Is it even possible that he has never lost a single match? Women's boxing pound-for-pound rankings: Did Baumgardner do enough to overtake Serrano? In 2002, he was listed as one of the 25 greatest fighters of the past 80 years byThe Ring. Professing his first belt at an age of 20 years is not a cup of tea and thus holds the record as the youngest boxer ever to win a heavyweight title. He was the first heavyweight boxer to win the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles also holds the record to win a heavyweight title as the youngest boxer. There were controversies regarding his boxing styles as many thought it was boring. Why? Boxing legends Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis have all secured a place in the top 10 heavyweight boxers of all time. Ernie Terrell KO by 7 - (5+) - Hvy - 08/64. There are of course elements such as world titles, successful title defenses and unbeaten runs which one can look at, but the strength of the division, era and opponents all add complications to such a system. He is the only Heavyweight champion to have retired undefeated as champion. Having a glittering start to his career, he continued his top form to defeatDonovan Ruddockin 1992 to secure over the number one position in theWBCrankings. Required fields are marked *. Top 10 Boxers of All Time (Legendary Boxers Ever) Having lost almost his entire fortune to the 1929 stock market crash, Leonard was forced into making a return to the ring seven years after his retirement. As the first and only three-time lineal World Heavyweight Champion, Ali fought many of the other members on this list in many of the greatest boxing matches ever such as when he duked it out with Joe Frazier and George Foreman and lost . It did not take a lot to prove himself worthy of being on the list of the top ten heavyweight boxers; he had the ability. Watch the DAZN Boxing Show and live fights on DAZN, British world champion looks for Usyk clash, Marlen Esparza ready for a rematch with world champion. "[Jermell] had one last fight in him because he was going to lose," Tszyu said. Top Rank signs Olympic gold medalist Bakhodir Jalolov - ESPN He amassed a record of 49-0, with 43 of those victories coming through knockout. Scoring a pair of second-round TKOs of Joe Frazier and Ken Norton are a sample size of how terrifying Foreman was in his era. The top 25 greatest boxers of all time may have earned different titles and championships - but have one thing in common: they own the ring. At the age of 74, the best heavyweights of all time died in 2016. The world heavyweight champion was won by him thrice and the lineal champion twice. There were 32 wins, 4 defeats, and only 1 draw in his entire career. He was not among those really fast boxers with tremendous footwork. Let's go to the video: 50 Greatest: Archie Moore. He converted to Islam and became a Muslim after 1961, and eventually took the name Muhammad Ali. Let's go to the video: 50 Greatest: Jack Dempsey. Frazier did have, without doubt, one of the most powerful and effective left hooks in boxing history, and a relentless approach which wore down lesser opponents, but once you look past Ali, the list of fighters he beat is not as impressive as some. Max Baer, Max Schmeling, James J. Braddock and Jersey Joe Walcott all felt Louis wrath. In his childhood, he was growing up in Easton, Pennsylvania which was the basis of his boxing nickname. Overall, Langford fought 256 times, losing only 32 fights. The only reason Ali became world champ was that the Black Panthers arranged it. Over 17.0K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Heavyweight Boxers of All Time, Any boxer who competed as a heavyweight is eligible. Mayweather, Pacquiao, Ali: The 10 greatest boxers of all time named Two successful title defenses were made before Foreman's first professional loss to Muhammad Ali in "The. That means this isn't a ranking from 1 to 10; rather the ten who, in this writer's opinion, make the cut. Referee David Fields quickly waved off the PBC on Showtime headliner without a count nearly halfway through Round 10 to end the one-sided beating. Larry Holmes won the WBC title in 1978 after he defeated Ken Norton. A four-round decision winning against the great Rodell Dupree was secured in his very first match. Americans dominate once again with 14 present in the fighters ranked between 30th and 11th place. Easily the best of all time, Muhammad Ali is undoubtedly the best heavyweight boxer to ever step in the ring. Cant overlook Holmes place in heavyweight history. ESPN also listed him as The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History. Anderson posts 10-round unanimous decision victory over Martin 17. Despite dying at the age of just 32, Harry Greb managed to fight 298 times, the third most bouts of any professional boxer in history. Jack Johnson: Boxing's first Black champion of the big men was remarkably quick . Rocky Marciano's detractors point to the fact that the heavyweight division was not at its strongest when Marciano dominated the division from 1947 to 1955. Nicknamed "Big George", he is a two-time world heavyweight champion and an Olympic gold medalist. Moore fought his first boxing match in 1935 and his last in 1963, some indication of his incredible longevity. He was also the first boxer to beatMuhammad Ali. Tyson became the first heavyweight boxer to win the WBC, IBF, and WBA titles. Thus, he was the type of boxer who did not fear his opponent and always looked for trading his iconic punches. It might sound impossible to achieve. The 27th fight, against Ezzard Charles in 1950, was a challenge for Charles' heavyweight title and so is not included in Louis' reign. Jack Dempsey is number 3 in our list of top 10 greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. Pro record: 61 wins, 50 KOs, six losses, eight draws. His playing routines, his charm, and his unique skills made millions of fans around the world. Boxing fans might wonder who could be the hardest puncher ever? 48. He ruled as the world heavyweight champion from 1937 until 1949. And perhaps Jermall can return to the ring and shake off the ring rust with a fight or two in the meantime ahead of a potential May 2024 meeting with Alvarez. Top 10 heavyweight boxers of all time - SportsUnfold One of the greatest heavyweights of all time proved his worth by defeating the mighty Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, and Vitali Klitschko. Lets have a look and see what you think about the following list of top ten greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. Our number six pick was born in Alabama, United States, whose technique was fighting from long distance. Rather than wait around for Charlo to recover from a broken hand that scrapped their planned Jan. 28 fight for the undisputed championship, Tszyu stayed busy. Villa (26-2, 24 KOs) entered the ring on the heels of a career-best win, a majority decision over Rashidi Ellis in January when he scored two knockdowns. He remains the only boxer in history to win the undisputed championship in twoweight classesin the three belt era. Official Record: 192-32-14, 79 KO Newspaper Decisions: 40-13-12* Years Active: 1909-1929 Championships: World Welterweight Championship If anyone knows a thing or two about boxing, it's the late . The premature death of Marciano disheartened the whole boxing community and his fans all over the world. Heavyweight boxing is one of the most popular and iconic sports in the world. Middleweight, especially if Jermall moves up to super middleweight, seems far more likely to be Jermell's weight class, if not super middleweight if he can defeat Canelo. He had a number of famous bouts with Englishman Sid Smith, but Wilde won on every occasion. Having the thirst to achieve more and more is not something seen in every boxer. Heavyweight. Boxing's 50 Greatest Heavyweight Fighters Of All Time Have Been Iron Mike won 50 of his 56 fights and was the undisputed world. Joshua, Fury, Tyson, Ali: The best boxing heavyweights of all time List of boxing cards set for July 12-16. And Charlo is jumping up two weight classes. Perfection in both offensive and defensive styles in boxing was offered none but Frazier. Jack Dempsey is known by the nicknameKid Blackie, andThe Manassa Mauler. Behind that crisp, piercing jab of his, Holmes enjoyed an eight-year run as world heavyweight champion, defeating the likes of Ken Norton, Earnie Shavers and Muhammad Ali along the way. So where does that leave Tszyu, the WBO interim junior middleweight titlist and the son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu? In 1997 Foreman retired from boxing. 30-11 Summary. A three-time world heavyweight champion, Lewis outpointed Evander Holyfield (essentially twice), laid Mike Tyson flat on his back via a devastating knockout and let Vitali Klitschko know that hes not to be messed with as part of his polished resume. He became the Welterweight World Champion in 1922, became the lightest man in history to challenge for the Light Heavyweight title and became Middleweight Champion in 1926, which he held until 1931. He is known for the classic style of play and he is one of the most fearless boxers in history. Holmes won against legendary boxers which include Trevor Berbick, Leon Spinks, Gerry Cooney, and last but not least the legendary Muhammad Ali. Yes, Charlo has the frame to compete at 168 pounds and will have height and reach advantages in the bout, but it often takes boxers several fights to acclimate to a new weight. Handsome, charismatic and a very hard and fast hitter, Dempsey was loved by men and women alike. Joe Frazier's ability as a boxer may have been exaggerated somewhat. Dempsey was World Heavyweight Champion from 1919 to 1926. The best heavyweight boxers of all time are not just the best boxers in that weight class but also arguably many of the best boxers of all time. Mike Coppinger and Ben Baby take a look: Jermall Charlo is an elite boxer and was ESPN's No. Since September 2020, Alvarez has fought seven times. Continue with Recommended Cookies. He is often ranked as one of the greatest heavyweights boxers of all time and has been drafted into the International Boxing Hall of Fameand the World Boxing Hall of Fame. Alvarez didn't look his best in September's trilogy win vs. Gennadiy Golovkin . Ring career: 1988-present Record: 47-4-1 (32 KOs) Career notes: Lost professional . After a troubled childhood Foreman took up amateur boxing and won a gold medal in the heavyweight division at the 1968 Summer Olympics. Among many, some of his popular nicknames were The Real Deal and The Warrior. The boxing style of Frazier was quite similar to Henry Armstrong and sometimes Rocky Marciano, depending on how much he wanted to pressurize his opponents. He held theWBC heavyweighttitle from 1978 to 1983, theRingmagazine andlinealheavyweight titles from 1980 to 1985, and the inauguralIBFheavyweight title from 1983 to 1985. Marciano was one of the most fearsome heavyweights in the history of the sport. Alvarez has also been far more active. Holmes defeated famous boxers including Trevor Berbick, Tim Witherspoon, Leon Spinks, Ken Norton, Gerry Cooney, and even the legendary Muhammad Ali. Bert Sugar's All-Time Greatest Fighters - Sports Illustrated Louis is popularly considered as one of the greatest and most prominent boxers of all time. Real or Not: Andy Ruiz vs. Deontay Wilder? Teofimo Lopez really - ESPN Time inactive . Defeating a 26-year-old Michael Moorer at the age of 45 back in November 1994 to once again be crowned as heavyweight champion demonstrated how a heavyweights power is the last to leave his hands. Well, the answer is Mike Tyson, who mesmerized people showing how a 20-year-old kid can win the heavyweight champion at such a young age. He is often ranked as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Such an unbelievable achievement was made possible by one of the biggest heavyweight boxers making the impossible to be possible. Nicknamed 'the Pittsburgh Windmill' due to his ability to throw punches in flurries, Greb had great power in his fists and was a very aggressive boxer who liked to mix it up a bit with his opponents. Foreman's most legendary performances were his second round destructions of Joe Frazier and Ken Norton. Scoring Results: Allen Thomas TKO 1 - (9) - 175 - 06/64. ESPN.com: ALL-TIME GREATEST BOXERS He also holds the record for the longest individual heavyweight title streak in the modern boxing history. Turns out Tszyu was especially wise to not sit around and wait for Charlo now that the fight might never happen. BoxingSceneplaced him as the greatest cruiserweight of all time. Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Sonny Liston, Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield are all easily among the best heavyweight boxers ever. Throughout history, the heavyweight division has produced some of the greatest boxers of all time, who have become legends in their own right. Gene Tunney was an incredible heavyweight champion, who lost only once, to Harry Greb; he retired with a record of 61-1-1-1. Dempsey is listed tenth onThe Ringmagazines of all-time heavyweights and seventh among its Top 100 Greatest Punchers. In 1950 theAssociated Pressdeclared him as the greatest fighter of the past 50 years. He is considered by many as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers and one of the greatest British fighters of all time. 3. Following his return he won 18 of his 19 bouts, losing his last fight to fellow Hall of Famer Jimmy McLarnin. The reason Langford is not better known is because he never became a world champion. To be saying explicitly, the legendary Ali was not only a famous boxer, he was successful too. His combination of size and power also poses a massive risk for Alvarez and makes him arguably the best opponent Alvarez could face in the 168-pound division. Being listed as one of the top greatest punchers of all time by many publications was another achievement of Holyfield. Even current boxers made the list with the current Heavyweight Champion Wladimir Klitschko from the Ukraine a modern legend. Greb was World Middleweight Champion from 1923 to 1926, winning 261 fights and dying aged 32 shortly after his last fight due to heart failure. He was World Lightweight Champion from 1902 until 1908. He is one of the toughest boxers to beat in boxing history. The fight will be broadcast on DAZN PPV in the U.K.; it will be available to DAZN . With Alvarez signing a three-fight deal to fight under the Premier Boxing Champions umbrella, this could end up being a legacy-defining run for Alvarez with some wins over massive names like Benavidez. Frazier dominated as theundisputedheavyweightchampion from 1970 to 1973. He had played a total of 44 matches in his career, out of which he won 41 matches. Nicknamed the "Brown Bomber", Louis' championship reign lasted 140 consecutive months, during which he participated in 26 championship fights. With one of the sport's best power jabs as his chief weapon, Jermall is undefeated, but he hasn't competed since June 2021 when he scored a tougher-than-expected victory over Juan Macias Montiel. The top heavyweight boxer had defeated infighters like Joe Frazier, brawlers like George Foreman, and out-boxers like Alonzo Johnson. The professional career of the boxing legend started in 1989 and he retired in 2003. Sources: Joshua to fight Aug. 12, but foe unclear - ESPN Muhammad Ali 56 wins 5 losses 37 KOS That's where Alvarez set the indoor attendance record in North America with his 2021 win over Billy Joe Saunders. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Gans fought 196 times, winning 158, 100 of which were by KO, losing 12, drawing 20 and with 6 no contests. Spence-Crawford title showdown 'a legacy fight', Paul vs. Diaz news conference takeaways: Seeking McGregor, clown shoes vs. Jordans and more. The style of Ali mostly relied on footwork, timing as well as speed while he had different strategies for different opponents.