The recent retirement announcement from former three-time cruiserweight champ Mairis Briedis inspired a few boxing articles that attempt to break down the ten greatest fighters from the division. There have for sure been some special fighters boxing at cruiserweight over the years, over the decades, and the division – very much a far from accepted or exciting one as far as fan opinion was concerned back when the weight class first materialised – is now firmly established.
No longer a mere stepping off place for light heavyweights who are moving up to the heavyweight division, the 200 pound division is actually a fun division, with plenty of great fights having taken place there.
So, who are the 10 greatest cruiserweights in boxing history?
Here’s a stab at it:
1: Evander Holyfield.
For so many fans, the undisputed king of the division, with nothing to ever change this.
2: Oleksandr Usyk.
Would the peak cruiserweight version of Holyfield have beaten Usyk? This Dream Fight now features quite highly in a fight fan’s thoughts.
3: Dwight Muhammad Qawi.
Qawi was a relentless, cunningly defensive buzzsaw (a” Camden Buzzsaw”) of a warrior. Qawi played his part in the single greatest fight in the division’s history, his dance partner the guy at the top of this list.
4: David Haye.
We tend to forget how special Haye was down at cruiserweight. Ring Magazine ranked/ranks Haye as the greatest cruiserweight of the decade, 2000 to 2010.
5: Mairis Briedis.
Never stopped, as nasty (at times) as he was tough and talented, Briedis has to make the cut here. Not too many guys enjoy three reigns in the same weight class.
6: James Toney.
Toney would feature higher had he stuck around for significantly longer than just a few fights at the weight. As it is, Toney bested a fine fighter in Vasiliy Jirov, this in what ranks for many as the second greatest fight in cruiserweight history.
7: Vasiliy Jirov.
Another non-stop puncher who possessed awesome stamina along with toughness and grit, Jirov is unfairly best known for his close (not on the official cards but in the opinion of most fans) war with Toney.
8: Johnny Nelson.
Too boring for some, Nelson was nevertheless a fine boxer with immense skill. And Nelson held onto the WBO title for quite some time.
9: Jean Marc Mormeck.
A superb fighter who could box and brawl. The Frenchman gave us something truly special when he rumbled with O’Neil Bell; even though he lost, Mormeck showing his quality in avenging the defeat later on.
10: Carlos DeLeon.
A four-time ruler, Carlos was cuter than cute, and he had some genuine longevity, hence those four spells as a champion.
