Best Boxers in History: Our Rating of 10 Boxing Icons

Boxing is one of the most spectacular and prestigious sports, where top fights gather millions of viewers. Today, we would like to highlight the names of fighters who are associated with skill, strength of spirit, and endless thirst for victory. These famous boxers haven’t just achieved outstanding results in the ring, but also influenced the boxing culture and its perception by society.

Below, we would like to present a table with the top 10 best boxers in the world who made history.

1. Jack Johnson

Jack Johnson was the first African-American world heavyweight champion, born on March 31, 1878, in Texas. His impressive victory over Tommy Burns in 1908 was not only a significant sporting event but also a notable social phenomenon. Вack then, racial discrimination in the United States was extremely cruel. Johnson became a symbol of the struggle for African American rights and an example of the impact sports have on society.

In the ring, Johnson was renowned for his incredible punching power. This skill made him one of the most formidable heavyweight opponents of his time. The boxer held the world heavyweight title from 1908 to 1915. His most significant fight was against James Jeffries. More than 15 thousand tickets were sold for it, and Johnson's fee was a record at that time. Although Jeffries was a legendary champion, after a long break, he was unprepared and even got knocked down for the first time in his career. In the 15th round, the referee stopped the fight, and Johnson was announced the winner.

After this fight, racial riots broke out in some US states. The recorded fight was banned from broadcast. Johnson's career was quite eventful; he had 124 fights, with 82 ending in victories.

2. Henry Armstrong

Henry Armstrong was born on January 12, 1912, into a poor family in Columbus, Mississippi. He became the only fighter to simultaneously hold the championship titles in three different weight categories: lightweight, featherweight, and light featherweight in 1938. This achievement is still considered extraordinary.

Armstrong became renowned for his aggressive fighting style. The boxer kept putting pressure on his opponents and relied on his excellent physical training. Such a style allowed him to maintain a high intensity of fighting.

In 2007, The Ring magazine recognized Henry Armstrong as the second most important boxer of the last 80 years. Acclaimed boxing writer and historian Bert Sugar also considered Armstrong one of the greatest boxers in history. In total, Armstrong had 181 professional fights, of which he won 151 (101 by knockout).

3. Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali is not just a great boxer, but a symbol of the era and one of the most influential athletes of the 20th century. Ali was born on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. His first serious success was a gold medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics in the light heavyweight category.

In 1964, Ali became the youngest world heavyweight champion, sensationally defeating Sonny Liston. In the ring, a young athlete demonstrated incredible speed, accuracy of punches, and grace of movements. Ali used to describe his style in such a way: “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee".

He later fought in some of boxing’s most legendary matches, in particular against Joe Frazier, George Foreman, and Ken Norton. The fight with Foreman in Zaire in 1974, "Rumble in the Jungle," is considered canonical: Ali won by knockout in the 8th round.

During his career, he became the world heavyweight champion three times. In 1978, Ali lost to Leon Spinks, but soon regained the title. He fought his last fight in 1981 against Trevor Berbick, after which he ended his career.

Ali’s legacy goes beyond sports: the athlete fought for civil rights, spoke out against the Vietnam War, converted to Islam, and changed his name. In total, he had 61 fights, 56 of which ended in victory (37 by knockout).

4. Joe Louis

Joe Louis, nicknamed the “Brown Bomber,” was born on May 13, 1914, in Alabama, USA. His professional career lasted from 1934 to 1951, during which he managed to rewrite many records. Louis’s most famous achievement is remaining the world champion for more than 11 years, from 1937 to 1949, successfully defending the title 22 times. This result still remains unsurpassed.

In the ring, Louis demonstrated heavy punches, precise technique, and the ability to avoid his opponent’s blows. He was calm, intelligent, and did not give his opponents a chance. In addition to his sporting skills, Louis played an important social role: he became the first African-American world heavyweight champion after Jack Johnson. This mattered a lot in the time of racial segregation in the USA.

One of the most high-profile moments in his career was a rematch with Max Schmeling, a German professional boxer, in 1938. In 1936, Louis lost to him, but in a rematch, he defeated his opponent in the very first round. This victory had not only sporting but also political significance. It was perceived as a symbolic response to Nazi propaganda. In total, Louis fought 69 fights, in which he received 66 victories.

5. Rocky Marciano

Rocky Marciano is the only world heavyweight champion in history to finish his career undefeated. He won the championship title in 1952 and held it until 1956.

Marciano was born on September 1, 1923, in Massachusetts, to a poor family of Italian immigrants, and was the eldest of six children. As a child, Marciano suffered from severe pneumonia, but managed to recover and was extremely interested in sports. He played baseball, volleyball, and practiced track and field. He showed his interest in boxing only after serving in the army. Marciano made his professional debut in 1947, at the age of 24.

In 1952, the boxer fought Jersey Joe Walcott and won by knockout in the 13th round, which brought him the world title. Boxing historians note that Rocky Marciano was renowned for incredible punching power, endurance and he had the character of a true fighter. Even when technically inferior to his opponent, he was often declared the winner. Marciano fought his last fight in 1955 against Archie Moore. He won a total of 49 fights, 43 of them by knockout.

6. Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson is a true legend and one of the best boxers ever known. Tyson was born on June 30, 1966, in New York and became the youngest world heavyweight champion in boxing history, winning the title at the age of 20 in 1986. During his career, he won all three main belts (WBC, WBA, IBF) at the same time, becoming the undisputed champion. Tyson fought more than 50 fights, winning most of them by knockout. In total, Mike defeated 11 contenders for the world heavyweight title.

Tyson ended his professional career in 2005 after two consecutive defeats: first from Danny Williams, and then from Kevin McBride. He was defeated in both fights before the final bell. Later, for financial reasons, he returned to the ring for exhibition bouts. On November 28, 2020, Tyson fought an eight-round fight in twelve-ounce gloves against Roy Jones Jr. On November 15, 2024, he clashed with popular YouTuber and novice boxer Jake Paul.

7. Lennox Lewis

Lennox Lewis is a British boxer of Canadian descent, born on September 2, 1965. Lewis became one of the most famous boxers in the heavyweight division of the 1990s and early 2000s, holding the WBC, WBA, and IBF world titles.

The turning point in his career was a fight against Evander Holyfield in March 1999. Lewis had a clear advantage throughout the fight, but the judges unexpectedly announced a draw. This decision caused a wave of indignation and was recognized as one of the most scandalous in the history of professional boxing. In the end, a rematch was arranged, in which Lewis undisputedly defeated Holyfield on points.

Among Lewis’s most significant victories are fights against Mike Tyson and Vitali Klitschko. After the fight, Vitaliy Klitschko insisted on a rematch, since he was ahead on points when it was stopped. However, Lennox Lewis soon announced his retirement and, despite his promise immediately after the fight, never entered the ring against Klitschko again.

In total, Lewis defeated 15 fighters who claimed the world heavyweight title. The British boxer ended his career in 2004 as the absolute heavyweight champion. He had 44 fights to his credit, 41 of which ended in victories (32 by knockout).

8. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. can be easily called the best boxer in the world in the lightweight and featherweight divisions. He was born on February 24, 1977, in Michigan, USA and started with 90 amateur fights, winning 84 and losing 6. Boxing experts claim that it was at this stage that Floyd came up with his unique tactic, not giving his opponents the opportunity to deliver strong punches. That’s how he got the nickname “Pretty Boy” in the boxing world.

During his career, Floyd Mayweather defeated 24 opponents in fights for the world championship title. The Ring magazine recognized him as the best boxer of the year in 1998 and 2007. In 2021, he was honored with a place in the International Boxing Hall of Fame - one of the highest recognitions in the world of boxing. Mayweather also became one of the highest-paid athletes of all time, with an estimated net worth of $1.2 billion.

Mayweather was a five-division world champion, holding the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO belts. His speed, accuracy, and ability to avoid punches have earned him recognition as one of the finest defensive fighters. Floyd Mayweather Jr. has a record of 50 wins (27 by knockout) and zero losses.

9. Roy Jones Jr

Roy Jones Jr. was born on January 16, 1969, in the USA and became one of the most outstanding boxers of his generation. Jones won championship titles in four weight categories: from middle to heavyweight.

His passion for boxing started with his father, Roy Jones Sr, a professional boxer who trained Jones Jr since childhood and dreamed of making him a champion. Roy Jr. started with amateur boxing, where he instantly became a noticeable figure. He was seen as fast, technical, with a lightning-fast reaction.

He won a silver medal at the 1988 Olympic Games. Many believed that the gold was simply taken away from him by unfair refereeing. In the professionals, he dominated from the beginning of the 90s to the end of the 2000s.

Jones Jr won the first title in 1993, defeating Bernard Hopkins, despite his injured hand. In 1994, he had one of the best fights in his career against the invincible James Tony. Roy literally left no chance for him and won convincingly. In 1996, he dealt with Bryant Brannon in a flash, knocking him out in the second round.

In 1997, the famous boxer was disqualified for punching an opponent who was already on his knees. This was his first loss. In total, Roy Jones Jr. had 76 fights, of which 66 ended in victories (47 by knockout).

10. Vitali Klitschko

Vitali Klitschko is a legendary Ukrainian boxer, born on July 19, 1971, in Belovodskoye (Kyrgyzstan). During his career, he gained a reputation as one of the strongest heavyweights in the world and earned the nickname "Doctor Iron Fist". He held the WBO, WBC, and other leading organizations' belts.

Vitali started boxing as a child, and over time, his interest in sports grew into a lifelong passion. In 1996, he first announced himself on the international stage, becoming a bronze medalist at the Olympics in Atlanta. In the same year, he debuted in professional boxing, defeating Tony Bradham. Dozens of impressive victories followed, including fights against Herbie Hyde, Larry Donald, Corrie Sanders, Danny Williams, and Derek Chisora.

In 2005, Vitali unexpectedly announced the end of his career. But on October 11, 2008, he triumphantly returned to the ring to meet the current WBC champion, Samuel Peter. Klitschko completely controlled the fight and forced his opponent to quit at the end of the 8th round. Together with this victory, he entered the history of boxing: for the first time, two brothers, Vitaly and Wladimir Klitschko, simultaneously became world champions, winning the most prestigious titles from the (WBC, IBF, WBO).

Klitschko has always been distinguished by iron discipline and incredible hard work. Considered one of the greatest boxers of all time, he used to spend hours honing his technique and carefully studying each opponent. His style combined strong defense with accurate and powerful punches. In the ring, he became famous as one of the best strategists. Vitali's career was incredibly successful: he had 47 professional fights, of which he won 45, 41 of them by knockout, and faced only 2 losses.