Over time, the factors to consider when identifying a boxer as an elite boxer began to change. Factors such as the opponents a boxer faces have become instrumental in their classification on high-profile ranks of the best boxers.
However, due to the variation in the traits boxers bear and weight classes they belong to, categorizing a boxer as the greatest in the world is difficult. A boxer’s accolades and achievements are the main factors when identifying a legendary boxer.
The article highlights the 15 top best boxers in the world who have the most significant accomplishments and are fierce in the ring.
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#15. Dmitry Bivol
Dmitry Yuryevich Bivol is a Russian professional boxer who has held the WBA light-heavyweight title since 2017. He made his first professional debut in 2014.
Bivol won a gold medal at the 2013 World Combat Games in the 81 kg weight category. As of August 2022, he ranks as the world’s second-best active boxer, pound for pound, by Box Rec, seventh by The Ring, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board (TBRB) and the Boxing Writers Association of America, and eighth by ESPN.
Likewise, he ranks as the best light heavyweight by The Ring and Box Rec and second by TBRB and ESPN. On 10 October 2019, the WBA ranked him as the WBA (super) light heavyweight champion. He has fought other elite boxers, such as Gilberto Ramirez and Canelo Alvarez.
#14. Terence Crawford
Terence Allan Crawford is an American expert fighter famous for his outstandingly quick hand speed, ring intelligence level, punching power, counter abilities to punch, and protective abilities. As well as his capacity to serenely change hit from conventional to southpaw.
Terence has held many world championships in three weight classes, including the WBO welterweight title in 2018. Already he held the WBO and Ring magazine lightweight titles from 2014 to 2015; and then brought together WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, and Ring light welterweight.
Currently, he ranks as the world’s best dynamic fighter, pound for pound, by ESPN, Ring magazine, TBRB, and BoxRec. Since Jermain Taylor, he is the first among eight male fighters in history to hold four significant world titles in boxing.
#13. Tyson Fury
Tyson Luke Fury is an English expert fighter who made his professional debut in 2008 at 20.
Fury is a two-time world heavyweight champion, having held the WBC title. He held the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, and The Ring titles in 2015. He acquired the Ring magazine title from 2020 to August 2022. Fury ranks as the world’s best dynamic heavyweight by ESPN and the fourth best-dynamic fighter, pound for pound.
After Floyd Patterson and Muhammad Ali, he became the third heavyweight to hold The Ring magazine title twice. News sources consider him the lineal heavyweight champion.
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#12. Olexander Usyk
Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Usyk is a Ukrainian expert fighter who is one of just three fighters to have bound together the cruiser weight world titles and become a world heavyweight champion.
He is the world champion in two weight classes, having held the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles in 2021, the Ring magazine heavyweight title in 2022, and the undisputed cruiser weight title. During the World Boxing Super Series, he won the Muhammad Ali Prize, the Ring, and lineal cruiser weight titles.
In 2022, Usyk ranked as the world’s best dynamic fighter, pound for pound, by The Ring, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board (TBRB), BWAA, Box Rec, and ESPN. Additionally, he ranks as the best heavyweight by TBRB, Box Rec, and ESPN.
#11. Errol Spence
Errol Spence Jr is an American expert fighter. He is a welterweight title-holder, having held the IBF title since May 2017, the WBC title since September 2019, and the WBA (Super) since April 2022.
He won three U.S. public titles and represented the U.S. at the 2012 Olympics, where he went up to the quarterfinals. In 2015, ESPN named Spence the Prospect of the Year. In 2022, Spence ranks as the world’s most memorable best dynamic fighter, pound for pound, by ESPN. His knockout-to-win proportion is at 78%.
He ranks fourth by The Ring magazine, Boxing Scholars Relationship of America and TBRB, and fifth by Box Rec. Spence ranks as the world’s best dynamic welterweight by The Ring and TBRB and second by BoxRec and ESPN.
#10. Josh Taylor
Josh Taylor is a Scottish expert fighter who is the WBO and Ring magazine light-welterweight best on the planet, having held the Ring title starting around 2019 and the WBO title starting around 2021.
Josh held the WBA (Super) title, the WBC title, and the IBF title. He ranks as the world’s best active light welterweight by BoxRec and the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board (TBRB) and the seventh-best dynamic fighter, pound-for-pound, by the Boxing Authors Relationship of America, and ninth by the Ring magazine.
Taylor’s knockout-to-win rate remains at 68%.
Moreover, he is the second Scotsman to be an undisputed hero, and the first Briton to do as such in the four-belt period. Taylor is the sixth male fighter to rule as the undisputed light-welterweight champion, bringing together each of the four significant titles in the division.
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#9. Canelo Alvarez
Santos Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez Barragán is a Mexican expert boxer who started boxing at 13.
Álvarez is the only fighter in history to become undisputed boss at super middleweight, having held the WBA (Super), WBC, and Ring magazine titles and the IBF and WBO titles. He ranks as the world’s best dynamic fighter, pound for pound, by Box Rec, Boxing Journalists Relationship of America, ESPN, TBRB, and Ring.
Box Rec, The Ring, TBRB, and ESPN position him as the world’s best dynamic super middleweight.
The boxing world knows him as a phenomenal counterpuncher, having the option to take advantage of openings in his adversaries’ strikes while staying away from punches with head and body development.
#8. Manny Pacquiao
Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao Sr is a former Filipino professional boxer who is the only eight-division title-holder in boxing and has won twelve significant world titles. He has also served as the senator of the Philippines.
Manny is the first boxer to win the lineal title in five weight classes. He took home four of the eight “glamorous divisions” world titles (flyweight, featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight). In July 2019, Pacquiao turned into the most established welterweight in boxing history.
Likewise, he is the first boxer in history to be the oldest four-time welterweight champion.
In 2015, Pacquiao’s battles had created $1.2 billion in income from his 25 compensation for every view session. As per Forbes, he was the second most generously compensated competitor in 2015.
#7. George Foreman
George Edward Foreman is a former American boxer who started his professional boxing career in 1968 after winning a gold medal in amateur boxing the previous year. He retired in 1977 and made a comeback to boxing in 1994.
Foreman won the heavyweight championship in 1973 and defended the belt twice before losing to Muhammad Ali. He secured the WBA, IBF, and lineal heavyweight championships in 1994. Foreman is the most established to, at any point, come out on top for the world heavyweight boxing title of significant distinctions.
He is the second-most established in any weight class after Bernard Hopkins (at light heavyweight).
He retired in 1997 at 48 years old, with the last record of 76 successes (68 knockouts) and five losses.
#6. Rocky Marciano
Rocco Francis Marchegiano is an American boxer known for his persistent battling style, imposing punching power, endurance, and sturdy jawline. Marciano is one of the best heavyweight fighters of all time.
Rocky held the world heavyweight title from 1952 to 1956. He is the leading heavyweight champion to have completed his profession undefeated. His knockout-to-win level of 87.8% remains one of the greatest in heavyweight boxing history.
He is the only fighter to stop every opponent he faces while defending the world’s heavyweight title. Rocky ranks 14 in the Ring magazine’s rundown of the 100 biggest punchers.
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#5. Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard Tyson is an American last expert fighter who competed from 1985 to 2005.
Tyson is famous for his aggressive and scary boxing style and disreputable conduct inside and outside the ring.He won his initial 19 expert battles by knockout, 12 of them in the preliminary round.
He is the main heavyweight fighter to hold the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles and the leading heavyweight to bind them together in progression. With a knockout-to-win level of 88 %, he ranks sixteenth on The Ring magazine’s 100 biggest punchers and first on ESPN’s rundown of “The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History.”
Likewise, he is in the Global Boxing Hall of fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
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#4. Floyd Mayweather
Floyd Joy Mayweather Jr. is an American boxing advertiser and previous expert fighter.
He resigned with an undefeated record and 15 major world championships from super featherweight to light middleweight.
Floyd has a record of 26 consecutive wins in world title championships 10 by K.O.s, 23 wins 9 K.O.s in lineal title battles, 24 victories 7 K.O.s against previous or current world titlists, 12 wins 3 K.O.s against previous or current lineal champions, and five wins 1 K.O. against Global Boxing Hall of fame inductees.
Many brandishing news and boxing sites, including The Ring, Sports Represented, ESPN, Box Rec, Fox Sports, and Yippee! Sports ranked Mayweather as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world two times in a decade.
#3. Joe Louis
Joseph Louis Pushcart was an American expert fighter who competed from 1934 to 1951. The boxing world views him as one of the best and most powerful fighters ever.
Louis ruled as the world heavyweight champion from 1937 until his brief retirement in 1949. He was successful in 25 sequential title safeguards, a record for all weight classes. Louis had the longest single reign as a c ever. Louis’ social effect was felt even out of the ring.
People broadly viewed him as the primary individual of African-American decent to accomplish the status of nationwide legend inside the U.S. He was a point of convergence of anti-Nazi sentiment leading up to and during World War II because of his historic rematch with German boxer Max Schmeling in 1938.
#2. Sugar Ray Robinson
Walker Smith Jr was an American expert fighter, prestigious for his tasteful and ostentatious way of life outside the ring.
He had an expert record of 128-1-2 with 84 knockouts. Robinson went on a 91-battle unbeaten streak, the third longest in proficient boxing history. Robinson held the world welterweight title for five years and came out on top for the world middleweight championship in the last year.
First for his exhibitions in 1942, then, nine years and more than 90 battles later, for his endeavours in 1951 the Ring named him “contender of the year” two times
Likewise, he ranked number one on The Ring magazine’s rundown of “80 Best Contenders of the most recent 80 Years”. Box Rec ranks Robinson as the best fighter, pound-for-pound.
#1. Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali conceived Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr was an American expert fighter and activist. The world views him as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century.
He ranks as the best heavyweight fighter of all time. Sports Illustrated and the Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC named him Sportsman of the Century. With five losses from 68 bouts and 37 knockouts, he was one of the best fighters ever.
At 18, he won a gold in the light heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics and turned professional. He came out on top for the world heavyweight title, overcoming Sonny Liston at age 22.
Final words
Determining the 15 best boxers in the world, regardless of weight class, is not easy, considering how wildly different bodies, styles, and skill sets such as defense and power vary as you scan the spectrum of today’s best boxers.
However, these 15 boxers stand out as the best in the world through their attainments and exploits inside the ring.
One should put in the discipline and hard work to master the art of boxing and become the greatest boxer of all time.
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