Top 10 Heavyweights by Decade

Summary

This video script from 'Rummy's Corner' explores an experiment using Ring Magazine's historical heavyweight boxing rankings to determine the top 10 boxers from each decade since the 1930s. The method involves assigning points based on annual rankings, with the champion receiving the highest. Notable findings include Joe Louis' dominance in the 1940s with 90 points, Muhammad Ali's high scores in the 1960s and 1970s, and the impressive consistency of boxers like Floyd Patterson. The script also highlights multi-decade achievements of elite boxers like Ali and Vladimir Klitschko, providing a unique perspective on the longevity and impact of these fighters in the heavyweight division.

Takeaways

• 🥊 The video discusses an experiment using Ring Magazine's historical heavyweight rankings to determine the top 10 boxers from each decade.
• 🏆 The scoring system awards points to boxers based on their position in the annual rankings, with the top-ranked boxer receiving 10 points and the rest receiving 9 down to 1 point.
• 📊 The 1930s saw Max Schmeling topping the list with 72 points, highlighting his consistency and dominance despite competition from fighters like Max Baer.
• 🌟 Joe Louis dominated the 1940s with an impressive 90 points, securing the top spot for nine consecutive years, showcasing his unparalleled reign.
• 💪 Rocky Marciano led the 1950s with 48 points, demonstrating a strong five-year stretch, though not consistently viewed as the very best throughout the decade.
• 🌈 Muhammad Ali scored 78 points in the 1960s, comfortably placing him at the top despite a three-and-a-half-year suspension from competition.
• 🔥 The 1970s were highlighted by Muhammad Ali's staggering 86 points, marking him as the best or second-best heavyweight for nine consecutive years.
• 🏆 Larry Holmes topped the 1980s with 58 points, being the dominant champion for most of the decade, despite some controversial losses.
• 🥇 Evander Holyfield led the 1990s with a massive 83 points, consistently competing at the top level and frequently viewed as the best heavyweight.
• 🌍 Wladimir Klitschko scored 68 points in the 2000s, emerging as the most dominant force of the decade in heavyweight boxing.
• 🔝 Through the end of 2017, Klitschko was again leading the current decade, with the potential to be the only boxer to top the rankings for two consecutive decades, a feat only achieved by Muhammad Ali so far.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the experiment discussed in the video?

The purpose of the experiment is to use Ring Magazine's historical rankings to objectively determine the top 10 heavyweight boxers from each decade.

When did Ring Magazine start doing annual rankings for the heavyweight division?

Ring Magazine began doing annual rankings for the heavyweight division back in 1924.

How were the points awarded to the boxers in the experiment?

The points were awarded based on their ranking in Ring Magazine's list, with the top-rated boxer receiving 10 points and the points decreasing by one for each subsequent ranking down to 1 point for the 10th ranked boxer.

What was the highest score a boxer could achieve in a decade according to the scoring criteria?

The highest score a boxer could achieve in any given decade according to the scoring criteria is 100 points.

Who was the top-rated heavyweight in the 1930s according to Ring Magazine?

Max Schmeling was the top-rated heavyweight in the 1930s according to Ring Magazine.

How many points did Joe Louis score in the 1940s?

Joe Louis scored an incredible 90 points in the 1940s.

What decade saw the first time where three or more fighters scored 50 or more points in the same decade?

The 1960s was the first decade where three or more fighters scored 50 or more points in the same decade.

Who topped the list in the 1950s with the most points?

Rocky Marciano topped the list in the 1950s with 48 points.

Which boxer scored the highest points in the 1970s?

Muhammad Ali scored the highest points in the 1970s with a staggering 86 point total.

What decade saw the most heavyweights with 50 or more points in the same decade?

The 1990s saw the most heavyweights with 50 or more points in the same decade, with four heavyweights achieving this feat.

Who was the dominant heavyweight boxer in the 1990s according to the scoring criteria?

Evander Holyfield was the dominant heavyweight boxer in the 1990s according to the scoring criteria, with a massive total of 83 points.

Which boxer has the potential to finish first in the rankings for two consecutive decades?

Vladimir Klitschko has the potential to finish first in the rankings for two consecutive decades, in the 2000s and the 2010s.

Who are the only two heavyweights to finish first in the rankings for two separate decades?

Muhammad Ali and Vladimir Klitschko are the only two heavyweights to finish first in the rankings for two separate decades.

Which boxer had the most dominant decade according to the scoring criteria?

Joe Louis had the most dominant decade according to the scoring criteria, with 90 points in the 1940s.

Which boxer has been considered among the best across different decades?

Boxers like Muhammad Ali, Vladimir Klitschko, Joe Louis, Floyd Patterson, Lennox Lewis, and George Foreman have been considered among the best across different decades.

What does the final top 10 list since 1930 consist of?

The final top 10 list since 1930 consists exclusively of boxers who appeared in the top 10 in more than one decade.

Outlines

00:00

🥊 Ranking the Top Heavyweight Boxers of Each Decade

This paragraph introduces an experiment to objectively determine the top 10 heavyweight boxers from each decade using Ring Magazine's historical rankings. Starting from the 1930s, the method involves awarding points to fighters based on their position in the annual rankings, with the champion receiving 10 points down to 1 point for the 10th ranked contender. The decade of the 1930s is used as an example, with Max Schmeling topping the list due to his consistent high rankings throughout the decade. The scoring system is clarified to not include head-to-head comparisons and to focus on the fighters' perceived status within their respective decades.

05:02

🏆 Decade-by-Decade Analysis of Heavyweight Champions

The script continues with a decade-by-decade analysis of heavyweight boxing, highlighting the top-scoring fighters in the 1940s through to the 2010s. Joe Louis dominates the 1940s with an unprecedented score of 90 points, while Rocky Marciano leads the 1950s with 48 points. Muhammad Ali scores 78 points in the 1960s and an impressive 86 points in the 1970s, showcasing his consistent excellence. The 1980s sees Larry Holmes on top with 58 points, and Evander Holyfield scores a massive 83 points in the 1990s. The 2000s are led by Wladimir Klitschko with 68 points, and the incomplete 2010s also has Klitschko in the lead. The paragraph emphasizes the scoring criteria and the dominance of certain fighters within their respective decades.

10:04

📊 Cumulative Rankings and Notable Heavyweight Boxers

The final paragraph summarizes the cumulative rankings of heavyweight boxers from the 1930s to the present, focusing on those who appeared in the top 10 in multiple decades. Muhammad Ali, Vladimir Klitschko, Joe Louis, and Floyd Patterson are highlighted for their consistent excellence across different decades. The paragraph concludes with a top 10 list of heavyweight boxers since 1930, based on the scoring system used throughout the experiment. It emphasizes the longevity and dominance of these fighters, noting that the list, while not perfectly aligned with personal opinions, still reflects the fighters' elite status over extended periods. The script ends with a teaser for future breakdowns of other weight classes.

Keywords

💡Heavyweight Boxers

Heavyweight boxers are professional athletes who compete in the heaviest weight class in boxing. In the context of the video, the focus is on determining the top 10 heavyweight boxers from each decade using Ring Magazine's historical rankings, emphasizing their significance and dominance in the sport.

💡Ring Magazine

Ring Magazine is a prominent boxing publication known for its annual rankings of boxers in various weight classes. The video uses the magazine's archive to objectively determine the top heavyweights, highlighting its authoritative role in boxing history and analysis.

💡Decade Rankings

Decade rankings refer to the practice of evaluating and listing the top boxers at the end of each decade. The video script discusses the top 10 heavyweight boxers from the 1930s to the 2010s, using a scoring system based on annual rankings to determine their overall dominance.

💡Scoring Criteria

Scoring criteria in this video refers to the method used to assign points to boxers based on their position in the annual rankings. For example, the top-rated boxer receives 10 points, and the points decrease down to 1 point for the 10th ranked. This system is central to the experiment conducted in the video to determine the most dominant heavyweights.

💡Dominance

Dominance in this context refers to the extent to which a boxer was considered the best in their weight class over a period of time. The video discusses the dominance of boxers like Joe Louis in the 1940s and Muhammad Ali in the 1970s, using their high point totals as evidence of their supremacy.

💡Top 10 List

The top 10 list is a ranking of the best heavyweight boxers from each decade, as determined by the scoring criteria. The video script uses this list to identify the most consistently elite boxers, such as Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis, who appeared in the top 10 in multiple decades.

💡Champion

A champion in boxing is the holder of a prestigious title, often recognized for their outstanding skills and achievements. The video script mentions champions like Max Schmeling and Joe Louis, who were rated highly in their respective decades, exemplifying the pinnacle of boxing excellence.

💡Contender

A contender is a boxer who is considered a potential threat to the champion and is ranked highly enough to challenge for a title. In the script, Jack Sharkey is mentioned as the number one contender to Max Schmeling, indicating his high standing in the heavyweight division.

💡Longevity

Longevity in the context of the video refers to the ability of a boxer to maintain a high level of performance and recognition over an extended period. Boxers like Floyd Patterson and Lennox Lewis are highlighted for their consistent presence in the top 10 across different decades.

💡Head-to-Head Comparisons

Head-to-head comparisons are evaluations of boxers based on their direct encounters or potential matchups. The video script clarifies that the scoring criteria used does not take into account such comparisons, focusing instead on the boxers' overall standing in their respective decades.

💡Ranking System

The ranking system mentioned in the video is the method by which Ring Magazine evaluates and lists boxers. It is used to create a historical record of the top performers in each weight class, which the video leverages to analyze the dominance of heavyweight boxers across different decades.

Highlights

Introduction of an experiment using Ring Magazine's historical rankings to determine the top 10 heavyweight boxers from each decade.

Starting from the 1930s with a complete dataset of rankings and Max Schmeling topping the list with 72 points.

Max Baer's inconsistency in the 1930s compared to Primo Carnera and Max Schmeling.

Joe Louis' dominance in the 1940s with a record 90 points for nine consecutive years.

Rocky Marciano leading the 1950s with 48 points, not consistently viewed as the best throughout the decade.

Muhammad Ali's 78 points in the 1960s, despite a three and a half year suspension.

Floyd Patterson's strong showing in both the 1950s and 1960s with high point totals.

Muhammad Ali's 86 points in the 1970s, being rated best or second best for nine consecutive years.

George Foreman, Joe Frazier, and Ron Stander's high point totals in the 1970s.

Larry Holmes topping the 1980s with 58 points and Mike Tyson's lower ranking.

Evander Holyfield's impressive 83 points in the 1990s, potentially rivaling Joe Louis's score.

Lennox Lewis and Michael Moore's strong performances in the 1990s.

Wladimir Klitschko leading the 2000s with 68 points, Chris Byrd in second place.

Vladimir Klitschko's potential to finish first in two consecutive decades like Muhammad Ali.

The current decade's rankings with Klitschko on top and the possibility of Alexander Povetkin surpassing him.

Top 10 list since 1930 featuring boxers who appeared in the top 10 in more than one decade.

Muhammad Ali, Vladimir Klitschko, Joe Louis, and Floyd Patterson's multi-decade dominance.

George Foreman's unique appearance in multiple decades, showcasing his longevity.

Conclusion emphasizing the experiment's informative and educational value.

Transcripts

this is Rummy's corner

good evening boxing fans and welcome

back in this episode we're going to

perform a simple experiment where we

make use of Ring Magazine's rich archive

of historical rankings in order to try

and objectively determine the top 10

heavyweight boxers from each decade Ring

Magazine began doing annual rankings for

the heavyweight division back in 1924 so

for our purposes here we're going to

start with the first full decade with a

complete dataset of rankings the 1930s

at the conclusion of 1930 these were the

top rated heavyweights according to Ring

magazine Max Schmeling was the

recognized champion so we're going to

award him 10 points for topping the list

Jack Sharkey was his number one

contender so he will receive 9 points

and we continue downward until we reach

1 point for Larry Johnson know that Max

Baer is the number 10 rated contender

meaning he's actually the 11th name on

the list in instances like this the

heavy weight listed 11th will not

receive any points some years ring has

10 names others they have 11 and

sometimes they even used 15 but for our

purposes here we're looking at the top

10 names only if we go through and do

this for every year from 1930 through

1939 our final result would look like

this Max Schmeling tops the list with 72

points driven by the fact he was rated

is one of the very best heavyweights for

nine out of ten years one of the things

that jumps out for me here is seeing max

baer rank below fighters he d like Primo

Carnera and smelling himself but when

you look at the 30s as a whole bear ran

hot and cold after his peak stretch

and bare lack the greater consistency

displayed by both Carnera and especially

smelling throughout the 1930s in terms

of being viewed as one of the very best

so using this scoring criteria it isn't

about making head-to-head comparisons

moving on to the 1940s Joe Louis was

about as dominant as you can get he

scored an incredible 90 points securing

the top spot for nine consecutive years

before being removed from the rankings

following his short-lived retirement

theoretically using this scoring

criteria the highest score you can ever

achieve in any given decade is 100

points and it's difficult for me to

imagine a situation where a champion in

any decade from any weight class would

score higher than what Joe Louis scored

here powerhouse showing from the brown

bomber and looking at the 1950's Rocky

Marciano topped the list with 48 points

Rocky was dominant for a five-year

stretch but unlike Schmeling in the 30s

in Lewis in the 40s Marciano wasn't

consistently viewed among the very best

in the division across the entirety of

the 1950's more CNR retired before the

50s had even ended and he wasn't highly

rated until just before the start of his

championship ring

but forty-eight points was still enough

to put rocky ahead of Ezzard Charles and

the emerging Floyd Patterson in the

1960s Muhammad Ali scored 78 points

comfortably giving him the top spot even

though Ali had his license suspended and

did not compete for three and a half

years Ring Magazine continued

recognizing Holly is the heavyweight

champion until he had his day in court

it was another strong showing for Floyd

Patterson who followed up his

third-place finish in the fifties with a

second-place finish here in the 60s

where he edged out 2-time Conqueror

Sonny Liston

had 56 points I think it's worth noting

here that this was the first time where

three or more fighters scored 50 or more

points in the same decade especially

when we consider that Marciano was the

leader on the 1950's list with 48 points

so 56 points for listed in that context

it's a very respectable number moving

along to the 1970s it was a powerhouse

decade for Muhammad Ali who tallied a

staggering 86 point total while he was

considered the best or the second best

heavyweight by renn magazine for nine

consecutive years until his temporary

retirement left him off the rankings and

this was also the second consecutive

decade where Ali finished with the

highest score additionally it was also

the second consecutive decade where we

had three heavyweights with 50 or more

points with George Foreman getting 57

and Joe Frazier getting 53 Jen Norton

also had an impressive 46 point total

and seeing this many high point totals

it really isn't all that surprising when

you consider the fact that the 1970s

it's often viewed as one of the greatest

decades in the long rich history of

heavyweight boxing on to the 1980s the

east and Assassin topped the list with

58 points Holmes was the dominant

champion throughout most of the 1980s

into losing a couple of close and

somewhat controversial decisions against

Michael Spinks the big surprise from

this list for me we see Mike Tyson all

the way down tied for fourth with

Pinklon Thomas but Tyson's dominant

reign came late in the decade and again

this isn't a measurement that takes

head-to-head considerations real or

hypothetical into a camp

it's about being considered among the

very best in the weight class within the

Khan

of a given decade Larry Holmes

personified the qualities but for Holmes

his peak years stretched from the late

70s until the mid 80s thus preventing

him from achieving the type of point

totals we saw from Joe Louis during the

40's and Muhammad Ali in the 70s looking

at the 1990s this is the first time

we've seen four heavyweights with 50 or

more points in the same decade Evander

Holyfield topped the list with a massive

total of 83 points and if you consider

his temporary retirement he may have

possibly had a shot at a tally rivaling

Joe Louis's 90 points from the 1940s

Holyfield won some he lost some but he

consistently competed at the top and was

frequently viewed as the best

heavyweight at many points in time

throughout the 90s very strong Shelly

from Lennox Lewis with 71 points and

Michael Moore edged out Riddick Bowe and

seen beau with 50 points you think the

Boas Prime is being very short and in

service of his absolute crime it was

really short but even so all was still

considered top three for five

consecutive years and that adds up under

this point system it's also interesting

to note that Mike Tyson actually scored

one point higher here during the 90s

than he did during the 80s on to the

double O's wladimir klitschko

led the way with 68 points and he was

undoubtedly the most dominant force

during the decade Chris Byrd was rated

as one of the best consistently enough

that he finished second edging out both

Lennox Lewis and Vitali Klitschko both

of whom ironically are tied for third

but when you think about that period of

heavyweight boxing you had the

transition from Lennox to Vitali and

ultimately Vladimir emerged as the

dominant force so seeing all the

those guys here along with Chris bird

makes sense given the landscape from

that time so there was a pretty strong

showings from the three guys right after

Vlad and now even though the current

decade is not yet complete through the

end of 2017

the list looks like this Vladimir

Klitschko is again topping the list and

the only person who has a chance to

mathematically pass him would be

Alexander Povetkin

that seems extremely unlikely but

regardless Ovechkin had an impressive 54

point total in his own right Tyson Fury

is up towards the top of the list

Deonte wilder already finds himself in

the mix with the top 10 guys Anthony

Joshua is just outside the top 10 realm

at this moment we'll have to wait and

see how the next two years play out

before having anything finalized here

but I think it's interesting to look at

nonetheless and it looks like Vladimir

will wind up achieving something only

Muhammad Ali has done so far finishing

first in the rankings for two

consecutive decades so the most dominant

decade for any heavyweight using this

scoring criteria it was Joe Louis from

the 1940s with 90 points then came

Mohammed Ali from the 1970s Evander

Holyfield from the 1990s

Muhammad Ali again from the 1960s this

time 5th is Max Schmeling from the 1930s

then comes Lennox Lewis from the 1990s

even though he was the second best from

the 90s under this criteria he was still

dominant enough that that places him

sixth overall in terms of dominant

decades then Vladimir Klitschko is tied

with himself

68 points in the double lows in the

2010s then comes Larry Holmes from the

1980s and 60s Floyd Patterson in 70s

George Foreman are tied for 10 in terms

of having the most dominant decade for a

heavyweight boxer as far as heavyweights

finished in the top 10 in more than one

decade here is the list of elite boxers

who accomplished that feat these boxers

all stood out among the best across

different decades which to me is a

special feat in and of itself but the

notable standouts among all these

standouts are Muhammad Ali who finished

first in both the 1960s and the 1970s

Vladimir Klitschko who seems poised to

equal that feat with the 2000s in the

2010s for the 20 teens then we have Joe

Lewis who finished second in the 1930s

and first in the 1940s and Floyd

Patterson a guy who always tends to be a

little bit underrated in terms of his

longevity the fact that he finished

third in the 50s and second in the 60s

just shows you the type of longevity he

had at the top level same for Lennox

Lewis throughout the 90s and double lows

and finally we have big George Foreman

who finished second in the 1970s and

sixth in the 1990s Foreman was the only

heavyweight appearing in multiple

decades that weren't consecutive and he

was among the best in what were arguably

the two greatest errors in heavyweight

history the 1970s in the 1990s so that's

quite impressive indeed for big George

now if we add up the totals from all

these different decades from the 1930s

until the present not including guys who

received points but didn't finish in the

top ten for a given decade like Joe

Lewis from the 50s

Lloyd Patterson from the 70s Mike Tyson

from the 2000s to name a few if we just

add up all the numbers from decades

where a boxer qualified as a top 10

according to the criteria we've used we

get a top 10 list since 1930 that looks

like this not surprisingly the top 10

list consists exclusively of boxers who

appeared in the top 10 in more than one

decade

and while the final result here isn't

something I personally agree with 100% I

don't think this is a bad list at all if

nothing else I think it speaks volumes

about the guys who were considered elite

for an extended period of time where

each guy helped to find his own era and

regardless of any personal differences I

might have with this final result in my

own list I still think this is a

worthwhile experiment it's been very

informative and educational for me and I

hope it was for you as well thanks for

watching everyone

hope you enjoyed please stay tuned for

more bye decade breakdowns of other

weight classes in the near future until

then have a great night