The Best Boxers of the 20th Century
Who are the best boxers of the 20th century? This list of the best boxers of the 20th century contains some of the greatest fighters in the history of the sport. From legends like Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali, and Joe Louis to late-century stars like Floyd Mayweather Jr., Manny Pacquiao, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, and Evander Holyfield, this list of the greatest boxers of the 20th century will surely include some of your favorite fighters of all time!
Now it's your turn to vote on who you think are the greatest boxers of the 20th century from the list below. See a great boxer from the 20th century missing from the list? Add them so that other boxing fans and Rankers can vote on your addition!- Welterweight, Middleweight
200 fights from 1940-1965
173 wins (108 KO)More Sugar Ray Robinson- Dig Deeper...335+ Famous Taurus Historical Figures
- #6 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
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- Heavyweight
61 fights from 1960-1981
56 wins (37 KO)More Muhammad Ali- Dig Deeper...25 Muhammad Ali Quotes To Get You Floating Like A Butterfly
- #113 of 227 onThe Most Trustworthy Celebrities In The World
- #46 of 560 onPeople We Wish Were Still Alive
- Heavyweight
69 fights from 1934-1951
66 wins (52 KO)More Joe Louis- #9 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
- #5 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #64 of 1,269 onThe Best Athletes Of All Time
- Heavyweight
81 fights from 1969-1997
76 wins (68 KO)More George Foreman- #121 of 227 onThe Most Trustworthy Celebrities In The World
- #3 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
- #57 of 290 onAmerican Public Figures Who Are National Treasures
- Super bantamweight, Flyweight, Welterweight
29 fights from 1995-2000
27 wins (20 KO)More Manny Pacquiáo- #10 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
- #4 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #6 of 65 onThe Best Boxers of the 1990s
- Heavyweight
37 fights from 1965-1981
32 wins (27 KO)More Joe Frazier- #1 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
- #13 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #858 of 1,269 onThe Best Athletes Of All Time
- Middleweight
67 fights from 1973-1987
62 wins (52 KO)- Dig Deeper...Famous Left Handed Boxers
- #7 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
- #11 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- Super middleweight, Welterweight, Light middleweight
40 fights from 1977-1997
36 wins (25 KO)More Sugar Ray Leonard- #8 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #410 of 1,269 onThe Best Athletes Of All Time
- #6 of 72 onThe Best Middleweight Boxers of All Time
- Heavyweight
48 fights from 1985-2000
46 wins (40 KO)More Mike Tyson- Dig Deeper...The Best Movies And Documentaries About Mike Tyson, Ranked
- And Deeper...345 Famous Cancer Celebrities
- #19 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
- Welterweight, Lightweight, Light middleweight
116 fights from 1968-2000
100 wins (68 KO)More Roberto Durán- #8 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #8 of 72 onThe Best Middleweight Boxers of All Time
- #4 of 49 onThe Best Welterweight Boxers of All Time
- Cruiserweight, Super middleweight, WelterweightMore Thomas Hearns
- #14 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
- #15 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #7 of 72 onThe Best Middleweight Boxers of All Time
- Cruiserweight, Light heavyweight, Heavyweight
41 fights from 1984-2000
35 wins (22 KO)More Evander Holyfield- #17 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
- #12 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #3 of 65 onThe Best Boxers of the 1990s
- Lightweight, Super featherweight, Light welterweight
109 fights from 1980-2000
103 wins (84 KO)More Julio César Chávez- #26 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
- #6 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #11 of 65 onThe Best Boxers of the 1990s
- Heavyweight
101 fights from 1900-1938
71 wins (38 KO)More Jack Johnson- #47 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
- #20 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #1025 of 1,269 onThe Best Athletes Of All Time
- Super middleweight, Middleweight, Light heavyweight
74 fights: 65 wins (47 KO)
More Roy Jones Jr.- #44 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
- #10 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #1 of 65 onThe Best Boxers of the 1990s
- Heavyweight
54 fights: 50 wins (39 KO)
More Sonny Liston- #38 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
- #59 of 118 onThe All Time Ugliest Athletes
- #18 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- Heavyweight
49 fights from 1947-1955
49 wins (43 KO)More Rocky Marciano- #2 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
- #1366 of 3,183 onThe Most Influential People Of All Time
- #14 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- Welterweight, Featherweight, Lightweight
181 fights from 1931-1945
151 wins (101 KO)More Henry Armstrong- #53 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
- #31 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #8 of 49 onThe Best Welterweight Boxers of All Time
219 fights: 186 wins (132 KO)
More Archie Moore- #13 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
- #29 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #1175 of 1,269 onThe Best Athletes Of All Time
- Heavyweight
75 fights: 69 wins (44 KO)
More Larry Holmes- #45 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
- #71 of 118 onThe All Time Ugliest Athletes
- #25 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- HeavyweightMore Jersey Joe Walcott
- #44 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #20 of 85 onThe Best Heavyweight Boxers of All Time
- #9 of 45 onThe Best Boxers of the 1950s
- Welterweight, Lightweight, Light middleweightMore Pernell Whitaker
- Dig Deeper...Famous Left Handed Boxers
- #26 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #7 of 65 onThe Best Boxers of the 1990s
- Light heavyweight, HeavyweightMore Ezzard Charles
- #67 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
- #43 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #25 of 85 onThe Best Heavyweight Boxers of All Time
- Middleweight
100 fights from 1963-1977
87 wins (59 KO)More Carlos Monzón- #11 of 143 onFamous Actors from Argentina
- #98 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
- #33 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- Super middleweight, Middleweight, Light heavyweightMore Bernard Hopkins
- #58 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
- #22 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #5 of 65 onThe Best Boxers of the 1990s
- Welterweight, Light middleweight, MiddleweightMore Félix Trinidad
- #40 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #10 of 65 onThe Best Boxers of the 1990s
- #33 of 72 onThe Best Middleweight Boxers of All Time
- Welterweight, Lightweight, Light middleweightMore Oscar de la Hoya
- Dig Deeper...Famous Left Handed Boxers
- #27 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #8 of 65 onThe Best Boxers of the 1990s
- Heavyweight
37 fights: 35 wins (26 KO)
More Lennox Lewis- #101 of 125 onThe Toughest Professional Fighters in History
- #16 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #4 of 65 onThe Best Boxers of the 1990s
- Featherweight, Lightweight, Super featherweightMore Alexis Argüello
- #36 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #8 of 74 onThe Best Lightweight Boxers of All Time
- #7 of 48 onThe Best Featherweight Boxers of All Time
- 30
Salvador Sánchez
FeatherweightMore Salvador Sánchez- #38 of 152 onThe Greatest Boxers Of All Time, Ranked
- #2 of 48 onThe Best Featherweight Boxers of All Time
- #9 of 30 onThe Best Boxers of the 1980s