The Ten WORST Heavyweight Champions Of All-Time...

While it might be more challenging to do this using another division, we'll use this one for the sake of familiarity. Use any criteria you wish to arrive at your list. I'll go head-to-head. Some here may've accomplished more, or been better fighters, than others not listed --- but for whatever reason (size, for instance) would have been the easiest target. Number-one is the worst, number-ten, the least poor. I'm just slapping this list together off the top of my head, mind, so bear with me --- I'm restricting myself to linear champions, too.

1. Marvin Hart
2. Tommy Burns
3. Leon Spinks
4. Shannon Briggs
5. Hasim Rahman
6. Jess Willard
7. Primo Carnera
8. Ingemar Johansson
9. Buster Douglas
10. Michael Spinks

 

Douglas doesnt belong on that list. Buster was easily more talented than the rest of those guys, and had he gotten up for more than ONE fight in his career, he woulda have an excellent career.

I'd say the worst undisputed champ ever has to be Rachman. We're talking about Oleg Maskeav's bitch here.

 

Douglas, I was thinking of on his worst night (as I was all these guys). Douglas had talent & potential, but in years past, people have begun to speak of him as this great, "What If?" when the reality is he turned in some truly wretched displays, at the ostensible height of his career. Still, it would be no less legitimate to replace him with, say, Jimmy Braddock.

Rahman was truly awful --- that's a blot on his resume Lewis just cannot erase, IMO. The fact it was one of only two defeats, came years after his only other loss, & is part of what is essentially an otherwise-fine career all serve to lessen the impact, but nothing can completely eliminate it from standing out. Yes, Rahman makes my bottom-five.

 

A couple guys I really liked, but usually don't get respected as Champ for whatever reason is Tommy Morrison and Chris Byrd.

Morrison I can understand people putting on a list like that, as he was a lot of wasted potential and was viewed as a one dimensional fighter, but Byrd should never be on a list like that. But I do see many totally disrespect and disregard Byrd as a champ.

 

Great sig ::

As for Byrd & Morrison, in linear terms, they are not up for consideration. If you included partial title-holders, the task would be much, much bigger --- & would ultimately include some truly hideous fighters.

 

Lemmon Loser

 

that russian dude who beat lamon brewster's pretty bad too.

 

bruce Seldon comes to mind.

 

Briggs is lucky to even be included on the list.

Considering what happened to the belts before Briggs even fought Foreman, and the fact that there weren't a lot of people who believed he even won the fight he "won" the linear title in against Foreman, and then him losing it his next time out, don't suggest much for his credentials as champion.

And losses to Sedrick Fields and Darroll Wilson don't scream all-timer.

 

How the fuck does the worst heavyweight champion hold a win over the best heavyweight champion, not just once, not twice, but thrice...on that list.

 

It has to be Briggs, without question. Rahman was a chronic underachiever, but at the very least earned the right to be called a champ. Briggs never achieved a fucking thing in his career AND needed a gift decision over a geriatric Foreman just to claim the title.

 

Good call.

 

That's the way I see it, as bad as Rahman may be, he earnt his title legitimately against one of the best ever, and the lineal champion. Fluke or no fluke, he done it.

Has to be Briggs.

 

I was going to say "any such list that doesn't include Bruce Seldon is a bullshit list" but then I saw that you're restricting yourself to linear champions.

Let's see who's the first idiot to put Tyson on the list.

Anyway..your list looks good.

 

Thank you. I think you'll be waiting a long time to see Tyson on such a list as this --- God willing, I hope you are.

 

That's a damn good list. I hate seeing Michael Spinks on there because he twice legitimately beat one of the Top 5 HW's of all time. But the pathetic display against Tyson probably warrants inclusion on this list.

 

Thanks. Admittedly, I didn't put a lot of thought into it, & these lists aren't easy at even the best of times.

Who would be your pick for the ignominous number-one spot?

 

Marvin Hart, while very likely the poorest of the bunch, never was a lineal champion nor really caught universal recognition so I don't think he should be included (or if he is, then Seldon, Botha etc should be in too).

If we go solely by what they did at heavyweight, then Bob Fitsimmons probably comes close to the list although p4p he was an all-time great

 

Hart was declared by Jeffries his successor, at a time when such a proclamation had true meaning.

Fitzsimmons wouldn't get within a million miles of my list.

 

He was declared by Jeffries yes but not nearly the whole boxing world recognized him (as they did Burns). That's why I compared him to alphabet titlists, they have been declared too, but not accepted.

Could you give examples of lineal heavyweight champions you think Fitsimmons would beat? His level of opposition is difficult to judge since few of his fight results can be proven correct

 

Briggs shouldn't be on there as he really never was "champ"

Lemmon should be on there as the worst legit champ ever

 

where are the klits?

 

Leon Spinks... Without question.

 

The Ali that lost over 15 to 8-0 Spinks would have been flat-out KO'd by many of todays fighters, not just the titlists. I don't know what sort of a division you have where a guy loses a 15-rounder to a rank novice. Cannot have been much better though than a division where the HW Champ makes a title defence against a DEBUTANT!!!!

 

Yawn. Peddle your agenda elsewhere.

 

Fixed

 

You BOTH have agendas.

 

:bears::bears:

Neon Leon W15 Old Brain Damaged Guy Being Robbed By The Nation Of Sham

HALCYON DAY BEYOTCHES!!!!

 

:crafty: Mediterranean temper cleared up,.. back to the jolly lepracaun..:bears:

 

oh really?

pray tell, what is MY agenda?

other than not having a rooting interest in anything other than the truth, what exactly is MY agenda?