25 greatest boxers of all time, ranked

Professional boxing has been around since the 19th century, and since that time, a number of boxers have had such distinguishable careers inside of the ring that they have transcended sports and become global superstars. The best of the best when it comes to prize-fighters will be remembered forever, even if their fighting days were over a century ago.

Even to this day, incredible boxers such as Terence Crawford , Oleksandr Usyk, Canelo Alvarez, Gervonta "Tank" Davis, and Tyson Fury are building their resumes and establishing themselves amongst the elites of all time when it comes to boxing.

This list is a pound-for-pound ranking, meaning anyone from any weight class can appear. There are now 17 weight classes in professional boxing, and while heavyweight is certainly the most prestigious division, we aren't going to discriminate against the lighter weight classes. However, considering so many greats have fought at heavyweight, the greatest heavyweights ever certainly have incredibly impressive resumes that help their placement here.

It wasn't easy picking who the greatest boxer of all time is, but Sugar Ray Robinson's 174 wins are undeniable. Robinson won 94 straight boxing matches during the height of his career, and his championship reigns spanned 14 years.

Robinson was a perfect fighter. He had unmatched power but the speed to match. It led to relentless combinations that left his opponents without an answer. Robinson has influenced generations of boxers to follow.

Muhammad Ali is one of the biggest/most well-known/most respected/ talented athletes in sports history , not just in boxing. Ali was such a big deal that he was arguably the most famous person in the world during his boxing career, and there aren't a lot of athletes throughout history who would even be in a discussion like that.

He was such a global phenomenon for a variety of reasons, but his skills in the boxing ring were certainly among them. In fact, there are those out there who rank Ali as the greatest athlete ever regardless of what sport they competed in, which makes his placement here as the second-greatest boxer ever painful for us.

Ali's head movement, footwork, speed, and conditioning made him a defensive genius. He'd wear out his opponents by making them look like child's play before he'd capitalize and knock them out. This style is remembered by Ali's famous quote, "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." Ali's impact on society and success in the ring will likely never be matched.

Henry Armstrong was the simultaneous undisputed champion in three different weight classes, which is unheard of, and he did it at a time when there were only eight weight classes. That means nearly half of the boxers in the world had to try and challenge Armstrong to become champion, and none of them had much of a chance.

While running through the featherweight, lightweight, and middleweight divisions, Armstrong racked up 149 wins. Reports suggest that Armstrong could have even won a championship in a fourth division, but he was robbed in a fixed fight.

Armstrong is also responsible for arguably the best single year/season in sports history, and that includes everything outside of boxing. In 1937 alone, Armstrong went 27-0 and knocked out 26 of those opponents. That is a record that many boxers would love to have in the better chunk of their entire careers, let along in one year.

Joe Louis' resume in the heavyweight division is impressive. He has more title wins (27) in the most prestigious division in boxing than anyone else. Fifty-two of Louis' 66 wins came via knockout because he could do it all as a puncher. He had incredible hand speed, immense punching power, and immaculate timing.

Louis dominated during an important time in world history, too. His victory in a revenge bout against Germany's Max Schmeling came in 1938, and it embodied the broader political conflicts of the time.

The longest-reigning Heavyweight Champion ever knocked out each of the five champions who held the title before him. The Brown Bomber reigned supreme as the best fighter in the best division for nearly 12 years, and that qualifies him as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers ever.

A top-five ranking for Floyd Mayweather is higher than most publications will rank him, but we think the fighter nicknamed "Money" has been underrated because of the era in which he boxed in. That is an unfair critique, though, as 21st century boxers are only faster, stronger, and better athletes than they were back in the day.

Additionally, boxing purists have criticized Mayweather for hand picking his opponents to ensure a perfect record, but the five-division world champion does have plenty of impressive wins to his name. Mayweather bested Manny Pacquiao , Canelo Alvarez, Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, and Juan Manuel Marquez, who were all among the best of his era.

Mayweather's bout against Pacquiao, in particular, generated more money than any other fight in combat sports history. He even beat one of the greatest MMA fighters ever in Conor McGregor. That fight only trailed the Pacquiao match for highest-generating fights ever, and it revolutionized boxing by paving the way for more crossover bouts in the future.

At the end of the day, Mayweather has a perfect 50-0 record, and that is arguably the most impressive feat in boxing history. No boxer ever has more wins without a loss. His Philly Shell/shoulder roll defense was next to impossible to penetrate, and he used his defensive prowess to land impressive counter combinations. Mayweather wasn't the best knockout expert we've ever seen, but he didn't have to be because nobody could touch him.

Roberto Duran combined both a great prime and incredible longevity. He ruled supreme in the '70s when he racked up 54 wins in 55 fights as one of the best lightweights ever. Overall, in his career that lasted until the 21st century, Duran went 103-16, and his late-career revival saw him find success in different divisions.

Nicknamed "El Cholo" and "Hands of Steel," Duran collected 70 TKOs/KOs in his career. His most iconic win came over Sugar Ray Leonard, a boxer only a few spots below Duran in these rankings. Duran's victory handed Leonard is first career defeat.

Rocky Marciano's reign at the top wasn't long, but he had a perfect career, and he retired on top. The Heavyweight Champion called it quits after his 49th straight win (without any losses) while still holding the championship belt. Marciano could take a punch better than anyone, and he had an unmatched will to win.

Those things led to gritty wins over the likes of fellow top 25 boxers such as Archie Moore, Ezzard Charles (twice), and Joe Louis, the latter of whom suffered his first knockout loss in 25 years at the hands of Marciano and resulted in his retirement. The Brockton Blockbuster's knockout of Jersey Joe Walcott was one of the best knockouts in boxing history.

Marciano didn't have the God-given traits that normally make a champion. His knockout power wasn't as great as other heavyweights, and he had very short arms for the division. Marciano did what it took to win, though, and that made him respected amongst his peers and loved by his fans.

Jack Johnson is one of the most important athletes in American sports history, regardless of the sport. As an African American, Johnson was denied a chance at championship glory for years during the height of the Jim Crow era. The Galveston Giant's dominance was too much to overlook, though, so he was finally awarded a title shot against Tommy Burns.

Johnson easily defeated the defending champion, and he'd go on to hold the title for years. Johnson fought in an era without round limits, so it took him 26 rounds to finally be defeated seven years after he was crowned champion.

Johnson helped break the color barrier in boxing. He beat the best black boxers before white boxers would take him on, and he beat the best white boxers when he was champion. That included handing Jim Jeffries his only career loss.

The second Sugar Ray on this list is Sugar Ray Leonard. After winning Olympic gold, Leonard was burdened with being the face of boxing after Muhammad Ali, and he more than lived up to the task. Considering that, at the time, Olympic boxers were amateurs, Leonard was fighting in massive bouts from a young age.

He accomplished a lot, including world titles in five weight classes, before his career was halted because of an eye injury. However, Leonard found success even after returning from retirement. Post-injury, he collected wins against Marvin Hagler (although controversial) and Roberto Duran, the latter of which concluded Leonard as the winner of a trilogy of fights.

Leonard was a master of finesse, but he combined that with great strategy and impressive athleticism. If Leonard's prime had not been cut short, he might have ended up even higher on this list. Regardless, he fought in big matches throughout his entire career, and he almost always walked away with a victory.

Harry Greb's resume is vast. He had 56 bouts against either world champions or Hall of Famers. This often included wins against heavyweights despite being a natural middleweight. Greb's resume includes wins over Mickey Walker, Gene Tunney, and Tommy Loughran. Greb's fighting style wasn't always pretty, but it was effective. Greb did what it took to win, and he did so 105 times.

Mike Tyson is the most famous boxer since Muhammad Ali. His ferocity and intimidation factor won him a lot of fights before the first bell even rang, and his unmatched power led to him transcending the sport and becoming an international superstar/celebrity.

Iron Mike was the youngest boxer to win the Heavyweight Champion, as he accomplished that feat freshly after turning 20 years old. He was directly responsible for revitalizing boxing and bringing it into a new golden era.

There were some lowlights that prevented Tyson from becoming the boxing GOAT, like some thought he could become. Notably, no one will forget when Tyson bit off the ear of Evander Holyfield. He also missed a good chunk of his prime because of a prison sentence. Still, if you were to ask the most casual of boxing fans, or even non-boxing fans, who the first boxer that comes to their mind is, there is a good chance they'd respond with Mike Tyson.

Willie Pep saw boxing action in 1,956 rounds. He won 229 total matches in his career, and he only suffered 11 losses during that time. Will O' The Wisp even only had one loss in his first 136 fights. Pep was a master at the defensive side of boxing. Pep was incredible at dodging punches, and it took a plane crash injury to sap him of some of his specialness.

Pep was fleet of foot, he had incredible head movement, and he was super fast. Reports indicate that Pep once won a round without landing a punch, because his defense was that jaw-dropping. Pep's rivalry with Sandy Saddler was also one of the best in boxing history.

Sam Langford was a pure fighter. He fought in every division from lightweight to heavyweight, and he won 179 bouts in the process. Langford is the best non-champion ever, and he only never won a belt because of the racial prejudices at the time. Langford's 129 career knockouts are the second most ever, and he found that success against elite champions. Langford had 57 fights against Hall of Famers or champions.

Manny Pacquiao is the second-best boxer of the 21st century, only trailing Floyd Mayweather, who he boxed (and lost to) in the biggest event in combat sports history. Unfortunately, that match didn't occur until after Pacquiao's prime. In his prime, though, he was unstoppable, regardless of what weight he was fighting at. Pacquiao became world champion in a record eight different divisions, and he competed at a high level in 10.

A lot of boxers make their money going for knockout punches, but Julio Cesar Chavez was a master of the body attack. Mike Tyson was the biggest name in boxing after Muhammad Ali, and it was Cesar Chavez who succeeded him on pound-for-pound lists. He started his career 87-0, and he retired with 108 wins and only six losses. This came in a time long after boxers were fighting that frequently.

Cesar Chavez perfectly embodied the Mexican fighting spirit. His left hook was one of the most brutal moves we've ever seen inside of the ring.

There is a big difference in weight, strength, and power from middleweights to heavyweights. That is why Jones Jr.'s accession from Middleweight Champion to Heavyweight Champion is so impressive. Before Jones Jr., that feat hadn't been accomplished in 106 years. Jones Jr. even won Super Middleweight and Light Heavyweight Championships in between.

Jones Jr.'s prime was in the '90s and early 2000s, but we've seen him stay active since. Jones fought former UFC champion Anthony Pettis as recently as 2023. Captain Hook won 49 of his first 50 fights before father time started to catch up to him.

With a nickname like Marvelous, you have to be good. Marvin Hagler was a southpaw and one of the four kings of boxing in the '80s. Hagler didn't lose in the '80s until his retirement bout against Sugar Ray Leonard.

George Foreman is arguably the hardest hitter in boxing history. Thirty-eight of his first 40 wins were via knockout, and he ended his career with an 84% knockout rate.

Foreman had a boxing record of 76-5. His only knockout loss came to Muhammad Ali in 1974, and he lost to Evander Holyfield nearly 20 years later in 1991. Everything in between, before, and after, usually ended in a dominant Foreman victory, though. Foreman was a mountain of a man with scary power. He put fear in the eyes of his opponents, and he did it for a long time.

Foreman became the Heavyweight Champion less than four years into his career, and at age 45, he became the oldest Heavyweight Champion ever. Before his return in the late '80s, he was on a 10-year hiatus. While it is impressive that Foreman returned to form while past what was supposed to be his prime, it also makes you wonder how high he could have ranked on this list had he never left the sport in the first place.

Although he was on the losing end of "The Rumble in the Jungle," Foreman nearly defeated Ali in what is arguably the biggest boxing bout in history. It took a come-from-behind knockout victory for Ali to best Foreman.

High IQ, great technique, and unmatched speed made Benny Leonard a tough matchup for whoever he faced. Somehow, he combined those skills with knockout power that put his opponents down in 70 of his 90 wins. Leonard was the longest-reigning Lightweight Champion ever.

Jack Dempsey helped turn boxing around from just a sport to a legitimate business. He was the first boxer ever to gate over $1,000,000 because of his entertaining style. Fans knew when they watched Dempsey that they were in for a show that could definitely end with his opponent hitting the canvas. Dempsey's victory over Jess Willard was one of the most dominant championship bouts ever, as were most of Dempsey's fights. He usually ended matches in the first round via knockout.

Archie Moore is boxing's knockout king. Only Billy Bird knocked out more opponents, but it took him 356 professional bouts to rack up 139 TKOs/KOs. Meanwhile, Moore knocked out 132 of his opponents in 22o matches. It took too long for Moore to get a title shot, as he wasn't afforded that opportunity until he was 39 years old.

Even so, would go on to hold a championship belt into his age-48 year of fighting. The Ol' Mongoose was one of the best boxers for 30 years. He fought Ezzard Charles (three times) in the '40s, Rocky Marciano in the '50s, and Muhammad Ali (who was still known as Cassius Clay) in the '60s. Unfortunately, other legendary fighters were his kryptonite, as he lost all of those fights. The lack of success at the highest levels is what prevents Moore from ranking higher on this list of all-time boxers.

Ezzard Charles, nicknamed the Concainti Cobra, had a number of impressive victories over his career at both light heavyweight and heavyweight, the former of which he was arguably the best boxer ever at. Charles had wins over Archie Moore, Jimmy Bivins, and Jersey Joe Walcott. His best victory, though, was a win over Joe Louis. Charles even lasted longer than anyone else (15 rounds) with Rocky Marciano.

Joe Frazier was the first boxer to ever best Muhammad Ali. Their first fight, titled "The Fight of the Century," was arguably the most anticipated boxing bout of all time, even to this day. It was a left hook that put Ali on his back in that fight, but Ali wasn't the only boxer to fall victim to that punch. Frazier's signature left hook was one of the best punches in boxing history.

Smokin' Joe eventually lost twice to Ali, and he lost twice to George Foreman as well, but those four losses came near the end of his career, and no one else ever bested him.

Mike Tyson and George Foreman are widely regarded as the two scariest boxers ever. Evander Holyfield beat both of them, the former of which he bested twice. The later of those Tyson fights, of course, came after Tyson was disqualified for biting a part of Holyfield's ear off. The incident went down as one of the most infamous times in boxing history. It also displayed Holyfield's poise, as his commanding performance over Tyson is what made the challenger disgruntled.

There was a lot more to Holyfield than just memorable wins over Tyson, though. He is the only four-time Heavyweight Champion ever, and he even had success before his heavyweight run. Holyfield was also champion at cruiserweight. He was the only undisputed champion in two divisions in the three-belt era until Terence Crawford and Naoya Inoue accomplished that feat decades later.

We just talked about Holyfield beating both Mike Tyson and George Foreman, but Lennox Lewis beat both Tyson and Holyfield. He knocked out 32 of his opponents in his 44 wins, and he only lost twice along the way. The end of Lewis' career saw wins, in order, against Holyfield, Michael Grant, Francois Botha, David Tua, Hasim Rahman, Tyson, and Vitali Klitschko, which is a pretty impressive way to go out.