The Top 10 Heavyweights of All Time

To celebrate the 70th birthday of one of the most iconic sports stars of the last century, Muhammad Ali, Sportsvibe have decided to take on the unenviable task of trying to come up with our list of the Top 10 heavyweights of all time.

It is a subject that has led to much discussion in the office, with three members of the team all coming up with their own lists - as a side note these can all be found by following these names on twitter @cmaherdoyle @jonwturner86 and @aidyback.

After hours of heated debate (with the odd argument that thankfully didn't end in a fist fight) we have managed to come up with a definitive list that outlines the reasons we feel these 10 proud boxers deserve to earn the recognition of being one of the all time greats.

Muhammad Ali - 61 fights = won 56 (KO 37) + lost 5 (KO 1) + drawn 0

Crowned the 'Sportsman of the Century' by Sports Illustrated in 1999 and one of the most recognisable faces in boxing. Ali transcended the sport with his sharp wit, good looks and charismatic personality, but most of all it was his ability inside the ring that puts him top of this list. Frightening speed, combined with brutal power and a refusal to quit inside the ring puts him at the pinnacle of the sport.

Defining Moment: There are countless moments that define what made Ali a true great. His victory over Sonny Liston at 22 to become the youngest ever heavyweight champion. The Rumble in the Jungle against the wrecking ball that was George Foreman or becoming a three-time champion. But perhaps his most memorable moment came at the end of the 14th round on October 1, 1975 as Eddie Futch refused to allow Joe Frazier to continue, and Ali, on the verge of collapsing, was declared victorious.

Joe Louis - 70 fights = won 66 (KO 52) + lost 3 (KO 2) + drawn 0 

The 'Brown Bomber' was an apt nickname for the man that knocked out 57 of his opponents. Louis held the heavyweight crown for 140 consecutive months as he defended the belt on 26 occasions, fighting such greats as Jersey Joe Walcott and Max Schmeling. His 25 successful title defenses is a record for the heavyweight division and he is widely regarded as one of the first African American boxers to become a national hero.

Defining Moment: It is not one specific event but instead a period which cemented his legacy as one of the all-time greats. From January 1939 to May 1941, Louis successfully defended his title on 13 occasions, securing 11 stoppages, one split decision and one DQ victory.

Rocky Marciano - 49 fights =  won 49 (KO 43) + lost 0 (KO 0) + drawn 0

Standing just 5ft 11", Rocco Francis Marcegiano may not have been the biggest of heavyweights but in his gloves he possessed an unrivaled power. A hero to all Italian-American's, Marciano would defeat the likes of Joe Louis (his hero inside the ring), Jersey Joe Walcott and Ezzard Charles on the way to becoming the first man to ever retire going undefeated throughout his career.

Defining Moment: While in many cases it is difficult to pick one moment in time, it is perhaps easiest with Marciano. The date was April 27, 1956 and it was the day that the undefeated boxer announced his retirement and cemented his place in history.

Jack Johnson - 75 fights = won 54 (KO 35) + lost 11 (KO 6) + drawn 7

Boxing in the 1900's was very different to the sport we see today. Fighters regular competed over 20 or more rounds with Johnson one of the first men to take a patient approach with opponents. He would seek out there weaknesses and when he felt the time was right, would unleash his true power. Often talking with the crowd Johnson eventually won the title in front of 20,000 fans in Sydney against Tommy Burns after spending two years taunting the champion. With more than 100 bouts to his name in a 40 year career he once landed a single punch on Stanley Ketchel that not only knocked his opponent out, but left his several teeth short of a full set.

Defining Moment: The day that Johnson met his mentor and coach Joe Choynski. The pair were arrested for fighting in Texas, where boxing was illegal at the time, and ended up sharing a cell together. Choynski was quick to notice the talent of the Galveston Giant and told him; "A man who can move like you should never have to take a punch."

Larry Holmes - 75 fights = won 69 (KO 44) + lost 6 (KO 1) + drawn 0

The man with the most devastating jab in the history of the sport. Holmes was the WBC heavyweight champion for 15 years, he made twenty successful defenses of his titles and came close to matching Rocky Marciano's streak of 49 consecutive wins, falling agonisingly just one win short. At his devastating best he beat the likes of Ken Norton, Muhammad Ali and Gerry Cooney. Even when his star was starting to fade he took on the very best in Michael Spinks, Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield.

Defining Moment: Upsetting the establishment by beating Gerry Cooney. The Irish-American was put on the cover of Sports Illustrated while the then president Ronald Reagen had a phone installed in the fighter dressing room so that he could personally congratulate the fighter. No such deal was made with Holmes. The fight took place in a specially constructed 32,000 seater stadium in the parking lot of Caesar's Palace as Holmes eventually wore down his opponent with a barrage of huge shots in the thirteenth round. The pair would also go on to become great friends outside the ring despite the tension beforehand.

Joe Frazier - 37 fights = won 32 (KO 27) + lost 4 (KO 3) + drawn 1

One of the toughest men in boxing history, 'Smokin Joe' Frazier possessed as much heart as he did steel, as well as one of the greatest left-hooks in the business. Frazier, an Olympic and Undisputed Heavyweight World Champion, was one of the only fighters to hold his own against Ali when he was untouchable, defeating his great rival in their first meeting in New York. His trilogy with Ali defined one of the most influential eras of the sport and remains arguably the greatest rivalry in sports history.

Defining moment: "Fight of the Century" what else? Despite falling behind on points early in this devastating war, Frazier absorbed Ali's combos and came on strong in the middle of the fight, breaking down his classy opponent and landing THAT crushing 15th round left-hook knock-down. Frazier was awarded a clear points decision and Ali was rushed to hospital for an X-ray on his jaw. Frazier was also sent to hospital where they discovered he fought with kidney infection. Hard. As. Nails.

George Foreman - 81 fights = won 76 (KO 68) + lost 5 (KO 1) + drawn 0

Arguably the hardest puncher in the history of boxing, Foreman had the terrifying ability to crush opponents with his devastating power. His strength became such an unstoppable force that during the height of his dominance, Foreman ignored endurance training to focus solely on power. A pair of knockout victories against Joe Frazier - the first a 2nd round TKO where he knocked 'Smokin Joe' down three times in both rounds - led many to believe Foreman would go on undefeated, such was his immense power. 'Big George' was a two-time World Heavyweight Champion and became the oldest champ in history when on November 5th 1994 and at 45 years old, he knocked out Michael Moorer in the 10th.

Defining moment: His most famous fight was undoubtedly his Rumble in the Jungle with Muhammad Ali, but to focus on a fight where he was ultimately humbled would be outrageous given his status as an all-time great. Therefore, his aforementioned second round destruction of Frazier for the WBC and WBA World Heavyweight titles in Jamaica must go down as his finest moment. Foreman knocked down a man considered one of the toughest fighters in history not once, not twice, but six times in the opening two rounds before the referee called an end to the fight. Following a routine defence, Foreman took on Ken Norton, the man who defeated and broke the jaw of Ali just a year earlier. Norton was no match for Foreman; getting put down three times in the opening two rounds before the referee called time. Having fought two of boxing's top fighters, Foreman's record stood at 40-0 (37KOs)

Gene Tunney - 68 fights = won 65 (KO 48) + lost 1 (KO 0) + drawn 1 - Newspaper Decisions - won 15 : lost : drawn 3

Considered one of the most complete and pure heavyweights in history, Tunney had the enviable ability to hit hard while possessing neat footwork and good hand speed. His complete style allowed him to box with intelligence and turn bouts more into a game of chess than a slug-fest. It was this ability to out-think his opponents that saw him defeat the great Jack Dempsey twice. He also beat long-term rival Harry Greb four times from their five contests, losing the first- his only professional defeat - at light-heavyweight. Tunney retired as an undefeated heavyweight after his victory over Tom Heeney in 1928.

Defining moment: "The Long Count Fight" - Without doubt Tunney's most defining moment was his second bout with Dempsey. 'The Fighting Machine' dominated the first six rounds with Dempsey unable to deal with his opponents ability to pick him off from distance. Then in round seven and with Tunney on the ropes, Dempsey unleashed a barrage of punches to floor him for the first and only time in his career. Controversy surrounded the subsequent ten-count when Dempsey failed to take the referee's orders to return to a neutral corner. As the ref could not begin the count until Dempsey had done so, Tunney was given an extra few seconds until the official count began, hence it became known as 'The Long Count Fight'. Tunney responded by flooring Dempsey in the eighth and then dominating the final two rounds. Despite the controversy, Dempsey lifted Tunney's arm at the end of the fight and said: You were best. You fought a smart fight, kid."

Mike Tyson - 58 fights = won 50 (KO 44) + lost 6 (KO 5) + drawn 0

Combining devastating power with both fists and an intimidating and ferocious style, during his pomp 'Iron Mike' was the most feared man on the planet. He was fast-tracked to boxing superstardom and having won his first 19 professional fights by KO (12 in the first round), Tyson became the youngest heavyweight world champion in history when, aged 20 years, 4 months and 22 days, he defeated Trevor Berbick with a second round TKO. He added the WBA belt in his next fight with a points win over James Smith before claiming the IBF title against Tony Tucker. Tyson continued to rack up the devastating knockout wins with Larry Holmes, Tony Tubbs, Frank Bruno and Carl Williams among the victims, but none more so than his 91 second knockout of Michael Spinks in June 1988. Tyson's battles with his inner demons became well-documented and his six-year jail sentence for rape effectively spelt the end of his reign. Temptation was the worst trait of Tyson's flawed character and had he been able to beat his greatest adversary- himself - he could have featured higher up this list.

Defining Moment: On November 22, 1986 Tyson defeated Trevor Berbick with a second round TKO for the WBC World Heavyweight Championship. At the age of 20 years and 4 months, Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion in history, eclipsing Muhammad Ali. This victory turned Tyson into the most celebrated sports star in the world and so began the comparisons with the greatest fighters in history.

Ezzard Charles 119 fights = won 93 (KO 52) + lost 25 (KO 7) + drawn 1

The International Boxing Research Organisation described Charles as a 'master boxer of extraordinary speed and ability'. With 93 wins to his name the Cincinnati Cobra was not afraid to step in the ring with anyone. Charles holds wins over Jersey Joe Walcott, Joe Louis and was involved with two of the fights of the century against Rocky Marciano. He became the first man to go the distance with Marciano and despite being a natural light-heavyweight managed to win the heavyweight crown and defend it on nine occasions.

Defining Moment: In September 1950, Charles was handed the opportunity to fight the man he regarded as his hero. He would have the chance to recognised as the world heavyweight champion if he could defeat Joe Louis. Charles was nearly 40 pounds lighter than his legendary opponent but produced a superb display of speed and counter punching to comfortably beat the verteran fighter over 15 one-sided rounds.

It was incredibly hard to come up with this list of just ten names so here are some honourable mentions to the few that didn't quite make the cut. Sonny Liston, Jack Dempsey, Lennox Lewis, Joe Walcott, RIddic Bowe, Evander Holyfield and Floyd Patterson.