Legendary trainer and commentator Teddy Atlas has revealed his top 10 greatest heavyweights of all time.
Atlas had devoted over five decades to boxing, spending the earlier stages of his career as a coach where he worked with the likes of former world heavyweight champion Michael Moorer and former world light heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk to name a few.
He moved into working as an analyst and commentator for ESPN, HBO and Showtime, calling the action on some of boxing’s biggest fights over the last 30-years and being one of the ‘voices’ of the sport during this time.
In a video posted on his own YouTube channel THE FIGHT, Atlas went through his list of who he believes are the ten greatest heavyweights of all time, springing a few surprises along the way.
Both Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield were completely excluded from the list, although British-Canadian legend Lennox Lewis made the cut, coming in at number 10.
Larry Holmes, who reigned as world heavyweight champion from 1978 to 1985 came in at number 9, followed by Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney who were named at number 8 and number 7 respectively.
In a surprise claim, Atlas left the number 6 spot vacant for a current era fighter and asked for input from his YouTube viewers on who they believe should be there. In at number 5 was ‘Big’ George Foreman, who became the oldest world heavyweight champion in history when he defeated Michael Moorer in 1994.
Rocky Marciano and Jack Johnson took the number 4 and number 3 spots, with Atlas paying homage to both fighters especially Johnson, who became the first black world heavyweight champion in 1908.
It was none other than ‘The Greatest’, Muhammad Ali, who was given second place in Atlas’ list. Ali is often credited with being the greatest fighter to ever lace up the gloves.
And at number 1 was Joe Louis, who Atlas believes is the greatest heavyweight of all time. ‘The Brown Bomber’ made 25 consecutive defences of his heavyweight crown, an outstanding record which remains unbroken to this very day.
