Boxing is a sport that has not left indifferent hundreds of millions of people around the world. It can only be compared to football. This is a whole world, concentrated between the ropes on two fighters, whose duel is watched by the whole planet. Having begun its history in Ancient Greece in the form of fist fights, boxing has undergone its historical transformation, turning into one of the most outstanding and spectacular sports. We have compiled a rating of the best boxers in history, as well as the top ten for 2024.
Ranking of the best boxers
1. Muhammad Ali
Let's start the list of the best boxers in the world with this person, answering the question of who is the best boxer in the world. Cassius Clay or Muhammad Ali is considered the "greatest" in the history of boxing. This person went beyond the ring and became a social reference point, using sport as a means of fighting injustice. The fight against Sonny Liston became historic, but the star's sports career is full of milestones: an Olympic gold medal, four world heavyweight championship titles... He had enormous talent, and hardly anyone doubts that he is the best in history.
2. Joe Louis
The "Detroit Bomber" holds a record that no one has ever surpassed in boxing history: he was the heavyweight champion for at least eleven years and eight months, defeating 21 fighters who tried to take the privilege away from him.
Joe Louis suffered only three losses and made 25 consecutive title defenses. Of his 66 career wins, 52 were by knockout.
3. Sugar Ray Robinson
For many boxing fans, Sugar Ray Robinson is a phenomenon, simply the best. Why? As an amateur, he won 85 fights without defeats. When he became a professional, he won 128 fights with one defeat and two draws. At the end of his career, he lost only 19 fights (only one by knockout) with 175 wins. Even Muhammad Ali considered the guy the greatest boxer of all time.
4. Rocky Marciano
The only heavyweight champion to finish his professional career undefeated: 43 knockouts and 6 points. His style was characterized by a powerful punch and the ability to avoid blows. He retired at the age of 33 and died at the age of 45, just one day before his birthday, in a tragic car accident.
5. Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard, who managed to become a champion in five weight classes, was intelligent, adaptable, fast, technically gifted, and possessed a charisma that made him one of the most iconic fighters of his time.
He won Olympic gold and participated in some of the most memorable fights in the history of the sport, including fights against Thomas Hearns, Marvin Hagler, and Roberto Duran.
6. Mike Tyson
One of the greatest in modern history, he holds the distinction of being the youngest world heavyweight champion at the age of 20 years, 4 months and 22 days. He won the title twice and became the first heavyweight boxer to hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles simultaneously. He had an aggressive style and devastating punching power - qualities that he took to the extreme in his legendary fight against Evander Holyfield, from whom he bit off a piece of his ear. This also characterized his professional career: continuous ups and downs due to his contradictory personality.
7. Floyd Mayweather Jr
Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the best to date, although he retired in 2017, finishing a career with 50 wins and zero losses after a memorable fight with Conor McGregor, who challenged him due to his success in the UFC. He was a world champion in five different weight classes, and the fights brought in obscene amounts of money on television, where the viewers were millionaires, as well as the amounts he pocketed for each fight.
8. Manny Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao has won nine championship titles in eight different weight classes.
His rise and fall as a professional in the sport meant that every fight after a certain amount of time outside the ring was seen as a global event. An example of this was his fight with Floyd Mayweather in 2015, in which he lost the fight but earned $150 million.
9. Julio Cesar Chavez
Julio Cesar Chavez was a world champion in three different weight classes and had a total of 107 wins, only six losses and two draws. He was known for his punching power and constant siege of opponents, which helped him to be considered one of the unsurpassed in Mexico. He suffered his first defeat in his 90th fight, and Mike Tyson even said that he was the best boxer of his generation.
10. Roberto Duran
Strength and aggression were two of Roberto Duran's defining qualities. He was a champion in three different weight classes and finished his career with 103 wins in 119 fights.
He participated in some legendary boxing matches, but his most memorable was his 1980 victory over Sugar Ray Leonard, with whom he had a great rivalry throughout his professional career.
The best boxers in the world in 2024
The popular boxing magazine The Ring periodically ranks the best boxers in the world, taking into account their recent results and the quality of their opponents. In October 2024, Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk leads by a wide margin.
Usyk established himself as the best boxer of our time after defeating Briton Tyson Fury at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The fight sent the boxing world into a frenzy as it established the first undisputed best boxer of the 21st century. After a split decision by the judges, the Ukrainian took all the credit and made it clear that he wanted to go down in boxing history with a bang.
Oleksandr Usyk: from Olympic champion to war
Oleksandr Usyk is a Ukrainian boxer who has captured the attention of the sports world with his impressive career and unique fighting style. Born on January 17, 1987 in Simferopol, Crimea, Usyk began his career in amateur boxing, where he achieved success, winning a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics in the light heavyweight division. His technical skills and intelligence in the ring have made him one of the most respected boxers of his generation.
In 2018, Usyk became the undisputed Cruiserweight champion, unifying the division's four major titles: WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO. This achievement brought him international fame and demonstrated his ability to dominate opponents. His fighting style, characterized by mobility, solid defense and powerful strikes, made him a fearsome opponent in the ring. After his success at Cruiserweight, Usyk made the jump to heavyweight, where he quickly established himself as a formidable fighter.
In 2021, Oleksandr Usyk stepped into the ring against Britain's Anthony Joshua in a fight that captured the attention of the entire boxing world. Usyk not only defeated Joshua, but also became the world heavyweight champion, cementing his reputation as one of the greatest boxers. After this triumph, as well as due to the Russian invasion, he abandoned his sporting commitments and joined the Kyiv Territorial Defense Battalion.
Although he never saw combat, images of him in the battalion flew around the world and served as a propaganda strategy for the Ukrainian government to motivate more citizens to join the battalion's ranks.
Ranking: Top 10 boxers in the world in November 2024:
- Oleksandr Usyk
- Naoya Inoue
- Terence Crawford
- Canelo Alvarez
- Artur Beterbiev
- Dmytro Bivol
- Errol Spence
- Gervonta Davis
- Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez
- Junto Nakatani
This is what the list from the popular boxing magazine The Ring looks like.
Conclusion
The world of boxing has always amazed us with emotions, drama and examples of incredible strength of spirit. Watching the best boxers in the world is not just about getting acquainted with statistics and titles, but an opportunity to see how diligence, work and unshakable faith in oneself create legends. In every corner of the planet there is a hero who inspires millions of fans. Among the outstanding boxers, it is difficult to ignore Oleksandr Usyk, who not only glorified Ukraine, but also became a symbol of perseverance and modesty. His path in boxing is the story of a man who worked tirelessly on himself to gain a place among the best. Usyk amazed the world with his ability to easily move between weight categories, remaining invincible. His fights are a real spectacle, where technique, speed and strategy turn into art.
However, Usyk is just one of many bright stars who entered the Top 10. Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather - each of them left behind something unique. Their fame has long gone beyond the boxing ring. These are people who inspire, motivate and make you believe in your own strength. This list demonstrates that the true greatness of boxers is measured not only by the number of belts or titles, but also by the influence they have on their fans. Each of these athletes shows that any goal is achievable if you fight to the last. The names of the best boxers in the world are a reminder that success is possible for anyone who gives their all to their cause.
