Take a look back at the heavyweight champions

Ring Magazine founder Nat Fleischer called Jack Johnson, 53-11-8 (33), of Raleigh, NC, the best heavyweight champion he had ever seen.

In 1910, Johnson stopped former champion James J. Jeffries, 19-0-2, in 15 rounds. He would lose to Jess Willard, 22-5-2, who was stopped in the 26th round.

Dempsey and the Roaring Era

Jack ‘The Manassa Mauler’ Dempsey, 53-6-8 (43), of Salt Lake City, Utah, was a highly touted champion who took on Willard, but lost twice to light heavyweight champion Gene ‘The Fighting Marine’ Tunney, 65-1-1 (48), of Greenwich, CT.

One who was considered one of the best or second best was Joe ‘The Brown Bomber’ Louis, 66-3 (52), of Detroit, MI. He had a record of 25 successful title defenses. He lost to another champion, Max Schmeling, 56-10-4 (39) of Germany. In his last fight, Louis was stopped by Rocky ‘The Brockton Blockbuster’, Marciano, 49-0 (43), of Brockton, MASS, who was then 37-0.

Marciano was said to have shed tears after beating his favorite fighter, who was well past his prime. Marciano had a style that would knock on one’s arms, which after about five rounds could cause problems to keep them up.

In 1952, trailing in points, he stopped NBA champion ‘Jersey’ Joe Walcott, 49-18-1, in the 13th round. After the fight, Hank Cisco, from the Marciano camp, went into Walcott’s dressing room and heard the ring doctor say, “This man should never fight again because of a broken bone under his eye. The first good punch would stop him.” The mob put him in a rematch that ended in the first round.

Another champion considered the best of them all was 1960 Olympic Gold Medalist and three-time champion Muhammad ‘The Greatest’ Ali, 56-5 (37), of Louisville, KY. He defeated four other Olympic gold medalists who were world champions in Floyd Patterson, 55-8-1 (40), of New York, ‘Smokin’ Joe Frazier, 32-4-1 (27), of Philadelphia, PA, ‘Big’ George Foreman, 76-5 (68) of Houston, TX-16, and Spin Leonks, 4-32, of St. Louis, Mo.

Ali had 19 defense, Larry ‘East Assassin’ Holmes, 69-6 (44), of Easton, PA, 20, Wladimir ‘Dr. Steelhammer’ Klitschko, 64-5 (53), with 23, from Kiev, Ukraine.

Holmes was 48-0 when he lost to 31-1 (21) light heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist Michael ‘Jinx’ Spinks, whose only loss was to Mike Tyson in his last fight.

Klitschko’s brother, world champion Vitali ‘Dr. Ironfist’ Klitschko, 45-2 (41), was ahead of Lennox ‘The Lion’ Lewis, 41-2-1 (32), of London, UK. In Seoul, South Korea, he won an Olympic gold medal by defeating future world champion Riddick ‘Big Daddy’ Bowe, 43-1 (33), of Ft. Washington, MD.

Bowe defeated world champion Evander ‘The Real Deal’ Holyfield, 44-10-2 (29), of Atlanta, GA. Two out of three were also Olympians.

‘Iron’ Mike Tyson, 50-7 (44), of Henderson, NV, has lost twice to Holyfield. Tyson was known for his punching power and quick hands from the “peek-a-boo” style. He lost to Holyfield twice.

At 6’09”, Tyson ‘The Gypsy’ King, 34-2-1 (24), of Morecambe, UK, defeated two-time Olympian Deontay ‘The Bronze Bomber’ Wilder, 44-4-1 (43), of Tuscaloosa, AL.

The current champion is Oleksander Usyk, 24-0 (15), from Crimea, UK, also once the cruiserweight champion.

There you have them, and look forward to those comments about who you thought was the greatest heavyweight of all time.