By Geoffrey Ciani: Who were the Top 5 heavyweight champions during the 1960s?
In the 1960s there were 7 heavyweight champions between January 1st, 1960 and December 31st, 1969. For the purposes of this video, we are specifically comparing heavyweight championship reigns and championship bouts that happened during this particular stretch.
Ingemar Johansson entered 1960 as the undisputed world heavyweight champion. In June 1960, he lost against the man he beat to become champion, Floyd Patterson – boxing’s first 2-time world heavyweight champion. Patterson lost the title to Liston in September 1962, and Liston in turn lost the title against Muhammad Ali in February 1964. Ali was stripped of the WBA for signing to have a rematch with Liston, and Ernie Terrell defeated Eddie Machen for the vacant WBA in March 1965.
Ali dominated Terrell winning a 15 round decision in February 1967, where Ali reclaimed the WBA belt he had never lost in the ring. After making 10 title defenses, Ali was stripped of his championship when he had his boxing license revoked, which resulted in a complete championship vacancy. The NYSAC vacancy was filled when Joe Frazier stopped Buster Mathis in March 1968. And then in April 1968, Jimmy Ellis won the vacant WBA title when won a 15 round majority decision against Jerry Quarry. So at the end of 1969, Joe Frazier was the NYSAC champion, Jimmy Ellis was the WBA champion, and the WBC title was vacant.
So who were the Top 5 heavyweight champions during the 1960s?
This edition of Rummy’s Corner will attempt to answer that question while also providing a quick overview of the heavyweight championship landscape during the 1960s, and a quick recap comparing the 1960s championship reigns of Ingemar Johansson, Floyd Patterson, Sonny Liston, Muhammad Ali, Ernie Terrell, Joe Frazier, and Jimmy Ellis. Please watch and enjoy the video for one man’s opinion. This is Rummy’s Corner (produced and narrated by Geoffrey Ciani).