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Top 20 Most Famous Boxers of all times

*Originally published by Ian. S in October 2022  and Updated by Ian. S in March 2024

Boxing has produced some of the best, strongest, quickest, and most skillful boxers in the sport’s history. The best boxers in the world debate is a subjective matter, and while looking at boxing odds, there are various elements to consider, particularly a boxer’s achievements and honors. Their promoters also play a huge role in ensuring their operations move swiftly and strategies come to fruition. With so many legendary boxers throughout history, it’s difficult to choose just a few to include in a ranking.

This ranking will dissect the significant accomplishments these legendary boxers have attained and ultimately identify the top 20 most famous boxers of all time.

1. Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay Jr)

Bust photographic portrait of Muhammad Ali in 1967. World Journal Tribune photo by Ira Rosenberg.-

Muhammad Ali was an American professional boxer and activist who was born Cassius Marcellus Clay on January 17, 1942. He is widely considered one of the most influential sports figures of the twentieth century and is regularly ranked as the best heavyweight boxer of all time.

In 1999, Sports Illustrated named him Sportsman of the Century, and the BBC awarded him Sports Personality of the Century. Muhammad Ali, dubbed “The Greatest,” is undoubtedly the most famous boxer on the Boxing Bible list. During his fighting career, the 6 foot 3 heavyweight champion shaped the sport’s landscape. Ali is known for being speedy, quick, and crafty.

His famed Ali Shuffle became an international sensation. Ali was also recognized as one of the game’s biggest trash-talkers. Every time he has a battle coming up, he makes a commotion. The late great Ali will be remembered by the boxing fraternity as one of the best to ever step into the ring.

2. Sugar Ray Robinson (Walker Smith Jr)

Sugar Ray Robinson Welterweight Champion Boxing Wire Photo by ACME –

Walker Smith J, better known as Sugar Ray Robinson, was a professional boxer in the United States from 1940 to 1965. Pound for pound, he is widely recognized as the best boxer of all time. When Sugar Ray entered the ring, the fans always got what they wanted to see.

Robinson’s name is most likely on the “to-beat list” of all the best boxers of his era. The only man whose ring craft could compete with Ali’s; indeed, many wise boxing sages believe his lightning speed, timing, and movement were even better.

Robinson reigned in an era of stars as the first world welterweight champion and five-time world middleweight champion, and his six-fight battle with Jake La Motta is one of the sport’s best.

3. Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson, Los Angeles California in June 2019 – photo by Glenn Francis –

Mike Tyson, dubbed “the baddest man on the earth,” was arguably the most feared boxer in history. For over two years, he was the undisputed heavyweight champion. He is well-known for his contentious performances both inside and outside the ring.

Tyson has been convicted of rape and was disqualified in a fight against Evander Holyfield for biting a chunk of Holyfield’s ear off. His stats are affected due to fighting past his peak. He fought 58 times and won 50 of them, 44 of them by knockout. He was defeated in six fights and had two no-contests.

Check out some amazing facts about Mike Tyson.

4. Rocky Marciano

Black & White postcard of World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Marciano, circa 1953 photo sourced from

Rocky Marciano is the only undefeated heavyweight champion in boxing history. He finished 49-0 with 43 knockouts. In what was to be Louis’ final battle, he was defeated by Marciano.

“The Rock” defeated Jersey Joe Wolcott twice, and in his final bout, he defeated the renowned Archie Moore in 1955. Marciano explored making a comeback in 1959 but never followed through.

5. Joe Louis

Portrait of boxer Joe Louis photo by Carl Van Vechten –

Because of his power, the “Brown Bomber” knocked out 52 of his 66 opponents. Louis held the record for the longest-tenured world heavyweight champion for over 11 years as a result of this power. He is also the only current heavyweight champion who served in the military throughout his reign.

Louis compiled a record of 27 wins (23 knockouts) and one loss in world title fights, defeating notable opponents such as Max Schmeling, Jim Braddock, Jersey Joe Walcott, and Primo Carnera.

In his final professional bout in October 1951, the great heavyweight suffered only three career defeats and one knockout loss to Rocky Marciano. In 1990, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

6. Floyd Mayweather Jr

Floyd Mayweather Jr. 2015 photo by cells –

Floyd Mayweather Jr. holds the record for the most consecutive wins in boxing. He has a perfect record of 50 wins and no losses, including 27 stoppage victories. After a stellar amateur career that included an Olympic bronze medal, Mayweather transitioned to the professional ranks and quickly became a sensation due to his immaculate defence.

Aside from having the most wins with no defeats, Mayweather also owns the record for the most world titles held concurrently with five and is tied with Evander Holyfield for the most world title triumphs with 11 world title wins.

Read about the richest boxers of all time.

7. Willie Pep

Guglielmo Papaleo, commonly known as Willie Pep, was an American professional boxer who held the World Featherweight championship twice between 1942 and 1950. During his 26-year career, Pep boxed 1,956 rounds in 241 contests, a significant number of rounds and bouts even for a fighter of his period.

Willie has a record of 134-1 and an undefeated record of 73 wins at one point in his career. Pep is regarded as a featherweight legend and a master of his trade.

8. Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao during the opening ceremony of the NCAA Season 87 at the Araneta Coliseum on July 2, 2011. photo by inbound pass –

Manny Pacquiao is the only eight-division champion in history and the first lineal champion in five separate weight divisions.

Away from the ring, he has pursued a political career and has been a senator of the Philippines since 2016.

Read about the greatest athletes from the Philippines. 

9. Julio Cesar Chavez

Julio César Chávez in 2017. photo by Box Azteca –

Julio is a Mexican professional boxer. He is a multiple-time world champion in three weight divisions. He has a record of 107 wins, 80 knockouts, and six losses. He did not lose any battle in ten years. He is one of the toughest and most famous fighters hailing from Mexico.

10. Jack Dempsey

Jack Dempsey, American boxer photo by Bain News Service –

American professional boxer Jack Dempsey was regarded as one of the sport’s most exciting fighters. His stats include 66 victories, 51 knockouts, and 6 losses. Due to his aggressive fighting style, many of his fights were financially successful, and he also had the first million fights in his career. He was one of the most famous fighters in history.

11. Roberto Duran 

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Roberto Durán Samaniego, a Panamanian boxer who competed from 1968 to 2001, held world titles in four weight classes and reigned as the undisputed lightweight and welterweight champion.

Nicknamed “Manos de Piedra” (“Hands of Stone”) for his punching power and defense, he was a versatile brawler who competed over five decades. In 2002, he was voted the fifth greatest fighter of the last 80 years by The Ring magazine and the eighth greatest of all time by historian Bert Sugar.

Considered the best lightweight of the 20th century, Durán retired in 2002 at 50 after multiple comebacks and a career spanning 119 fights with 103 wins and 70 knockouts.

12. Sugar Ray Leonard 

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Sugar Ray Leonard is an American professional boxer who competed between 1977 and 1997, winning world titles in five weight classes and the lineal championship in three.

Regarded as one of the greatest boxers ever, he was part of the “Four Kings” along with Roberto Durán, Thomas Hearns, and Marvin Hagler. Leonard defeated fellow Hall of Famers like Hearns, Durán, Hagler, and Wilfred Benítez, becoming the first to earn over $100 million in purses.

Named “Boxer of the Decade” in the 1980s, he was voted Fighter of the Year multiple times by The Ring and BWAA. In 2002, The Ring named him the 9th greatest fighter of the last 80 years, and in 2016 the greatest living fighter. BoxRec ranks him as the 14th greatest boxer of all time, pound for pound.

13. Jack Johnson

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John Arthur “Galveston Giant” Johnson was an American boxer who, during the Jim Crow era, became the first black world heavyweight boxing champion from 1908-1915.

His 1910 “fight of the century” against white boxer James J. Jeffries triggered race riots across the U.S. after Johnson’s victory. For over 13 years, he was the most famous and notorious African American, transcending boxing to become part of the history of racism in America.

In 1912, he opened a successful desegregated restaurant and nightclub with his white wife, drawing controversy. Arrested for violating the racially-motivated Mann Act, he fled the country for 7 years until serving a 1-year sentence in 1920.

Johnson continued boxing for pay and operating businesses, including lucrative endorsements, for many years.

14. Henry Armstrong 

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Henry Jackson Jr., better known as Henry Armstrong, was an American professional boxer and world champion who fought across three weight divisions – featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight.

Armstrong is one of the few fighters to have won titles in three or more weight classes, defending his welterweight title an impressive 19 times. Named Fighter of the Year by The Ring in 1937 and the Boxing Writers Association of America in 1940, Armstrong is currently ranked by BoxRec as the 12th greatest pound-for-pound fighter of all time.

In 2007, The Ring ranked him the 2nd greatest fighter of the past 80 years. Considered the greatest of all time by boxing coach Teddy Atlas, Armstrong amassed an outstanding record of 151 wins, 21 losses, and 9 draws over 181 total fights before being posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame’s inaugural class in 1990.

15. Marvelous Marvin Hagler

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Marvelous Marvin Hagler was an American professional boxer who reigned as the undisputed middleweight champion from 1980 to 1987.

During his 12-fight title reign, Hagler successfully defended his belt 12 times, with all but one victory coming by knockout. He holds the highest knockout percentage at 78% among undisputed middleweight champions.

Hagler’s reign of 6 years and 7 months is the second-longest of the 20th century in the division. Legally changing his name to “Marvelous Marvin Hagler” in 1982, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and World Boxing Hall of Fame.

Twice named Fighter of the Year and Fighter of the Decade for the 1980s, he was ranked the 4th greatest middleweight ever by The Ring in 2001 and 2004, and the 17th greatest fighter of the past 69 years in 2002.

The IBRO rates Hagler the 6th best middleweight ever, while BoxRec has him as the 29th greatest pound-for-pound boxer of all time. Renowned for his durable chin, Hagler was only defeated thrice in his illustrious 67-fight career.

16. Sam Langford

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Samuel Edgar Langford nicknamed the “Boston Bonecrusher”, “Boston Terror”, and “Boston Tar Baby”, was a Black Canadian boxing standout in the early 20th century.

Despite being denied shots at world titles due to the color bar, Langford is considered by many historians as one of the greatest fighters ever. Hailing from Nova Scotia, the 5’6″, 185-lb Langford fought from lightweight to heavyweight, defeating numerous champions and legends across weight classes.

Rated #2 on The Ring’s list of greatest punchers, his power was described as “Mike Tyson-like”. Langford held the World Colored Heavyweight title a record 5 times after it was vacated by Jack Johnson. He also bested lightweight legend Joe Gans in a non-title bout.

Denied a rematch by Johnson, Langford is regarded as perhaps the best boxer never to win a world title, until being granted honorary champion status by the WBC in 2020. With a career spanning 314 fights, Langford amassed 210 wins, 43 losses, and 53 draws, ranking him the 22nd greatest Canadian boxer by BoxRec.

17. Harry Greb

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Edward Henry Greb, nicknamed “The Pittsburgh Windmill”, “The Smoke City Wildcat”, and “The Pittsburgh Bearcat”, is widely regarded by boxing historians as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers of all time.

The American light heavyweight champion from 1922-1923 and world middleweight champion from 1923-1926, Greb had an aggressive, swarming style, burying opponents under a blizzard of punches.

Known for his elusiveness, dirty tactics, and durability, he continued fighting even after going blind in one eye. With only 2 TKO losses in his 13-year, 299-fight career, Greb’s main weakness was a lack of knockout power, often due to facing much larger opponents.

Despite severely hurting fighters like Tunney, he struggled to stop them. Ranked the 5th greatest fighter ever by BoxRec, Greb was named the 2nd best of the past 80 years by The Ring, the 5th greatest by Bert Sugar, the 4th greatest by Max Kellerman, and the #1 middleweight, #3 light heavyweight, and #2 pound-for-pound fighter by the IBRO. Greb’s relentless offensive and toughness made him one of history’s elite boxers.

18. Archie Moore

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Moore had one of the longest careers in boxing history, competing professionally from 1935 to 1963. Known for his strategic and defensive style, Moore is currently ranked by BoxRec as the 3rd greatest pound-for-pound boxer of all time and 4th on The Ring’s list of greatest punchers.

Raised in poverty in St. Louis after moving from Mississippi, Moore was denied a world title shot for 15 years, spending many of those fighting on the road. An important figure in the Black community, he became involved in African American causes post-retirement and established himself as a successful actor.

Moore trained notable boxers like Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, and others before passing away at 84 in his adopted home of San Diego.

19. Benny Leonard

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Benny Leonard was an American professional boxer who held the world lightweight championship for an impressive eight-year reign from 1917 to 1925.

Widely considered an all-time great, Leonard was ranked 8th on The Ring’s list of the best fighters of the last 80 years and 7th on ESPN’s 50 greatest boxers of all time. In 2005, the International Boxing Research Organization rated Leonard as the #1 lightweight and #8 best pound-for-pound fighter ever.

Statistical websites like BoxRec rank him the 2nd best lightweight of all time, while The Ring founder Nat Fleischer placed him at #2 and boxing historian Bert Sugar had him at #6 in his Top 100 Fighters catalog.

Over his illustrious career spanning 219 fights, Leonard amassed 185 wins, 22 losses, and 9 draws, cementing his legacy as one of the greats in the lightweight division’s history.

20. Ezzard Charles

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Ezzard Charles, nicknamed the “Cincinnati Cobra”, was an American professional boxer and World Heavyweight Champion. Renowned for his slick defense and precision, Charles is often regarded as the greatest light heavyweight boxer of all time.

He defeated numerous Hall of Fame fighters across three different weight classes during his illustrious career. Charles retired with an impressive record of 95 wins, 25 losses, and 1 draw.

He was posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in its inaugural class of 1990, cementing his legacy as one of the all-time greats in the sport of boxing.