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Alexis Argüello

The best featherweight boxers are all time are the most successful and most legendary boxers ever to compete in the weight class in the history of the sport. Typically with a weight limit of 126 pounds, the featherweight class has seen its fair share of stars throughout the years between the champions who helped the sport rise to prominence many decades ago to the top featherweight boxers of today. Looking back into the history books, many names pop up as among not only the best featherweight boxers ever but the <a href="/crowdranked-list/the-best-boxers-of-all-time" target="_blank">best boxers of all time</a>. The likes of Willie Pep, who is regarded by many as the best featherweight boxer ever, Henry Armstrong, Sandy Saddler, Abe Attell, George Dixon, Young Griffo and Terry McGovern all saw success in the late 19th century and early 20th century. While which of these boxers should be regarded higher than another is debated, all set the tone for many generations of featherweight boxers to come.Fast forward to modern times and the men who are dominating the weight class have quickly made their place as among the greats of yesteryear. Juan Manuel Marquez, Naseem Hamed and even Manny Pacquiao, who often fights in other weight classes and is also considered one of the <a href="/list/best-lightweight-boxers-of-all-time/ranker-sports" target="_blank">best lightweight boxers of all time</a>, are all names both to watch now and later when their career accomplishments are stacked up against other all-time greats.So whether you rank the classic boxers above the stars of today or vice versa, share your rankings for the top featherweight boxers of all time below by voting for your favorites, adding any not already listed or clicking re-rank to put these best featherweight boxers in your own order.

George Foreman

This list of the best boxers of all time is ranked by boxing fans worldwide. The goal is to determine the greatest boxers ever. The list establishes individual rankings of specific boxers and helps answer the question, &quot;<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-boxers-of-the-20th-century/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Who is the greatest boxer</a> of all time?&quot; This list includes some real legends of the boxing world.

Who are the best boxers of all time? Anyone can vote on the greatest&nbsp;boxers of all time, which means these boxers are truly fan favorites. From Olympic legends like Sugar Ray Leonard to sports idols like Muhammad Ali, there are numerous choices to examine when contemplating the question of who is the greatest boxer of all time. Vote now to help determine the greatest pound for pound boxers of all time.

Boxing

Billy Conn

Sugar Ray Robinson, Jake LaMotta, and Rocky Graziano are all names that land on our list of the greatest boxers of the 1940s. This list of boxing greats includes boxing champions like Willie Pep, Manuel Ortiz, and Sal Bartolo who all fought in the decade that World War II broke out in.&nbsp;<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-active-boxers/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Who is the best boxer</a> from the 1940s? It's time for you to decide which of these fighters you think is the top boxer from the '40s. Vote below and feel free to add any boxers that we might have missed so that other boxing fans and Rankers can vote on your addition! After you are finished, head on over and vote for the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-1990s-boxers/ranker-sports?ref=collections&amp;l=2090610&amp;collectionId=1583" target="_blank">best boxers of the 1950s</a>.

Ike Williams

The best lightweight boxers of all time are the elite and best ever boxers who fought in the lightweight division, which generally is between 130 and 135 pounds. These top lightweight boxers are former World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council, International Boxing Federation, World Boxing Organization and Olympic champions plus some of the greatest lightweight boxers in the game today. While they cannot all square off in the ring to determine an ultimate best lightweight boxer of all time, they can be ranked and voted on below to name the best of the bunch.Just like with the <a href="/list/best-heavyweight-boxers-of-all-time/ranker-sports" target="_blank">best heavyweight boxers of all time</a>, there are a few favorites among these elite fighters that come to mind when discussing the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-boxers-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">top boxers</a> in the lightweight division. Roberto Duran, Benny Leonard, Joe Gans, Pernell Whitaker and Ike Williams all fall into that category with numerous titles and accolades between them.Moving more into modern times, names like Oscar de la Hoya, Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. are all among the top lightweight boxing stars who saw success more recently. But they have plenty of competition with current top boxers like Manny Pacquiao, Adrien Broner and Vasyl Lomachenko each making a name for themselves in the division and the sport.So how do you compare the classic boxers who held titles for years at a time to those with the potential to have even better careers in the future? However you rank these famous lightweight boxers, do so below by voting, adding to or re-ranking this list of the best lightweight boxers of all time. When you're done there, head over and see how these men stack up against the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-boxers-of-all-time" target="_blank">best boxers of all time</a> too.

Sugar Ramos

Muhammad Ali emerged in the 1960s as one of the greatest boxers of all time or, as he put it, &quot;shock the world.&quot;&nbsp;There were plenty of other great boxers from the '60s who also became some of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-boxers-of-all-time" target="_blank">greatest boxers of all time</a>. Other great boxers from the decade that saw the sport grow globally included names like Joe Brown, Dick Tiger, Rubin &quot;Hurricane&quot; Carter, and Japanese boxers like Takeshi Fuji, Yoshiaka Numata, and Katsuyoshi Takayama.&nbsp;The first world champions from Venezuela and Thailand were crowned during the 1960s and the WBA and WBC began competing against each other. A new division was also created in the Junior Middleweights where a high school teacher, Freddie Little, was crowned world champion. Fights were also seen on color television for the first time.<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-active-boxers/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Who is the best boxer</a> from the 1960s. It's your time to vote for who you think are the greatest boxers from the 60s. If we missed anyone, feel free to add them to the list so that other boxing fans and Rankers can vote on your additions!&nbsp;

Max Baer

The best heavyweight boxers of all time are not just the best boxers in that weight class but also arguably many of the <a href="/crowdranked-list/the-best-boxers-of-all-time" target="_blank">best boxers of all time</a>. These men dominated their matches during their respective times, won championships and even fought each other on occasion in some of the most well known boxing matches in history.Easily the best of all time, Muhammad Ali is undoubtedly the best heavyweight boxer to ever step in the ring. 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 only five matches over his career which spanned over 20 years.Going beyond &quot;The Greatest,&quot; many other notable heavyweight boxers have earned their place on these rankings too. Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Sonny Liston, Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield are all easily among the best heavyweight boxers ever. Even current boxers made the list with the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-mma-heavyweights/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">current Heavyweight Champion</a> Wladimir Klitschko from the Ukraine a modern legend.Be them current champions or legends from yesteryear, these are surely <a href="/list/top-10-boxers-not-to-mess-with/annebel" target="_blank">boxers that should not be messed with</a>. Share your thoughts on which of these men are the best in their weight class by voting, adding to or re-ranking this list of the best heavyweight boxers of all time.

Sugar Ray Robinson

The best middleweight boxers of all time are those greatest men ever to compete at the 160-pound weight class in the history of boxing. These marvelous athletes&nbsp;are the worldwide champions of yesteryear and the stars of today but overall, they are the top boxers to ever head into the ring for a middleweight match as well as some of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-boxers-of-all-time" target="_blank">greatest boxers of all time</a>.Though he saw most of his success in the welterweight class, many would argue that Sugar Ray Robinson is both the best middleweight boxer of all time and pound-for-pound among one of the best boxers ever. The five-time middleweight champion had a long and glorious career including an 85-0 amateur record, a 91-fight unbeaten streak and the title as the only boxer to win a divisional world championship five times. In 200 total fights, he had only 19 losses and six draws.Besides Robinson, there are many other great boxers who made a name for themselves in the history of middleweight boxing. Carlos Monzon, Harry Greb, Marvin Hagler, and Freddie Steele are among the classic middleweight boxers that are considered the best of all time while more recent stars like James Toney, Bernard Hopkins, Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. and Jermain Taylor each deserve some love for their success.How do you compare the classic middle weight boxers with those famous stars of today who are primed to make legacies of their own? What about those greatest fighters who also fought in other weight classes, perhaps better? However you rank them amongst each other, do so below by voting on, adding to or re-ranking this list of the greatest middleweight boxers of all time. When you're done, head over to rank the <a href="/list/best-lightweight-boxers-of-all-time/ranker-sports" target="_blank">best lightweight boxers of all time</a> too!

Henry Armstrong

Who are the best boxers of the 20th century? This list of the best boxers of the 20th century contains some of the greatest fighters in the history of the sport. From legends like Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali, and Joe Louis to late-century stars like Floyd Mayweather Jr., Manny Pacquiao, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, and Evander Holyfield, this list of the greatest boxers of the 20th century will surely include some of your favorite fighters of all time!Now it's your turn to vote on who you think are the greatest boxers of the 20th century from the list below. See a great boxer from the 20th century missing from the list? Add them so that other boxing fans and Rankers can vote on your addition!

90s Sports

Tommy Morrison

Boxing in the 1990s saw Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis dominate the heavyweight division. Mike Tyson was also around, although he had to take a three-year hiatus after running into trouble with the law. Buster Douglas, Riddick Bowe, Pernell Whitaker, Julio Caesar Chavez, Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, Roy Jones Jr., Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Michael Watson all rose to prominence in the decade to become some of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-boxers-of-all-time" target="_blank">greatest boxers of all-time</a>.Who is the greatest boxer of the 1990s? Vote below to improve our definitive rankings of the best boxers of the 1990s. If you think any fighters are missing, feel free to add them so that other boxing fans and Rankers can vote on your additions!

Andre Ward

Who are the best boxers of the 21st century? Is it Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Manny Pacquiao? How about Timothy Bradley, Oscar de la Hoya, Juan Manuel Marquez, Bernard Hopkins, Roy Jones Jr., or Shane Mosely? Maybe you are a fan of Lennox Lewis or Wladimir Klitschko?Now's it's your turn to vote on who you think the greatest boxers of the 21st century below. if you see any fighters missing from the list, feel free to add them below so that other boxing fans and Rankers can vote on your additions!

1970s

Alan Minter

Boxing in the 1970s was dominated by legendary champions and history-making rivalries. Ruben Olivares dominated the Bantamweights while Wilfredo Gomez ruled the Super Bantamweight division. Meanwhile, Roberto Duran ruled the Lightweights, Antonio Cervantes held the Welterweight division twice, Carlos Monzon dominated the Middleweights, and Bob Foster topped the Light-Heavyweights. The <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-boxers-of-all-time" target="_blank">greatest of all time</a>, Muhammad Ali&nbsp;ruled the Heavyweight division twice between 1974 and 1979.Duran and Esteban De Jesus had a historic rivalry as did Monzon and Rodrigo Valdez and who could forget the trilogy of fights between Ali and Joe Frazier. There were plenty of great fighters in the 1970s but we want to know who you think are the best boxers of the 1970s.Vote below for the boxers from the 1970s who you think were the greatest fighters of the '70s and if we missed any, feel free to add them so that other boxing fans and Rankers can vote on your addition!&nbsp;

Wilfred Benítez

The best welterweight boxers of all time are the fighters who are the legends of the weight class in the history of the sport. These are those current and former welterweight boxing champions as recognized by the World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization as the absolute best at any given time. Looking back on the early days of the welterweight class, fighters like Jack Britton, Ted &quot;Kid&quot; Lewis, Mickey Walker, Jackie Fields, and Jack Thompson dominated the sport in the early 20th century as they won bout after bout, often against one another. These early fighters set the stage for another generation of boxers like Henry Armstrong, Sugar Ray Robinson, Kid Gavilan, Tony DeMarco, and Jose Napoles, who saw a great deal of success during the middle of the century. More recently, top welterweight boxers such as Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley, and Floyd Mayweather Jr. have taken over as the top names in the weight class with many still fighting in the class to this day. Of course these stars also compete in other weight classes, like Mayweather Jr. who is also among the <a href="/list/best-lightweight-boxers-of-all-time/ranker-sports" target="_blank">best lightweight boxers of all time</a>. So while we can't get all of these current and historical welterweight boxers in the ring to duke it out for an all-time title, we can rank these best welterweight right here instead. Vote up the ones you love, add those not listed or re-rank these best welterweight boxers of all time. Then, head over and give your say on how they stack up against the <a href="/crowdranked-list/the-best-boxers-of-all-time" target="_blank">best boxers of all time</a> too!

Are Mia St. John or Laila Ali the greatest female boxers of all-time? They may certainly be the best known on this list of the greatest female boxers but maybe other female boxers like Theresa Arnold, Brenda Burnside, Jackie Chavez, Jaime Clampitt, or Holly Holm hold that distinction? Many of these women are also among the greatest current female boxers in the world.&nbsp;Do great female boxers with boxing blood in their family like Jackie Frazier-Lyde or Suzanne Riccio-Major deserve that distinction?

Who is the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-active-female-boxers/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best female boxer</a> ever? Vote below on who you think the best women boxers of all time are in the list below and if you see any famous woman boxers missing from the list, feel free to add them so that other boxing fans and Rankers can vote on you additions!

&nbsp;

Brian Mitchell

Boxing in the 1980s saw the exit of Muhammad Ali, the continuing rise of Don King as the sport's most famous promoter, as well as the rise of rival promoters like Bob Arum. The decade as saw a rivalry between five world champions - Wilfred Benitez, Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, and Sugar Ray Leonard, all of whom would eventually find themselves among the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-boxers-of-all-time" target="_blank">greatest boxers of all time</a>. The 80s also saw the rise of Mike Tyson as a dominant fighter who would be crowned World Champion in 1986.<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-active-boxers/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Who is the best boxer</a> from the 1980s? Vote below with who you think is the greatest boxer from the 1980s is below and if you see anyone missing from the list, feel free to add them so that other boxing fans and Rankers can vote on your additions!

Johnny Nelson

The best cruiserweight boxers of all time are the best boxers who ever competed, and did quite well, at this weight limit, which sits between light heavyweight and heavyweight classes. These top cruiserweight boxers are not just the best in their class, which is currently limited to 176-200 pounds, but also some of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-boxers-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best boxers of all time</a>. Have a favorite cruiserweight boxer? Vote for your picks below, add any not listed or re-rank this list of the best cruiserweight boxers!As much as all of these boxers are immensely talented, there is a clear favorite for the best cruiserweight boxer of all time. Evander Holyfield pretty much has that title on a lock. He's easily the best to have ever fought in this class as proven by when he became the first universally recognized World Cruiserweight Champion in 1988. Now few of the other lads on this list will ever reach the level of success that Holyfield did, but that doesn't mean that they are chopped liver either. Carlos De Le&oacute;n, for example, held the Lineal &amp; WBC Championships prior to Holyfield. Johnny Nelson was the WBO Cruiserweight Champion for over seven years. Marco Huck defended his WBO Cruiserweight Championship 12 times. Clearly all of these boxers are talented and really, they'd have to be to make it onto a list of the best cruiserweight boxers ever.

List of the most popular, renowned or famous boxers from the United States. List includes the most notable boxers from the United States, along with photos when available. This list of American boxers is alphabetical, but can be sorted by any column and answers the question &quot;what famous boxers are from the United States?&quot; You can click on the names of the famous boxers of the United States in order to get more information about each one. This list below has a variety of boxers, like {X} and {Y}, in it. You can use this factual list to create a new list, re-rank it to fit your opinion, then share it with your Twitter followers, Facebook friends or with any other social networks you use on a regular basis. {#nodes}

Get in the ring with a list of the most popular, renowned, and famous boxers from England. This list includes the most notable boxers from England, along with photos when available. This list of English boxers is alphabetical, making it an easy-to-use factual resource on British boxers. The list helpfully answers the questions, &quot;Which famous boxers are from England?&quot; and &quot;Who are the most <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-boxers-from-united-kingdom/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">famous UK boxers</a>?&quot;For a country with a rich sporting history like England, it shouldn't be too surprising that they have a slew of famous boxers, including several champions. Some of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-male-professional-boxers/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">well known boxers</a> to hail from England include former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, retired light-welterweight champ Ricky Hatton, and the old-fashioned boxing legend Bob Fitzsimmons. Boxers also include everyone from Matthew Hatton to Frankie Gavin. Click on the names of these famous boxers of England in order to view more information about each, including their places of birth, so you can see which British boxers hail from London and which come from far corners of the United Kingdom.

Hispanic-Latinx

Sergio Martínez

A list of the best Hispanic boxers, ranked by boxing fans from around the world. For years, boxing has been intertwined with Hispanic culture. The boxers listed on here are some of the most <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-male-professional-boxers/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">well known boxers</a> in the boxing history. They are some of the biggest names and most popular fighters of their time. There are champions, title contenders, and boxers who are famous in their own right. The best Hispanic boxers aren't limited to a certain weight class. The top boxers on this list are middleweights, light heavyweights, heavyweights, welterweights and the like. Roberto Duran, Julio Cesar Chavez and Oscar De La Hoya are three of the biggest Hispanic fighters in boxing history. They are known for their blend of brute force, punishing punches and quick feet. They are known as some of the greatest Hispanic boxers of all time. There are a few familiar names on here that can be called the most <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/famous-hispanic-boxers/famous-hispanics">famous Hispanic boxers</a> as well.&nbsp;Vote and re-rank this list according to who you think should be consider the best Hispanic boxer of all time. If you notice someone is missing from this list, feel free to add him.&nbsp;

List of the most popular, renowned or famous boxers from South Africa. List includes the most notable boxers from South Africa, along with photos when available. This list of South African boxers is alphabetical, but can be sorted by any column and answers the question &quot;what famous boxers are from South Africa?&quot; You can click on the names of the famous boxers of South Africa in order to get more information about each one. List contains boxers like Owethu Mbira and Young Pluto. You can use this list to create a new list, re-rank it to fit your views, then share it on Facebook, Twitter or any other social networks you belong to. {#nodes}

List of the most popular, renowned or famous boxers from Australia. List includes the most notable boxers from Australia, along with photos when available. This list of Australian boxers is alphabetical, but can be sorted by any column and answers the question &quot;what famous boxers are from Australia?&quot; You can click on the names of the famous boxers of Australia in order to get more information about each one. List features boxers like Neilson Taione, Daniel Dawson and more! You may copy this factual list to build your own just like it, re-rank it to fit your views, then publish it to share with your friends. {#nodes}

Boxing: The Perfect Sport

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This <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-male-professional-boxers/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">list of boxers</a> from the 1950s consists of a number of names that would go on to become some of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-boxers-of-all-time" target="_blank">greatest boxers of all time</a>. The decade saw the transition from fighters like Willie Pep, Joe Louis, Sandy Saddler, and Ezzard Charles to the rise of Sonny Liston, Joe Brown, Rocky Marciano, and Carmen Basilio. Two of the greatest boxers of all time, Sugar Ray Robinson and Jake LaMotta continued their feud into the '50s. LaMotta later joked with <a href="http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/interviews/a17593/jake-lamotta-quotes-0113/" target="_blank">Esquire magazine</a> that he fought Sugar Ray so many time, &quot;it's a wonder I don't have diabetes!&quot;Who is the best boxer from the 1950s? Vote below on who you think the greatest boxer from the 1950s is and if we missed any fighters, feel free to add them to the list so that other boxing fans and Rankers can vote on your addition! &nbsp;

Best 1950s Boxer | List of Top Boxers of the 50s

The Best Boxers of the 1950s

Boxer

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Sugar Ray Robinson (born Walker Smith Jr.; May 3, 1921 – April 12, 1989) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1940 to 1965. Robinson's performances in the welterweight and middleweight divisions prompted sportswriters to create "pound for pound" rankings, where they compared fighters regardless of weight. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. He is widely regarded as the greatest boxer of all time, and in 2002, Robinson was ranked number one on The Ring magazine's list of "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years".Robinson was 85–0 as an amateur with 69 of those victories coming by way of knockout, 40 in the first round. He turned professional in 1940 at the age of 19 and by 1951 had a professional record of 128–1–2 with 84 knockouts. From 1943 to 1951 Robinson went on a 91-fight unbeaten streak, the third-longest in professional boxing history. Robinson held the world welterweight title from 1946 to 1951, and won the world middleweight title in the latter year. He retired in 1952, only to come back two-and-a-half years later and regain the middleweight title in 1955. He then became the first boxer in history to win a divisional world championship five times (a feat he accomplished by defeating Carmen Basilio in 1958 to regain the middleweight championship). Robinson was named "fighter of the year" twice: first for his performances in 1942, then nine years and over 90 fights later, for his efforts in 1951.
Renowned for his flamboyant lifestyle outside the ring, Robinson is credited with being the originator of the modern sports "entourage". After his boxing career ended, Robinson attempted a career as an entertainer, but it was not successful. He struggled financially until his death in 1989. In 2006, he was featured on a commemorative stamp by the United States Postal Service.

Rocky Marciano

Rocco Francis Marchegiano (September 1, 1923 – August 31, 1969), best known as Rocky Marciano (), was an American professional boxer who competed from 1947 to 1955, and held the world heavyweight title from 1952 to 1956. He is the only Heavyweight champion to have retired undefeated as champion. His six title defenses were against Jersey Joe Walcott, Roland La Starza, Ezzard Charles (twice), Don Cockell and Archie Moore. 
Known for his relentless fighting style, formidable punching power, stamina, and exceptionally durable chin, Marciano has been included by boxing historians in lists of the greatest boxers of all time, and is currently ranked by BoxRec as the eighth greatest heavyweight boxer in history. His knockout-to-win percentage of 87.76% remains one of the highest in heavyweight boxing history.

Joe Louis

Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 – April 12, 1981), best known as Joe Louis was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. He reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949, and is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. Nicknamed the "Brown Bomber", Louis' championship reign lasted 140 consecutive months, during which he participated in 26 championship fights. The 27th fight, against Ezzard Charles in 1950, was a challenge for Charles' heavyweight title and so is not included in Louis' reign. He was victorious in 25 consecutive title defenses. In 2005, Louis was ranked as the best heavyweight of all time by the International Boxing Research Organization, and was ranked number one on The Ring magazine's list of the "100 greatest punchers of all time".Louis' cultural impact was felt well outside the ring. He is widely regarded as the first person of African-American descent to achieve the status of a nationwide hero within the United States, and was also a focal point of anti-Nazi sentiment leading up to and during World War II. He was instrumental in integrating the game of golf, breaking the sport's color barrier in America by appearing under a sponsor's exemption in a PGA event in 1952.Detroit's Joe Louis Arena, former home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League, and the Forest Preserve District of Cook County's Joe Louis "The Champ" Golf Course, situated south of Chicago in Riverdale, Illinois, are named in his honor.

Archie Moore

Archie Moore (born Archibald Lee Wright; December 13, 1916 – December 9, 1998) was an American professional boxer and the longest reigning World Light Heavyweight Champion of all time (December 1952 – May 1962). He had one of the longest professional careers in the history of the sport, competing from 1935 to 1963. Nicknamed "The Mongoose", and then "The Old Mongoose" in the latter half of his career, Moore was a highly strategical and defensive boxer, with a great chin and durability. Archie Moore ranks fourth on The Ring's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". Moore is rated by prominent boxing website BoxRec as the 3rd greatest pound-for-pound boxer of all-time. Moore was also a trainer for a short time after retirement, training boxers such as Muhammad Ali, George Foreman and James Tillis.
A native of Benoit, Mississippi, Moore was raised in St. Louis, Missouri and grew up in poverty. A victim of racism for much of his career, Moore was denied a shot at the world title for over ten years, and spent many of those years fighting on the road with little to show for it. An important figure in the American black community, he became involved in African American causes once his days as a fighter were over. He also established himself as a successful character actor in television and film. Moore died in his adopted home of San Diego, California; he was 81 years old.

Willie Pep

Guglielmo Papaleo (September 19, 1922 – November 23, 2006) was an American professional boxer, better known as Willie Pep who held the World Featherweight championship twice between the years of 1942 and 1950. Pep boxed a total of 1,956 rounds in the 241 bouts during his 26-year career, a considerable number of rounds and bouts even for a fighter of his era. His final record was 229–11–1 with 65 knockouts. Pep, known for his speed, finesse and elusiveness, is considered to be one of the best fighters of the 20th century; after his 199th win, Kid Campeche described his experience by saying, "Fighting Willie Pep is like trying to stamp out a grass fire." Pep was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. Pep was voted as the #1 featherweight of the 20th Century by the Associated Press and ranked the #1 featherweight of all-time by the International Boxing Research Organization in 2005.

Sonny Liston

Charles L. "Sonny" Liston (c. 1930 – c. December 30, 1970) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1953 to 1970. A dominant contender of his era, he became the world heavyweight champion in 1962 after knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round, repeating the knockout the following year in defense of the title; in the latter fight he also became the inaugural WBC heavyweight champion. Liston was particularly known for his toughness, formidable punching power, long reach, and intimidating appearance.
Although Liston was widely regarded as unbeatable, he lost the title in 1964 to Cassius Clay (later known as Muhammad Ali), who entered as a 7–1 underdog. Controversy followed with claims that Liston had been drinking heavily the night before the fight. In his 1965 rematch with Clay, Liston suffered an unexpected first-round knockout that led to unresolved suspicions of a fix. He was still a world-ranked boxer when he died under mysterious circumstances in 1970. Underworld connections and his unrecorded date of birth added to the enigma.
The Ring magazine ranks Liston as the tenth greatest heavyweight of all time, while boxing writer Herb Goldman ranked him second and Sports Illustrated placed him third. In his book, The Gods of War, Springs Toledo argued that Liston, when at his peak in the late 1950s and early 1960s, could be favored to beat just about every heavyweight champion in the modern era with the possible exception of Muhammad Ali.

Jake LaMotta

Giacobbe "Jake" LaMotta (July 10, 1922 – September 19, 2017) was an American professional boxer, world middleweight champion, and stand-up comedian. Nicknamed "The Bronx Bull" or "Raging Bull", LaMotta was a rough fighter who was not a particularly big puncher, but he would subject his opponents to vicious beatings in the ring. With use of constant stalking, brawling and inside fighting, he developed the reputation for being a 'bully'; he was what is often referred to today as a swarmer and a slugger.
Due to his hard style of fighting, LaMotta often got as much as he was giving in an era of great middleweights. With a thick skull and jaw muscles, LaMotta was able to absorb incredible amounts of punishment over the course of his career, and is thought to have one of the greatest chins in boxing history. LaMotta's six-fight rivalry with Sugar Ray Robinson was one of the most notable in the sport, but LaMotta won only one of the bouts. Although each fight was close, LaMotta dropped Robinson to the canvas multiple times. LaMotta, who lived a turbulent life in and out of the ring, was portrayed by Robert De Niro in the 1980 film Raging Bull. He was managed by his brother Joey LaMotta.

Ezzard Charles

Ezzard Mack Charles, known as the Cincinnati Cobra (July 7, 1921 – May 28, 1975) was an American professional boxer and World Heavyweight Champion. Known for his slick defense and precision, he is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time by boxing critics. Charles defeated numerous Hall of Fame fighters in three different weight classes. He retired with a record of 95 wins, 15 losses and 1 draw.

Floyd Patterson

Floyd Patterson (January 4, 1935 – May 11, 2006) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1952 to 1972, and twice reigned as the world heavyweight champion between 1956 and 1962. At the age of 21, he became the youngest boxer in history to win the title, and was also the first heavyweight to regain the title after losing it. As an amateur, he won a gold medal in the middleweight division at the 1952 Summer Olympics.
In 1956 and 1960, Patterson was voted Fighter of the Year by The Ring magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991.

Jersey Joe Walcott

Arnold Raymond Cream (January 31, 1914 – February 25, 1994), best known as Jersey Joe Walcott, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1930 to 1953. He held the world heavyweight title from 1951 to 1952, and broke the record for the oldest man to win the title, at the age of 37. That record would eventually be broken in 1994 by 45-year-old George Foreman.
After retiring from boxing, Walcott did some acting, playing small parts in a few movies and television shows. He also refereed several boxing matches, but after the controversial ending to the second fight between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston, Walcott was not asked to referee again. From 1971 to 1974, Walcott held the elected position of Sheriff of Camden County, New Jersey, the first African-American to do so. From 1975 to 1984, he was the chairman of the New Jersey State Athletic Commission.

Carmen Basilio

Carmen Basilio (Born Carmine Basilio, April 2, 1927 in Canastota, NY – November 7, 2012)  was an American professional boxer who was the world champion in both the welterweight and middleweight divisions. He is also famous for defeating Sugar Ray Robinson to win the middleweight title. An iron-chinned pressure fighter, Basilio was a combination puncher who had great stamina, and eventually wore many of his opponents down with vicious attacks to the head and body. 
Basilio was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. The Ring magazine named him Fighter of the Year in 1957, while the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) named him Fighter of the Year in 1955 and 1957. In 2002, Basilio was voted by The Ring magazine as the 40th greatest fighter of the last 80 years.

Sandy Saddler

Joseph "Sandy" Saddler (June 23, 1926 – September 18, 2001) was an American professional boxer. He was a two-time featherweight world champion, having also held the super featherweight title.  Over his twelve-year career (1944–56), Saddler scored 103 knockouts and was stopped only once himself, in his second professional fight, by Jock Leslie. In 2003, Saddler was ranked number five on The Ring magazine's list of "100 Greatest Punchers of All Time". His nephew is Grandmaster Flash.

Kid Gavilán

Gerardo González (January 6, 1926 – February 13, 2003), better known in the boxing world as Kid Gavilan, was a World Welterweight Champion from Camagüey, Cuba. Boxing Writers Association of America named him Fighter of the Year in 1953, Gavilán was voted by The Ring magazine as the 26th greatest fighter of the last 80 years.



Gene Fullmer

Lawrence Gene Fullmer (July 21, 1931 – April 27, 2015) was an American professional boxer and World Middleweight champion.

Cleveland Williams

Cleveland "Big Cat" Williams (June 30, 1933 – September 3, 1999) was a 20th Century American heavyweight boxer. A Ring  magazine poll rated him as one of the finest boxers never to win a title.

Randolph Turpin

Randolph Adolphus Turpin (7 June 1928 – 17 May 1966), better known as Randolph Turpin or Randy Turpin, was an English boxer in the 1940s and 1950s.  In 1951 he became world middleweight champion when he defeated Sugar Ray Robinson. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2001.

Carlos Ortíz

Carlos Juan Ortiz (born 9 September 1936) is a Puerto Rican former professional boxer. He won three world titles, two at lightweight and once at light welterweight. Along with Félix Trinidad, Miguel Cotto, Wilfredo Gómez, Héctor Camacho, and Wilfred Benítez, Ortiz is considered among the best Puerto Rican boxers of all time by sports journalists and analysts. As of January 2018, Ortiz holds the record for the most wins in unified lightweight title bouts in boxing history at 10.
In 1991, Ortiz was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. In 2002, Ortiz was voted by The Ring magazine as the 60th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. He currently holds 21st place in BoxRec ranking of the greatest pound for pound boxers of all time.

Ike Williams (August 2, 1923 – September 5, 1994) was a lightweight world boxing champion. He took the World Lightweight Championship in April 1945 and made five successful defenses of the title prior to 1950. Williams was known for his great right hand, and was named to The Ring magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time as well as The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year for 1948.

Joey Maxim

Giuseppe Antonio Berardinelli (March 28, 1922 – June 2, 2001) was an American professional boxer. He was a World Light Heavyweight Champion. He took the ring-name Joey Maxim from the Maxim gun, the world's first self-acting machine gun, based on his ability to rapidly throw a large number of left jabs.

Zora Folley

Zora "Bell" Folley (May 27, 1931 – July 7, 1972) was a mid-20th century American heavyweight boxer, known for his defensive game and punching ability.



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Henry Cooper

Sir Henry Cooper  (3 May 1934 – 1 May 2011) was a British heavyweight boxer. Cooper held the British, Commonwealth, and European heavyweight titles several times throughout his career, and unsuccessfully challenged Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight championship in 1966.
Following his retirement from the sport, Cooper continued his career as a television and radio personality; he was the first (and is today one of four people) to twice win the public vote for BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award and is thus far the only boxer to be awarded a knighthood.

Eddie Machen

Edward Mills "Eddie" Machen (June 15, 1932 – August 8, 1972) was born in Redding, California, on June 15, 1932.  He was one of 6 children of a rural mail carrier. Machen dropped out of high school and became an amateur boxer. However, after just 3 bouts he was arrested and convicted of armed robbery. After his release, he became a professional boxer, determined never to return to prison again.  His 64-bout career began on March 22, 1955, and he went on to win his first 24 bouts. He was highly rated and fought most of the big names of his era.

Ingemar Johansson

Jens Ingemar "Ingo" Johansson (Swedish: [ˈɪŋː(ɛ)mar ²juːanˌsɔn]; 22 September 1932 – 30 January 2009) was a Swedish professional boxer who competed from 1952 to 1963. He held the world heavyweight title from 1959 to 1960, and was the fifth heavyweight champion born outside the United States. Johansson won the title by defeating Floyd Patterson via third-round stoppage, after flooring him seven times in that round. For this achievement, Johansson was awarded the Hickok Belt as top professional athlete of the year—the only non-American to do so in the belt's entire 27-year existence—and was named the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year and Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year.
Johansson also held the European heavyweight title twice, from 1956 to 1958 and from 1962 to 1963. As an amateur he won a silver medal in the heavyweight division at the 1952 Summer Olympics. He affectionately named his right fist "toonder and lightning" for its concussive power (it was also called "Ingo's bingo" and the "Hammer of Thor"), and in 2003 he was ranked at No. 99 on The Ring magazine's list of the 100 greatest punchers of all time. He reputedly had recurring bone trouble in his right hand throughout his career as a result.

Tony DeMarco

Tony DeMarco (born January 14, 1932), born Leonardo Liotta  is an American former boxer and World Welterweight Champion. Born to Sicilian immigrants from Sciacca (AG), Vincent and Giacomina, DeMarco grew up in the North End neighborhood of Boston.

Yvon Durelle

Yvon Durelle (October 14, 1929 – January 6, 2007), was an Acadian Canadian champion boxer.

This list of boxers from the 1950s consists of a number of names that would go on to become some of the greatest boxers of all time. The decade saw the ...