The Greatest Boxers Of All Time — Ranked
Samuel Edgar Langford, known as the “Boston Tar Baby,” “Boston Terror” and “Boston Bonecrusher,” was a Canadian boxing legend in the early 20th century. He was called the “greatest fighter almost nobody knows” and, at his peak, “one of the very best fighters in the world” by ESPN.
By the end of his career, Langford was almost completely blind and would fight on the inside so he could feel his opponent and figure out where his arms were. Attempts by doctors to restore his sight failed, and by the mid-1930s he was totally blind.
Brazilian Eder Jofre (below, right), recognized as one of the best South American fighters of all time, won the bantamweight title in 1960, the featherweight crown in 1973, and was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992. During his career he fought everyone he wanted to, apart from one great.
“In my career I never had an easy fight,” he told The Ring. “My record was built fighting class boxers and always well-ranked, former world champions, continental champions, among others,” he said. He then playfully quipped, “In my time I was pleased to fight the best. If you could travel back in time and change (weight) category, who knows? Maybe against Muhammad Ali. Dreaming is always good.”
“Sugar” Shane Mosley held multiple world championships in three weight classes over his 23-year career: lightweight, welterweight and light middleweight. Described by ESPN as “an electrifying fighter in his prime,” Mosley’s biggest victory was against Oscar De La Hoya in 2000, when he took the welterweight title.
In 2017, Mosley announced his retirement from boxing, telling ESPN that he was “definitely always going to be around boxing. I’ll still go to the gym and show people stuff, help them out. I still love boxing. It’s still my life but just not as a fighter anymore.”
Mosley is pictured below on the left during a match against Manny Pacquiao in 2011.
Joseph William Frazier, who was called “Smokin’ Joe,” was a formidable force in boxing in the late 1960s and was the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world from 1970 to 1973. Famously, Frazier was beaten by Muhammad Ali in 1975, in his final world title challenge and arguably the greatest fight in heavyweight history — the “Thrilla in Manila.” Ali won when Frazier retired before the 15th round; he retired from the sport the following year.
Guglielmo Papaleo, better known as Willie Pep (below, left), held the world featherweight championship twice between 1942 and 1950. During his 26-year career, he boxed 1,956 rounds over 241 bouts – an impressive figure even for a boxer of his time.
After Pep died in 2006, The New York Times wrote he was “known primarily for his supreme craftsmanship in the ring,” and quoted broadcaster Don Dunphy (aka the Voice of Boxing) who said of Pepe, “He was so clever, he could come up to an opponent from behind.”
Lawrence Gene Fullmer started his professional boxing career in 1951 and became the world middleweight champion in January 1957 when he defeated Sugar Ray Robinson by unanimous decision. Four months later they had a rematch, and this time Robinson delivered a knockout blow in the fifth round that was described as the “perfect left hook” – and was the first time Fullmer had been knocked out in his career.
But the story doesn’t end there. The National Boxing Association withdrew its recognition of Robinson as middleweight champion in 1959, and Fullmer knocked out fellow former middleweight champ Carmen Basilio to take the crown.
Below, Fullmer connects a right to opponent Dick Tiger during a match in 1963.
Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Wladimirovitsch Klitschko held the world heavyweight championship twice during his 20-year career and is considered to be one of the best heavyweight championships in history. Despite being 6 feet, 6 inches tall, Klitschko was known for his footwork and mobility.
In 2019, rumors circulated that Klitschko would come out of retirement for a rematch with Anthony Joshua, who defeated the mighty Ukrainian in 2017.
Considered one of the best Puerto Rican boxers of all time, Félix Juan Trinidad García, commonly known as “Tito” Trinidad, competed from 1990 to 2008. He held multiple world championships in three weight classes: welterweight, light middleweight and middleweight.
Trinidad defeated Oscar De La Hoya in 1999, Fernando Vargas in 2000 and William Joppy 2001. Later in 2001 he experienced his first Trinidad’s professional loss against Bernard Hopkins; he subsequently retired from boxing for the first time. He returned briefly in 2004 to defeat Ricardo Mayorgam but retired again after losing to Winky Wright in 2005. When a second comeback secured another loss (to Roy Jones Jr.), he entered a period of inactivity.
Frequently ranked among the greater featherweight division boxers — and one of the most skilled left-handed fighters — of all time, Mexican Vicente Saldivar had phenomenal stamina. He had an unusually slow heart rate and pulse, which he claimed was the secret behind the incredible pace he was able to maintain in the ring.
Saldivar, who retired in 1971, still holds the record for most wins in unified featherweight title bouts and the longest unified featherweight championship reign in history.
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