Michael Johnson - track
Jesse Owens - track
Jesse Owens - track
That's true but I still haven't seen any tennis player as buggered as a heavyweight boxer who's been through a 15 round war. Tennis pressure points are definitely very intense too but you're never in imminent danger of having to carry your brain home in a bag.
Best dolly thrower in history imo. Won multiple golds for it iirc.
Separate discussion but who would people choose from the MMA world? probably lean towards GSP myself, maybe a bit biased because of how fecking likeable he is in the media.
Roger Federer
Perhaps the most humble of the names on the list ( I don't think its debatable really) but the level he has played at in the 2000s might go unsurpassed in the great Swiss mans lifetime.
His individually held records are staggering;
20 Grand Slam singles titles.
30 men's Grand Slam finals
All 4 Grand Slam finals in 1 season reached three times: 2006–2007 & 2009
2 men's Grand Slam titles per-year 6 times: 2004–07, 2009, & 2017
3 men's Grand Slam titles per-year 3 times: 2004, 2006–2007
43 men's Grand Slam semifinals
52 men's Grand Slam quarter-finals
10 consecutive men's Grand Slam finals (2005–2007)
23 consecutive men's Grand Slam semifinals
36 consecutive men's Grand Slam quarter-finals
72 men's Grand Slam tournament appearances
7+ finals at three Grand Slams
5+ finals at all four Grand Slams
4+ consecutive finals at three Grand Slams
6+ consecutive finals at two Grand Slams
5 consecutive titles at two Grand Slams
5+ titles at three Grand Slams
6+ titles at two Grand Slams
10 titles defended overall
65+ match wins at all four Grand Slams
80+ match wins at three Grand Slams
90+ match wins at two Grand Slams
176 hard court match wins
11 hard court Grand Slams
14 hard court finals
87.6% hard court match win percentage
8+ titles on two different surfaces (hard & grass)
11+ finals on two different surfaces (hard & grass)
332 Grand Slam match wins overall
One of the most likeable names in the history of sport, he almost seems like the type of guy you could just walk past and not even realise it was him. No drame, no scandals, just utter commitment to the sport and being a good human being.
Perhaps the most humble of the names on the list ( I don't think its debatable really) but the level he has played at in the 2000s might go unsurpassed in the great Swiss mans lifetime.
His individually held records are staggering;
20 Grand Slam singles titles.
30 men's Grand Slam finals
All 4 Grand Slam finals in 1 season reached three times: 2006–2007 & 2009
2 men's Grand Slam titles per-year 6 times: 2004–07, 2009, & 2017
3 men's Grand Slam titles per-year 3 times: 2004, 2006–2007
43 men's Grand Slam semifinals
52 men's Grand Slam quarter-finals
10 consecutive men's Grand Slam finals (2005–2007)
23 consecutive men's Grand Slam semifinals
36 consecutive men's Grand Slam quarter-finals
72 men's Grand Slam tournament appearances
7+ finals at three Grand Slams
5+ finals at all four Grand Slams
4+ consecutive finals at three Grand Slams
6+ consecutive finals at two Grand Slams
5 consecutive titles at two Grand Slams
5+ titles at three Grand Slams
6+ titles at two Grand Slams
10 titles defended overall
65+ match wins at all four Grand Slams
80+ match wins at three Grand Slams
90+ match wins at two Grand Slams
176 hard court match wins
11 hard court Grand Slams
14 hard court finals
87.6% hard court match win percentage
8+ titles on two different surfaces (hard & grass)
11+ finals on two different surfaces (hard & grass)
332 Grand Slam match wins overall
One of the most likeable names in the history of sport, he almost seems like the type of guy you could just walk past and not even realise it was him. No drame, no scandals, just utter commitment to the sport and being a good human being.
Jon jones is a confirmed cheat. he fecked himself out of the discussion unfortunately.
Shouldn’t Jack Nicklaus be the in the poll instead of Tiger Woods?
I was think that as well. Putting Tiger Woods in the list and not Nicklaus, would be a bit like offering up Nadal but not Federer
Fair. Just read a few articles and it’s difficult to separate their peak dominance so both should feature.
You should change thread title to "The greatest athlete - sportsman of all time, in American and English sports".
So many greats missing, it's embarassing
So many greats missing, it's embarassing
You should change thread title to "The greatest athlete - sportsman of all time, in American and English sports".
So many greats missing, it's embarassing
Give me one who had more global impact and legacy than the ones in the list.
If you read this, Jack Nicklaus is pretty far ahead in my opinion.
https://eu.usatoday.com/story/gameon/2013/04/15/tiger-woods-jack-nicklaus-comparison/2083049/
Don Bradman
Can't add him, he's not known in America.
Show me someone on the list with more Olympic medals than some of these
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_multiple_Winter_Olympic_medalists
Not saying the greatest athlete isn't amongst the ones listed, but the ignorance of winter sports on English forums are ridicolous.
There are some Norwegian cross country or biathlon athletes, and Dutch ice skaters, who deserve to be on a list like this.
Pretty much. It's sad how people downplay Ali's boxing skills, the way he moved in his Liston fights no other heavyweight has every replicated. It's a real shame he didn't get to fight in his peak years. That's what makes him even more great for me, he was past his peak but still dominated one of the toughest heavyweight eras. And that's not to mention his determination,chin and heart.
Didn’t really know much about him but 5 mins reading and yep, he deserves to be on the list.
Don Bradman added
Don Bradman added
Show me someone on the list with more Olympic medals than some of these
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_multiple_Winter_Olympic_medalists
Not saying the greatest athlete isn't amongst the ones listed, but the ignorance of winter sports on English forums are ridicolous.
There are some Norwegian cross country or biathlon athletes, and Dutch ice skaters, who deserve to be on a list like this.
Michael Phelps has significantly more golds than any of those athletes have total medals.
Remember, part of the criteria has to be worldwide legacy and appeal. You have to draw the line somewhere with a question like this. The names on the list are fair. Their combined earnings/global exposure is probably more than every athlete in the history of winter sports combined.
Yeah, that bloke absolutely deserves to be there.
Jordan gets an extra point for the best cheesy inspirational commercials.
"Worldwide" as in the UK and USA. There are people on the list i haven't heard about, and i am interested in most sports.
The biggest countries with the best known media.
Tom Brady plays a sport that's basically only played in the US.
Tiger Woods walks around on grass and hits a ball with a stick. - what an athlete
Phelps got loads, but i bet he has more possibilities aswell, compared to someone who only have 1 distance to compete in in an Olympic.
I'd probably give it to Phelps, of the ones on the list still.
But ignoring Marit Bjørgen, Ole Einar Bjørndalen, Bjørn Dæhli and Sven Kramer, is just silly.
She might have looked like a man at one point, but she was a ridicolous athlete (just retired).
I don't think you ca be the greatest sportsman if you're not the best in your sport. I've read a lot of people into boxing say that Sugar Ray is the best boxer there has ever been. Yes there are weight classes in boxing but they believed a comparison can Be made which is fair IMO. We don't call Maradona/Pele/Messi the greatest forwards ever but the greatest footballers ever.
I agree about Ali, and that's the line I'm also going down. There are a few up there who just weren't huge standouts in their sport/event. For me, the greatest needs to be the best in his sport by a large margin.
What Ali has over sugar ray is the calibre of opponent. Outside Jake Lamotta and Henry Armstrong, SRR never really fought hall of famers, he was incredibly active and exceptionally skilled but is a fighter that good with a 54% KO ratio going to be more important to the sport than Ali?
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What?
He beat the following hall of famers
Kid Gavilan
Sammy Angott
Fritzie Zivic
Rocky Graziano
Bobo Olson
Gene Fullmer
Randy Turpin
Carmen Basilio
Jake LaMotta
Henry Armstrong
Jose Basora
He also fought Joey Maxim, Joey Giardello so he fought 13 (for probably around 40 or so fights).
Ali comparatively defeated 7 and fought 8 total for around 12-13 fights. It should be noted that Norton, Patterson are in the HOF because heavyweights historically were a bigger deal but neither is in the class of any of Robinson's HOF opponents.
Harry Greb and Jimmy McLarnin are the only fighters in history to defeat more HOF opponents than Robinson but he is the consensus #1 ever at welterweight and considered by many the greatest middleweight ever despite arguably being at his best at lightweight (according to those that saw him there). Historically on a pound for pound level Gavilan would be considered better than anything Ali ever fought. Armstrong was hopelessly passed it (as Moore was for Ali), but LaMotta would also have to be considered better than just about any Ali foe and then you've got the Basilio's of the world where SRR was clearly past it.
Ali's competition was great but not as good or as deep as Robinson's nor was he as good a fighter.
Lin Dan
What's that?
It’s a spelling error which I’ve since corrected.
Yes but he's a swimmer.
"Worldwide" as in the UK and USA. There are people on the list i haven't heard about, and i am interested in most sports.
The biggest countries with the best known media.
Tom Brady plays a sport that's basically only played in the US.
Tiger Woods walks around on grass and hits a ball with a stick. - what an athlete
Phelps got loads, but i bet he has more possibilities aswell, compared to someone who only have 1 distance to compete in in an Olympic.
I'd probably give it to Phelps, of the ones on the list still.
But ignoring Marit Bjørgen, Ole Einar Bjørndalen, Bjørn Dæhli and Sven Kramer, is just silly.
She might have looked like a man at one point, but she was a ridicolous athlete (just retired).
List in poll is quite shit, I mean, the sport most represented there is fecking golf!
Popularity, global appeal and legacy have to be considered. Both those golfers are in the top 5 highest career earnings list according to Forbes (adjusted for inflation)
Media demand and pressure to perform has to be factored in too to some degree.
I'd consider neither popularity nor global appeal for that. And not really sure how to quantify legacy as well. Those are all things sportsmen and women can't do much about on the tracks, fields or rivers or wherever they perform.
And because their sport is big in USA and UK, where there's alot of money in sports.
I doubt many in Europe, Asia or Africa can name the top 50 best players in American football, they get paid alot, but not as much world recognition as you think. More like very loud American media and internett recognition.
Also surprised there's no cyclist on your list, since it's one of the biggest sports worldwide.
Because it's dull as feck to watch, or the doping scandals?
I doubt many in Europe, Asia or Africa can name the top 50 best players in American football, they get paid alot, but not as much world recognition as you think. More like very loud American media and internett recognition.
Also surprised there's no cyclist on your list, since it's one of the biggest sports worldwide.
Because it's dull as feck to watch, or the doping scandals?
I went for Ali mostly because of his legacy (on and off the field). He isn't even the best boxer of all time (Sugar Ray Robinson is), but he is the greatest sportsman of all time.
Federer would be second in my list.
Federer would be second in my list.
And because their sport is big in USA and UK, where there's alot of money in sports.
I doubt many in Europe, Asia or Africa can name the top 50 best players in American football, they get paid alot, but not as much world recognition as you think. More like very loud American media and internett recognition.
Also surprised there's no cyclist on your list, since it's one of the biggest sports worldwide.
Because it's dull as feck to watch, or the doping scandals?
More the scandals. If lance Armstrong had achieved what he did naturally then I don’t think it would be a contest really, especially given what he overcame.
He was the most famous man on the planet, he also changed the way boxing was promoted...and he was a massive political figure to boot. The others were great, they've got fantastic stats but they're weren't bigger than the sport they represented, they also didn't lose three of their peak years due to politics. I also think the sign of a true champion is a person who can triumph over adversity. Ali did it many times. The man's a massive legend, perhaps the most iconic figure of the 20th century. Stats do not tell the whole story...this isn't some bollocks Messi V Ronaldo poll. Ali wins by a clear margin and then some more.
I agree with you.
I said that SRR is the best boxer of all time, considering that pretty much all experts seem to agree on it. I have seen all famous matches of Ali and a few matches of SRR (most of them you can't find) so I can hardly give an unbiased opinion. SRR looked even more impressive though, and Ali himself said that he just used moves that SRR invented.
What is true though, is that Ali was much more than just an athlete. Not only that he essentially changed the sport (trash talking, promoting, bringing matches in third world countries etc), but his contribution outside the ring is unmatched. In that way he is the 'greatest' sportman of all time, even if he isn't necessarily the 'best' boxer ever.
Ali's my choice but even Muhammad thought that Sugar Ray was the greatest.