Who are the 5 best heavyweights never to become undisputed champion?

Question

Who are the 5 best heavyweights never to become undisputed champion?

Answer 1

Larry Holmes tops the list.

Answer 2

The guys I'm going to name might have been a champion but I don't think they were undisputed.

Archie Moore

Bob Foster

Ken Norton

Answer 3

Sam Langford, Sam McVea, Joe Jennette and Harry Wills in the early days. They never got a shot at the heavyweight title because of the color bar that operated in boxing at that time.

Oscar Bonavena, Zora Folley, George Chuvalo and Jerry Quarry in the late 60's/ early 70's

Earnie Shavers, Ron Lyle, Jimmy Young and Ken Norton in the mid to late 70's.

If we're including "partial" champions then yes, of course, Larry Holmes must come top, although I've always regarded him as an undisputed champion in all but name. After Holmes the picture becomes too confused with multiple sanctioning bodies  - Lewis and Holyfield were champion at the same time in the late '90's early '00's depending on which sanctioning body you believed. Ernie Terrel and Jimmy Ellis might be worth a mention in the partial champion category, both being recognised at champions by the WBA when Ali was stripped of the title.

It's very difficult to pick the top 5, particularly with the '60's/70's heavyweights, as some would lose to a fighter who'd been beaten by a fighter they'd beaten (if you know what I mean, but I guess that's boxing) but maybe something like

1. Harry Wills

2. Sam Langford

3. Sam McVea

4. George Chuvalo

5. Oscar Bonavena

Answer 4

Cleveland WILLIAMS (Would have been champ another era)

Ike IBEABUCHI (We'll just never know, will we?)

George CHUVALO (Canada never made a tougher man)

Jake KILRAIN (owned the "world title" but it was essentially a made up belt by Richard K. Fox, simply to goad Sullivan into fighting Kilrain, who over 75 rounds, lost a hard-fought bareknuckle war with Sullivan)

Michael SPINKS (any man who can beat Larry Holmes twice deserves a stinkin' WALL of medals!)

***Honorable mention: Archie MOORE, who has more knockouts than most fighters have FIGHTS!  He was much better at lightheavy, though. . ..

Answer 5

larry holmes (WBC & IBF champ at different times, and also ring magazine champ)

sam langford (wasn't allowed to fight for title because he was black)

joe jenette (see above)

sam mc vey (see above)

harry wills ( as above)

unless you just meant partial title holders....

larry holmes

ken norton (was deemed by many to be unlucky in title match against ali)

tim witherspoon (could've been better if motivated)

jimmy ellis (was lucky against patterson)

tony tubbs (see witherspoon)