Best Boxers of All Time: Top 10 Greatest Boxers in History

Sugar Ray Robinson

Years active: 1940-1965
Record: [175-19-6, with 109 knockouts]

Sugar Ray Robinson's career

During his legendary two-decade career, Sugar Ray Robinson dominated the welterweight and middleweight divisions, being the reason the term ‘pound-for-pound’ became popular. In an incredible 201 fights, Robinson picked up 175 wins, with 109 of them coming via knockout. He was unbeaten in his first forty matches, eventually losing to Jake LaMarta in his first of 6 encounters with the Bronx Bull. Robison was voted the Associated Press’s greatest fighter of the 21st Century, another accolade that has cemented his position on the Mount Rushmore of boxing.

Boxer 'Sugar' Ray Robinson training

Muhammad Ali

Years active: [1960-1981]
Record: [56-5, with 37 knockouts]

Muhammad Ali's career

When most people think of the greatest boxers of all time, Muhammad Ali is the first name that comes to mind. Ali transcended the sport and is considered one of the most influential sportsmen of all time. His victory over Sonny Liston gifted the world with one of the most iconic sporting images of the 20th century, and that was just the start of his fame. Ali took part in some of boxing’s most historic fights. His clash with George Foreman in Kinshasa, known as The Rumble in the Jungle, is one of the most viewed boxing matches in history, with some estimates saying up to 60% of the world’s population tuned in at least once during the fight.

Muhammad Ali (January 17, 1942) is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist. Originally known as Cassius Clay he won six Kentucky Golden Gloves titles, two national Golden Gloves titles, an Amateur Athletic Union National  

Henry Armstrong

Years active: [1932-1945]
Record: [151-21-9 with 101 knockouts]

Henry Armstrong's career

Before the days of countless world titles, Henry Armstrong reigned supreme, holding 3 world titles at three different weights. He won the featherweight, welterweight, and lightweight titles between 1937 and 1938. He nearly added a fourth to his collection when he went to a draw with middleweight champion Ceferino Garcia in 1940. Armstong finished his career with an incredible 151 wins, 101 of which came through knockouts.

Henry Armstrong, American boxer, who is amongst an exclusive group of fighters who have won boxing championships in three or more different divisions. He also has the distinction of being the only boxer to hold three world championships at the same time

Harry Greb 

Years active: [1913-1926]
Record: [105-8-3 with 48 knockouts]

Harry Greb's career

While his career didn’t last as long as others during his time, Harry Greb’s incredible in-ring performances cemented his status as one of the greatest pound-for-pound boxers that ever lived. Many boxing historians consider him to be the greatest middleweight of all time. He is also the only boxer to have ever defeated Gene Tunney, the man who would go on to dominate the heavyweight division during the same time-period.

Harry Greb, Middleweight Champion of the World

Willie Pep

Years active: [1940-1966]
Record: [230-11-1, with 65 knockouts]

Willie Pep career

Willie Pep holds one of the most impressive winning streaks in boxing history, winning 62 fights before losing to Sammy Angott by unanimous decision in 1943. That kind of record alone would have put him in the conversation for the greatest of all time, but the fact that he came back from life-threatening injuries in 1948 to box for nearly two more decades really cements his status. Pep is widely considered one of the greatest featherweights of all time, and while he comes in at number 5 on our list, historians have wondered just how great he could have been if had he hadn't suffered injuries.

Former World Featherweight Champion Willie Pep tutors Mark Rowe, Alan Rudkin and Jimmy Anderson

Roberto Durán

Years active: [1968-2001]
Record: [103-16, with 70 knockouts]

Roberto Durán’s career

Roberto Durán’s incredible boxing career spanned over five decades, making him only the second boxer in history to achieve such a feat. Durán dominated the boxing world throughout the 1970s, with an incredible 54-1 record during the decade. He held championships in the lightweight, welterweight, light middleweight and middleweight divisions, but it was his work in the welterweight division that he is best known for. His classics with Sugar Ray Leonard are considered some of the best boxing matches of the 80s. 

February 6, 1980, Florida, USA: 261980 - A cheerful Roberto Duran does some warm-up exercises before a workout in the ring with sparing partner.  

Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Years active: [1996-2017]
Record: [50-0, with 24 knockouts]

Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s career

Very few boxers get to bow out with an unbeaten record, but that’s exactly what Floyd Mayweather Jr. did in 2017. While many will dispute Mayweather’s spot among the greatest of all time, denying a man that simply couldn’t be beaten is tricky. Mayweather’s defensive approach may not have pleased everyone, but there is no denying that he is a man who knew how to play the game and make a ton of money while doing it. The likes of Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya, and Ricky Hatton were all victims of Mayweather’s quality in his prime. While he may be fighting Youtubers for fun now, he still deserves his spot among the sporting greats of the 21st Century.

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. of the United States celebrates after winning the WBC welterweight title bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States 

Joe Louis

Years active: [1934-1951]
Record: [66-3 with 52 knockouts]

Joe Louis's career

Joe Louis is regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. Louis holds the record for the single longest world championship reign in any weight division, holding the world heavyweight title from 1937 until 1949. The Brown Bomber defended his title 25 times during his reign, defeating the likes of Billy Conn and Jersey Joe Walcott along the way. He finished his career with 66 wins and three losses, with his final two losses, to Ezzard Charles and Rocky Marciano, both coming in the final year of his career.

Boxer Joe Louis during a training session in Liverpool

Sugar Ray Leonard

Years active: [1977-1997]
Record: [36-3-1, with 25 knockouts]

Sugar Ray Leonard's career

Sugar Ray Leonard was one of the most important boxers of the post-Muhammad Ali era. He was one of the ‘4 Kings’ of the 1980s alongside Roberto Durán, Thomas Hearns, and Marvin Hagler. The four men were instrumental in keeping boxing popular throughout the decade, and their in-ring clashes shone a light on the lower weight classes.

His back-to-back clashes with Durán in 1980, dubbed The Brawl in Montreal and No Mas in New Orleans, are considered 2 of the best matches of the decade. Sugar Ray’s temporary retirement due to a detached retina left many wondering what heights he could have reached, but his career still ranks among the greatest of all time.

Boxer Sugar Ray Leonard meets friends and fans at a Charity night at the Dickens Inn. Sugar Ray with local boxers, Martin and Tommy Ward

Benny Leonard

Years active: [1911-1932]
Record: [185-22-9, with 70 knockouts]

Benny Leonard's career

By today’s standards, Benny Leonard’s numbers are simply unimaginable. The 5ft 5in New York Native fought an astonishing 219 fights over the course of a 21-year career, winning 185 of them and landing 70 knockouts. He holds the record as the longest-reigning lightweight champion of all time and is one of the most influential lightweight boxers of the early 20th Century. At one point, Leonard went an incredible 154 fights without defeat.  

Boxing - Lightweight - Benny Leonard 

Is Muhammad Ali Better than Mike Tyson?

You would have to be brave to come down strongly on either side of the Muhammad Ali vs Mike Tyson debate. The two boxers are among the greatest in history and arguably the two most iconic fighters ever to wear gloves. Tyson’s punches were legendary, and it is hard to know whether Ali would have been able to get up from one, but it is also impossible to say whether Tyson would have landed one. 

Ali was renowned for his speed in the ring, and he endured beatings from the likes of Sonny Liston and George Foreman and still come out on top. Ali was also much more experienced than Tyson, and many would argue he was a much more rounded boxer.

Has Floyd Mayweather Ever Lost a Match?

No. Floyd Mayweather ended his professional career with a perfect 50-0 record. He won 27 of his 50 fights by knockout. Since retiring from professional boxing, Floyd Mayweather has taken part in several exhibition bouts, including notable matches with Youtubers Logan Paul and Deji Olatunji. 

Who Has the Most Knockouts in Boxing History?

The record for the most knockouts in boxing history is held by Billy Bird. The British-born boxer is said to have fought an incredible 356 matches over the course of his professional career. He won 128 by knockout, a record that is not likely to be beaten in today’s professional environment. 

Is Mike Tyson One of the Best Boxers of All Time?

Yes. Mike Tyson is widely considered by many to be one of the best heavyweight boxers of all time. Many people consider the peak of Tyson’s career to have been in 1988 when he defeated Michael Spinks in just 91 seconds to become the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion. Tyson’s fame and popularity were through the roof at this stage, and he was the best-known boxer on the planet. He would go unbeaten for the first 37 fights of his career, with his first defeat coming at the hands of Buster Douglas in what many consider to be one of boxing’s all-time greatest upsets. In the eyes of some fans, Tyson’s legacy is somewhat tarnished by the fact that he continued boxing for too long, suffering losses in three of his last four professional fights.