Similar to the 100-meter final in athletics or the World Cup in football, a boxing heavyweight championship fight is The Blue Riband event. They are the big guns, the primary attraction. Many boxing heavyweights, from legendary boxers like Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali to contemporary icons like Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, have transitioned from athletics to society at large.
In boxing, the heavyweight class has long been considered the highest honour in the sport. During their tenure, heavyweight champions frequently assume the role as the sport’s face, and the best among them gain admiration on a worldwide scale. This piece will examine some of the most illustrious heavyweight boxing champions in history, their biographies, and their contributions to both the sport and society. Let’s get straight into our list without any more delay.
Top 10 Greatest Boxers Of All Time
1. Muhammad Ali
Originally named Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr., he later changed his name to Muhammad Ali in 1964, which is the way most people know him. Muhammad Ali, also known by the nicknames “The Greatest” and “The Champ,” is without a doubt the most well-known figure in boxing history—possibly in all of sports. Ali held the title of World Heavyweight Champion three times. In the light heavyweight division of the 1960 Summer Olympics, he also took home a gold medal. Muhammad Ali achieved a 56-5 career professional record, winning 37 of his matches via knockout. He worked from 1960 till 1981.
His refusal to participate in the Vietnam War, which led to his detention and conviction for draft dodging, was one of the most contentious incidents of his career. The charges ultimately resulted in him losing his heavyweight belt. He also received a four-year boxing suspension. The prohibition ended in 1971. The “Fight of the Century” was the next match he participated in, losing to Joe Frazier. Ali shocked everyone in 1974 when he reclaimed the heavyweight title by defeating George Foreman, the rising star in the sport.
2. Lennox Lewis
1988 Olympic gold medallist Lewis defeated every opponent he faced in his 14-year career, including Tyson and Oliver McCall, with victories that defined his career. This revenge match helped him exact revenge on Hasim Rahman and Oliver McCall, his two upset losses. As a warrior with humility, Lennox frequently spoke his mind in the ring. But his whole demeanour conveyed a confident sense of self-belief. Lewis was a massive heavyweight at six feet five inches, but he could also move quickly when necessary. The three-time world champion retired from competition in 2003 after a contentious victory over Vitali Klitschko. Lennox has resisted the urge to enter the ring despite multiple attempts to lure him back over the past 20 years, possibly aware that a bad performance could damage his legacy.
3. Joe Louis
Joe Louis was a boxing champion who used his skills in the ring to bring heavyweight boxing back to life in the 1930s. He was an unpretentious champion. A meticulous and methodical boxer, Louis would go back to the drawing board to rectify any mistakes he might have made and improve even further if he lost due to a technicality. Louis won 11 straight fights after losing his debut match to German heavyweight Max Schmeling. Schmeling and Louis had their rematch scheduled. Amidst the impending world war, Louis was facing a German boxer, and the Yankee Stadium rematch appeared to hold greater significance than just a regular sports contest. ‘The Brown Bomber’ emerged victorious, using a flurry of well-placed haymakers to overwhelm his formidable opponent. It was however, recognised as one of the greatest fights in history during that date.
4. Rocky Marciano
Rocky was born on September 1, 1923, and his career was flawless in every way. His flawless 49-0 record included 43 victories via knockout. More people adored Rocky than nearly any other boxer in history. Happily, he was just five feet ten inches tall. Unlike most of the fighters who would come after him, his career was brief, spanning only from 1947 to 1956. He served in the post-World War II era, when Americans were still establishing themselves and looking for security. His career peaked in 1952 when he defeated Joe Walcott to win the heavyweight title in Philadelphia. Rocky declared his intention to retire on April 27, 1956, after making six title defences. Rocky is the one with the longest undefeated heavyweight record.
5. George Foreman
George Foreman the fighter existed before there was the George Foreman Grill. He is among the all-time great heavyweight champions. His amazing 28-year combat career spanned from 1969 until 1997. One of his greatest moments was on November 5, 1994, when he defeated Michael Moorer via knockout, making history as the oldest heavyweight champion in boxing history at 45 years old. George became one of the greatest fighters of all time by combining strength, stature, and quickness. In January 1973, he knocked down the legendary Joe Frazier six times in two rounds to win his first title. In the 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” in Zaire, George’s battle against Muhammad Ali stands out among his most memorable matches. He was 76-5 in his career and has 68 knockouts.
6. Larry Holmes
After emerging from the shadow of an icon, Holmes—who had previously been a close training partner of Muhammad Ali—made a fantastic career. With an incredible amount of victories, “The Easton Assassin” was unquestionably one of the greatest of his era. Holmes’ astounding record of winning 19 consecutive titles between 1978 and 1985 is another amazing feat. The student dutifully mimicked his mentor’s style of jabbing on the run and evasive defensive prowess, even if the sparring sessions between Holmes and Ali were long since forgotten. As one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, Holmes may never fully receive his bouquets, but his in-ring cunning was truly amazing.
7. Oleksandr Usyk
Despite only having fought six times in the heavyweight level, the former undefeated cruiserweight champion has made history by dominating the larger weight class with such ease that he ranks among the greatest ever. This includes his latest victory over Fury. When “The Cat” won the Londoner’s world heavyweight belts in September 2021, he hardly even glanced at Anthony Joshua. He then put up a similarly strong showing in their rematch the next year to build on that victory. Subsequently, after mounting a strong defence against Daniel Dubois, Usyk withstood a great deal of pressure to defeat Fury, who had never lost before, and had a chance to finish him in the ninth round. Usyk may see himself moving up this list in the future if he can maintain his current level of performance in the upcoming years.
8. Joe Fraizer
The fierce, resilient fighter representing the city of brotherly love had one of the busiest careers in professional boxing history. Throughout the course of his career, which spanned from 1965 to 1981, he went 32-4-1 with 27 fights ending via knockout. Joe battled through the most successful heavyweight boxing generation in history. Those who competed back then, together with their personalities, will go down in history as the pinnacles of the sport. Of his four losses, only two came from opponents he faced: George Foreman and Muhammad Ali, the greatest boxer of all time.
The battle known as “Thrilla in Manila,” where Joe and Ali fought again in 1975, is considered the best heavyweight battle in boxing history by most critics and columnists. Late in the competition, Joe’s corner threw in the towel, and he lost. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, one of the best sports cities in the country, Joe will be remembered as one of the all-time greats.
9. Evander Holyfield
One of the finest boxing champions and all-around wonderful men the sport has ever seen is the legendary Evander Holyfield. One of the greatest fighters of all time, according to many, is Holyfield. He was an excellent fighter and an even better champion because of his “never say die” mentality. In 1990, Evander won his first heavyweight championship after defeating Buster Douglas in the third round.
His fights with fellow heavyweight Riddick Bowe, who beat him in 1992 but Evander was able to win the belt back in 1993, will live on in his memory forever. After Evander stopped Mike Tyson in the eleventh round of their 1996 fight, he was able to reclaim the WBA Heavyweight title. The iconic ear bite that stunned the boxing world was the result of a string of confrontations with Tyson.
10. Mike Tyson
Before he was even old enough to legally drink, “Iron” Mike brutalised his way to the world title with a combination of his head movement, raw force, and deceptive hand speed. “Kid Dynamite” was unstoppable, winning notable knockouts against Frank Bruno, Larry Holmes, and Michael Spinks. Though he appeared untouchable, James “Buster” Douglas defeated Tyson despite being a 4-1 underdog. A 1992 rape conviction resulted to period of incarceration. Mike was going to take back the WBC and WBA titles after his return, but he lost to Holyfield twice. Tyson’s career took a turn for the worst after the second fight, a disqualification loss where he bit off a portion of his opponent’s ear. Despite being in the news constantly for the rest of his career, Tyson never came close to winning the title. In 2002, he lost to Lennox Lewis in eight brutal rounds.
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