It’s always tough comparing eras, with rules and regulations changing throughout time. But there are a select few fighters who simply can’t be overlooked.

Here’s my take on the best boxers of all time. Let the debate commence.

10. Benny Leonard

Considered by many as the leading lightweight in history, Benny Leonard was a true in-ring genius, and certainly one of the best boxers ever.

The cerebral “Ghetto Wizard” reigned for eight years through his technical prowess and scientific approach, while overcoming esteemed foes such as Johnny Dundee, Johnny Kilbane, Lew Tendler and Freddie Welsh.

Legendary trainer and cornerman Ray Arcel named Leonard as the best fighter he ever saw pound-for-pound.

9. Bob Fitzsimmons

Boxing’s inaugural three-division world champion.

Bob Fitzsimmons was one of the most fearsome punchers ever to step in the ring.

The Cornwall-born “Freckled Wonder” stopped Ireland’s “Nonpareil” Jack Dempsey to become middleweight champion, knocked out James J. Corbett for the heavyweight crown, then bested another Irishman George Gardiner to win light-heavyweight honors.

8. Willie Pep

The ultimate master of ‘The Sweet Science’.

Willie Pep was boxing’s leading defensive wizard and also responsible for one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history.

“The Will O’ the Wisp” was a two-time featherweight champion and majestically waltzed through 1956 rounds over 241 fights in his prestigious career.

7. Ezzard Charles

One of the most technically complete fighters to ever grace the ring, Ezzard Charles won more bouts than any other heavyweight boxer in the sport’s history, cementing his place as one of the best boxers of all time.

“The Cincinnati Cobra” was arguably the most astute light-heavyweight ever to compete and rallied to successes over fellow Hall of Famers Archie Moore, Joe Louis, Jimmy Bivins, Joey Maxim and Jersey Joe Walcott in his career.

6. Muhammad Ali

The word legend gets thrown around a lot today.

But it perhaps applies most fittingly when describing the one and only Muhammad Ali.

Born Cassius Clay, the American would go on to have arguably the most significant and iconic career and life of any boxer ever.

An Olympic Gold medalist. One of the best heavyweight boxers of all time. A cultural icon. A role model.

Ali was worthy of being called “The Greatest”.

5. Roberto Duran

At the peak of his powers, and even past them, “Manos de Piedra” was as great as it gets in the squared-circle.

Roberto Duran reigned in four divisions from lightweight to middleweight in a career amazingly spanning five decades.

The Panama puncher was supremely gifted in all areas of the fight game and, with over 100 career victories – including against Ken Buchanan, Sugar Ray Leonard and Esteban de Jesus to name a few – he is without a doubt one of the greatest fighters ever.

4. Henry Armstrong

The great Henry Armstrong is the first and only fighter in history to hold three world titles in three separate divisions simultaneously.

Plus he did it at a time when there was only one ruler at each weight class.

Through featherweight, welterweight then lightweight, “Hammerin’ Hank” beat all-comers including Barney Ross, Lou Ambers and Chalky Wright.

A relentless pressure-fighter who defended his 147lbs crown 18 times and cemented his legacy as a true all-time boxing hero.

3. Sam Langford

“The Boston Terror” is unquestionably the greatest fighter to never win a world title.

But that didn’t matter.

Sam Langford’s greatness doesn’t need silverware as proof. His resume and credentials speak for themselves.

The Canadian was a genuine force of nature from lightweight all the way to heavyweight, beating the likes of Joe Gans, Jack Johnson and Joe Jeanette in a career which lasted over two decades.

2. Sugar Ray Robinson

Sugar Ray Robinson was undoubtedly the greatest prize-fighter ever caught on film. And as the inspiration for a young Cassius Clay, Robinson was as close to the perfect boxer as it gets.

He is the best welterweight of all time and the sport’s first five-time division champion for his middleweight.

With 200 professional bouts, 172 wins and 109 knockouts in a career spanning a quarter of a century, Robinson was a truly monumental fighter.

1. Harry Greb

The absence of any fight footage doesn’t in any way hinder the simply remarkable career of “The Pittsburgh Windmill”. He is undoubtedly the greatest fighter of all time.

Harry Greb’s record and resume read like a fictional novel.

It defies logic and is virtually unbelievable.

A middleweight champion with around 300 official career ring outings, he also beat top names at light-heavyweight and heavyweight. Most notably he handed Gene Tunney his only ever defeat.

Overall he conquered an amazing 18 world champions, faced 16 Hall of Famers a total of 48 times and, in 1919 alone, he reportedly went 45-0 while beating five fellow HOF inductees.

“The Human Windmill” also achieved a lot of his later career success with just one eye as he became blind from an injury.

He tragically died at just 32 following complications during routine respiratory surgery.

There have been plenty of great fighters since Greb, and there will be many more in the future, but no one will ever realistically be able to match or surpass his accomplishments.

Other all-time greats: Barney Ross, Archie Moore, Joe Gans, Sugar Ray Leonard, Joe Louis, Mickey Walker, Tony Canzoneri, Jimmy McLarnin.

Lead image credit: Wikipedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

But for the tragic minority, the worst can happen inside the squared circle. For some, the consequences from a life in prizefighting has been fatal.

It’s estimated that between 1890 and 2011, 1,604 boxers lost their lives as a direct result of injuries sustained in the ring, with that working out at an average of 13 per year.

From the same study, it showed 233 boxing-related deaths in the 1920s, during less safe times, while 103 occurred in the 2000s.

Here, we remember some of the incredibly valiant warriors who tragically died in the ring or from injuries sustained during their fights throughout boxing history.

1. Frankie Campbell (vs Max Baer, August 25, 1930)

After dropping future heavyweight champion Max Baer in the second round (but being ruled a slip), Italian-American Frankie Campbell turned his back and walked to the ropes.

Baer had got to his feet and proceeded to land a thumping right hand to the side of his opponent’s head.

Campbell would tell his corner, “Something feels like it broke in my head.”

He battled through until the fifth round, when he took a sustained beating from the Nebraska-native before the referee finally intervened.

The fallen fighter sadly died hours later in hospital from a double cerebral haemorrhage. Baer was taken into police custody for manslaughter, with a $10,000 bail imposed, but charges were later dismissed.

Referee Toby Irwin and the corner teams of both combatants were suspended for a year.

2. Jimmy Doyle (vs Sugar Ray Robinson, June 24, 1947)

The first death suffered by a boxer in a world championship bout since the 1800s. Sugar Ray Robinson dreamed he killed Jimmy Doyle in the ring the night prior to their Cleveland clash for the welterweight crown.

Shaken by this he pushed for the fight to be cancelled, with the commission even acquiring a Catholic priest to reassure Robinson over his fears.

A 22-year-old Doyle suffered an eighth-round knockout loss and never regained consciousness; tragically passing away in a local hospital after undergoing surgery.

Having predicted this fatal tragedy, Robinson set up a fund from his subsequent bouts which went to Doyle’s parents.

Asked if it “was his intention to get Doyle in trouble”, arguably the greatest fighter ever replied: “Mister, it’s my business to get him in trouble.”

3. Davey Moore (vs Sugar Ramos, March 21, 1963)

A ring fatality which inspired Bob Dylan to pen a song questioning its responsibility and led Pope John XXIII to slam boxing as a “barbaric” sport.

Davey Moore was sent to the floor awkwardly in the 10th round of his featherweight title showdown with Sugar Ramos, worryingly landing on his neck on the bottom rope.

Somehow he was able to rise and finish the round on his feet before the referee halted proceedings.

The Kentucky-born champion unfortunately lost a lot more than just his title after a gruelling encounter; falling into a coma in his dressing room which he never emerged from and dying 75 hours later in a hospital bed.

4. Young Ali (vs Barry McGuigan, June 14, 1982)

Following Irishman Barry McGuigan’s sixth-round stoppage success over Young Ali, his tough Nigerian opponent fell into a coma in London after being stretchered out of the ring.

Ali, whose real name was Asimi Mustapha, was placed on a life support machine but would later pass away at his home, being survived by his then-pregnant wife.

Decades later, Clones’ former world featherweight champion admitted he is still haunted by that ill-fated night in the English capital.

On his crowning night in 1985, when beating Eusebio Pedroza to become champion, he dedicated his triumph to his past fallen rival.

5. Kim Duk-koo (vs Ray Mancini, November 13, 1982)

In what ultimately resulted in one of the most significant fights in boxing history, South Korean warrior Kim Duk-koo went toe-to-toe with American Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini.

Minutes after the conclusion, Kim collapsed in a coma and was immediately taken to hospital. He underwent emergency brain surgery and died four days after the bout.

Mancini’s 14th-round KO win prompted reforms aimed at improving the protection of boxers’ health, with the main decision being to reduce championship bouts from 15 rounds to 12.

6. Roman Simakov (vs Sergey Kovalev, December 5, 2011)

One of the more modern day fight fatalities, with light-heavyweight contender Roman Simakov sadly collapsing in the ring after his loss to Sergey Kovalev and later dying from brain injuries.

The 27-year-old Russian’s passing hit Kovalev hard.

The man known as “The Krusher” swiftly reached out to assist his fallen opponent’s mother financially but has always limited comments regarding the tragic incident with media.

His manager Egis Klimas was aware that Simakov’s family still blamed him for what happened, meaning he was talked out of attending the funeral, and it took “considerable time” convincing Kovalev it wasn’t his fault.

7. Mike Towell (vs Dale Evans, September 29, 2016)

A British welterweight title eliminator in Glasgow took a fatal turn when Dale Evans stopped Mike Towell in the fifth round of a scheduled 12 bout.

Home fighter Towell, born in Dundee, was immediately taken to hospital where it was discovered he had a serious brain bleed which ultimately led to his tragic passing soon after.

A “heartbroken” Evans revealed a meeting with Towell’s mother gave him personal strength and comfort.

While there is no way of truly consoling families involved in such terrible instances, the financial burden was eased with the help of many within the sport, such as Ricky Hatton.

A ‘Justgiving’ page set up in light of Towell’s tragic death raised over ￡50,000, as well as other contributions from within the boxing world.

8. Scott Westgarth (vs Dec Spelman, February 24, 2018)

It should have been a cause for celebration for Scott Westgarth after overcoming Dec Spelman in a light-heavyweight meeting in Doncaster.

But it quickly became a tragedy as the 31-year-old was rushed to hospital following the 10 rounds shared before dying just two days later.

His opponent that night has since developed a close relationship with Westgarth’s family, stating: “There could have been resentment, but luckily they have been understanding. They have been great with me ever since.”

9. Maxim Dadashev (vs Subriel Matias, July 19, 2019)

Another recent ring fatality sadly occurred on American soil, with Russian boxer Maxim Dadashev passing away at just 26 following injuries sustained during his IBF light-welterweight title encounter with Subriel Matias.

Esteemed trainer Buddy McGirt pulled his fighter out of proceedings in the 11th round after pleading: “Please, Max, please” in the corner.

The American said he “could not convince” his man to quit, so had to take the situation into his own hands.

Dadashev was hospitalized with a brain bleed after being unable to walk to his dressing room. He sadly died following surgery.

A fund was set up for his young son Daniel and wife Elizaveta, who vowed that her brave husband would give her the “power to live.”

10. Patrick Day (vs Charles Conwell, October 12, 2019)

It was a tragic year for boxing across 2019, with several fighters losing their lives following ring injuries. Patrick Day was another unfortunate victim.

The American was forced to undergo emergency brain surgery after his 10th-round knockout loss to Charles Conwell in Chicago, having fallen into a coma.

His promoter Lou DiBella later announced that Day passed away “surrounded by his family, close friends and members of his boxing team.”

Remembering These Sporting Legends

As boxing fans, we have a bloodlust.

Craving chaos, we desire maximum effort and pure action whenever any man or woman climbs through the ring ropes for battle.

But beyond the spectacle of the fight, it’s sometimes easy to forget the danger and risks associated with each scheduled match-up.

Fatalities are therefore always a painful reminder that boxing is a sport, or business, that is literally a matter of life and death.

10. Randy Couture – $17 Million
9. Wanderlei Silva – $18 Million
8. Fedor Emelianenko – $18 Million
7. Anderson Silva – $18 Million
6. B.J. Penn – $22 Million
5. Brock Lesnar – $28 Million
4. Georges St. Pierre – $30 Million
3. Khabib Nurmagomedov – $30 Million
2. Rorion Gracie – $50 Million
1. Conor McGregor – $110 Million

The rise of mixed martial arts in recent years has seen a number of fighters become global superstars through their high-profile bouts and celebrity lifestyles.

Key to the overall growth in stature is the UFC and its massive surge in popularity, with many of its leading names having enjoyed the rich rewards of their success in the octagon.

After overseeing the richest boxers of all-time, we’ve now researched the leading money-makers from a career in the cage and other personal financial moves.

So, here are the top 10 richest MMA fighters in the world and their reported net worth.

10. Randy Couture – $17 Million

Beginning with a true UFC legend. Randy Couture is regarded as an all-time great of the organization, having been a three-time heavyweight and two-time light-heavyweight champion.

The Washington-born fighter’s achievements saw him become the fourth person to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame and is the oldest champion in MMA history.

As well as his illustrious career in the octagon, Couture is known for his acting work in blockbuster movies such as The Expendables franchise, while he is also a retired United States Army Sergeant.

9. Wanderlei Silva – $18 Million

Before returning to the UFC later in his prestigious career, Wanderlei Silva stormed to legendary status in the MMA world within Pride Fighting Championship in Japan.

It’s in Pride that Silva holds the records for the most wins, knockouts, title defenses and longest winning streak in the organization’s history.

After reigning as Pride middleweight king, the Brazilian star enjoyed relative success on his move back to the UFC and is considered a legend of the sport.

8. Fedor Emelianenko – $18 Million

Known as “The Last Emperor”, Russian legend Fedor Emelianenko earned a long list of accolades throughout his historic career.

Among these include reigning as Pride heavyweight champion for four years and being named Fighter of the Decade for the 2000s.

Despite having never competed in the UFC, the sport’s most high-profile organization in the world, Emelianenko has still entered the top 10 highest earning MMA fighters in the world.

7. Anderson Silva – $18 Million

Regarded by many as the greatest ever mixed martial artist in history, Anderson “Spider” Silva is a genuine icon of the sport, having dominantly reigned as UFC middleweight champion.

The Brazilian fighter holds the record for the longest title streak in the history of the UFC – with 10 defenses of his former middleweight crown and 16 consecutive victories across 2,457 days.

His icon status in the MMA world saw him take to the big screen as well, starring in several movies (sometimes as himself).

6. B.J. Penn – $22 Million

A former two-weight UFC champion next, with the legendary B.J. Penn having prevailed at both lightweight and welterweight throughout his illustrious octagon career.

The Hawaii-native was the inaugural inductee into the modern era wing of the UFC Hall of Fame after such impressive feats, with the organization’s president Dana White stating he is the reason for the lower weight divisions becoming so popular.

Penn became one of the key pay-per-view stars during his rise to prominence and eventual legendary standing in the sport, while movie roles as himself have followed to help boost his overall financial earnings.

5. Brock Lesnar – $28 Million

One of the most recognizable sports stars in the world, Brock Lesnar is a generational athlete, with an intimidating and imposing physique.

Lesnar began his sporting career as a wrestler and American footballer but it was within the WWE that he became a global superstar.

A sensational switch to the UFC saw his status rocket even further – as he ultimately was crowned heavyweight champion.

His worldwide profile cemented incredible Box Office success and he has generated vast wealth throughout his entire career as a result.

4. Georges St. Pierre – $30 Million

Inside the top five richest MMA fighters in the world and it’s another all-time great.

Georges St. Pierre enjoyed a remarkable career in the octagon, becoming a three-time welterweight king and also clinching the middleweight crown.

Being widely regarded as one of the best of all time, the Canadian star holds an abundance of UFC records and accumulated a massive $30 million net worth.

After being involved in many PPV showdowns within the UFC, St. Pierre was later involved in an acting career in fight-related movies and television programmes.

3. Khabib Nurmagomedov – $30 Million

A modern-day superstar.

An adored athlete in his home nation of Russia, Khabib Nurmagomedov has been one of the biggest names in the UFC during his dominant reign as lightweight ruler.

At the height of his overall supremacy, being the longest-reigning UFC lightweight champion in history, he retired with an unblemished record of 29-0.

Victories over Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje cemented his legacy, with his supreme career making him a household name.

Nurmagomedov is the most followed Russian on Instagram and the first Muslim ever to win a UFC championship, also seeing huge financial rewards as a result.

2. Rorion Gracie – $50 Million

A true MMA icon.

Rorion Gracie is one of the few practitioners in the world to hold a 9th-degree red belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and is a pioneer of the martial art – having introducing Gracie/Brazilian Jiu-jitsu to the world.

With a net worth of $50 million, Gracie has earned his fortune from a career and life in being jiu-jitsu Grand Master, writer, publisher and lecturer.

He is also one of the co-founders of the UFC and has worked as a technical advisor and fight scene choreographer for several Hollywood movies.

1. Conor McGregor – $110 Million

There was only ever going to be one name at the top of the richest UFC fighters list.

Conor McGregor has become one of the biggest global superstars in a short space of time.

The Irishman arrived on the UFC scene in style, bringing a legion of supporters with him and seeing his success in the cage and entertaining trash-talking make him a quick-fire phenomenon.

Beyond just his UFC victories and record-breaking paydays, “The Notorious” has used his name to move into the business world.

McGregor’s whiskey brand ‘Proper 12’ has helped him grow his wealth even further as he sits atop the list as the richest UFC fighter ever.

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Lead image: fightlaunch/Flickr, CC BY 2.0

The biggest and most prestigious fighters throughout history have attracted the top dollar, from American trailblazer Jack Dempsey in the 1920s to Mexican cash cow Saul “Canelo” Alvarez today.

But who are the richest boxers of all time?

There are plenty of pugilists who have earned enormous amounts throughout their illustrious careers.

We’ve researched the leading money-makers from a career in the ring and other financial moves.

So, here are the top 10 richest boxers in the world. Can you guess who’s at the number one spot?

10. Marvelous Marvin Hagler – $45 million

A dominant undisputed middleweight champion, a relentless knockout artist and Hall of Fame inductee.

Marvelous Marvin Hagler was a complete devastator in the ring.

The illustrious southpaw enjoyed a legendary career, becoming arguably the greatest middleweight in history, while earning substantial paydays throughout his ring time.

Enough that he was able to walk away from the sport in a comfortable financial position following his highly controversial decision defeat at the hands of fellow great Sugar Ray Leonard.

Ventures into the acting world helped his bank balance too, having moved to Italy once his career came to an end and starring in many well-known action movies.

9. Anthony Joshua – $60 million

One of the biggest and most marketable names in boxing today. Anthony Joshua has shot to widespread prominence since his Olympic Gold medal success on home soil during the 2012 London Games.

In light of that victory, “AJ” turned to the professional ranks and quickly made his mark. With the promotional powerhouse backing of Eddie Hearn and all the attributes in place to become a star, that’s exactly what he did.

A world title arrived in 2016, capping off his swift rise to fame and fortune.

As well as his many pay-per-view fight paydays, endorsements from some of the world’s leading brands have seen his wealth grow massively including Under Armour, Dre Beats and Hugo Boss.

8. Wladimir Klitschko – $65 million

A truly dominant heavyweight ruler.

Wladimir Klitschko is widely considered as one of the top heavyweights of all-time.

The towering Ukrainian reigned for 4,382 days during his second time as champion, rocketing to global stardom in that time and earning huge amounts as a result.

His notoriety during his career, mainly across Europe at the height of his powers, saw him capture millions of pounds worth in earnings on top of world titles.

7. Vitali Klitschko – $80 million

Alongside his younger brother Wladimir, Vitali Klitschko dominated the heavyweight division for many years.

The boxing world referred to their period of supremacy together as “The Klitschko Era”, in which they reigned and broke records side by side.

Outside of the ring, “Dr. Ironfist” was the first world champion to hold a PhD degree and has become an integral figure in Ukrainian parliament. Klitschko currently stands as the Mayor of Kyiv, having been involved in politics since 2005.

6. Sugar Ray Leonard – $120 million

Regarded as one of the true greats of the sport.

Sugar Ray Leonard blended incredible speed and athleticism with instinctive finishing and great mental strength in the squared-circle.

The American reigned across five different weight classes in a remarkable career, being part of the iconic ‘Four Kings’ who competed and battled each other throughout the 1980s (also including Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns and Marvelous Marvin Hagler).

Leonard is known to have been the first boxer to earn over ￡100 million in fight purses alone, while work in the media and motivational speaking, alongside endorsements during his career, have greatly benefited him financially.

5. Lennox Lewis – $180 million

One of the greatest heavyweight champions ever to grace the ring.

Lennox Lewis earned an Olympic Gold medal in 1988 before going on to be a three-time world champion.

The British-Canadian fighter was involved in many monumental heavyweight showdowns that generated huge income and attention, most notably against Mike Tyson towards the end of his career.

Away from boxing, Lewis has made various appearances in movies, TV shows, the WWE and music videos, adding to his overall finances.

4. Manny Pacquiao – $190 million

Manny Pacquiao, who has enjoyed a remarkable career spanning four decades, is of the most famous and highest-earning boxers in the sport’s history.

During that time, he has been involved in many high-profile PPV clashes with fellow legends including Floyd Mayweather Jr., Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton.

Outside of his prestigious ring career, “Pacman” is known for his incredible charitable donations which stem from the vast amounts he’s made across various other ventures.

This includes his political life, as he currently works as the Senator of his home nation of the Philippines.

3. Oscar De La Hoya – $200 million

“The Golden Boy” is one of the biggest Box Office attractions ever in boxing.

Oscar De La Hoya shot to stardom after lifting an Olympic Gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Games.

His move into the professional ranks saw him become a young superstar across America, being adored by fans for his looks, charisma and, of course, ring skills.

Along with the many high-profile fight night purses, De La Hoya was one of the most sought-after fighters for endorsements.

Since retiring he has successfully delved into promoting, being the owner of Golden Boy Promotions.

2. George Foreman – $300 million

When the name George Foreman is mentioned, a lot of people will automatically think of the ‘lean, mean, fat-reducing grilling machine’.

But before the Foreman Grill was ever invented, Foreman was one of the most fearsome heavyweight champions in boxing history.

“Big George” was an Olympic Gold medallist and a two-time heavyweight champion, the oldest in history in fact, having won the title incredibly at the age of 46.

Business ventures later in life have saw him become one of the richest fighters of all time.

1. Floyd Mayweather Jr. – $565 million

There was only ever going to be one fighter at the top of the list.

The richest boxer in history is the man who literally has money in his name; Floyd “Money” Mayweather.

The American was involved in most of the highest grossing boxing matches in the sport’s history throughout a sublime career, in which he reigned as a five-division world champion.

Mayweather Jr. is believed to have generated over 24 million PPV buys in his career and close to $2 billion in revenue.

The true money man of boxing.

If you’re interested in something similar, be sure to check out our list of the richest poker players and the richest NFL players.

There’s an incredibly rich history of boxing across British soil. This dates all the way back to the 1600s, when the first documented bare-knuckle fights are believed to have taken place there.

Prize-fighting surfaced during the early 16th century and continued to develop throughout the eras, eventually ditching the brutal ungloved and ungoverned set-up to undertake safer sporting methods.

From the bare-knuckle times, through to Jack Broughton’s Rules, the London Prize Fighting Rules and later the Marquess of Queensberry rules, boxing in Britain has progressed with the times.

Throughout the centuries of development there have been many esteemed fighters to rise to the pinnacle in the UK. Here, we look back and rank the 10 greatest British fighters throughout history.

10. Jim Driscoll

The greatest British combatant never to get his hands on a world title but his career feats were still highly impressive nonetheless.

Welshman “Peerless” Jim Driscoll used his ring talents to battle out of poverty and was ultimately inducted into the Hall of Fame for his achievements, which included victories over world champions Abe Attell and George Dixon.

9. Chris Eubank Snr

The hugely flamboyant Chris Eubank Snr left a lasting impact on British boxing after rallying to world honours at both middleweight and super-middleweight.

His intense rivalry with long-standing nemesis Nigel Benn also captured the British public’s attention, while his granite chin and eye-catching knockouts added to his eventually popular persona.

8. Ricky Hatton

Perhaps the most beloved and well-followed British fighter of modern times.

Ricky Hatton attracted huge rapturous crowds in his hometown of Manchester and even took legions of supporters abroad.

“The Hitman” was a devastating body puncher and regarded for his brilliant use of angles and inside work.

His 2005 victory over Kostya Tszyu sealed his name in British boxing history as well as brilliant Luis Collazo, Carlos Maussa and Jose Luis Castillo wins.

Losses to Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao didn’t dent his overall stature either, finishing his career as a two-weight world champion and a true fan favourite.

7. Joe Calzaghe

Welshman Joe Calzaghe reigned supreme at super-middleweight and briefly light-heavyweight.

He overcame a host of illustrious names before retiring with an unblemished record of 46-0.

Many critics point out the masterful southpaw’s most prominent wins over the likes of Mikkel Kessler, Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr came when those legends were faded.

Though his dominance over Jeff Lacy stands out and he managed to drop and outpoint Chris Eubank Snr as well.

6. Ken Buchanan

Widely considered Scotland’s finest pugilist, Ken Buchanan reigned as undisputed lightweight king during an illustrious career.

The Edinburgh-native controversially lost to all-time great Roberto Duran but earned high-profile successes over Maurice Cullen, Ismael Laguna, Carlos Ortiz and Jim Watt before becoming a Hall of Fame inductee.

5. Randolph Turpin

Another Hall of Famer up next.

True English great Randy Turpin secured one of boxing’s greatest victories when he upset the legendary Sugar Ray Robinson in 1951 to win the middleweight championship.

Robinson had only tasted a single setback across 132 ring outings prior to their London meeting.

“The Leamington Licker” lost their rematch but later sealed a British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight triumph over Don Cockell before a tragic and disturbing end to his life.

4. Ted Lewis

A relentless and punishing fighter, Ted “Kid” Lewis incredibly embarked on what would be a prestigious professional career at just 14 years of age.

He twice won the welterweight crown but was a force from featherweight up to light-heavyweight too.

“The Aldgate Sphinx” was involved in a famous 20-fight rivalry with Jack Britton and was described as “probably the greatest fighter to come out of Britain” by Mike Tyson.

3. Lennox Lewis

One of the all-time elite heavyweights in history, Lennox Lewis was a superior force during his era following an Olympic Gold medal success in the amateurs.

The undisputed heavyweight king finished his career having beaten every man he ever entered the ring with.

This included wins over Donovan ‘Razor’ Ruddock, Frank Bruno, Mike Tyson, Vitali Klitschko, Evader Holyfield and rematch revenge over both Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman.

2. Jimmy Wilde

Often hailed as Britain’s leading light, Jimmy Wilde is one of the greatest flyweights in history and a formidable knockout artist among the lower divisions, managing to oust bantamweights and featherweights at his peak.

The Welshman, brilliantly known as “The Ghost with the Hammer in His Hand”, bested Young Zulu Kid, Sid Smith, Joe Symonds, Tancy Lee and Memphis Pal Moore in a grand career.

It’s typically a tossup between two old-timers for Britain’s top man status, so “The Mighty Atom” is undoubtedly worthy of that position too.

1. Bob Fitzsimmons

Taking his seat at top spot is the world’s first-ever three-division world champion, with Hall of Fame legend Bob Fitzsimmons reigning from middleweight, heavyweight then light-heavyweight.

The Cornwall-born “Freckled Wonder” is considered one of the best pound-for-pound combatants ever.

On his remarkable rise through the weight classes he knocked out Nonpareil Jack Dempsey and beat Peter Maher, Jim Corbett and George Gardiner.

Other notable names: Jack Broughton, Lloyd Honeyghan, Naseem Hamed, Tommy Farr, James Figg, Howard Winstone, Sir Henry Cooper, John Conteh, Duke McKenzie, Nigel Benn.

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In the current landscape, although still being a tough career task, it’s a lot easier to acquire some version of a world title belt compared to much more fierce and competitive past times.

At one point in time, just entering the ring to battle for world honours was in itself a rare accomplishment – let alone actually winning one.

Back when there was only a single title holder in each weight class too, being a leading contender within your division was actually admirable but to reign as champion was a truly momentous feat.

Due to an abundance of different types of belts in the current climate, there’s absolutely no doubting that the following names on our list of uncrowned kings would be distinguished world title holders today.

So today we wanted to list 10 of the greatest boxers never to win world titles during their legendary and hugely illustrious careers (in no particular order).

1. Sam Langford

While there are many great fighters of the past that were cruelly denied their crowning glory in the sport, there’s no questioning who the best uncrowned king in history is.

The immortal Sam Langford is proof that world titles aren’t the be-all-end-all in boxing.

There is an abundance of far lesser fighters that have reigned as multiple-weight champions in the modern day and won’t be fondly remembered long-term.

Yet, “The Boston Terror” never got his hands on the gold and is undoubtedly a top five all-time pound-for-pound great.

The Canadian Hall of Famer’s record and resume is unbelievable.

He beat legendary lightweight champion Joe Gans at just 17 years of age – one of boxing’s all-time greatest victories – when the title wasn’t on the line and was unfortunate to only draw with welterweight king Joe Walcott.

Langford also bested the first ever African-American heavyweight champion Jack Johnson but was ironically denied a rematch for the heavyweight crown through the colour line, while Jack Dempsey later admitted he avoided giving him a title shot too.

2. Charley Burley

The leading light in boxing’s famous Murderers’ Row, Charley Burley was a supreme technician in a career at welterweight and middleweight, beating a host of impressive names.

Among those victories include Holman Williams, Jack Chase, Jackie Burke, Bert Lytell, Fritzie Zivic, Cocoa Kid and Archie Moore.

But the legendary Burley was sadly unable to land himself a shot at the gold during his era. Henry Armstrong’s welterweight title was an ambition, but that bout never came to fruition.

The American’s credentials are proven by the elite champions that are believed to have avoided him including Hall of Famers Billy Conn and Marcel Cerdan.

But the most notable is arguably the greatest pugilist in history: Sugar Ray Robinson.

Iconic trainer Eddie Futch also referred to Burley as “the finest all-around fighter I ever saw.”

3. Lew Tendler

Hall of Famer Lew Tendler was another incredibly talented fighter that would no doubt have been world champion in any other era.

But he had the misfortune of competing during a remarkable time for the 135lbs division, with a host of legends making up a golden generation.

One of the most accomplished southpaws the sport has ever seen, “Lefty Lew” came close to overcoming arguably the top lightweight in history, Benny Leonard in his prime, but ultimately fell short.

He also ousted reigning light-heavyweight champion Pinky Mitchell while the title was not on the line and dropped a narrow decision in a welterweight championship clash against Mickey Walker.

4. Herbert Lewis Hardwick

Puerto Rican battler Herbert Lewis Hardwick was another prolific member of Murderers’ Row and was unfortunately never granted a crack at world honours at all.

Known as “Cocoa Kid”, he notched up an array of top welterweight and middleweight victories against the likes of Holman Williams, Young Peter Jackson, Jack Chase and Chalky Wright.

He finished a 244-bout career with a sublime record of 178-58-11 but was avoided by illustrious champions, most notably the great Henry Armstrong. He refused to give him a shot at his welterweight crown.

Even Sugar Ray Robinson is widely believed to have broken various fight agreements to face Hardwick, who reportedly dropped him in a sparring session between the two.

5. Patrick McFarland

Despite having rallied to 70 wins, five draws and just a single loss across an outstanding career, Patrick McFarland never got his hands on world honours either.

His exploits came across lightweight and welterweight divisions, besting world champions Tommy Kilbane, Freddie Welsh and Jack Britton.

The Chicago-native clinched triumphs over Hall of Famers Mike Gibbons and Owen Moran as well, proving his overall credentials as a true uncrowned king from the early 1900s.

6. Holman Williams

Another member of the legendary Murderers’ Row group.

Holman Williams was another African-American great who would win the World Colored Championship at 147lbs but fell victim to the frustrating and sickening times.

The Florida-born pugilist was revered as one of the most technical astute fighters of his era and pulled off victories over Archie Moore, Lloyd Marshall, Charley Burley, Cocoa Kid and Eddie Booker.

Towards the back end of his impressive career he went the distance with both middleweight champions Jake LaMotta and Marcel Cerdan too.

His willingness to take on the best from welterweight to light-heavyweight eventually saw him rightfully honoured in the Hall of Fame.

7. Harry Wills

There was a time when Harry Wills was the consensus heavyweight king.

The formidable “Black Panther” had gained a fearsome reputation in the 1920s and a monumental showdown with division champion Jack Dempsey was pushed for.

But it never came to fruition, leaving the New Orleans sensation as a scandalous victim of the colour line.

Wills boasts an abundance of great wins nevertheless, having beaten all of Sam McVea, Battling Siki, Billy Miske, Joe Jeannette, Sam Langford, Luis Firpo, Bill Tate and Kid Norfolk.

Those were incredible feats, particularly when compared to the resume of “The Manassa Mauler”, who is remembered as an American icon for perhaps less distinguished career coups.

8. Mike Gibbons

Brother of esteemed heavyweight Tommy Gibbons, older but smaller sibling Mike is remembered fondly as one of the best ever welterweight and middleweight prize-fighters.

This is in spite of never getting his hands on a world title during a brilliant career, proving to be too much of a force for his own good.

He took on all-comers across his divisions including Mike O’Dowd, Ted Lewis, Packey McFarland, Jeff Smith and Harry Greb, who was subsequently quoted as telling his manager: “From now on, match me with one guy at a time.”

Gibbons had claims to the middleweight crown in 1909 following the murder of champion Stanley Ketchel but never actually won it in the ring.

9. Jack Blackburn

A self-proclaimed veteran of over a supposed 400 fights, Jack Blackburn still never managed to be granted a shot at a title from lightweight to welterweight.

The American is probably more famed for being the trainer of dominant heavyweight champion Joe Louis after hanging his own gloves up.

Blackburn faced a plethora of prominent foes including Joe Gans, Sam Langford, Harry Lewis, “Philadelphia” Jack O’Brien and Harry Greb.

10. Jim Driscoll

He may not have won a championship but that didn’t stop many announcing him as “Peerless” Jim Driscoll.

The Welshman gained wins over world champions Abe Attell and George Dixon, while putting in competitive displays against Owen Moran and Freddie Welsh.

Driscoll was an elusive and very smart featherweight puncher who did become British champion and held the Lonsdale strap in 1910, which is still highly coveted today.

Other notable names: Ken Norton, Wesley Ramey, Willie Joyce, Herol Graham, Owen Moran, Michael Watson, David Tua, George Benton, Joe Choynski.

There tends to be a stigma that in order to become a top fighter, you must start at a young age. But there are exceptions to that usual trend, and some began fighting much later in life before eventually stepping into the ring at an older age.

In no particular order, here are 10 fighters who got into boxing late and still managed to carve out successful professional careers.

1. Dwight Muhammad Qawi

Despite a very late start to his career, particularly in boxing terms, Dwight Muhammad Qawi (born Dwight Braxton) went on to enjoy a great career at the top.

The American finally got involved in the sport at the age of 25, starting when he was serving time in Rahway State Prison for armed robbery.

Despite his late start, Qawi captured world titles in two weight classes, reigning at both light-heavyweight and cruiserweight.

He enjoyed ring battles with the likes of Matthew Saad Muhammad, Michael Spinks, Leon Spinks, Evander Holyfield and George Foreman before retiring in 1998.

2. Ken Norton

Another eventual world champion to make a late start in boxing.

Ken Norton is believed to have got involved with the sport at around the age of 24 but he went on to have a huge impact nevertheless.

He’s most regarded for his upset victory over the great Muhammad Ali in their first of three bouts.

Known as “The Black Hercules”, he also went toe to toe with Larry Holmes, coming up narrowly short in 1978, before retiring three years later.

The former world heavyweight champion was inducted into the International Hall of Fame in 1992.

3. Rocky Marciano

One of the most legendary heavyweight champions in history was also a late starter in the sport.

The hard-hitting Rocky Marciano retired with an impressive undefeated record of 49-0, with 43 knockout victories, in 1955.

“The Brockton Blockbuster” didn’t start boxing until he was 23, which is incredible considering the success he achieved throughout his devastating career.

He was the division king from 1952, beating Jersey Joe Walcott, Roland La Starza, Ezzard Charles, Don Cockell and Archie Moore during his reign, and is the only heavyweight champion to ever fully retire undefeated.

4. Sonny Liston

Considering the success he ultimately amassed throughout his career as a prize-fighter, it’s surprising to know former heavyweight champion Sonny Liston didn’t start boxing until he was 19.

The formidable and intimidating American puncher was a solid force during his era and won the title in 1962 when he knocked out Floyd Patterson inside one round.

He repeated that exact feat the following year in the first defense of his WBC crown, having then become the organization’s inaugural title holder.

Liston was widely regarded as an unbeatable wrecking ball before suffering stunning back-to-back defeats at the hands of Muhammad Ali, who was still known as Cassius Clay in their first encounter.

5. Jess Willard

One of the largest heavyweight champions in history, Jess Willard was a true giant of the division and reigned for more than four years.

“The Pottawatomie Giant” famously knocked out Jack Johnson in 1915, as America’s then “Great White Hope” inflicted “The Galveston Giant’s” first ever defeat.

But, perhaps unfairly, he is remembered more for his severe and savage beating at the hands of Jack Dempsey in 1919.

The towering American incredibly didn’t begin boxing until the late age of 27, which makes his career all the more admirable.

6. Luis Angel Firpo

Argentine pugilist Luis Angel Firpo is another late starter, taking up boxing at the age of 23 back in Buenos Aires.

He became the first Latin American in history to challenge for the heavyweight title in his 1923 clash with Jack Dempsey.

That famous showdown in New York is widely remembered as one of the greatest action-packed bouts ever, with Firpo knocking “The Manassa Mauler” out of the ring in the opening round before being stopped in the second himself.

Despite the loss, his popularity across Latin America was immense and the image of him sending Dempsey flying from the ring is one of the most famous in boxing history.

7. Clinton Woods

In spite of taking up the sport at 22 years of age, Clinton Woods eventually secured world honors at light-heavyweight.

The Yorkshireman became involved in a life of drugs and crime before finding boxing as a way out of his problems.

Sheffield’s likeable former British champion made an unsuccessful step up to face the legendary Roy Jones Jr in 2002.

But he won the 175lbs world title three years later, made four defenses of his belt then lost it to Antonio Tarver in 2008.

Retirement came the following year when he failed to reclaim the strap he lost against Tavoris Cloud, but he enjoyed a top career to look back on after starting late on.

8. Deontay Wilder

The most destructive puncher currently in the sport and perhaps one of the biggest knockout artists in heavyweight history.

American giant Deontay Wilder has risen to prominence in recent years with his brutal stoppage successes.

But “The Bronze Bomber” wasn’t working on his craft from a very young age, having only got involved in boxing at the rather late age of 20.

Wilder enjoyed a short but sweet amateur career, winning a Bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, before embarking on his now esteemed professional career later that same year.

9. Antonio Tarver

Known as “The Magic Man”, Antonio Tarver enjoyed a hugely successful amateur background, which culminated in a Bronze medal triumph in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.

The American later went on to capture various light-heavyweight world titles and overcame several top names, including Montell Griffin and Roy Jones Jr.

But the Florida-born southpaw was somewhat of a late bloomer.

He initially began a brief stint in boxing at 10 years of age but eventually stopped for many years before getting into it properly at around 20.

10. Ron Lyle

Former world heavyweight title challenger Ron Lyle is another fighter to have got into boxing very late on in life.

He first donned his gloves while serving time in jail in his mid-twenties following a turbulent time in life early on.

The American contested for the undisputed heavyweight crown once when he collided with Muhammad Ali in 1975 but was stopped in 11 rounds.

He was involved in many crowd-pleasing matchups, most notably a Fight of the Year barnstormer against George Foreman in 1976, and holds wins over the likes of Oscar Bonavena, Jimmy Ellis, Earnie Shavers and Joe Bugner.

It’s Never Too Late

The moral of the story here is simply that it’s clearly never too late to make a start in boxing with the right amount of talent, serious determination and work ethic.

It’s also evident that the majority of those fighters who do get involved in the sport later in life are in the larger divisions, typically heavyweights.

At that size, anyone can still carry their power at an older age, which is the case for most of the names on the list!

Other notable boxers who started late: Arthur Pelkey, Bernard Hopkins, Ray Mercer, Sergio Martinez, Anthony Joshua.

Something similar:

Sources:
https://shortboxing.com/top-10-greatest-boxers-who-started-late/
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1392958-6-of-the-best-late-bloomers-in-boxing-history#slide6
https://www.ringnews24.com/2017/08/09/top-10-biggest-late-bloomers-boxing/

1. Lucia Rijker

Dubbed the ‘world’s most dangerous woman’ during the height of her powers, Lucia Rijker is one of the most famous female fighters ever and secured supreme world title success at light-welterweight.

Originally a kickboxing champion, “the Dutch Destroyer” finished her sublime boxing career with an immaculate 17-0 record which included 14 knockouts and is one of only three female Hall of Fame inductees.

2. Ann Wolfe

Widely considered to be the hardest hitting female fighter in the sport’s history, Ann Wolfe stopped 16 of 26 opponents throughout a dominant career before retiring in 2006.

When she clinched the IBA light-heavyweight crown in 2004, the American emulated the incredible achievement of the great Henry Armstrong by holding three world titles in three different weight divisions simultaneously.

3. Laila Ali

It’s a surname that will be very familiar.

Laila Ali is the daughter of the greatest heavyweight in history; the legendary Muhammad Ali.

But the unbeaten American forged out her own legacy in the women’s game, ending an illustrious career with a 24-0 record and holding world titles at both super-middleweight and light-heavyweight.

4. Claressa Shields

One of the greatest female fighters in recent times.

The outspoken Claressa Shields has reigned in three weight classes so far, unifying at light-middleweight and super-middleweight and being undisputed queen at middleweight.

She is the quickest ever two and three-weight world titlist in the paid ranks after also becoming the only American boxer (male or female) to ever earn consecutive Olympic medals in 2012 and 2016.

5. Katie Taylor

A modern day great and pioneer for women’s boxing, Katie Taylor has enjoyed a remarkably successful career both as an amateur and professional prize-fighter.

As Irish boxing royalty, she famously rallied to five world amateur championships and a 2012 Olympic Gold medal, among many other honours, before becoming a two-weight world champion and undisputed lightweight queen as a pro.

6. Cecilia Braekhus

Known as “The First Lady” of women’s boxing, Cecilia Braekhus is a modern day pound-for-pound great after dominantly reigning as undisputed welterweight champion since 2014.

The Norwegian was the first woman in any division to hold all the alphabet titles simultaneously, the longest-reigning female champion and was named as the inaugural Female Fighter of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America.

7. Amanda Serrano

Puerto Rican star Amanda Serrano is the only female to win world titles in more than four divisions, with a remarkable nine straps across seven weight classes.

The talented southpaw, known as “Real Deal”, has also been awarded Women’s Fighter of the Year by WBN on two occasions in her admirable career (2016 and 2018).

8. Regina Halmich

One of the key figures in raising the popularity of women’s boxing across Europe, Regina Halmich is one of the most distinguished female fighters in history.

The high-profile German reigned as world champion across all of light-flyweight, flyweight and super-flyweight before retiring in 2007 with just a single loss in 56 total bouts.

9. Christy Martin

A women’s boxing trailblazer, Christy Martin was the first ever female inducted into the Hall of Fame after a prestigious 23-year career.

One of the most recognisable fighters in the sport, “The Coal Miner’s Daughter” took on all-comers in the ring and eventually hung up her gloves in 2012.

10. Mia St. John

Regarded as “The Knockout”, Mia St. John claimed title honours at lightweight and light-middleweight during a long-standing career.

The Mexican-American battled in 65 ring outings across five divisions, beginning back in 1997 and not calling time until 2016.

The Rise Of Female Boxing

While female boxing has rapidly risen in popularity and its stature grown massively in recent years, the sport has a history of great combatants that paved the way for the current crop of stars.

Reports of women entering the ring go as far back as the 18th century but professional female fights were effectively outlawed and athletic commissioners refused to sanction or issue licenses until more modern times.

The first sanctioned women’s bout in the UK took place in 1998 and the Olympics finally welcomed women’s boxing officially during the 2012 London Games.

As if it took that long!

Other notable female fighters: Mary Kom, Nicola Adams, Vonda Ward, Kali Reis, Jane Couch, Deirdre Gogarty, Holly Holm, Mary Jo Sanders, Jackie Nava.

Lead Image Credit: Twitter/tornadofist

For some more boxing content, check out:

Before a change in the rules the end of the 12th round didn’t signal the conclusion of a bout but rather the beginning of what were known as the original ‘championship rounds’ ahead of the 15th and final period.

‘Going the distance’ once meant completing 45 minutes of action in the ring instead of the current 36 minutes in the big clashes.

So why are there 12 rounds in boxing today?

Rounds Reduced After Tragic Fatality In The Ring

The number of rounds were taken down from 15 to 12 mainly due to one hugely significant fight in boxing history.

Back on November 13, 1982, the brutal encounter between Ray Mancini and Duk Koo Kim ultimately forced an overhaul in the sport’s length and rules in a bid to help boost safety of combatants.

South Korean warrior Kim collapsed and was taken to hospital immediately after being stopped in the 14th and penultimate scheduled round of a truly gruelling meeting with American “Boom Boom”, having both gone toe to toe throughout proceedings.

He had to undergo emergency brain surgery but tragically passed away from his sustained injuries, with his death eventually being pivotal in the decision to reduce the number of rounds in championship bouts.

While tragedy is sadly a risk associated with prize-fighting, those in the sport’s hierarchy opted to make this massive reform of the rules.

Changes In The Rules

By 1988, all major world title fights had been decreased from the long-standing and standard 15 to 12.

The following year the first ever heavyweight title showdown under the new shortened distance took place, with Larry Holmes and Lucien Rodriguez colliding across a scheduled 12 rounds.

Notably, there was a difference of opinions between the sport’s belt organisations during this tractional period of time.

The WBC almost immediately altered their rules in light of the tragic Kim bout but others took longer to follow that same path.

The WBA, who had not yet separated from the WBO, eventually changed their rules and voted to reduce their championship distances to 12 rounds in 1987.

While the IBF, which had also recently broken away from the WBA, maintained the standard 15-round clashes as they claimed there was no documented medical evidence that the extra nine minutes were more dangerous.

However, in 1988 they too ultimately changed their stance though, reducing their governed fights to 12 rounds.

American superstar Mike Tyson was involved in the final scheduled heavyweight 15 rounder, when he stopped Tyrell Biggs inside seven to retain his WBA, WBC and IBF crowns in October 1987.

Old School Days Are Gone

In recent times there have actually been several calls from certain fighters and their teams to return to the old scheduled distance of 15 rounds, in a bid to improve overall standards again.

In fact, a look back in history and it’s evident that a lot of the most iconic boxing moments would never have occurred if not for the 15-round limit.

This includes:

• Joe Louis knocking out Billy Conn in the 13th round to defend his heavyweight crown (1941).
• Joe Frazier’s devastating and decisive left hook on Muhammad Ali in the 15th round of their ‘Fight of the Century’.
• Sugar Ray Leonard’s late rally to halt Thomas Hearns in the 14th round of their anticipated welterweight clash (1981).

While there have also been arguments in the other instance that famous results would’ve differed in the longer format, including Marvin Hagler’s high-profile and controversial defeat to Sugar Ray Leonard over 12 (1987) and Jermain Taylor’s middleweight victory over Bernard Hopkins (2005).

Would Leonard have been able to withstand Hagler’s pressure for a further three rounds? Could a tiring Taylor have had enough left in the tank for nine more minutes?

Questions like this are often asked in the modern era under the 12-round limit.

Before retiring, former heavyweight kingpin Larry Holmes once stated:
“It will cut down on injuries for a lot of fighters but it will take away from the true champions. A true champion can go 15 rounds.”

But reverting back to the past ruleset is highly unlikely of ever coming to fruition after so many years, with there having been many studies to highlight the damaging effects on combatants during the longer past format.

Safety The Top Priority

Some reports have previously concluded that the brain becomes more susceptible to damage beyond 12 rounds, while others have argued that 15 rounds escalates the risk of dehydration and exhaustion.

Therefore, a case has been in the past that it’s the fighters competing below heavyweight that are more in danger of fatal consequences due to the pressure of making weight, attributing deaths to dehydration.

Of course, there was a time in the sport’s rich history when 15 rounds may not have even been the midpoint of a fight.

In the very early days of pugilism there were literally no limits of the number of rounds in bare-knuckle clashes, meaning those involved would have to battle to a definitive conclusion (i.e. until someone was knocked out or surrendered).

This, expectedly, led to a host of incredibly brutal encounters that could last for hours on end until laws were eventually brought in under Queensbury Rules that saw pre-determined lengths introduced.

Before the use of official judges, often these bouts ended in draws once the ‘distance’ was met and a victor would be awarded a ‘newspaper decision’ based on popular acclaim.

The longest gloved fight ever recorded is widely believed to have lasted seven hours and 19 minutes back in April 1893 when Andy Bowen and Jack Burke traded blows for a remarkable 110 rounds.

The pair’s bloody battle was ultimately deemed a ‘no contest’ when they were too exhausted to continue in New Orleans, Los Angeles. This was later changed to a draw.

Even into the early 20th century many true legends of the sport were involved in incredibly long battles before 15-rounders became more common in the 1920s onwards.

Historic names like Sam Langford, Jack Britton, Sam McVea, James J. Jeffries and Jack Johnson are among those to have contested in 20+ round bouts.

While those days are well in the past and boxing has gradually progressed with its health and safety precautions since, it’s perhaps unfair to claim the overall excitement levels and calibre of match-ups have completely faded over the modern 12 rounders.

There are plenty of epic modern-day fights that have taken place since the sport’s prominent revisions, and undoubtedly many more to come on the horizon.

Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/10/sports/12-round-limit-for-wbc.html
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=dduClwPaRDsC&pg=PT717&lpg=PT717&dq=boxing+safety+study+12+to+15+rounds&source=bl&ots=dVQHmBX13p&sig=ACfU3U1bGrRyHMFERgHJSI3UyHh0UyvxOA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi4geCvqrnpAhUdSxUIHSFSAi4Q6AEwD3oECAwQAQ#v=onepage&q=boxing%20safety%20study%2012%20to%2015%20rounds&f=false
https://www.thevintagenews.com/2019/03/06/boxing-match/
https://www.boxingscene.com/15-rounds-true-championship-distance–835

Former heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey took the ‘Roaring Twenties’ by storm, becoming a cultural icon in his native America and one of the first true superstars of the sport.

Known for his brutal knockouts and aggressive approach in the ring, the legendary “Manassa Mauler” also featured in almost 20 movies between 1920 and 1958.

He appeared alongside one of four eventual wives and silent film star Estelle Taylor in the Broadway show The Big Fight and 1925’s Manhattan Madness among many others.

2. Roberto Duran

“Manos de Piedra” is one of the greatest fighters of all time.

The Panamanian legend competed from 1968 to 2001, reigning as world champion in four divisions and cementing his legacy as one of the very best in history.

While his own life and career have been portrayed in film and documentaries, Roberto Duran also featured in some movies himself.

Most notably, he made a cameo as Rocky Balboa’s sparring partner in Rocky II, as well as minor roles alongside Eddie Murphy in Harlem Nights.

3. Joe Frazier

In Sylvester Stallone’s original 1976 Rocky movie former world heavyweight champion Joe Frazier appeared as himself.

“Smokin’ Joe” takes to the ring in front of a rapturous crowd, waving to everyone as he’s introduced by the announcer.

The legendary ‘Fight of the Century’ victor offers some words of encouragement to Rocky Balboa and shares a laugh with Apollo Creed before the two famous characters collide on screen.

4. Roy Jones Jr

Arguably the most dominant fighter of the 1990s, Roy Jones Jr took time away from a hugely successful ring career for a brief cameo in 2003.

One of the most gifted boxers in history played Captain Ballard in the second instalment of the popular Matrix trilogy, The Matrix Reloaded.

5. Tony Danza

Brooklyn-native Tony Danza is more widely known as an American actor and TV personality but he actually started off with a prize-fighting career.

Back in 1976 he made his professional debut and went on to have 12 bouts in total, finishing just three years later with a record of 9-3.

Luckily, Danza found a much steadier option in acting, starring in American sitcom Taxi for five years and Who’s the Boss?, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award and four Golden Globes.

He also appeared in movies such as Crash, The Hollywood Knights and Don Jon.

6. Antonio Tarver

Known as “The Magic Man” the ring, Antonio Tarver enjoyed a highly decorated career as an amateur and then in the paid ranks.

The Orlando southpaw earned a Bronze medal for America at the 1996 Atlanta Games before going on to become light-heavyweight world champion.

He most notably handed Roy Jones Jr his first proper defeat (his first official loss was a controversial disqualification) in 2004 with a huge second-round knockout.

Two years after that high-profile victory Tarver played the role of Mason Dixon in Rocky Balboa, who tempts Sylvester Stallone’s iconic Hollywood character out of retirement for an on-screen clash.

7. Mike Tyson

Once widely recognised as ‘the baddest man on the planet’, former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson was one of the most ferocious and intimidating fighters in the sport’s history.

That formidable persona and superstar status later saw him make the move to Hollywood as well.

As one of the most recognisable athletes ever “Iron Mike” has made many cameos in the movies as himself or minor characters, with the most prominent being his appearance in The Hangover films.

8. Tex Cobb

Before taking to the movie screen Tex Cobb was a solid world heavyweight title contender, having once contested then-champion Ken Norton for the WBC crown in 1982.

The American spent 16 years as a professional. He earned impressive wins over Leon Spinks, Earnie Shavers and Bernardo Mercado but also appeared in many movies and TV shows.

His biggest movie roles included Coen Brothers, Police Academy, Raising Arizona and Ace Ventura, as well as programmes Miami Vice, The X-Files and Texas Ranger.

9. Tommy Morrison

Three years before reigning as world heavyweight champion, beating the legendary George Foreman for that honour, Tommy Morrison appeared in Rocky V as Tommy Gunn.

Rocky takes the character under his wing and trains him on his road to glory before a fallout and subsequent street brawl.

In real life Morrison endured a tragic end, retiring from boxing in 1996 after testing positive for HIV and eventually passing away in 2013 following a sad battle with illness.

10. Michael Bentt

Following on from an exciting amateur background for the United States, London-born fighter Michael Bentt achieved a dream of winning a world title as a professional too.

The British-American conquered Tommy Morrison in 1993 to claim the WBO heavyweight title but quickly lost it when suffering a maiden defence defeat at the hands of Herbie Hide the following year.

That bout proved to be his last as he sustained brain injuries from the seventh-round knockout loss. He turned his attentions to acting and is best known for his portrayal of Sonny Liston along Will Smith in the 2001 movie Ali.

From The Ring To The Movies

Whether it’s a temporary change of trades for a cameo during the course of their careers or a completely new venture once they hang up their gloves for good, fighters throughout history have often stepped away from the ring and on to the movie screens.

We hope you enjoyed this list of boxers who became actors at some stage during their lives.

For something similar, check out our post on sports stars who became actors.

Other notable boxers who became actors: Tony Bellew, Victor Ortiz, Gabriel Rosado, Andre Ward, Butterbean.

Lead image: Twitter/MikeTyson

Later, ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’ became a historic paid broadcast on ‘closed-circuit TV’, as Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier collided, while Roberto Duran’s beating of Sugar Ray Leonard was another major PPV decades later.

MMA has also got involved in recent times, as the UFC continues to be a huge player in the PPV market alongside the biggest boxing match-ups.

Genuine big-money showdowns are rare and only a select few pugilists in history have attracted mammoth audiences regularly in their careers, while drawing in nine-figure sums.

So, which fights have grossed the most money so far in combat sports? Here are the top 10 up to this point in time from the world of boxing and UFC!

1. Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao

Date: May 2, 2015

Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas

Event billing: Fight of the Century

PPV buys: 4.6 million

Revenue: $410 million

Remembered for: It was dubbed ‘The Fight of the Century’ but it failed to come close to the hype and expectations placed on it. Mayweather was rarely troubled across a dull 12 rounds, comfortably rallying to a unanimous decision win.

The PPV fight that every boxing fan worldwide wanted unfortunately came at least six years too late.

2. Floyd Mayweather v Conor McGregor

Date: August 26, 2017

Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas

Event billing: The Money Fight

PPV buys: 4.3 million

Revenue: $600 million

Remembered for: The eventful build-up to this bizarre match-up between combats sports’ two biggest names was far more entertaining than the actual encounter in the ring.

As expected, Mayweather bided his time and eventually stopped the Irishman in a straight-forward 10 rounds in Las Vegas. Both men were richly rewarded for their ‘efforts’.

3. Khabib Nurmagomedov v Conor McGregor

Date: October 6, 2018

Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas

Event billing: UFC 229

PPV buys: 2.5 million

Revenue: $86.4 million

Remembered for: The biggest fight in UFC history went down in Las Vegas as Nurmagomedov beat bitter rival McGregor by submission.

There was genuine bad blood going into this octagon clash between these two famous UFC fighters, and the Russian began a brawl during the aftermath of “The Notorious” tapping out.

Things were personal and it spilled over cageside for crazy scenes.

4. Floyd Mayweather v Oscar De La Hoya

Date: May 5, 2007

Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas

Event billing: The World Awaits

PPV buys: 2.4 million

Revenue: $136 million

Remembered for: This PPV fight was the beginning of “Money” Mayweather and the start of HBO’s hugely popular 24/7 series.

The two biggest draws in the sport collided but it was Mayweather that prevailed over 12 entertaining rounds.

This propelled the American to superstardom and record-breaking future paydays.

5. Floyd Mayweather v Saul “Canelo” Alvarez

Date: September 14, 2013

Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas

Event billing: The One

PPV buys: 2.2 million

Revenue: $50 million

Remembered for: A clinical Mayweather masterclass against a future superstar was the storyline for this Sin City battle. Some predicted a passing of the torch but it was the classy veteran who showcased his ring genius.

Although, “Canelo” has since taken up the mantle as boxing’s biggest box office attraction in light of Mayweather’s most-recent retirement.

6. Mike Tyson v Evander Holyfield II

Date: June 28, 1997

Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas

Event billing: The Sound and the Fury

PPV buys: 1.99 million

Revenue: $100.2 million

Remembered for: Tyson biting a chunk off Holyfield’s ear made this one of the craziest ends to a boxing match. He was disqualified for his actions and ended up losing his license (temporarily).

It may have been called ‘The Sound and the Fury’ but this went down in history as ‘the Bite Fight’.

7. Lennox Lewis v Mike Tyson

Date: June 8, 2002

Venue: Pyramid Arena, Tennessee

Event billing: Lewis–Tyson: Is On

PPV buys: 1.97 million

Revenue: $112 million

Remembered for: A chaotic press conference brawl between the fighters and their respective teams helped gather further interest for this heavyweight showdown.

Lewis ultimately dropped and stopped a fading Tyson in eight rounds.

8. Nate Diaz v Conor McGregor II

Date: August 20, 2016

Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas

Event billing: UFC 202

PPV buys: 1.65 million

Revenue: $95 million

Remembered for: The night “The Notorious” avenged his first UFC defeat. McGregor dropped Diaz along the way to a five-round decision success in a brilliant bloody battle.

It remains the second-highest selling bout in MMA history.

9. Brock Lesnar v Frank Mir II

Date: July 11, 2009

Venue: Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas

Event billing: UFC 100

PPV buys: 1.6 million

Revenue: $75 million

Remembered for: UFC had reached the big 100 milestone and it was a heavyweight slugfest that headlined the occasion. WWE superstar Lesnar badly bloodied Mir before securing a second-round stoppage triumph.

Georges St-Pierre retained his welterweight crown against Thiago Alves and Dan Henderson devastatingly knocked out Michael Bisping on the card too.

10. Mike Tyson v Evander Holyfield

Date: November 9, 1996

Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas

Event billing: Finally

PPV buys: 1.59 million

Revenue: $79 million

Remembered for: Evander Holyfield became the first fighter since Muhammad Ali to win the world heavyweight title for a third time. He withstood Tyson’s trademark aggression to earn a sublime 11th-round knockout.

We hope you enjoyed our list of the biggest pay-per-view fight events in the history of combat sports and can remember tuning in to watch them!

Sources:
https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/boxing/conor-mcgregor-v-floyd-mayweather-revenue-and-pay-per-views-revealed-and-its-just-short-of-record-36410845.html
https://www.mmanews.com/ufc-reveals-record-breaking-revenue-generated-from-ufc-229-khabib-vs-mcgregor/
https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2019/1/28/18201306/ufc-229-generated-record-breaking-86-million-revenue-las-vegas-mma-news
https://www.tapology.com/search/mma-event-figures/ppv-pay-per-view-buys-buyrate
https://www.wrestling20yrs.com/mma/mike-tyson-vs-evander-holyfield-finally
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=uGQuCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA150&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false

Boxing has always been at the forefront of prize-fighting but MMA’s popularity has continued to develop and grow in modern day thanks to the leading organisation.

That has been helped over the years by the number of high-profile fighters to compete regularly in the octagon under the UFC banner, with an abundance of combatants boosting promotional value and stature with their skills and fan influence.

Here we have narrowed it down to 20 of the most famous UFC fighters; the most established and widely recognisable names to have ever entered the cage.

1. Conor McGregor

Starting with the most obvious.

Irishman Conor McGregor is undoubtedly the most famous and marketable fighter in the UFC roster’s history.

“The Notorious” stormed on to the scene back in 2013 and immediately made a huge impact with his eye-catching knockout victories in the octagon and eccentric nature outside of it.

McGregor has gone on to make history, becoming the first fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two divisions simultaneously and headlining five out of the organisation’s six top-selling pay-per-view (PPV) events.

2. Anderson Silva

Formerly a dominant UFC middleweight champion, Anderson Silva boasts the longest title reign in the history of the company.

The iconic Brazilian secured a supreme 16 consecutive victories and 10 defences of his crown.

“Spider” Silva is regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time.

3. Georges St-Pierre (Retired)

From one dominant cage great to another.

Georges St-Pierre is a two-weight UFC champion after both welterweight and middleweight title victories.

The Canadian was an extremely popular athlete among fight fans both in his native homeland and across America, while he is still remembered as one of the top MMA competitors in history.

4. Jon Jones

When Jon Jones clinched the light-heavyweight crown in 2011, he became the youngest UFC champion in history.

The American has gone to rank as a modern pound-for-pound great but has his demons away from the octagon.

He may not be the most popular name among fans but his controversial life has made him one of the most famous, and he’s rarely ever away from the headlines.

5. Ronda Rousey (Retired)

You can’t speak about women’s MMA without mentioning the name Ronda Rousey.

It will forever be synonymous with the sport after her accomplishments in the UFC.

During her prime years Rousey shot to superstardom and was the leading fighter on the roster, revolutionising the sport for future generations of female combatants.

The arm-bar specialist was the UFC’s first ever women’s champion and went unbeaten for almost three years, while dominating PPV figures.

6. Khabib Nurmagomedov

Russian wrestling king Khabib Nurmagomedov has earned a reputation for being a dominant and straight-talking champion in recent times.

Being a superstar in his native homeland and due to his strong religious beliefs, Khabib has gained a massive following during his lightweight reign at the top of the UFC.

His victory over fellow high-profile name Conor McGregor rocketed his stature and he has the potential to go down as one of the most illustrious fighters in history.

7. Matt Hughes (Retired)

An incredible career ultimately saw Matt Hughes rightfully inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame before hanging up his gloves for good.

Before doing so, he was the welterweight champion and considered the pound-for-pound number one fighter on the planet.

8. Chuck Liddell (Retired)

Before the likes of Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor came along, the UFC had an earlier superstar in the form of Chuck Liddell.

With his devastating knockouts during a dominant light-heavyweight title reign and huge PPV events, “The Ice Man” is a key figure behind the UFC gaining a more mainstream audience in the United States and beyond.

9. Randy Couture (Retired)

Alongside the aforementioned Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture is another huge factor in the UFC’s move into the wider public eye in the competitive American sports business.

Before retirement he enjoyed vast amounts of success in the cage, being a three-time heavyweight champion and two-time light-heavyweight titlist.

Couture is the only fighter over the age of 40 to have won a UFC championship fight and was just the fourth member of the Hall of Fame.

10. B.J. Penn (Retired)

One of the greatest lightweights in the organisation’s history and number 10 on our list of the most famous UFC fighters is B.J. Penn.

The fighter reigned at 155lbs for a remarkable eight years. Upon retirement, the Hawaiian was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

11. Frank Shamrock (Retired)

A legend of the sport.

Frank Shamrock was the leading pound-for-pound mixed martial artist in the world when active and the inaugural UFC middleweight champion.

12. Royce Gracie (Retired)

One of the most influential combatants in MMA history is next on our list.

Royce Gracie was a revolutionary mixed martial artist and made Brazilian Ju-Jitsu widely popular, having stunned fans by easily beating much larger opponents in the early UFC days with his iconic fighting style.

13. Tito Ortiz (Retired)

A former light-heavyweight king, Tito Ortiz was a huge draw and exciting title holder.

He attracted mammoth crowds for his clashes with fellow legends Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin and Ken Shamrock.

14. Brock Lesnar (Retired)

The intimidating Brock Lesnar is the only athlete ever to hold a UFC title and WWE world championship.

After becoming a Box Office sensation in the world of wrestling he moved over to pursue an MMA career.

Lesnar’s popularity and reputation carried over to the UFC, where he was involved in some of the biggest PPV events ever and managed to win the heavyweight crown.

15. Jose Aldo

Brazilian legend Jose Aldo is one of the top MMA practitioners in history.

He’s a former featherweight kingpin and one of the most famous UFC fighters ever, particularly in his native homeland.

16. Michael Bisping (Retired)

A popular and highly entertaining UFC figure, Michael Bisping was helped by his British background and gathered a sizeable following throughout his career.

The Hall of Famer is the first British fighter to compete in a UFC main event and maiden champion from the UK too.

17. Max Holloway

Hawaiian maestro Max Holloway is a modern day great in the UFC.

He was a truly dominant force during his featherweight reign and accumulated a massive fanbase with his likeable personality and sublime octagon skills.

18. Daniel Cormier

Considered one of the best MMA fighters of all time by diehard fans, Daniel Cormier enjoyed huge success becoming a two-division UFC champion.

He reigned at both light-heavyweight and heavyweight during his prime years.

19. Nick Diaz

One half of the hugely popular Diaz brothers, older sibling Nick is an iconic figure in the UFC world and regarded as a pioneer for the sport.

Despite having never held a title in the organisation, Nate’s older brother is a former welterweight champion in Strikeforce and WEC.

20. Mark Coleman (Retired)

Otherwise known as the “Godfather of Ground and Pound”, Mark Coleman was early proof that fighters of a wrestling background can dominate in MMA match-ups.

Another Hall of Fame inductee on our list of most famous UFC fighters, “The Hammer” was the organisation’s inaugural heavyweight title holder.

We hope you enjoyed reading our list of the most famous UFC fighters. We’ve included some other honourable mentions below.

Other notable UFC fighters: Josh Barnett, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Bas Rutten, Urijah Faber, Dominick Cruz, Dustin Poirier, Carlos Condit, Junior Dos Santos, Quinton Jackson, Chael Sonnen, Nate Diaz, Demetrious Johnson, Mauricio Rua, Wanderlei Silva, Rich Franklin, Takanori Gomi, Dan Henderson, Darren Till.

Sources:
https://www.ufc.com/
https://www.espn.co.uk/mma/fighter/_/id/2335659/georges-st-pierre
https://www.mmamania.com/2020/4/4/21207727/brock-lesnar-peer-interview-kurt-angle-cm-punk-rey-mysterio-wwe-mma-ufc

Anthony Joshua suffered a stunning upset at the hands of Andy Ruiz Jr back in June when he was dropped and stopped in seven dramatic rounds on his American debut at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.

The British fighter will have the chance to reclaim the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles from the new champion when the pair collide in their highly anticipated rematch on December 7 in Saudi Arabia.

Ahead of this second clash, which is set to be one of the highlights of a strong end of the year for the sport, we take a look back at the best ever rematches in boxing history.

There have been so many great follow-up fights throughout history that it’s tough to include them all but here are some of the most prominent in no particular order.

Note: We will only be including the second meetings between fighters in this list, so if there were any trilogies or further bouts, we will not be featuring those.

1. Rocky Graziano v Tony Zale II (1947)

The post-World War II clashes between Rocky Graziano and Tony Zale were as gruelling as it gets in the ring. Zale took a trouncing early in the brutal first meeting before stopping Graziano but the latter gained his rematch revenge with a sixth-round knockout.

In 1996, The Ring Magazine rated it as the second-best fight of all time.

2. Sugar Ray Robinson v Carmen Basilio II (1958)

A year earlier Sugar Ray Robinson had dropped his middleweight title to Carmen Basilio but prevailed in the pair’s epic rematch to become the first four-time champion?in the division’s history.

This was one of the last great performances from the man widely regarded as the greatest of all time, famously leaving Basilio’s eye in a complete mess after 15 rounds.

3. Rafael Marquez v Israel Vazquez II (2007)

These two warriors enjoyed a sublime four-fight series between 2007 and 2010, creating one of boxing’s most pulsating rivalries. The second ended in controversial fashion in the sixth round, following a sensational third when both men were bloodied.

Israel Vazquez put it on Rafael Marquez after dropping him, forcing the referee to call an early halt to proceedings as he reclaimed the super-bantamweight title and avenged his stoppage loss five months prior.

4. Sugar Ray Leonard v Thomas Hearns II (1989)

As is sometimes the case, the rematch can never live up to the original fight and this is an example but the second meeting between Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns was still superb nevertheless.

‘Sugar Ray’ won the first 1981 Fight of the Year in what was one of the biggest bouts in history and the rematch didn’t happen until eight years later. Leonard was dropped twice and looked set to lose on the cards, but another late rally earned him a dubious draw – a result still debated to this day.

5. Jake LaMotta v Laurent Dauthuille II (1950)

During a golden age for the middleweight division, Jake LaMotta and Frenchman Laurent Dauthuille were two important players and shared the ring for two incredible battles.

The latter secured the decision first time around but ‘The Bronx Bull’ gained a huge last-gasp victory in the follow-up meeting with a dramatic final-round KO.

6. Evander Holyfield v Riddick Bowe II (1993)

The Evander Holyfield-Riddick Bowe rivalry was a key factor in the talent-laden heavyweight landscape of the 1990’s. Bowe decisively won their first sensational showdown on the cards but Holyfield came out on top a year later to recapture the crown in another thriller which was bizarrely marked by the ‘Fan Man’ incident.

7. Marco Antonio Barrera v Erik Morales II (2002)

It’s impossible to discuss 21st century boxing without bringing up the remarkable Marco Antonio Barrera-Erik Morales rivalry. Barrera had his hand raised in this rematch after 12 exciting rounds against his fellow Mexican nemesis, inflicting his maiden career loss in the process.

8. Matthew Saad Muhammad v Yaqui Lopez II (1980)

The 1980 slugfest between this pair of light-heavyweight warriors is one of the great fights in boxing history; one which resulted in a deserved Fight of the Year award and the eighth stanza earning Round of the Year too.

Saad Muhammad retained his title after dropping Lopez four times then stopping him in the 14th.

9. Bobby Chacon v Cornelius Boza-Edwards II (1983)

Before Arturo Gatti, there was Bobby Chacon. The Californian was involved in back-to-back Fights of the Year, with this barnstormer being the second of such. Despite four knockdowns and two bad cuts during the course of the action, this brawl went the distance and Chacon triumphed by unanimous decision.

10. Arturo Gatti v Micky Ward II (2002)

This list would be incomplete without a mention of one of the sport’s great warriors, Arturo Gatti. ‘Thunder’s’ initial encounter with ‘Irish’ Micky Ward is stuff of boxing legend, leaving the rematch with unreasonable expectations.

But they still dished up another epic second portion in part two of a famous trilogy, with Gatti avenging his first loss.

11. Joe Louis v Max Schmeling II (1938)

It maybe wasn’t one of the best but the rematch between Joe Louis and Max Schmeling is definitely one of the most historic and culturally significant.

‘The Brown Bomber’ was stunned in the first meeting but destroyed his previous German conqueror in the opening round of a fight holding massive political implications; with the American triumphing over a citizen of Nazi Germany at a time Adolf Hitler was plaguing the world with his fascist ideology.

12. Alexis Arguello v Aaron Pryor II (1983)

One of the great all-time boxing rivalries to round off our list.

Arguello attempted to become the first man in history to win championships in four weight divisions in the first meeting with Pryor, but the Nicaraguan was stopped in the 14th round of The Ring Magazine’s then Fight of the Decade. The rematch was another thriller as Arguello came up short again, this time being stopped in the 10th.

Other notable rematches: Ricardo Lopez v Rosendo Alvarez II, James Toney v Mike McCallum II, Jack Dempsey v Gene Tunney II, Ivan Robinson v Arturo Gatti II, Michael Carbajal v Humberto Gonzalez II, Muhammad Ali v Joe Frazier II, Manny Pacquiao v Juan Manuel Marquez II, Yoshihiro Kamegai v Jesus Soto-Karass II, Tommy Hearns v Iran Barkley II, Riddick Bowe v Andrew Golota II, Jose Luis Ramirez v Edwin Rosario II, Diego Corrales v Joel Casamayor II.

Sources:
https://www.thefightcity.com/march-25-1958-robinson-vs-basilio-sugar-ray-robinson-carmen-basilio-gene-fullmer-paul-pender-chicago-stadium/
https://www.ringtv.com/382473-best-i-faced-israel-vazquez/
https://www.badlefthook.com/2009/9/30/1061717/classic-round-by-round-sugar-ray
https://www.boxingnewsonline.net/on-this-day-jake-lamotta-rescued-his-world-title-with-last-gasp-win-over-laurent-dauthuille/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/érik_Morales_vs._Marco_Antonio_Barrera_II
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2209&dat=19800714&id=4J8rAAAAIBAJ&sjid=V_wFAAAAIBAJ&pg=7075,2430247&hl=en
https://www.secondsout.com/columns/thomas-hauser/ward-gatti-ii1
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/queensberry-rules-boxing-blog/2016/oct/20/aaron-pryor-boxing-welterweight-alexis-arguello
https://www.eyeonthering.com/boxing/rematch-aaron-pryor-vs-alexis-arguello-ii
https://www.raoulwallenberg.net/es/prensa/2005-prensa/max-schmeling-joe-louis-s/

The boxing versus MMA debate has been raging on for some time now, with the emergence of the UFC and its rampant rise to prominence among fight fans in recent years seeing this rivalry reach substantial heights.

MMA, and the UFC in particular, has become hugely popular since hitting the mainstream media. Even the most diehard boxing fans find themselves crossing over their interests from bouts in the ring to the octagon.

While the leading mixed martial arts organisation in the world has boasted plenty of top names throughout its history, it’s controversial Irishman Conor McGregor that has been key to the UFC’s stature sky rocketing.

What the high-profile Dubliner brings most to the table is money. Which brings us to the ongoing topic of conversation: why do boxers make more money than MMA fighters?

Or is that even the case? Read on as we discuss and analyse the financial situation in both sports.

What are the main differences between boxing and MMA?

Starting with the obvious.

MMA incorporates a wide variety of fighting techniques, including Muay Thai, kickboxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu or wrestling etc. Boxing is limited to just punches to the head or body in order to knock an opponent out or to win on points.

At the top level, professional boxing matches are contested over 12 three-minute rounds, with MMA bouts typically fought over three or five five-minute rounds. Boxers also wear more padded gloves which usually are 8oz or 10oz, and MMA fighters compete in much smaller ones (often 4oz) with fingers free for grappling.

Boxers can prevail in any fight by decision or a stoppage, with MMA competitors able to do the same but also having the submission route to victory too.

Who makes more money?

Now that that’s out of the way, it’s down to the financial aspects of both sports. So, who makes more of the two types of combatants?

Boxers are the most common perception, due to the astronomical purses stars like Floyd Mayweather Jr and more recently Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Anthony Joshua pick up from fight night.

The fact ‘Money’ Mayweather made a guaranteed $100 million for a single ring outing proves that he is doing very well but nothing of how the rest of the professional prizefighters are compensated.

It’s also a fact that some UFC prelims fighters earn a lot more than boxers lower down on fight cards in their own sport.

There’s always the assumption looking at someone of Mayweather’s stature that boxers earn a lot more, though that doesn’t tell the whole story across the board.

The reality is that the majority of fighters live from fight to fight.

Journeymen boxers could get from ￡250 to ￡1,000 per bout, while a top prospect may earn ￡2,500 to ￡5,000 each outing. Over the course of 12 months, a decent talent could be involved in several fights that could see him land a pre-tax salary of ￡25,000, according to Business Insider.

But the overall truth of the matter is yes, boxers tend to make more money than MMA fighters, particularly at the elite level, as we will explain.

Why do boxers make more than MMA fighters?

Well, there are a host of different reasons behind this in the current climate:

• Boxing is more established and longer-standing than MMA.
  MMA is a much newer, gradually growing sport, which is actually still illegal in several locations and has only hit the mainstream more recently.
• Boxing creates more revenue.
  Fighters in boxing are involved with multiple promoters, organisations and TV networks across various different countries, while MMA centres mainly around the UFC and is limited to certain viewerships. Bellator is the next biggest behind the UFC but the top dogs basically hold a monopoly on talent.This means they control how much those on their roster are paid. Whereas in boxing, a number of organisations create competition for talent. This can result in bidding wars and an increase in pay, meaning boxers end up earning more.
• There’s more variation in boxing.
  There’s also a lot more boxing titles in each weight class. This helps boost the gloss for fights and generate more money involved. The UFC holds usually one, sometimes two straps in each division.The UFC brand is more recognisable than the sum of its individual fighters, proven by their ability to almost sell out venues before even releasing the main card details to the public.Therefore, given their brand power, fighters are relatively interchangeable on shows without seriously affecting their business demand. When no individual athlete can substantially affect the economics of an event, the UFC then holds the belief that it can keep the leverage to contain costs when required.?

What is the comparison in earnings?

While there is a lot of money around the boxing world, most of it ends up in the pockets of those more esteemed names that hold the financial pulling power.

Although fighters like ‘Canelo’ earn millions for one bout, the truth is that most struggle to make a living from professional fighting.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in America, professional sports competitors earned a median salary of $51,370 in 2017. This means that half of these athletes, including pro boxers, earned less than this amount.

In 2018 the average pro boxer earned $35,584 per year in a range that ran from $22,000 at the lower scale to $37,000 at the higher end, according to chron.com.

Who are the top earners in each sport?

If your name is Conor McGregor then 2018 was a very, very good year. If you’re further down the UFC spectrum then you may want to keep another source of income handy!

The average UFC fighter made $138,250 in 2018, up?from an average of $132,109 the year prior.

‘The Notorious’ was the top earner last year with $3,030,000, while his Russian conqueror Khabib? Nurmagomedov ($2,570,000), Mark Hunt ($2,295,000) and Daniel Comier ($1,820,000) followed suit. Notably, only nine of the entire UFC roster made over a million.

Mayweather ($285 million) topped the 2018 Forbes list of the world’s highest paid athletes, beating both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to the richest position, with his opponent that year McGregor coming in fourth ($99 million).

‘Visita del boxeador Saúl “Canelo” álvarez a la Residencia Oficial de Los Pinos’ by Flickr/PresidenciadelaRepúblicaMexicana is licensed under CC BY 2.0

‘Canelo’ ($44.5 million), Joshua ($39 million) and Gennady Golovkin ($25 million) were the only others from combat sports to feature in the top 100.

Fast forward to 2019, when Mayweather is retired [again] and McGregor has been so far inactive. ‘Canelo’ is the leading fighter on this year’s list with $94,000,000 in earnings.

Joshua again features in 13th ($55,000,000), ‘GGG’ 95th ($25,500,000) and McGregor 21st ($47,000,000), while WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder ($30,500,000) and Manny Pacquiao ($26,000,000) are new 2019 entries.

How do recent salaries compare?

If we compare some of the fighters on recent cards across both sports, there’s a clear contrast in earnings.

Jon Jones, widely regarded as one of the greatest MMA fighters in history and the current light-heavyweight champion, took home a $500,000 salary for his title defence victory over Thiago Santos at UFC 239 in July this year.

Unbeaten women’s bantamweight title holder and consensus greatest female fighter on the planet Amanda Nunes earned $300,000 plus a $200,000 win bonus for impressively stopping Holly Holm ($300,000).

Jorge Masvidal captured all the headlines with the fastest ever KO in UFC history when stopping Ben Askren in five seconds with a flying knee. He received $100,000 plus another $100,000 win bonus for his efforts.

In comparison, boxing heavyweight star Tyson Fury earned a flat $1,000,000 for his routine non-title triumph over little known challenger Tom Schwarz in June. But the Briton was guaranteed $12,500,00 overall through his deal with Top Rank Boxing/ESPN, according to ESPN.

Also in June, IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington picked up a $1,085,500 purse for defending his crown against fellow Yorkshireman Kid Galahad, who collected $584,500 for his first shot at a major belt.

Where does all this money come from?

When it comes to the top fighters’ massive purses, the money stems from a number of sources. If it’s a pay-per-view clash then fans shelling out on the cost of it is a key benefit for fighters. The greater the PPV buys, the larger amount of funds generated.

Ticket sales are then obviously crucial, with fans paying a variety of prices to attend the cards and shows on offer at typically high-profile venues at the top level.

The purses are split between the two fighters but usually the supposed higher profile name pockets more.

For example, when middleweights ‘Canelo’ and Golovkin finally collided in 2017, it was the Mexican star that took home slightly more, while Mayweather earned a 60-40 split against Pacquiao.

Of course, there’s also the matter of paying out trainers, cut men, managers, advisors and training camp costs, including travel, sparring partners and food among others. This may not hurt those higher up in stature as much, but such costs can affect lower level fighters.

What do the experts think?

We asked those involved in combat sports exactly why they think boxers earn more than MMA fighters.

Gennady Golovkin’s promoter Tom Loeffler (@TomLoeffler1)

“I think it’s a generalisation. The top boxers make more money than MMA fighters because they participate in upside for ticket sales and PPV, for example. But UFC fighter’s purses have increased and we see fighters like Ronda Rousey, Conor McGregor and Jon Jones making very good purses now.”

WBO European middleweight champion Luke Keeler (@luke_keeler)

“I’d probably disagree with the statement [at lower level]. Most boxers on the way up struggle to sell tickets at the beginning. A lot make no money unless they’re major amateur stars and sign with top promoters.

?“But I’d agree at the higher level, there’s more money in boxing and plenty of competition between promoters which drives boxers’ purses to fair levels. Whereas the UFC seem to hold monopoly on their sport, which sees UFC promotion probably earn higher percentage of earnings than the likes of Matchroom Boxing.”

Conclusion

As is the current structure of both boxing and MMA, it’s the fighters in the ring rather than the cage that are typically making more money, especially at the higher level of competition.

Although, it’s a struggle for combatants in both areas to make ends meet when first starting out and having a high-profile early on, such as a big amateur background, is highly beneficial in the long term financially.

Among the elite names though, it is evidently the more distinguished boxers that come away with larger pay packets than those involved in MMA and the UFC.

Sources:
https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/the-economic-breakdown-of-a-boxing-purse-who-gets-what
https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2016/8/23/12512178/why-do-boxers-make-more-than-mma-fighters
https://ringsidereport.com/?p=67026
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https://www.mmamania.com/2019/6/15/18679988/official-fury-vs-schwarz-fight-purses-gypsy-king-expected-to-earn-12-5-million-espn-boxing-top-rank
https://www.boxingscene.com/josh-warrington-earn-more-1-million-kid-galahad–136011

It’s at Falls Park where the highly-rated Conlan will make his 12th professional outing against stand-in Argentine opponent Diego Alberto Ruiz, in what should provide a promising test for the unbeaten Irish talent.

Russian nemesis Vladimir Nikitin was supposed to be in the opposite corner that night but the man on the receiving end of that now infamous 2016 Olympics decision victory over Conlan was forced out with injury, leaving Ruiz to take up the spot instead.

Ever since providing an iconic middle finger image from the Games three years ago, following his blatant robbery at the hands of Nikitin, the Irishman has been tipped for success in the paid ranks and has outlined his intentions of claiming a world title sooner rather than later.

There are contrasting figures when it comes to the exact number of world champions to have come from Ireland, depending on the source and which belts were regarded as highly during certain time periods. But BoxRec list a total of 23 compatriots that Conlan will hope to follow suit in claiming world honours in his career.

Those names from the north and south are: Ryan Burnett, Johnny Caldwell, Steve Collins, Dave Sullivan, Nonpareil Jack Dempsey, TJ Doheny, Bernard Dunne, Carl Frampton, George Gardner, Deirdre Gogarty, Eamonn Loughran, Andy Lee, Jack McAuliffe, Barry McGuigan, Jimmy McLarnin, Mike McTigue, Rinty Monaghan, Brian Magee, Dave McAuley, Wayne McCullough, Peter Maher, Tom Sharkey and Katie Taylor.

Conlan has a tough task ahead of him, with his current featherweight being led by elite title holders like former American stablemate Oscar Valdez and Leeds favourite Josh Warrington. But can the 27-year-old achieve such a feat in the near future and follow in esteemed footsteps?

Here are 10 of the most prominent of those aforementioned world title holders hailing from Ireland that he will soon aim to emulate.

1. Carl Frampton (26-2, 15 KOs)

Belfast-native Carl Frampton is still the leading fighter out of Ireland in the current climate, being a two-division world champion and his only losses coming to other world title holders Leo Santa Cruz and Warrington.

‘The Jackal’ earned prestigious Fighter of the Year honours for his efforts across 2016 when he unified the super-bantamweight division by outpointing Scott Quigg then toppling Santa Cruz to reign at featherweight too.

2. Wayne McCullough (27-7, 18 KOs)

Another Belfast world champion next in the form of Wayne McCullough, who reigned at bantamweight from 1995 to 1997.

‘The Pocket Rocket’ became the first ever fighter from Ireland or Britain to travel to Japan and win a title when he beat Yasuei Yakushiji in 1995.

3. Steve Collins (36-3, 21 KOs)

Dublin’s Steve Collins is one of his nation’s most decorated fighters in history, having been a world champion at both middleweight and super-middleweight in his career.

‘The Celtic Warrior’ lost early to the legendary Mike McCallum and it wasn’t until he hit his thirties that he reached the pinnacle, beating both notable British names Chris Eubank Snr and Nigel Benn twice along the way.

4. Nonpareil Jack Dempsey (Reportedly 51-4-11, 23 KOs)

Mention Jack Dempsey and immediately people think of the American heavyweight icon from the 1920s but there was another by the same name that was born in County Kildare in 1862.

Nicknamed ‘Nonpareil’ due to his reputation for being unbeatable, the Irishman was the first ever holder of the world middleweight championship and is an international Hall of Fame inductee.

5. Andy Lee (35-3-1, 24 KOs)

Limerick-native Andy Lee worked closely with legendary trainer Emanuel Steward at the beginning of his professional career and went on to claim world middleweight honours in 2014 when he knocked out Matt Korobov.

In doing so he became the first ever fighter from the travelling community to become a world champion.

6. Jimmy McLarnin (Reportedly 55-11-3, 21 KOs)

Widely regarded as the greatest fighter to ever come out of Ireland, Jimmy McLarnin was a supreme two-time welterweight king who beat 13 world champions and is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Born in Hillsborough, County Down, he overcame the likes of legends Barney Ross, Lou Ambers, Tony Canzoneri, Pancho Villa, Young Corbett III and Benny Leonard across an illustrious career.

7. Barry McGuigan (32-3, 28 KOs)

Born in Clones, County Monaghan, Barry McGuigan was a beacon of peace and neutrality during The Troubles in Ireland, bringing together British and Irish communities through his ring efforts.

‘The Clones Cyclone’ was crowned featherweight world champion after outpointing Eusebio Pedroza in London in 1985 and defended it twice on Irish soil.

8. Rinty Monaghan (Reportedly 52-9-8, 19 KOs)

Belfast’s Rinty Monaghan became a hero in his home city during his career, becoming undisputed flyweight champion during the post-war period.

‘The Signing Irishman’ was renowned by supporters for his performances of ‘When Irish Eyes Are Smiling’ to the King’s Hall audiences after his fights. He was immortalised with a statue at Cathedral Gardens in Belfast in 2015.

9. Tom Sharkey (Reportedly 37-7-6, 34 KOs)

‘Sailor’ Tom Sharkey was born in Dundalk in 1871 but later ran away from home to become a cabin boy, eventually landing on American soil and joining the Navy there.

He is perceived to have held the heavyweight title for a short period during his career and was involved in high-profile clashes with Bob Fitzsimmons and James J. Jeffries. Sharkey’s rematch with Jeffries was notably the first boxing match filmed for use in a motion picture in 1899.

10. Katie Taylor (14-0, 6 KOs)

Bray fighter Katie Taylor has become a trailblazer for women’s boxing and she is currently the undisputed lightweight world champion, following on her incredible amateur career in the paid ranks.

What’s in store for August 3?

Belfast’s Conlan is one of the latest rising Irish boxing stars on the scene and he has his sights firmly set on achieving a world title in the near future.

The unbeaten prospect still has a long path ahead to reach that outlined goal but he could well add his name to the esteemed names to do so from the Emerald Isle.

About The Author

Lee Gormley is a sports journalist who primarily covers boxing for a range of top media outlets.
He can be followed on Twitter?@LeeGormley.

Sources:
https://www.irishnews.com/sport/boxing/2019/05/15/news/michael-conlan-all-set-for-falls-park-spectacular-against-olympic-games-nemesis-vladimir-nikitin-1619916/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Conlan_(boxer)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/48792772
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2556713-ranking-the-10-best-irish-boxers-of-all-time#slide2

It’s at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas that ‘Pacman’ will attempt to claim yet another world crown in his long-standing illustrious career at the top. In what will be his 71st professional ring outing, the former eight-division titlist looks to dethrone the undefeated ‘One Time’ Thurman, who is a decade younger at 30.

Pacquiao has, perhaps surprisingly, been the more active fighter of the two, with Thurman having only recently returned from a lengthy layoff that has seen him don his gloves just twice in three years.

So, with a now 40-year-old ‘Pacman’ pushing for further success this summer, we look back at other great fighters who reached this age and managed to earn impressive ring results at the latter stage of their prestigious careers at the pinnacle of the sport.

5 of the Best Ever 40 and Over fighters

Being able to continue a successful career beyond the age of 40 is a rare feat in any sport, but to do so in boxing is even more impressive.

Of course, there are many cases throughout history of esteemed fighters simply going on too long and suffering the consequences both inside and outside of the ring, while also damaging their accomplished legacies.

But there are some instances in which well regarded pugilists have carried on beyond the 40-year-old landmark and still maintained a high level of performances.

Here are five such boxers to have achieved admirable ring success at 40 and beyond.

1. Bernard Hopkins (40+ record: 10-6-1, 0 KOs)

Bernard Hopkins is regarded as one of the best middleweights ever, and his dedication and complete commitment to a life of boxing saw him incredibly fight up to the age of 51.

He ended his illustrious 28-year professional career in 2016, losing in bizarre fashion to Joe Smith Jr.

‘The Executioner’ won his maiden world title at 30 and defended it then a record 20 times. But some of his most memorable accolades came after 40, with the American being the oldest world champion in boxing history.

His post-40 feats included beating Antonio Tarver, Jean Pascal, Tavoris Cloud, Winky Wright, Kelly Pavlik and Roy Jones Jr. While, he also went 12 rounds against Sergey Kovalev, becoming the first to take the Russian ‘Krusher’ past eight.

2. George Foreman (40+ record: 17-3, 12 KOs)

The legendary George Foreman remains the oldest world heavyweight champion in history, ending a 10-year retirement and eventually going on to stun Michael Moorer in 1994 at the age of 45.

‘Big George’ lost out to Evander Holyfield in ‘The Battle of the Ages’ in his first crack at world honours since his shock comeback, while also later falling short to Tommy Morrison in another title bid and Shannon Briggs.

But the best was still to come from the esteemed heavyweight, despite two world title setbacks, and he clinched that historic victory over the 26-year-old Moorer with a sublime 10th-round knockout.

He finally hung them up at 48 in 1997 after the controversial points defeat to Briggs.

3. Archie Moore (40+ record: 26-2-2, 16 KOs)

If any fighter in history epitomised the belief that age is just a number, it was ‘the Old Mongoose’ Archie Moore.

The ultimate ‘old man’ fighter, Moore was recognised as the reigning light-heavyweight king for four years when he passed 40 back in 1956 (still the longest reigning 175lbs champion in history) and regularly took on all comers at heavyweight.

Signature victories included against the likes of Eddie Cotton, Yvon Durelle, Willie Besmanoff, Bert Whitehurst, Giulio Rinaldi and Bob Albright.

One month before turning 45, Moore was seen off by a young 20-year-old talent by the name of Cassius Clay and retired after a strange win over wrestler Mike DiBiase.

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4. Larry Holmes (40+ record: 21-3, 10 KOs)

It was the general consensus that boxing had seen the end of Larry Holmes when he was destroyed by a young Mike Tyson in four rounds in 1988. But ‘The Easton Assassin’ opted to carry on, and it proved to be a rewarding decision.

Much like Foreman, Holmes saw an opportunity for some late success in the heavyweight division at that time, adapting an efficient approach to each bout.

He built up triumphs over mid-level challengers using his trademark piston-like jab effectively at his tender age. While, wins against Ray Mercer, Eric Esch (AKA Butterbean), James Smith, Mike Weaver and Jesse Ferguson were applaudable.

World title losses to Holyfield, Oliver McCall and Brian Nielsen did nothing to hinder his legacy, with his post-40 resume ranking among the most impressive.

5. Sugar Ray Robinson (40+ record: 30-10-3, 15 KOs)

Sugar Ray Robinson’s post-40 resume may not be the most eye-catching but it’s still credible enough to warrant boxing’s widely regarded greatest ever practitioner a spot on our list.

A sweet blend of power, accuracy, speed and physical and mental toughness, Robinson was deadly in all departments and was perhaps the best ever to grace the squared-circle at the height of his powers. Due to severe financial problems, though, the former welterweight and middleweight kingpin was forced to continue fighting up until aged 44 when he was only a shell of his past legendary self.

Despite his best years being well behind him, the ageing great was still able to rack up 30 wins, 15 by knockout, at 40 and over across 43 bouts. That’s more than most fighters today have in their entire careers! Robinson’s declining body was able to score plenty of adequate victories over lesser challengers, but the more accomplished opponents proved too much for his declining talents.

He showed signs of his former brilliance in a competitive loss at the hands of Joey Archer, but it ultimately proved to be his final outing, retiring afterwards and calling time on possibly the greatest career boxing has ever witnessed.

Conclusion

As well as the aforementioned greats, there have been other examples of top level fighters continuing to produce the goods beyond the age of 40.

Other honourable mentions include Roberto Duran, Jack Britton and Vitali Klitschko, while modern day great Pacquiao could still go on to achieve plenty of success at the backend of his career.

The veteran Filipino will aim to add a hugely impressive final chapter to his remarkable career, beginning on July 20 when he next collides with Thurman in Sin City.

About The Author

Lee Gormley is a sports journalist who primarily covers boxing for a range of top media outlets.
He can be followed on Twitter?@LeeGormley.

Sources:
https://evolve-mma.com/blog/5-boxers-who-proved-age-is-just-a-number/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/21732445
https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/sports-and-games/sports-biographies/archie-moore
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sugar-Ray-Robinson
https://www.biography.com/athlete/george-foreman
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Larry-Holmes

Both men will enter the ring undefeated in their combined 67 professional fights to date, with American knockout artist Wilder coming into this bout on the back of an impressive stoppage win over Luis Ortiz. Meanwhile, Britain’s hopeful challenger Fury secured comeback wins over Sefer Seferi and Francesco Pianeta in 2018.

This heavyweight blockbuster will see two true modern day boxing giants collide on United States soil. And, ahead of the highly-awaited opening bell, the team here at casino.org delves into the archives and analyzes the size evolution of champions within the sport’s biggest and most illustrious division throughout history.

History of World Heavyweight Champions

Generational debates regarding heavyweight champions?throughout the history of boxing still continue to rage on today. Fans and historians alike are constantly assessing mythical match-ups between dominant forces of the past and more modern-day heavyweight kings. The crucial aspect of any such discussion is the size evolution of such champions, as those at the pinnacle today would tower above and massively outweigh greats of the past.

As the research shows, there has been a steady increase in the height of heavyweight champions from the early days of Jack Johnson in the 1910s up to the current climate, which will soon see two mammoth competitors Wilder and Fury collide.

Without an upper limit, heavyweights have simply got bigger and bigger throughout time, and the age of the ‘super-heavyweight’ evidently began around the 1990s when giants such as Lennox Lewis entered the fray.

Former dominant champion Wladimir Klitschko is fine example of the clear changing of heavyweights gradually over time, having weighed in around 243 pounds at his prime and stood at a monstrous 6ft 6in during his reign. Meanwhile, Wilder and Fury have maintained the literally growing trend in recent years, with both being almost 7ft tall, as they prepare to do battle towards the end of 2018.

After many years of racial setbacks in his bid to become the first ever African-American world heavyweight champion, the legendary Jack Johnson finally achieved this feat?in 1908 when he overcome Tommy Burns. The iconic cultural figure was alongside only eventual conqueror Jess Willard as the only world title holders in their decade, with the latter ‘Pottawatomie Giant’ having been one of the largest champions in history at a mammoth 6ft 6in, an unusually sized fighter during that time.

Heavyweight slugger Jack Dempsey became boxing’s first superstar across America with his brutal nature in the ring and likeable charm outside of it. ‘The Manassa Mauler’ ruled throughout the roaring 1920s until a certain slick rival by the name of Gene Tunney came along and famously dethroned him.

German Max Schmeling’s two heavyweight battles with American rival Joe Louis are historic cultural events, and were prominent due to their respective national associations during the time of the war.

Joe Louis is widely regarded as the greatest heavyweight ever, with his ferocious punching power and he still boasts the most title fight wins at 26 and 25 defences. But how would the ‘Brown Bomber’ fare against the towering heavyweight title holders of today?

Even during his prime in the 1950s, Rocky Marciano was a considerably small heavyweight champion. But, similarly to Mike Tyson, he still managed to earn incredible success against bigger opponents and ultimately retired undefeated. Imagine a 5’11” Marciano weighing 184 pounds squaring off with the 6’9” and 247 pounds Tyson Fury today!

Think of boxing, and the name Muhammad Ali immediately comes to mind. ‘The Greatest’ perhaps signals the start of the more sizeable, athletic heavyweight champions during his earlier success across the 1960s.

George Foreman holds the record for being the oldest heavyweight champion in history but before his 1994 achievement he first rose to the top across the 1970s alongside other monster heavyweights. This decade saw all of Ali, Foreman, Leon Spinks, Ken Norton, Larry Holmes and Joe Frazier hold the title. A truly decorated era.

At 5’10” and weighing 217 pounds, Mike Tyson is maybe the exception across the growth of heavyweight champions through history. It could also be argued that no boxer has ever divided so much opinion. The youngest heavyweight champion in history, Tyson was a superbly gifted but troubled individual. His eventual problems against much taller and heavier opponents are strong cases?for those who would suggest smaller past greats would struggle against the giants of today.

Alongside Lennox Lewis in the 1990s, other colossus heavyweight champions included Riddick Bowe, Michael Moorer, Tommy Morrison, Michael Bentt, Foreman, Frank Bruno and Oliver McCall.

The turn of the Millennium signaled a new era in heavyweight boxing, as Ukrainian brothers Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko eventually clinched world titles and ushered in their dominance. The younger sibling used his overawing size to his advantage during a supreme, yet dull, reign before gigantic Brit Fury dethroned him.

Britain’s Anthony Joshua is one of the biggest names in boxing today and this has triggered many comparisons to former heavyweight champions, with plenty of mythical pairings popping up. Could smaller legends Marciano or Tyson get in close to deliver that knockout blow? Or would size prove pivotal?

Careers of Wilder and Fury

Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder looked to be on a collision course for the heavyweight marbles but Tyson Fury had no hesitation in jumping in and securing a showdown with ‘the Bronze Bomber’ instead.

Come the final bell on December 1, one of these men will bitterly taste defeat for the first time in their careers. But, beyond Fury’s previous long-layoff from the ring, there’s little to separate the pair for this awaited clash in America.

The Current Heavyweight Scene

The current heavyweight landscape sees British superstar Anthony Joshua leading the way with the majority of the world titles in his possession. ‘AJ’, standing at a towering 6ft 6in, holds all of the WBA ‘Super’, IBF, WBO, and the lesser recognized IBO straps.

Wilder boasts the prestigious WBC crown and the eventual victor of this American encounter on December 1 will likely put themselves in line for a mammoth match-up against Joshua (hopefully at some stage in 2019).

A win for Fury over Wilder would be a sublime achievement, considering the level of opposition he’s faced across 2018 since returning from a lengthy two-and-a-half-year layoff, during which he admirably overcame his well-publicized mental health issues.

Meanwhile, a victory for Wilder, particularly a stunning stoppage success, would arguably catapult him to top of the heavyweight standings ahead of Joshua, who would subsequently be under further pressure to make their long-mooted showdown a reality.

Are Boxers Just Going to Keep on Growing?

The evolution of world heavyweight champions has been outlined clearly, with those in possession of the grandest title in boxing growing steadily throughout history. But how much more can this progress in the future?

There must be an eventual human limit of how these mammoth fighters can develop in size and stature. But, at present, the heavyweight giants of today are putting their physical attributes to good use and either Wilder or Fury will soon reign supreme in what is the most highly anticipated fight of the year.

Sources:
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/780488-muhammed-ali-mike-tyson-and-boxings-top-25-heavyweight-champs-of-all-time?fbclid=IwAR2l4TbpH1ZPaGrAhB5hnUizfwAvm6aD7DjoC-hSu0FMXDSBTTjv9FoMNLE#slide1