, Earnie Shavers, and many others. But chances are, if you're not a boxing fanatic like myself, you probably haven't heard of these people!!

Despite that, Larry was an outstanding fighter. Countless historians share the opinion that Larry had the best left jab in the history of the sport. Many of Larry's adversaries found themselves fighting the jab rather than Larry himself. Holmes could also brawl when he needed to. (Watch his slugfest with Ken Norton) He had a strong chin, evidenced by the fact that he survived a thunderous blow from Earnie Shavers; even rising from the canvas to knock him out. It took a prime Mike Tyson three knockdowns to keep Larry on the canvas. (Larry was destroyed by Tyson while making an ill-advised comeback in 1988.) After the loss to Tyson, Holmes regained steam by out-boxing younger fighters like Ray Mercer and Butterbean. The Easton Assassin retired for good in 2002.

2014 Update: Check out my recent interview with Larry Holmes and hear his thoughts on his fights with Tyson, Ali, Norton, Shavers and others.

Joe Louis. 66 Wins (52 KOs) 3 Losses.

Joe Louis is regarded by many historians as the best heavyweight of all time. Most boxing writers have Mr. Louis or Muhammad Ali at the top of their all time lists. Don't let his babyface in the picture fool you. I've seen Louis fight, and I can see why he's awarded so much praise. He was almost the perfect fighter--lightning quick hands, dynamite power in both hands, beautiful combinations, and great countering and boxing ability. Louis held the championship for almost 12 years with 25 title defenses. Jimmy Braddock (who lost the World Title to Louis) said that Louis' jab felt like "an electric light bulb being smashed in your face." The Brown Bomber conquered a diverse array of opponents, from giants like Buddy Baer and Primo Carnera, to slicksters like Billy Conn and Jersey Joe Walcott, and murderous sluggers like Max Baer and "Two-Ton" Tony Galento. All of these men were knocked out before the 15th round.

Joe Louis was terrific, but I have my reservations. He was often put on the canvas by punchers who are not in the league of the boxers I'll mention later in my countdown. Jersey Joe Walcott, Max Schmeling, Buddy Baer, Jimmy Braddock, and some of the others who decked Louis do not compare to George Foreman or Mike Tyson in terms of punching power. If Louis was hurt by 195 pound fighters like Walcott, I don't know how he would survive against the power of modern heavyweights, all of whom are well over 200 pounds. I'm not saying that Joe would definitely lose to guys like Foreman or Liston, but he'd have to knock them out first. It's essential. I know Joe had the power to put them to sleep, but I also see them hurting Joe pretty bad if they catch him. Could Joe Louis cope with the long jab and brute power of Lennox Lewis? Perhaps he could, but again, I'd have to see it happen.

Plus, Louis said himself that he hated to be crowded and smothered, which is certainly what Joe Frazier or Mike Tyson would do to him. I don't see Louis maintaining his composure against a swarming Jack Dempsey attack, either. Although Louis was over the hill when he fought Marciano, I feel that Rocky's smothering style would have troubled him anyway. In fact, I'd give any pressure fighter a good chance at knocking out Louis, mainly because he didn't cope well with pressure. With his flat-footed stance, he was relatively easy to maul over to the ropes and pound on.

Famously, the Brown Bomber also had trouble with "stick and move" fighters like Billy Conn, Bob Pastor, and Jersey Joe Walcott. However, he knocked them dead when he caught them. Because of his style, Muhammad Ali would also give Louis trouble, but Louis would likely stop him late.

Joe Louis was great, but I'm convinced that a few modern fighters would take advantage of his vulnerabilities.

2017 Update: Looking back, I ranked Louis waaaaay too low here. My main reasoning was that he was dropped regularly by 195 pound men like Jersey Joe Walcott, Jim Braddock, etc. This, coupled his relatively small size, made me uncomfortable predicting him to beat guys like Lennox Lewis, for example.

But watching Louis destroy giants like (Buddy) Baer, Primo Carnera, etc, shows me that Louis had the speed and the punch to destroy modern monsters as well. Lewis, the Klitschkos, Bowe, etc, are better boxers than the giants Louis KO'd, but Louis had the speed and attack to get them first, and he knew how to weave his way past a jab and get to the body and land his barrages. Seeing how Louis destroyed men of all sizes and styles, (and almost always by knockout) I should have ranked him #2 behind Muhammad Ali.

Rocky Marciano. 49 Wins (43 KOs) No Losses.

Right under Joe Louis, I've listed the man who retired him...The undefeated Rocky Marciano. Rocky is perhaps the most overrated and underrated boxer of all time. He was a small guy, (5'10, 187 pounds) but he had freakish power. He could knock you out cold with either hand. Rocky's record is 49-0 with 43 wins by knockout. He often threw wild, looping punches that sometimes missed, but he had such a tornado of an onslaught that it really didn't matter--you couldn't protect yourself from his attack. Rocky threw punches from all angles, and unloaded so many that countering him wasn't easy. Ask Archie Moore.

One thing about Rocky is that he always found a way to win. He certainly had some close calls, especially against Jersey Joe Walcott and Ezzard Charles. But he managed to gather himself and knock them both out. That's what a true heavyweight champion is supposed to do. The Rock applied constant pressure to his opponents. He went into each fight with superb conditioning, endless stamina, and a will to win. The Rock didn't take any fight lightly. He didn't duck anyone, either. In a time of racial divide, Rocky took on every top ranked black heavyweight. He didn't fear anyone in the ring, no matter how big, slick, or skilled they were. He had the courage and the punch to scramble anybody.

Most other heavyweight champions got lazy or unfocused at some point and lost a fight they shouldn't have lost. Not Rocky. Some critics say that Rocky fought weak competition. While it's true that he didn't fight the high class competition of Muhammad Ali or Lennox Lewis, he fought some decent contenders when you really examine them. Rex Layne, Henry Matthews, Roland LaStarza, Carmine Vingo-- all of these guys were good fighters. (They might even be in the top ten if they were fighting today). Archie Moore and Ezzard Charles were great light-heavyweight fighters, but folded when they stepped up to fight heavyweights. Jersey Joe Walcott had a late prime, (he was fighting the best fight of his career against Marciano until he got cracked) and Joe Louis was still somewhat of a threat despite being 37 years old when he fought Rocky. The Brown Bomber was still fundamentally sound. I have no problem saying that Rocky Marciano was the greatest of all time. I just feel that the men coming up on my list would have likely stopped him. However, you can never count Rocky Marciano out against anyone.

Smokin' Joe Frazier. 32 Wins, (27 KOs) 4 Losses, 1 Draw

Smokin' Joe Frazier is one of my personal favorite fighters. I named my dog after this guy for a reason!!! He's an exciting fighter to watch. He was a relentless brawler who made his opponents miss by bobbing and weaving while he countered with his own power shots. He stayed in close on his opponents, smothering them and not giving them any time or space to counter. Frazier had the perfect style to trouble the swift-moving Muhammad Ali. Frazier cut the ring on him and banged him in the body, which slowed his speed. With his bullying style and fierce left hook, Frazier would have cleaned up any era of boxing. His only losses were to Ali and the powerful George Foreman.

Note: I view Rocky Marciano and Joe Frazier as equals. They're really the same fighter, but it's hard to say who is better. Frazier had faster hands, but relied on his left hook for his knockouts. He was also a more accurate puncher than Marciano. Rocky was lighter than Frazier, but a harder puncher. Marciano could get the job done with either hand, but was prone to cut easy. Both men applied relentless pressure, worked the body, cut the ring, and got stronger as the fight progressed. They both had endless stamina and could take a punch. I guess it's a matter of opinion who was the greater fighter.

2013 Update: Whew boy. I feel basically the same, although I give Frazier a slight edge. Frazier fought at the pace of Henry Armstrong. For a heavyweight to fight at such a fast pace is amazing. If Frazier and Marciano would fight each other, I feel that Frazier would beat Rocky to the punch in most exchanges because his hands were quicker and more accurate. Both guys were tough but I think the smoke would be victorious against the hard rock from Brockton.

2014 Update: If you're a Frazier fan, check out my interview with his son, Marvis Frazier!!

Jack Dempsey. 61 Wins, (50 KOs) 6 Losses, 9 Draws

One word describes Jack Dempsey...ruthless. The man was Mike Tyson's hero. Here's a guy who used to literally fight for food while living as a hobo. His massacre over the giant 6'6 Jess Willard has to be seen to be believed. Jack's left hook was a fast and explosive weapon.(The first left hook he threw against Willard broke his jaw in seven places). He also possessed a chilling right hand, and was a durable fighter. Jack was as tough as they come. He paved the way for the other swarming brawlers in his wake, including Joe Frazier, Rocky Marciano, and of course, Mike Tyson.

The Manassa Mauler was the "Mike Tyson" of the 1920s. Like Tyson, Dempsey steamrolled his opponents at the opening bell and allegedly has more first round knockouts than anyone else. (Not all of his fights are on record). In fact, boxing's first million dollar gate was attributed to Dempsey's popularity. Everyone wanted to see this kid fight. Luis Firpo knocked Dempsey out of the ring, but Dempsey jumped back through the ropes to knock him out. The fight had 11 knockdowns in only two rounds before Jack ended it. Phenomenal.

Unfortunately, Dempsey went Hollywood soon after winning the heavyweight crown. By the time he returned to the ring years later, he wasn't the same fighter, and was easy pickings for Gene Tunney. After retiring, Dempsey trained other sluggers like Tony Galento and Max Baer, but none of his proteges could live up to Jack's success. In his prime, Dempsey was certainly one of the best ever.

2013 Update: Not much has changed here. I'm a fan of Dempsey but I wish the fight footage of him was better. The grainy fight films make it difficult to analyze him. For example, the late boxing historian Bert Sugar once stated that Dempsey had a quicker and "more ferocious" left hook than Joe Frazier. How can you prove that by watching such bad quality fight films? I wish better footage existed so I could analyze him better. It's hard to enjoy a fight when there are frames missing.

Lennox Lewis. 41 Wins (32 KOs) 2 Losses. 1 Draw

Lennox Lewis impresses me more than any of the other fighters. (No, it's not because we wear the same hairstyle.) LOL. Lewis could do it all. He could use his long jab and reach to punish you from the distance, or he could mix it up and brawl with you. He had crushing power in both hands, and his uppercut was on par with George Foreman. Not only could the 6'5 Lewis adapt to any situation, but he beat some quality opponents during his reign. Tommy Morrison, Riddick Bowe, David Tua, Evander Holyfield, Andrew Golota, Michael Grant, Shannon Briggs, Vitali Klitshko, Frank Bruno, Razor Ruddock, Mike Tyson, Franis Botha, Ray Mercer, Oliver McCall, Hasim Rahman, and countless others.

There's only one reason why I can't put Lewis as my number 1 Heavyweight....his chin. Lewis was knocked out twice by a single punch. He avenged those losses, yes, but his chin always kept me on the edge of my seat. With a shaky beard like that, it's difficult to rank him. For example, Rocky Marciano could knock Lewis dead with one shot if he caught him clean.

Other than his questionable ability to take a punch, Lewis was great. He only suffered two defeats. He even unified all three heavyweight titles when he defeated Evander Holyfield in 1999. He finished his career by knocking out Mike Tyson in 2002, and stopping current WBC title-holder, Vitali Klitshcko in 2003. Lennox Lewis is the last Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of The World.

2013 Update: I've somewhat changed my views on his chin. He took some big punches from sluggers like Ray Mercer, David Tua, Tommy Morrison, Vitali Klitschko, Shannon Briggs and many others. When McCall KO'd Lewis, his balance was poor and he didn't see the punch coming. You could argue that the stoppage was premature. As for the Rahman knockout, I'm sure that punch would have put many other former champions to sleep, too. As Lewis bounced off the ropes, the punch broke through his guard and destroyed him. It's one of the more devastating one-punch knockouts I've seen. In both of Lewis' knockout defeats his balance was bad. His chin is better than I originally stated, but not good enough to survive against....

Big George Foreman. 76 Wins, (68 KOs) 5 Losses

Big George Foreman is another all time great. His punching power was frightening. He won the heavyweight title by easily destroying Joe Frazier in two rounds. He then gave Ken Norton a similar beating. But, he lost his status as an invincible fighter when he was KO'd by Muhammad Ali in 1974. He retired after another shocking loss; this time to Jimmy Young in 1977. George became a born-again Christian after that fight and started preaching. Incredibly, he returned to the ring in 1987 and won the heavyweight title again by knocking out Michael Moorer in 1994, exactly 20 years after losing it to Ali. (He even wore the same trunks, mind you.)

Ironically, I think the old version of George Foreman is more dangerous than the prime one. Young George had stamina problems (something exploited by Ali) and threw wild, looping punches that could be countered. The older George didn't have these issues. He developed a heavy jab reminiscent of his idol, Sonny Liston. His punches were now short and compact. He even put together effective combinations. Remarkably, he was never knocked off his feet during his second career. The mature George surprised many people by giving Tommy Morrison, Shannon Briggs and Evander Holyfield a lot of trouble in their primes. I suggest watching Foreman's fight with Ron Lyle on youtube. Both men hit the canvas several times. Lots of action. Probably the most exciting fight since Jack Dempsey-Luis Firpo.

Charles "Sonny" Liston. 50 Wins, (39 KOs) 4 Losses

Next up is the man Muhammad Ali referred to as "The Big Ugly Bear." Charles "Sonny" Liston was one of the greatest fighters to step foot into the ring. Like Joe Louis before him and Mike Tyson after him, Liston often had fights won before the opening bell. His scowling stare intimidated many fighters, especially Floyd Patterson, whom Liston destroyed twice within one round and took his title. Liston had a long, powerful jab and a thunderous left hook. In short, Sonny could knock you out with any punch he chose to throw, including his jab. Chuck Wepner fought an emerging George Foreman and a declining Sonny Liston. The contender revealed that the 40 something year-old Sonny punched harder than the 22 year-old Foreman. Wow.

Several mysteries surround Sonny Liston. No one knows his age, no one knows how he died. Heck, people still debate over what hand he wrote with! Liston's career was derailed when he lost two controversial fights to Muhammad Ali. However, despite his age, he was making a successful comeback and had a long string of knockouts before his untimely death.

Muhammad Ali. 56 Wins, (37 KOs) 5 Losses

Everybody knows the man pictured above. In fact, everybody knows how "pretty" he is and how he's "the greatest of all time." Muhammad Ali was light-years ahead of everyone else. To this day, boxers are inspired by him, adopting his "stick and move" strategies and shuffles. But no one comes near him. Ali lacked true knockout power, but he had the fastest hands of all the heavyweights. He had the legs of a dancer, often floating or skipping out of harm's way. He had a solid chin as well. Honestly, who else could lay on the ropes and let George Foreman punch him repeatedly for several rounds?

NOTE: No fighter was perfect, and Muhammad Ali was no different. He made mistakes in the ring that would have gotten him killed by certain boxers. He fought with his hands down low, he leaned back to avoid punches, and he couldn't block a jab. Fighters like Joe Frazier and Ken Norton punished Ali for these mistakes. Ali also didn't know how to cut the ring or fight as the aggressor. (Watch his fights with Doug Jones and Jimmy Young)

Muhammad Ali was a great fighter, but people overlook his flaws. People never talk about the fact that he ducked George Foreman, never giving him the rematch he deserved. Wonder why? Because Big George wouldn't fall for the "rope-a-dope" trick twice. Ali would inevitably have to meet George in center ring and slug it out. In the 1970s, Ali didn't have the speed to allude Foreman, so he would have been clobbered and seriously hurt. Don't get me wrong. Ali did great things for boxing. He brought theatre to the sport. I enjoy him as much as everyone else. But is he the "greatest of all time?" I doubt it.

2013 Update: I still stand by this for the most part. However, I've changed my mind about the outcome of an Ali-Foreman rematch. Following his loss to Ali in Zaire, George became obsessed with maintaining his stamina and was hesitant to "pull the trigger" during his fights after 1974. I still feel that George wouldn't fall for the rope-a-dope again, but he'd be too afraid to let loose. Ali would get a comfortable decision over an insecure Foreman who would be too tense to let his fists fly.

Regarding Muhammad Ali, I have a high level of respect for what he did during the 1960s concerning Civil Rights and his religion. But in the ring, I'd still pick several guys to beat him, even at his best. Ali's speed on hand and foot was tremendous but he wasn't untouchable even during his prime. During the 1960s, George Chuvalo landed plenty of body shots and even stunned Ali with a right cross. (Watch the 13th round for the right hand I'm talking about). Karl Mildenberger and Henry Cooper also caught Ali with great shots but couldn't finish him. These guys were decent fighters at best and even they had success catching Ali. Even at his peak, Ali fought with his hands down low, leaned his head back from punches and couldn't parry or block a jab.

In the 1970s, Ali received gift decisions in the fights with Ken Norton, Jimmy Young, and the 1974 fight with Frazier. You could also argue that Earnie Shavers was robbed in his fight with Ali as well. I think people are caught up in the excitement and legend of Muhammad Ali more than anything else. He was an outstanding fighter. But if we're talking head to head, was he the best of all time? No. That award goes to....

Iron Mike Tyson. 50 Wins (44 KOs) 6 Losses KO Percentage 75.86 %

Head to head, Mike Tyson is the greatest of all time. If you fought Tyson during 1985-1988 with Kevin Rooney in his corner, you were in trouble. What made the young Tyson special was his technique. We know he was a powerful puncher, but the guy was intelligent. Bobbing and weaving, he was a hard target to hit cleanly. Once you miss, he'd counter you, and it's over in a heartbeat. Not only could he destroy you with either hand, but he also threw devastating combinations. My personal favorite was when he threw a right hand to the body, and then came up the middle with an uppercut from the same hand.

Trained by the late Cus D'Amato, Tyson adopted the crouching style of Floyd Patterson, but combined it with Sonny Liston's power and Jack Dempsey's aggression. Tyson also had quick hand speed and scary punching accuracy. This, juxtaposed to his bone-crushing power, made him one explosive puncher.

With Kevin Rooney in his corner, the self-confident 19 year-old Mike Tyson would smash most of the other Heavyweight legends during a head-on collision in the ring. Does he beat Ali? I think so. We saw what Joe Frazier did to Ali--he had him pissing blood. He also had him on the verge of quitting in The Thrilla In Manilla. Mike Tyson was a bigger, faster, and more talented version of Smokin Joe. Like Frazier, Tyson would cut the ring, corner Ali against the ropes, and bang him in the ribs. Tyson would slip the swift Ali jab, get inside, and land some crushing counters. Like I mentioned earlier, Muhammad fought with his hands down--not smart against Tyson. Ali said himself on the Arsenio Hall Show that Tyson would put him to sleep if he caught him.

On the rare occasions when an opponent remained on his feet, Mike stayed on them, relentlessly pressing and battering them to get the decision. Watch his fights with Tony Tucker and Mitch Green.

To be objective, I only see George Foreman or possibly Sonny Liston giving a peak Mike Tyson any real trouble. Things began to go south for Tyson in 1988 when he fired Kevin Rooney, hired Promoter Don King, and married Robin Givens. He lost focus, and things deteriorated from there.

Tyson's youth was his blessing as well as his curse. He got too much, too quick. Less than five years after robbing people, he was the Heavyweight Champion of The World. The leeches, the women, the money, the fame; all of it came to Tyson before he was mature enough to handle it all. Tyson's prime was only five years, but during that time period, he ruled the heavyweight division with an iron fist.

Everyone knows that Tyson began to lack stamina and self-confidence later in his career. He crumbled like a cookie when his opponents stood up to him and fought back. But I'm not talking about that version of Mike Tyson. You can't compare the sensational 20 year-old Mike Tyson to the insecure 30 year-old version.

To really evaluate Mike Tyson, watch him during 1985-1988. He became the youngest Heavyweight Champion of all time. He was also the first fighter to unify all three World Heavyweight Championships. During that time period, he was the best fighter ever. I don't think we'll ever see a specimen like that again.

Recap:

10)Larry Holmes
9)Joe Louis
8)Rocky Marciano
7)Joe Frazier
6)Jack Dempsey
5)Lennox Lewis
4)George Foreman
3)Sonny Liston
2)Muhammad Ali
1)Mike Tyson

Here's a list of the fighters who almost made the list, but fell short. I'll briefly explain why.

Jack Johnson-- Everyone on this list would knock him out.

Evander Holyfield--Too inconsistent as a fighter. Struggled with old Foreman and Holmes. Lost to Moorer, Bowe, Ruiz and others.

Floyd Patterson--Skilled fighter, but had a glass jaw. Too many losses.

David Tua--My favorite boxer. He never lived up to his potential, though. Never won a world championship.

2017 Updates: My views have flip-flopped a lot over the years. I have a new list (head to head) and it's almost nothing like the list I wrote here several years ago. Without further adieu..

1) Muhammad Ali - His speed and toughness would allow him to prevail over anyone. 1964-67 Ali was light years ahead of everyone else, and I don't see anyone beating him, much less stopping him.

2) Joe Louis - He was mean, and combined fierce accuracy, speed and explosive power. I don't care how big you are; you will fall when Joe Louis has you hurt. He was also an intelligent ring general, setting you up for a big finish as early as round 1.

3) Lennox Lewis - Basically a bigger and slower version of Joe Louis in some ways. When Lewis is focused, chances are you're not going to beat him.

4) Vitali Klitschko - Lewis fought better competition, which is why he gets the nod over Vitali in my book. But Vitali's size and awkwardness would overcome the rest of the guys I'm about to mention.

5) Larry Holmes - Great jab and movement. Tough guy.

6) George Foreman - Need I say more?

7) Mike Tyson - Tyson drops much lower than I had him initially. He never lived up to his full potential and lost his legacy fights. These days I'm more into facts than the hypothical "What if's." For different reasons, Tyson blew it. But his speed and power make him a huge threat to anyone.

8) Sonny Liston - One bad mutha.

9) Wladimir Klitschko -Wlad was a monster in his own right. But his chin lowers his ranking here. Any of these guys above could slay him if they land.

10) Joe Frazier/Rocky Marciano - These guys were well-conditioned and put their opponents under so much pressure. They're so similar that if they switched eras Frazier would have gone undefeated and Marciano would have lost to Ali and Foreman. They fight like brutal energizer bunnies and make their opponents increasingly uncomfortable.

Honorable mentions to Jack Dempsey and Evander Holyfield, who were also very capable fighters but not consistent enough to make the final cut.

14 Year Anniversary of The Bite Fight

Mike Tyson Demolished Michael Spinks 23 Years Ago--The beginning of the end

The 9 Year Anniversary of Lennox Lewis Versus Mike Tyson

A.J. Dugger's List Of The Top Ten Greatest Heavyweight Champions Of All Time

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