The greatest of all time: from Johnson to Fury, from Robinson to Canelo, from Whitaker to Inoue, from to
The boxers on this all time list were chosen for their success as they climbed the ranks from hopeful to the invincible, during both the good times and the harshest of times, peace time and during wars. You can’t help take into consideration a boxer’s showmanship, his popularity and no doubt those characteristics which led to their immediate induction into the various Boxing Halls of Fame. While at times their stories and adversities were so similar, there were also those who spent a great amount of their time being a showman, doing acrobatics, and acting crazy. They’d wear all sorts of get-ups oddball costumes and doing their flips, that it was a miracle how they were able to remain injury free.
#1 We have selected Joe Louis “The Brown Bomber” from Detroit, Michigan by way of Lafayette, Alabama who ended up with 66 wins, 3 losses, 52 KOs. Louis faced many boxing greats to include the 28-year-old Rocky Marciano in 1951 (by that time Louis was 37). In that fight Louis went through the ropes in Round #8. In his prime, Louis was unbeatable. He battled the likes of boxing greats Ezzard Charles, Jersey Joe Walcott, Billy Conn, Buddy Baer, John Henry Lewis, the 6’5½″ tall Primo Carnera (88-14, 71 KOs) and his toughest opponent Germany’s Max Schmeling (twice). In Louis’ first meeting against Schmeling, Schmeling won by KO in Round #12 over the much younger and less experienced 28-year-old. In their second meeting, the more mature and better prepared Louis stopped Schmeling in the very first round.
#2 Sugar Ray Robinson (173 wins – 19 losses, 109 KOs, 6 Draws, 2 No Contests). Over his long 25 year career (1940-1965), Robinson fought 200 bouts. After first winning the welterweight title, he moved up in weight to win the middleweight title (a record fives times). Over the first 11 years of his career, he had a record of 128-1-2 with wins over legends like Jake LaMotta, Kid Gavilan, Fritzie Zivic and Sammy Agnott. He later engaged in epic battles with even more Hall of Famers like Carmen Basilio, Rocky Graziano and Gene Fullmer. Because of his immense skill, the term “pound for pound” was coined to reference an exceptional fighter who managed to transport his or her incredible skills/talent throughout the multitude of weight classes which is a fete in itself.
#3 Jack Johnson (73 wins, 13 losses, 40 KOs, 9 Draws, 2 No Contests) was the first of many African American Heavyweight Champions who at times was coerced into either throwing a fight or going easy on an opponent. That being said, Johnson was also known for being be the boldest ever of boxing’s trash talkers at a time when you could have easily been lynched by a mob. The multitude of haters were around every corner. He had to have amazing courage to live during that different time.
#4 Henry Armstrong Jr. “Homicide Hank” from Los Angeles, Calif. stood just 5′ 5½″ tall and yet had an amazing 151 wins, 21 losses and 10 Draws with 100 KOs). Armstrong, who fought as a Featherweight, a Lightweight and a Welterweight was the first and only boxer to hold all three of these World Championship Division Titles at the same time. #5 Henry Armstrong Jr. (150 wins – 21 losses – 9 Draws with 100 KOs). Armstrong was the first and only boxer to hold three World Championship Division Titles a the same time.
#5 Heavyweight Champion Jack Dempsey (66 wins – 6 losses, 51 KOs, 9 Draws). If you do your homework, go back two generations, you’ll discover “the Manassa Mauler” was one of the most popular American Boxers of his day despite being defeated twice by Gene “The Fighting Marine” Tunney (65-1-1, 48 KOs). End result wise, you would certainly be far better off by following in Tunney’s shoes.
#6 Willie Pep (229 wins – 11 losses – 1 Draw with 65 KOs). This elusive Italian-American Icon of the sport would wear opponents out with just head movement.
#9 “Iron” Mike Tyson (50 wins – 6 losses, 2 No Contests with 44 KOs). Like Marciano, Tyson has to be considered one of the most devastating punchers of all. On his ascendancy to becoming the World Heavyweight Champion, Mike Tyson was no doubt superior to all. Then, in that house of cards came tumbling down.
#10 Julio Cesar Chavez (107 wins – 6 losses, 2 Draws with 80 KOs). This Mexican legend went 10 plus years without a loss.
#11 From 1974 through 1982, the 5’10” tall Alexis Arguello (77-8, 62 KOs) from Managua, Nicaragua was the dominate Super Featherweight on up to Lightweight while holding down either the WBA or WBC crowns. Arguello’s rule ended when a gentleman by the name of Aaron Pryor from Cincinnati, Ohio (39-1, 35 KOs) came on the scene.
#12 Landing a punch on the 5’6″ tall southpaw Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker (40-4-1, 17 KOs) was compared to catching a butterfly without a net.
#13 Like Whitaker, the 5’5″ tall featherweight Jorge “El Maromero” Paez (79-14-5, 52 KOs) from Mexicali, B. C., Mexico was a crowd pleaser or should we say a grand circus act. He entertained the fans from 1984 until the close of 2003 (19 memorable years).
