10 Best Boxers of All Time
It’s always been a hot debate on “Who is the greatest? Who is the best of all time?” in the boxing world.
Trying to decide the best boxers in the world, regardless of weight class, isn’t an easy job.
I mean, it all depends on how you perceive one’s fight. The wild bodies, skillsets, and styles vary as we scan the spectrum of best boxers.
It is indeed crazy because everybody is so different.
So, here we have put up the work and ranked the best boxers of all time in terms of their longevity, accomplishments, and their impact on the sports.
While we rate the fighters on the basis of their historical career records, you are free to choose who might be the best in your view.
Quick Overview
| Best Boxers of All Time | Country |
| 1. Muhammad Ali | USA |
| 2. Sugar Ray Robinson | USA |
| 3. Floyd Mayweather Jr. | USA |
| 4. Manny Pacquiao | Philippines |
| 5. Guglielmo Papaleo | USA |
| 6. Mike Tyson | USA |
| 7. Roberto Duran | Panama |
| 8. Joe Louis | USA |
| 9. Sugar Ray Leonard | USA |
| 10. Shane Mosley | USA |
Best Boxers of All Time
The information and details has been compiled from trusted sites in the web including Players Bio and Wikipedia.
10. Shane Mosley
Holding the 10th spot of the best boxers of all time is Shane Mosley.
Shane Mosley a.k.a “Sugar,” is a renowned former professional boxer from California.
Mosley made his boxing debut in 1993. Besides, he has performed in three weight divisions: lightweight, welterweight, and light middleweight.
Similarly, Mosley fought in 61 matches where he won 49 (41 KO), had one draw, and lost 10.
During his 23 years of career, Sugar won 8 major and minor titles, including IBF lightweight title, WBC welterweight title, and The Ring magazine light middleweight titles.
In addition, he was two times lineal champion in welterweight.
The International Boxing Hall of Fame honored Sugar as “The Fighter of the Year” in 2000.
9. Sugar Ray Leonard
Holding the 9th spot is the “Boxer of the Decade” of the 1980s.
Sugar Ray Leonard is a former boxer from North Carolina. He competed from 1977 to 1997.
Similarly, Leonard has fought in 40 matches where he won 36 (25 KO), had one draw, and lost 3.
Besides, Leonard was one of the members of the 1980s iconic boxing group “The Four Kings,” where he used to fight with Robert Durán, Thomas Hearns, and Marvin Hagler.
Moreover, Leonard is 5 division World Boxing Champion, three weight division lineal champion, and an undisputed welterweight champion.
The Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) honored Leonard “Fighter of the Year” award in 1976, 1979, and 1981.
8. Joe Louis
Joe Louis, famous as “Brown Bomber,” was an American professional boxer. He competed from 1934 to 1951.
Louis fought in 69 matches where he won 66 (52 KO) and lost 3.
Moreover, Louis won all of the 25 weight division titles during his boxing career. Besides, he was the world heavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949, the longest in boxing history.
Further, Louis was the first African-American boxer to rule as a national hero in the US.
One of the world’s greatest and most influential boxers of all time, Louis died due to cardiac arrest on 18th April 1981 at the age of 66.
7. Roberto Duran
Holding the 7th spot is one of the greatest lightweights of all time.
Roberto Duran, a.k.a “Hands of Stone,” is a former professional boxer from Panama. He competed from 1968 to 2001.
Throughout his career, Duran fought in 119 matches, won 103 (70 KO), and lost 16.
Moreover, Duran holds a World Championships record in four weight divisions: lightweight, welterweight, light middleweight, and middleweight.
Besides, Duran was also an undisputed lightweight champion and the lineal lightweight and welterweight champion.
Further, Duran retired in 2002 at the age of 50.
6. Mike Tyson
Holding the 6th spot is the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time.
Mike Tyson a.k.a “Iron Mike,” is a former professional boxer from New York City. He competed from 1985 to 2005.
Besides, Tyson won his first 19 professional matches with a knockout, winning 12 of them in the first round.
At the age of 20, Tyson became the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA, and IBF heavyweight titles simultaneously.
From 1987 to 1990, Tyson was an undisputed world heavyweight champion.
Throughout his career, Tyson played 58 matches with 50 wins (44 KO) and lost 6.
Mike was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2011.
5. Guglielmo Papaleo
Guglielmo Papaleo a.k.a “Willie Pep,” was a leading featherweight of the 1940s.
Willie Pep competed as a boxer from 1940 to 1966.
Known for his speed, intimidating persona, and cunning skills, Pep fought 241 matches, won 229 (65 KO), lost 11, and had one draw throughout his career.
Moreover, Pep was two times World Featherweight Champion in 1942 and 1950.
Further, Pep was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.
Pep died on 23rd November 2006 due to dementia.
Pep’s rivalry with Sandy Saddler is noted as one of the greatest American pugilism of the 20th century.
4. Manny Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao, famous as “Pacman,” is a former professional boxer from the Philippines.
He competed from 1995 to 2000.
Throughout his career, Pacquiao fought in 72 matches, won 62 (39 KO), lost 8, and had eight draws.
Besides, Pacquiao is the only boxer to win 12 major titles in eight weight divisions in history.
Moreover, he was the first and only lineal champion in five divisions: flyweight, feather-weight, super featherweight, light welterweight, and welterweight.
Manny Pacquiao is the only fighter to win World Championships in four different decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s).
3. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a renowned American boxing promoter and former boxer.
He competed from 1996 to 2015.
Besides, Floyd is 15 major world champions in 5 weight divisions, including in super featherweight and light middleweight.
Similarly, he was the lineal champion in four weight divisions (twice at welterweight).
Throughout his career, Floyd fought 50 matches and won all of them with 27 KOs.
Moreover, Floyd has garnered two “Fighters of the Year” awards from The Ring magazine, three from BWAA, and six from ESPN.
2. Sugar Ray Robinson
Sugar Ray Robinson was one of the greatest American boxers in history.
He made his boxing debut in 1940. From the start of his career, Robinson won the third-longest unbeaten streak record with 91 fights.
Moreover, Robinson is the first fighter to win a divisional world championship five times in boxing history.
Throughout his 25 years of career, Robinson fought 201 matches, won 174 (109 KO), lost 19, had one draw, and won 6 World Championships.
On 12th April 1989, the “pound for pound” legend Robinson died because of Alzheimer’s disease and Diabetes.
1. Muhammad Ali
At the top comes the greatest and noblest boxer of all time, who transformed the game of boxing to a whole new level.
Muhammad Ali was renowned for his charming, smooth, trash-talking, and lively fights.
Whereas, he was a humble fighter who declined to join US Army troops for fighting in the Vietnam War, for which he was stripped of his heavyweight title.
He competed from 1960 to 1981.
Besides, Ali is the first boxer to win heavyweight titles on three separate events.
Throughout his career, Ali fought 61 matches, won 56 (37 KO), and lost 5.
Moreover, Ali is the only three-time lineal heavyweight champion in boxing history.
Further, Ali was inducted into The International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.
In 1984, Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson’s syndrome. On 3rd June 2016, the boxing legend died as his condition worsened.
Muhammad Ali’s match with Joe Frazier is considered as the biggest fight in boxing history, “Fight of the Century”.
Read About 30 Richest Boxers in the World
