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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.

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

Boxing

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.

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.

Wladimir Klitschko

The heyday of heavyweight boxers may have passed but a new age of Welterweight and Flyweight fights have begun to rise the ranks of prominence. Who are the best active boxers fighting right now? This list of the very best active boxers includes a number of current champions as well as boxers who are contenders to claim a belt or two in the near future. Some of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-male-professional-boxers/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">most famous boxers</a> today still have undefeated records and multiple championship belts.

Who are the best current boxers right now? It&#39;s your turn to vote on who you think are the top boxers in the world from the list below. If you see any boxers missing from the list, feel free to add them below so that other boxing fans and Rankers can vote on your additions!

Newsboy Brown

List of the best flyweight boxers of all time, from all over the world including the US, Thailand, Mexico, Hungary, Japan, the&nbsp;Philippines, the UK and more.&nbsp;Top flyweight boxing champions include professional fighters weighing above 108 lb (49 kg) and up to 112 lb (52 kg). Those are the limits of the flyweight boxing category agreed upon by four of the best-known sanctioning organizations: the World Boxing Association (WBA), the World Boxing Council (WBC), the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and the World Boxing Organization (WBO).Just like with <a href="/list/best-heavyweight-boxers-of-all-time/ranker-sports">the best heavyweight boxers of all time </a>and <a href="/list/best-lightweight-boxers-of-all-time/ranker-sports">the best lightweight boxers of all time</a>, there are a few favorites among these elite fighters that come to mind when discussing the top boxers in the featherweight division. Jimmy Wilde, Pancho Villa and Miguel Canto are widely considered to be some of the best and most legendary flyweight boxers of all time. Manny Pacquiao is another popular flyweight boxing champion - he is considered to be one of the best professional boxers of all time, has competed in 8 weight classes including the flyweight division.&nbsp;The flyweight division was the last of boxing's eight traditional weight classes to be established. Before 1909, anyone below featherweight was considered a bantamweight, regardless of how small the boxer. In 1911, the organization that eventually became the British Boxing Board of Control held a match that crowned Sid Smith as the first flyweight champion of the world. Jimmy Wilde, who reigned from 1914 to 1923, was the first fighter recognized both in Britain and the United States as a flyweight champion.Boxing, like other combat sports, is divided into weight classes in an effort to match fighters of similar physical characteristics against each other. Without weight classes it would be difficult to determine whether a fighter was being unfairly pitted against a larger or stronger opponent, and would potentially present an advantage to the heavier-weighted player. This is a complete list of the best boxing champions to ever fight in the flyweight class.

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}

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}

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.

Canada

<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-male-professional-boxers/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">List of famous boxers</a> from Canada, listed alphabetically with photos of the boxers when available. Canada has produced some very talented boxers over the years, including heavyweights, light heavyweights, cruiserweights, featherweights and flyweights. These are some of the best Canadian boxers to ever live, so if you're a native of Canada and are aspiring to box professionally then these people should be your idols. If you're searching for a particular popular boxer from Canada then you can use the &quot;search&quot; box to find who you're looking for.The list you're viewing is made up of different boxers like William Irwin and Andrew Kooner.This list answers the questions, &quot;Who are the greatest Canadian boxers?&quot; and &quot;Which boxers are from Canada?&quot; You can click on the names of these legendary boxers of Canada in order to get more information about each one. If you box or just love the sport then use this list of talented Canadian boxers to find some new athletes to watch.

Ezzard Charles

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;

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!

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;

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;

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;

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!

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Boxing: The Perfect Sport

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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.

Best Heavyweight Boxers | Top Heavy Weight Boxer List

The Best Heavyweight Boxers of All Time

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Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer, activist, and philanthropist. Nicknamed "The Greatest," he is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated sports figures of the 20th century and as one of the greatest boxers of all time.
Ali was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, and began training as an amateur boxer at age 12. At 18, he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics, and turned professional later that year. He converted to Islam and became a Muslim after 1961, and eventually took the name Muhammad Ali. He won the world heavyweight championship from Sonny Liston in a major upset at age 22 in 1964. In 1966, Ali refused to be drafted into the military, citing his religious beliefs and opposition to the Vietnam War. He was arrested, found guilty of draft evasion, and stripped of his boxing titles. He appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, which overturned his conviction in 1971, but he had not fought for nearly four years and lost a period of peak performance as an athlete. His actions as a conscientious objector to the war made him an icon for the larger counterculture generation, and he was a high-profile figure of racial pride for African Americans during the civil rights movement. As a Muslim, Ali was initially affiliated with Elijah Muhammad's Nation of Islam (NOI). He later disavowed the NOI, adhering to Sunni Islam, and supporting racial integration like his former mentor Malcolm X.
Ali was a leading heavyweight boxer of the 20th century, and he remains the only three-time lineal champion of that division. His joint records of beating 21 boxers for the world heavyweight title and winning 14 unified title bouts stood for 35 years. Ali is the only boxer to be named The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year six times. He has been ranked the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, and as the greatest athlete of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated, the Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC, and the third greatest athlete of the 20th century by ESPN SportsCentury. He was involved in several historic boxing matches and feuds, most notably his fights with Joe Frazier, such as the Thrilla in Manila, and his fight with George Foreman known as The Rumble in the Jungle which has been called "arguably the greatest sporting event of the 20th century" and was watched by a record estimated television audience of 1 billion viewers worldwide, becoming the world's most-watched live television broadcast at the time. Ali thrived in the spotlight at a time when many fighters let their managers do the talking, and he was often provocative and outlandish. He was known for trash-talking, and often free-styled with rhyme schemes and spoken word poetry, anticipating elements of hip hop.Outside the ring, Ali attained success as a musician, where he received two Grammy nominations. He also featured as an actor and writer, releasing two autobiographies. Ali retired from boxing in 1981 and focused on religion and charity. In 1984, he made public his diagnosis of Parkinson's syndrome, which some reports attribute to boxing-related injuries, though he and his specialist physicians disputed this. He remained an active public figure globally, but in his later years made increasingly limited public appearances as his condition worsened, and he was cared for by his family. Ali died on June 3, 2016.

Jack Dempsey

William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey (June 24, 1895 – May 31, 1983), nicknamed "Kid Blackie" and "The Manassa Mauler", was an American professional boxer who competed from 1914 to 1927, and reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926. A cultural icon of the 1920s, Dempsey's aggressive fighting style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first million-dollar gate.Dempsey is ranked tenth on The Ring magazine's list of all-time heavyweights and seventh among its Top 100 Greatest Punchers, while in 1950 the Associated Press voted him as the greatest fighter of the past 50 years. He is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, and was in the previous Boxing Hall of Fame.

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.

Mike Tyson

Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2005. He reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win a heavyweight title at 20 years, four months and 22 days old. Tyson won his first 19 professional fights by knockout or stoppage, 12 of them in the first round. He won the WBC title in 1986 after stopping Trevor Berbick in the second round, and added the WBA and IBF titles after defeating James Smith and Tony Tucker in 1987. This made Tyson the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, and the only heavyweight to successively unify them.
Tyson became the lineal champion in 1988 when he knocked out Michael Spinks in 91 seconds of the first round. He successfully defended his titles nine times, which included victories over Larry Holmes and Frank Bruno. In 1990, Tyson lost the titles to underdog Buster Douglas, who knocked him out in the tenth round. Attempting to regain the titles, Tyson defeated Donovan Ruddock twice in 1991, but pulled out of a fight with then-undisputed heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield (who had defeated Douglas later in 1990) due to a rib injury.
In 1992, Tyson was convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison, but was released on parole after serving three years. After his release in 1995, he engaged in a series of comeback fights. He won the WBC and WBA titles in 1996, after stopping Frank Bruno and Bruce Seldon. With his defeat of Bruno, Tyson joined Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, Tim Witherspoon, Evander Holyfield, and George Foreman as the only men in boxing history to have regained a heavyweight championship after having lost it. After being stripped of the WBC title in the same year, Tyson lost the WBA title to Evander Holyfield by an eleventh round stoppage. Their 1997 rematch ended when Tyson was disqualified for biting Holyfield's ears.
In 2002, Tyson fought for the world heavyweight title again at the age of 35, losing by knockout to Lennox Lewis. Tyson retired from professional boxing in 2006, after being knocked out in consecutive matches against Journeymen Danny Williams and Kevin McBride. Tyson declared bankruptcy in 2003, despite having received over $30 million for several of his fights and $300 million during his career. At the time the media reported that he had approximately $23 million of debt.Tyson was known for his ferocious and intimidating boxing style as well as his controversial behavior inside and outside the ring. Nicknamed "Iron" and "Kid Dynamite" in his early career, and later known as "The Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson is considered one of the best heavyweights of all time. Tyson holds the third longest unified championship reign in heavyweight history at eight consecutive defenses. He currently ranks No. 15 in BoxRec's ranking of the greatest heavyweight boxers in history. He was ranked No. 16 on The Ring's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time, and No. 1 in the ESPN.com list of "The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History". Sky Sports described him as "perhaps the most ferocious fighter to step into a professional ring". He has been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.

John L. Sullivan

John Lawrence Sullivan (October 15, 1858 – February 2, 1918), also known as the "Boston Strong Boy", was an Irish-American boxer recognized as the first lineal heavyweight champion of gloved boxing, holding the title from February 7, 1882, to 1892. He is also generally recognized as the last heavyweight champion of bare-knuckle boxing under the London Prize Ring Rules, being arguably the first boxing superstar and one of the world's highest-paid athletes of his era.

Joe Frazier

Joseph William Frazier (January 12, 1944 – November 7, 2011), nicknamed "Smokin' Joe", was an American professional boxer who competed from 1965 to 1981. He reigned as the undisputed heavyweight champion from 1970 to 1973, and as an amateur won a gold medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics. Frazier was known for his strength, durability, formidable punching power, and relentless pressure fighting style.
Frazier emerged as the top contender in the late 1960s, defeating opponents that included Jerry Quarry, Oscar Bonavena, Buster Mathis, Eddie Machen, Doug Jones, George Chuvalo, and Jimmy Ellis en route to becoming undisputed heavyweight champion in 1970, and followed up by defeating Muhammad Ali by unanimous decision in the highly anticipated Fight of the Century in 1971. Two years later, Frazier lost his title when he was defeated by George Foreman. He fought on, beating Joe Bugner, losing a rematch to Ali and beating Quarry and Ellis again.
Frazier's last world title challenge came in 1975, but he was beaten by Ali in their brutal rubber match, the Thrilla in Manila. He retired in 1976 following a second loss to Foreman. He made a comeback in 1981, fighting just once before retiring. The International Boxing Research Organization rates Frazier among the ten greatest heavyweights of all time. The Ring magazine named him Fighter of the Year in 1967, 1970 and 1971, while the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) named him Fighter of the Year in 1969, 1971 and 1975. In 1999, The Ring magazine ranked him the eighth greatest heavyweight. BoxRec ranks him as the 18th greatest heavyweight of all time.  He is an inductee of both the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
Frazier's style was often compared to that of Henry Armstrong and occasionally Rocky Marciano, dependent on bobbing, weaving and relentless pressure to wear down his opponents. His best known punch was a powerful left hook, which accounted for most of his knockouts. In his career he lost to only two fighters, both former Olympic and world heavyweight champions: twice to Muhammad Ali, and twice to George Foreman.
After retiring, Frazier made cameo appearances in several Hollywood movies, and two episodes of The Simpsons. His son Marvis became a boxer—trained by Frazier himself—but was defeated by an up-and-coming Mike Tyson in 1986. His daughter Jackie Frazier-Lyde also boxed professionally. Frazier continued to train fighters in his gym in Philadelphia. His attitude towards Ali in later life was largely characterized by bitterness and contempt, interspersed with brief reconciliations.
Frazier was diagnosed with liver cancer in late September 2011 and admitted to hospice care. He died of complications from the disease on November 7, 2011.

George Edward Foreman (born January 10, 1949) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1969 to 1977, and from 1987 to 1997. Nicknamed "Big George", he is a two-time world heavyweight champion and an Olympic gold medalist. Outside the sport he is an ordained minister, author, and entrepreneur.
After a troubled childhood Foreman took up amateur boxing and won a gold medal in the heavyweight division at the 1968 Summer Olympics. Having turned professional the next year, he won the world heavyweight title with a second-round knockout of then-undefeated Joe Frazier in 1973. Two successful title defenses were made before Foreman's first professional loss to Muhammad Ali in "The Rumble in the Jungle" in 1974. Unable to secure another title opportunity, Foreman retired after a loss to Jimmy Young in 1977.
Following what he referred to as a religious epiphany, Foreman became an ordained Christian minister. Ten years later he announced a comeback and, in 1994 at age 45, he regained a portion of the heavyweight championship by knocking out 26-year-old Michael Moorer to win the unified WBA, IBF, and lineal titles. Foreman remains the oldest world heavyweight champion in history, and the second oldest in any weight class after Bernard Hopkins (at light heavyweight). He retired in 1997 at the age of 48, with a final record of 76 wins (68 knockouts) and 5 losses.
Foreman has been inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame and International Boxing Hall of Fame. The International Boxing Research Organization rates Foreman as the eighth greatest heavyweight of all time. In 2002, he was named one of the 25 greatest fighters of the past 80 years by The Ring magazine. The Ring ranked him as the ninth greatest puncher of all time. He was a ringside analyst for HBO's boxing coverage for twelve years until 2004. Outside boxing, he is a successful entrepreneur and known for his promotion of the George Foreman Grill, which has sold more than 100 million units worldwide. In 1999, he sold the naming rights to the grill for $138 million.

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.

Gene Tunney

James Joseph "Gene" Tunney (May 25, 1897 – November 7, 1978) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1915 to 1928. He held the world heavyweight title from 1926 to 1928, and the American light heavyweight title twice between 1922 and 1923. A highly technical boxer, Tunney had a five-fight rivalry with Harry Greb in which he won three, drew once, and lost once. He also knocked out Georges Carpentier and defeated Jack Dempsey twice; first in 1926 and again in 1927. Tunney's successful title defense against Dempsey remains one of the most famous bouts in boxing history and is known as The Long Count Fight. He retired undefeated as a heavyweight after his victory over Tom Heeney in 1928, after which Tunney was named Fighter of the Year by The Ring magazine.

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.

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.

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.

Max Baer

Maximilian Adelbert Baer (February 11, 1909 – November 21, 1959) was an American boxer who was the World Heavyweight Champion from June 14, 1934 to June 13, 1935. His fights were twice (1933 win over Max Schmeling, 1935 loss to James J. Braddock) rated Fight of the Year by The Ring Magazine. Baer was also a boxing referee, and had an occasional role on film or television. He was the brother of heavyweight boxing contender Buddy Baer and father of actor Max Baer Jr.. Baer is rated #22 on Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time.

Jim Braddock

Max Schmeling

Maximillian Adolph Otto Siegfried Schmeling (German: [ˈʃmeːlɪŋ]; 28 September 1905 – 2 February 2005) was a German boxer who was heavyweight champion of the world between 1930 and 1932. His two fights with Joe Louis in 1936 and 1938 were worldwide cultural events because of their national associations.
Starting his professional career in 1924, Schmeling went to the United States in 1928 and, after a ninth-round technical knockout of Johnny Risko, became a sensation. He became the first to win the heavyweight championship (at that time vacant) by disqualification in 1930, after opponent Jack Sharkey knocked him down with a low blow in the fourth round. Schmeling retained his crown successfully in 1931 by a technical knockout victory over Young Stribling. A rematch in 1932 with Sharkey saw the American gaining the title from Schmeling by a controversial fifteen-round split decision. In 1933, Schmeling lost to Max Baer by a tenth-round technical knockout. The loss left people believing that Schmeling was past his prime. Meanwhile, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party took over control in Germany, and Schmeling came to be viewed as a Nazi puppet.In 1936, Schmeling knocked out American rising star Joe Louis, placing him as the number one contender for Jim Braddock's title, but Louis got the fight and knocked Braddock out to win the championship in 1937. Schmeling finally got a chance to regain his title in 1938, but Louis knocked him out in one round. During World War II, Schmeling served with the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) as an elite paratrooper (Fallschirmjäger). After the war, Schmeling mounted a comeback, but retired permanently in 1948.
After retiring from boxing, Schmeling worked for the Coca-Cola Company. Schmeling became friends with Louis, and their friendship lasted until the latter's death in 1981. Schmeling died in 2005 aged 99, a sporting hero in his native Germany. Long after the Second World War, it was revealed that Schmeling had risked his life to save the lives of two Jewish children in 1938.In 2003, Schmeling was ranked 55 on The Ring magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time.

Lennox Lewis

Lennox Claudius Lewis ,  (born 2 September 1965) is a retired professional boxer who competed from 1989 to 2003. He is a three-time world heavyweight champion, a two-time lineal champion, and remains the last heavyweight to hold the undisputed title. Holding dual British and Canadian citizenship, Lewis represented Canada as an amateur at the 1988 Summer Olympics, winning a gold medal in the super-heavyweight division after defeating Riddick Bowe in the final.
In his first three years as a professional, Lewis won several regional heavyweight championships, including the European, British, and Commonwealth titles. After winning his first 21 fights, he defeated Donovan Ruddock in 1992 to take over the number one position in the WBC rankings. He was declared WBC heavyweight champion later that year after Riddick Bowe gave up the title to avoid defending it against Lewis. He defended the title three times before an upset knockout loss to Oliver McCall in 1994. Lewis avenged the loss in a 1997 rematch to win back the vacant WBC title.
Lewis won the title by defeating Shannon Briggs in 1998. Two fights against Evander Holyfield in 1999 (the first ending in a controversial draw) saw Lewis become undisputed heavyweight champion by unifying his WBC title with Holyfield's WBA and IBF titles, as well as the vacant IBO title. In 2000, the WBA stripped Lewis of their title when he chose to face Michael Grant instead of mandatory challenger John Ruiz.
Lewis was knocked out by Hasim Rahman in a 2001 upset, but this defeat was avenged later in the year. In 2002, Lewis defeated Mike Tyson in one of the most highly anticipated fights in boxing history. Prior to the event, Lewis was awarded the Ring magazine heavyweight title, which had been discontinued in the late 1980s. In what would be his final fight, in 2003, Lewis defeated Vitali Klitschko in a bloody encounter. He vacated his remaining titles and retired from boxing in 2004.
Lewis often refers to himself as "the pugilist specialist". He is 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) tall, with an 84 in (213 cm) reach, and weighed about 245 lb (111 kg) during his boxing prime. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, and certainly one of the greatest British fighters of all time. He has the fourth longest combined title streak in post-war heavyweight history at 15 title bouts. In 1999 he was named Fighter of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America, and BBC Sports Personality of the Year. BoxRec currently ranks Lewis as the 16th best heavyweight boxer of all time.

Tyson Fury

Tyson Luke Fury (born 12 August 1988) is a British professional boxer. In 2015, he won the unified WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, The Ring magazine, and lineal heavyweight titles by defeating long-reigning world champion Wladimir Klitschko in Germany. The victory earned him Fighter of the Year and Upset of the Year awards by The Ring. As of June 2019, Fury is ranked as the world's best active heavyweight by The Ring, second by the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and fourth by BoxRec.
As an amateur, Fury represented both England and Ireland after tracing his family lineage to relatives in Belfast and Galway. He won the ABA super-heavyweight title in 2008 before turning professional later that year at age 20. After winning the English heavyweight title twice, he became the British and Commonwealth champion in 2011 by defeating the 14–0 Dereck Chisora. He then won the Irish and WBO Inter-Continental titles, before defeating Chisora again in a 2014 rematch for the European and WBO International heavyweight titles. This success, along with his 24–0 record, set up a match with Klitschko, which Fury won by unanimous decision.
Fury was stripped of his IBF title less than two weeks after the Klitschko bout as he was unable to grant a fight with the IBF's mandatory challenger, Vyacheslav Glazkov, due to a rematch clause in his contract with Klitschko. The Klitschko rematch did not come to fruition as Fury suffered from mental health issues leading to alcoholism and recreational drug use, and in 2016 he vacated the WBA, WBO and IBO titles; The Ring stripped him of his last remaining title in early 2018. Later in 2018, following more than two years of inactivity, Fury returned to the ring to challenge for the WBC heavyweight title against Deontay Wilder. The fight was controversially scored as a draw. Fury's strong performance against Wilder (including recovering from a heavy knockdown in the final round) earned him Comeback of the Year and Round of the Year awards by The Ring, as well as nominations for three further awards. World Boxing News named him Fighter of the Year in a readers' poll while the WBC awarded him Comeback of the Year and Fight of the Year.

Rocky Holmes

Bob Fitzsimmons

Robert James Fitzsimmons (26 May 1863 – 22 October 1917) was a British professional boxer who made boxing history as the sport's first three-division world champion. He also achieved fame for beating Gentleman Jim Corbett, (the man who beat John L. Sullivan), and he is in The Guinness Book of World Records as the lightest heavyweight champion. Nicknamed "Ruby Robert" and "The Freckled Wonder", he took pride in his lack of scars and appeared in the ring wearing heavy woollen underwear to conceal the disparity between his trunk and leg-development.
Considered one of the hardest punchers in boxing history, Fitzsimmons is ranked as No. 8 on The Ring magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time.

Vladimir Vladimirovitsch Klitschko (born 25 March 1976) is a Ukrainian former professional boxer who competed from 1996 to 2017. He held the world heavyweight championship twice, including the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, Ring magazine and lineal titles. A strategic and intelligent boxer, Klitschko is considered to be one of the best heavyweight champions of all time. He was known for his exceptional knockout power, using a strong jab, straight right hand and left hook, as well as excellent footwork and mobility, unusual for boxers of his size.As an amateur, Klitschko represented Ukraine at the 1996 Olympics, winning a gold medal in the super-heavyweight division. After turning professional later that year, he defeated Chris Byrd in 2000 to win the WBO heavyweight title. Klitschko's first reign as champion ended in an upset knockout loss to Corrie Sanders in 2003, which was followed by another knockout loss to Lamon Brewster in 2004. It was during this time that Klitschko hired Emanuel Steward as his trainer, which began an eight-year partnership that lasted until Steward's death in 2012. In particular, Steward was credited with Klitschko's transition from an aggressive puncher to a more defensively-oriented boxer, much as he had done with Lennox Lewis in 1995 to 2003.
In 2006, Klitschko regained a portion of the world heavyweight championship after defeating Chris Byrd in a rematch to win the IBF and IBO titles. He won the WBO title for a second time by defeating Sultan Ibragimov in 2008. Following his defeat of Ruslan Chagaev in 2009, Klitschko was awarded the Ring and lineal titles, and lastly he won the WBA title from David Haye in 2011. In September 2015, Klitschko was ranked as the world's best active boxer, pound for pound, by BoxRec; in November 2014, he reached a career peak of second best on The Ring's pound for pound list.
Klitschko holds the record for the longest cumulative heavyweight title reign of all time, with 4,382 days as world heavyweight champion, and defeated 23 opponents for the world heavyweight championship, the most in history. Until his loss to Tyson Fury in 2015, Klitschko was recognized as the lineal champion by the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, while the WBA recognised him as one of its "Super champions", a distinction given to boxers who hold that title in addition to those by other sanctioning bodies in the same division. From 2006 to 2015, Vladimir and his older brother Vitali (himself a former world heavyweight champion) dominated heavyweight boxing, a period typically known as the "Klitschko Era" of the division.

James J. Corbett

James John Corbett (September 1, 1866 – February 18, 1933) was an American professional boxer and a World Heavyweight Champion, best known as the man who defeated the great John L. Sullivan. Despite a career spanning only 20 bouts, Corbett faced the best competition his era had to offer; squaring off with a total of 9 fighters who would later be enshrined alongside him in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

BZelley

James J. Jeffries

James Jackson Jeffries (April 15, 1875 – March 3, 1953) was an American professional boxer and World Heavyweight Champion.
He was known for his enormous strength and stamina. Using a technique taught to him by his trainer, former Welterweight and Middleweight Champion Tommy Ryan, Jeffries fought out of a crouch with his left arm extended forward. He was able to absorb tremendous punishment while wearing his opponents down. A natural left-hander, he possessed one-punch knockout power in his left hook, and brawled his way to the top of the rankings. He is perhaps most famous for being America's "Great White Hope", since the nation expected him to come out of his retirement to beat the African-American boxer Jack Johnson, who was at the time the Heavyweight Champion.Jeffries stood 6 ft 1 1⁄2 in (1.87 m) tall and weighed 225 pounds (102 kg) in his prime. He could run 100 yards (91 m) in just over ten seconds, and could high jump over 6 feet (180 cm).

Ken Norton

Kenneth Howard Norton Sr. (August 9, 1943 – September 18, 2013) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1967 to 1981, and held the WBC heavyweight title in 1978. He is best known for his trilogy with Muhammad Ali, in which Norton won the first fight by split decision, and lost the latter two fights by split and unanimous decision, respectively. Norton also fought a slugfest with Larry Holmes in 1978, narrowly losing a split decision. Having officially retired from boxing in 1981, Norton was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992.

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.

Evander Holyfield

Evander Holyfield (born October 19, 1962) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1984 to 2011. He reigned as the undisputed champion at cruiserweight in the late 1980s and at heavyweight in the early 1990s, and remains the only boxer in history to win the undisputed championship in two weight classes. Nicknamed "The Real Deal", Holyfield is the only four-time world heavyweight champion, having held the unified WBA, WBC, and IBF titles from 1990 to 1992; the WBA and IBF titles again from 1993 to 1994 and between 1996 and 1999; and the WBA title for a fourth time from 2000 to 2001.
As an amateur, Holyfield represented the United States at the 1984 Summer Olympics, winning a bronze medal in the light heavyweight division. He turned professional at the age of 21, moving up to cruiserweight in 1985 and winning his first world championship the following year, defeating Dwight Muhammad Qawi for the WBA title. Holyfield then went on to defeat Ricky Parkey and Carlos de León to win the WBC and IBF titles, thus becoming the undisputed cruiserweight champion. He moved up to heavyweight in 1988, later defeating Buster Douglas in 1990 to claim the unified WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight titles and the undisputed heavyweight championship.
He successfully defended his titles three times, scoring victories over former champions George Foreman and Larry Holmes, before suffering his first professional loss to Riddick Bowe in 1992. Holyfield regained the crown in a rematch one year later, defeating Bowe for the WBA and IBF titles (Bowe having relinquished the WBC title beforehand). Holyfield later lost these titles in an upset against Michael Moorer in 1994.
Holyfield was forced to retire in 1994 upon medical advice, only to return a year later with a clean bill of health. In 1996 he defeated Mike Tyson and reclaim the WBA title, in what was named by The Ring magazine as the Fight of the Year and Upset of the Year. This made Holyfield the first boxer since Muhammad Ali to win a world heavyweight title three times. Holyfield won a 1997 rematch against Tyson, which saw the latter disqualified in round three for biting Holyfield on his ears. During this reign as champion, he also avenged his loss to Michael Moorer and reclaimed the IBF title.
In 1999 he faced Lennox Lewis in a unification fight for the undisputed WBA, WBC and IBF titles, which ended in a controversial split draw. Holyfield was defeated in a rematch eight months later. The following year, he defeated John Ruiz for the vacant WBA title, becoming the first boxer in history to win a version of the heavyweight title four times. Holyfield lost a rematch against Ruiz seven months later and faced him for the third time in a draw.
Holyfield retired in 2014, and is ranked number 77 on The Ring's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time and in 2002 named him the 22nd greatest fighter of the past 80 years. He currently ranks No. 9 in BoxRec's ranking of the greatest pound for pound boxers of all time. BoxingScene also ranked him the greatest cruiserweight of all time.

Vitali Klitschko

Vitaly Vladimirovich Klitschko (; Ukrainian: Віта́лій Володи́мирович Кличко́, [ʋiˈtɑlʲij klɪtʃˈkɔ]; born 19 July 1971) is a Ukrainian politician and former professional boxer. He currently serves as Mayor of Kiev and head of the Kiev City State Administration, having held both offices since June 2014. Klitschko is a former leader of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc and a former Member of the Ukrainian Parliament. He became actively involved in Ukrainian politics in 2005 and combined this with his professional boxing career until his retirement from the sport in 2013.As a boxer, Klitschko is a three-time world heavyweight champion, the second-longest-reigning WBC heavyweight champion of all time, has the fifth-longest combined world championship reign in history at 2,735 days, the third-longest individual WBC heavyweight title streak of all time at 9 consecutive defenses, and the fourth-longest combined title streak in the modern heavyweight history at 15 title bouts. He held the WBO title from 1999 to 2000; the Ring magazine title from 2004 to 2005; and the WBC title twice between 2008 and 2013.
Standing at 2.01 metres (6 feet 7 inches), Klitschko was renowned for having exceptional ring dominance. With an 87% knockout percentage, he holds one of the highest knockout-to-fight ratios of any world champion in heavyweight boxing history, while also possessing a highly durable chin. His two losses came via a shoulder injury and a deep cut above his eye, both of which were recorded as stoppages rather than outright knockouts; in both fights he was leading on the judges' scorecards.
Klitschko is the only heavyweight boxer to have reigned as world champion in three different decades. Along with Oliver McCall, he is also the only world heavyweight champion to have never been knocked down in any fight. Klitschko and George Foreman are the only heavyweight boxers in history to defend a world title after turning 40. Being the first professional boxing world champion to hold a PhD degree, and in reference to his punching power, Klitschko's nickname was "Dr. Ironfist". His younger brother, Wladimir, is a former unified world heavyweight champion. From 2006 until 2015, Vitali and Wladimir dominated heavyweight boxing, a period typically known as the "Klitschko Era" of the division.Klitschko formally began his political career in 2006 when he placed second in the Kiev mayoral race. In 2010, he founded the party Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform (UDAR) and was elected into parliament for this party in 2012. He was a leading figure in the 2013–2014 Euromaidan protests, and he announced his possible candidacy for the Ukrainian presidency but later withdrew and endorsed Petro Poroshenko. He was elected Mayor of Kiev on 25 May 2014. Klitschko headed the election list of the winner of the 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election, the Petro Poroshenko Bloc, but he gave up his parliamentary seat to stay on as Mayor of Kiev. On 28 August 2015 the UDAR party merged into Petro Poroshenko Bloc. Klitschko thus became the new party leader. Klitschko was reelected as mayor on 15 November 2015. Klitschko revived UDAR, and left Petro Poroshenko Bloc with it, in May 2019 and simultaneously announced that UDAR would take part in the 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election autonomously.

The best heavyweight boxers of all time are not just the best boxers in that weight class but also arguably many of the best boxers of all time. These men ...