Oleksandr Usyk is considered a small heavyweight in an era of behemoths. The 6-foot-3 Ukrainian weighed in at a career-high 221¼ pounds for his fight against 240-pound Anthony Joshua this past September, when the former cruiserweight champ earned a …
Oleksandr Usyk is considered a small heavyweight in an era of behemoths.
The 6-foot-3 Ukrainian weighed in at a career-high 221¼ pounds for his fight against 240-pound Anthony Joshua this past September, when the former cruiserweight champ earned a unanimous-decision victory and three of the four major heavyweight titles.
Usyk’s official weight would’ve made him one of the bigger champions in the first 60 years of the 20th century, when fighters not much heavier than present day light heavyweights were competing for the heavyweight championship.
From James J. Corbett to Jack Dempsey to Rocky Marciano, men who weighed less than 200 pounds ruled the sport’s glamour division.
Who weighed the least among heavyweight champions?
Here are the 10 lightest fighters who have won the title since John L. Sullivan ruled the division more than a century ago. Their weights when they became champions are listed.
Oleksandr Usyk is considered a small heavyweight in an era of behemoths. The 6-foot-3 Ukrainian weighed in at a career-high 221¼ pounds for his fight against 240-pound Anthony Joshua this past September, when the former cruiserweight champ earned a …
Oleksandr Usyk is considered a small heavyweight in an era of behemoths.
The 6-foot-3 Ukrainian weighed in at a career-high 221¼ pounds for his fight against 240-pound Anthony Joshua this past September, when the former cruiserweight champ earned a unanimous-decision victory and three of the four major heavyweight titles.
Usyk’s official weight would’ve made him one of the bigger champions in the first 60 years of the 20th century, when fighters not much heavier than present day light heavyweights were competing for the heavyweight championship.
From James J. Corbett to Jack Dempsey to Rocky Marciano, men who weighed less than 200 pounds ruled the sport’s glamour division.
Who weighed the least among heavyweight champions?
Here are the 10 lightest fighters who have won the title since John L. Sullivan ruled the division more than a century ago. Their weights when they became champions are listed.
Rocky Marciano announced his retirement on this date in 1956. One of the most remarkable aspects of his career is that he never returned.
Rocky Marciano announced his retirement on this date 64 years ago. One of the most remarkable aspects of his remarkable career is that he never returned.
Marciano was heavyweight champion and only 32 when he walked away from the sport at the height of his earning power. Why did he do it? He said he wanted to spend more time with his family but then traveled extensively. Maybe it was his ire over the percentage of his purses claimed by manager Al Weill. Or maybe he simply wanted to preserve what he had built.
“I thought it was a mistake when Joe Louis tried a comeback,” Marciano said. “No man can say what he will do in the future. But, barring poverty, the ring has seen the last of me,” Marciano said, according to The New York Times.
“I am comfortably fixed, and I am not afraid of the future. Barring a complete and dire emergency, you will never see Rocky Marciano make a comeback.”
So what legacy did Marciano preserve? Depends who you talk to.
He’ll forever been known for his final record, 49-0 (43 KOs). No other heavyweight – and few fighters in any division – have retired with a perfect ledger.
He also is remembered for his unusual punching power for a man his size, 5-foot-10½ and around 185 to 190 pounds. His percentage of victories that came by knockout is almost exactly the same as that of legendary puncher Mike Tyson.
And those who followed him closely marveled at his work ethic and resulting stamina and durability. Rocky was a rock.
At the same time, he has critics. They cite his relatively crude skill set even though he was able to overcome every challenge. They point out close calls – a controversial decision over Roland LaStarza comes to mind – even though all great fighters have benefited from questionable decisions.
And, of course, they say his opposition was so-so at best even though foes Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles and Archie Moore (his final opponent) were still formidable when he fought them and all are Hall of Famers.
Was Marciano the greatest heavyweight of all time? No. That distinction usually goes to Muhammad Ali or Joe Louis. Was he a special heavyweight who deserves our respect? Absolutely.
“His streak doesn’t make him a greater fighter,” TV analyst Larry Merchant told ESPN, “but a larger figure.”
A figure that still looms over the heavyweight division.
Boxing Junkie presents in the special feature the shortest heavyweight champions of all time.
Boxing Junkie recently presented a list of the tallest heavyweight champions of all time, with the 7-foot skyscraper Nikolai Valuev at the top of the angular heap.
Now it’s the little guys’ turn. In this special feature, we give you the shortest men to hold one world heavyweight title or another since John L. Sullivan opened the modern era when he was recognized as champion in the mid-1880s.
Only eight men under 6 feet have won the sport’s greatest prize in 135 years and no one has done it since the 5-11 Roy Jones Jr. beat John Ruiz in 2003.
Note: The heights used for this feature come from BoxRec.com, the official record keeper for professional boxing.
Here is the list (by height, or lack thereof).
NO. 1 TOMMY BURNS
Height: 5-7 Active: 1902-20 Record: 47-4-8 (35 KOs)
Reign(s): 1906-08 Background: What Burns lacked in height he made up for with quickness and pluck. The French-Canadian, whose real name was Noah Brusso, defeated bigger men by moving inside to inflict damage and then getting out quickly to avoid it. That’s how he beat the sub-6-foot, but heavier Marvin Hart to win the heavyweight title by decision in 1906 in Los Angeles. Burns made several defenses and then took his championship belt on a successful world tour, finishing his title run with eight consecutive knockouts. Disaster loomed, though. Following him on much of that tour was Jack Johnson, whose goal was to lure Burns into the ring. Johnson finally convinced Burns to fight him on Dec. 26, 1908 in Sydney. A $30,000 payday for Burns, the most ever earned by a boxer to that point, made it impossible to say no. Police halted Johnson’s slaughter of Burns, who officially lost a decision. He still has the distinction of being the shortest heavyweight champion.
Boxing Junkie presents in this special feature its list of the 10 greatest heavyweights of the modern era.
The process of selecting the 10 greatest heavyweights of the modern era – post World War II – made one thing clear: There have been many outstanding big men over the past 75 years.
Boxing Junkie was able to whittle the list down to the desired number but it wasn’t easy. The criteria we used wasn’t complicated: Our decisions were based on the accomplishments of the fighters, with some consideration of their impact on the sport.
We decided not to include active fighters such as Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury and Andy Ruiz Jr. We thought it made sense to let the current crop of heavyweights sort things out before considering them.
Wilder faces Luis Ortiz in a rematch on Saturday. Ruiz does the same with Anthony Joshua on Dec. 7.
So here is our list, with the “next five” listed after No. 10.
