10 of the most famous boxers of all time and their achievements

10 of the most famous boxers of all time and their achievements

Among the most subjective topics of discussion is who the best fighters in the world are. Do you check the boxing odds and consider several factors, such as a boxer’s achievements and accolades? With numerous iconic fighters throughout history, it may be hard to rank the names from the top. But who tops famous boxers?

Ьost famous boxers of all time
Photo: canva.com (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Ranking the most famous boxers of all time by dissecting their significant accomplishments will ultimately help these legendary fighters have their respective places in the list. So who are the most known boxers?

The world's top 10 most famous boxers

Besides being among the highest-paying sports, boxing requires speed, endurance, and a mentally and physically stable state of mind. Both male and female famous boxers have actively been in the sport. But who is the greatest boxer alive? According to Sports Bet Magazine, here is a list of the top 10 popular boxers:

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1. Muhammad Ali

famous boxers
American professional boxer, activist, and philanthropist Muhammad Ali at a press conference presenting his new book 'The Greatest: My Own Story' held in London, UK. Photo: Evening Standard
Source: Getty Images

Who is the greatest boxer? After a successful amateur career with various trophies, multiple national titles and an Olympic Gold Medal, it is only right that Ali should top the list. He smoothly transitioned to the professional setting in 1960. In addition to a 19-fight unbeaten streak, the icon earned his title shot and defeated Sonny Liston in February 1964.

2. Joe Louis

famous boxers
Joe Louis poses for a portrait during an interview at his home in New York. Photo: The Ring Magazine
Source: Getty Images

The prominent Louis is the number two spot on this list. But is the Brown Bombe among the most famous heavyweight boxers? Yes. The 66-3 made headlines mostly because his power saw 52 of his 66 opponents go down.

Due to his power, Louis set and secured the record of the longest-tenured world heavyweight champion for over 11 years. His appraisal is because he was a lone active heavyweight champion who served in the military during his reign.

3. Ray Robinson's "Sugar"

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famous boxers
Craig Robinson (L) and Sugar Ray Leonard (R) attend Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation's 11th Annual 'Big Fighters at The Beverly Hilton on May 25, 2022, in Beverly Hills, California. Photo: Michael Kova
Source: Getty Images

With about 200 fights during his 25-year career, Sugar achieved many accomplishments inside the ring. Thanks to his tremendous power, he got long consecutive streaks, particularly a 40-fight streak, which happened in the early stage of the legend's career and a 91-fight winning stretch.

Besides capturing two division titles during the welterweight and middleweight divisions, Ray Robinson took down several big names, including Jake LaMotta, Henry Armstrong, Kid Gavilan, Sammy Angott, and Fritzie Zivic.

The renowned boxer competed in 22 world title fights, where he won 14, with only seven knockouts, absorbed seven losses, and a notable draw. He officially booked his place into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame and the International Boxing Hall of Fame after his 1967 and 1990 induction.

4. Rocky Marciano

famous boxers
American boxer Rocky Marciano, 2nd November 1965. Photo: Robert Stiggins
Source: Getty Images

So who is the strongest boxer of all time? Arguably Marciano was the most famous weight class in the sport. With his 49 wins with 43 knockouts career record, Rocky was another undefeated boxer. He even competed in the heavyweight division.

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Ranking him higher than Floyd Mayweather Jr. because the boxer didn’t hand-pick his opponents for contests. He also mainly retired from the entertaining sport to prioritise his family. Although he holds the world title of heavyweight champion with the shortest reach in history, he won gold in November 1952 by stopping Jersey Joe Walcott. This was in the 13th round of their title showdown.

Marciano (49-0) defended the title six times against Walcott during a rematch, Roland LaStarza, twice from Ezzard Charles, Don Cockell, and Archie Moore. Unfortunately, the star died prematurely in 1969 through a tragic plane crash.

5. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

famous boxers
Floyd Mayweather Jr. looks on during a news conference with Deji Olatunji at the Mayweather Boxing Club on October 13, 2022, in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 13, 2022. Photo: Steve Marcus
Source: Getty Images

Who is the number one boxer in the world? The likes of Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are famous boxers today, but Floyd Mayweather is the all-time record-holder for the most wins without a loss in boxing sport. With an inclusion of 27 victories through stoppage, he is recognised for his immaculate record of 50 wins and no defeat.

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Why is McLarnin ranked top of the famous Irish boxers? As per Bleach Report, he's the third-best welterweight of all time. Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Henry Armstrong are the only ones above him.

6. Manny Pacquiao

famous boxers
Manny Pacquiao attends the charity marathon event to provide shelter for the children in the Philippines at City Football Station on May 22, 2022, in Tochigi, Japan. Photo: Jun Sato
Source: Getty Images

Being the only existing boxer in history to have won eight world titles from different weight divisions earned Manny his place in this top 10 ranking. The Filipino boxing superstar started his career as a 106-pounder in 1995 when he made his professional debut. Since then, Manny gradually moved to higher-weight class competition.

7. Jack Dempsey

famous boxers
Sport, Boxing, London, England, 18th October 1967, Ex-Heavyweight Champion of the World Jack Dempsey, known as the "Manassa Mauler". Photo: Popperfoto
Source: Getty Images

The superstar was the first boxer to have gate receipts worth over $1,000,000. This is attributed to his interesting fights and performances. He significantly revolutionised the sport through his boxing power. He smoothly knocked out 43 of his 53 opponents in his career.

8. Roberto Duran

famous boxers
Edgar Ramirez (L) and Roberto Duran (R) are seen on the set of "Despierta America" to promote the film "Hands of Stone" at Univision Studios in Miami, Florida. Photo: Alexander Tamargo
Source: Getty Images

With a career of over 33 years, Panama’s greatest boxer Duran captured four titles in four different divisions. This was particularly in the lightweight, welterweight, light middleweight, and middleweight divisions. During the icon's 119 professional fights, he won 103, including 70 TKO/KOs, and only lost 16 times.

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He appeared in 21 title fights, winning 16 of which 13 were via stoppages. The notable names in Roberto's victim list were Sugar Ray Leonard, Ernesto Marcel, Ken Buchanan, and Davey Moore.

9. Henry Armstrong

famous boxers
Henry Armstrong in training for his fight against Ernie Roderick. Photo: S&G
Source: UGC

Achieving multi-division championship in boxing contribute to fighters gaining incredible weight to capture more titles. However, being an undisputed champion in different weight classes was considered an accomplishment on another level. This is exactly what Henry Armstrong has amazingly achieved in his professional career.

He became the simultaneous victor in the featherweight, lightweight, and middleweight divisions. Although it only lasted a few months in 1938, it is still an unbelievable feat that no other boxer in history has replicated.

10. Willie Pep

Being one of the greatest featherweight champions in history, Willie is best known for his defensive skills. He once won a round without throwing a single punch because he made his opponent miss. The personality reigned the featherweight division between 1942 to 1950. He is proud of his 11-3 record, including five knockouts in world title fights and a 13-5 record against former, current, and future champions.

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Fast facts

  1. Which boxer has the most belts? Manny Pacquiao is the only boxer who recorded the most wins with twelve world titles in eight different weight divisions.
  2. Who are the top 5 greatest boxers? The greatest boxers are Muhammad Ali, Floyd Mayweather, Ray Robinson, Mike Tyson, and Rocky Marciano.
  3. Who is the no 1 boxer in the world? Tyson Fury is the world's best heavyweight boxer currently.
  4. Who is the greatest boxer of all time? The greatest boxer of all time is Muhammad Ali, having lost only one fight by knockout throughout his career.
  5. Who is the only undefeated boxer of all time? Rocky Marciano is the only heavyweight champion to have retired from a boxing career undefeated.
  6. Who holds the record for the fastest punch in famous boxers today? Keith Liddell has the Guinness world record for the quickest punch at 45 miles per hour.
  7. Who are the top 5 world's famous female boxers in records? Christina Hammer, Elin Cederroos, Alicia Napoleon, Leatitia Robinson, and Ema Kozin.
  8. Which is the most awaited boxing showdown in 2023? The most awaited match is between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk in 2023.

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Ranking the best famous boxers of all time usually elicits a heated debate. However, having a close look at a fighter's performance, result and resume, you can easily rank them and even bet on the best famous boxer today.

Yen.com.gh published an article about the biggest artist in Ghana. The Ghanaian music industry has been growing, with upcoming artists coming with new skills. Ghanaians love and enjoy a broad type of music, and the top genres played include reggae, hiplife, Afro-pop, Afrobeat, Azonto and dancehall.

Ghanaian artists are flexible since they collaborate with musicians outside their country, thus making different genres of songs. Their unique styles can blend well with other African musicians and international stars. Many Ghanaian musicians are recognized globally and have won International music awards.

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Julian Mireri (SEO editor) Julian is a content creator who has been working with Yen since 2018. She graduated from the University of Nairobi with a Bachelor’s Degree in Project Planning and Management in the year 2013. Think of her as a content whisperer and a gifted storyteller who never disappoints when it comes to finding the right words for her pieces. Email: julianmireri@gmail.com