The Greatest Boxers of All Time

A list of the best boxers of all time would vary depending on who you are asking or to which list you might be referring. Some people may consider the best boxers to be those who have accumulated the best records during their careers while others may feel that those who had the best technique or greatest strength and athleticism to be among the very best. Various factors go into the designation of greatness. For instance, some studies consider Muhammed Ali to be the greatest boxer of all time because of his tremendous strength and physical abilities. Others, conceding that he was a brilliant boxer in many aspects of the sport, feel that he was lacking in other critical areas such as the ability to adequately defend himself against the horrific blows from his opponents. It is widely believed that the number of hard hits to the head (and concussions) that he received likely had a lot to do with the onset of his Parkinsons's Disease.

Although the factors vary that determine the best boxers, the following ten individuals would arguably be on most people's list. Roberto Duran, Willie Pep, Joe Louis, Henry Armstrong, Muhammed Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson. While these six boxers each had their own unique style there were some elements that they had in common such as, strength, speed, agility, sense of timing and the passion, determination and desire to win. The best boxers tend to focus on their strengths and continually work to improve upon them. This requires a great deal of time, effort and determination.

Sugar Ray Robinson leads this particular group in the number of knock-outs he achieved with 109, followed by Henry Armstrong with 101, Roberto Duran with 70, Willie Pep with 65, Joe Louis with 54 and Muhammed Ali with 37. Knock-outs, however, are not the only qualifier of a great boxer. Endurance is another quality that reigns on the list of the greats. It involves developing the ability to not only give powerful jabs and punches but to also be able to deflect as many of your opponents jabs and punches as possible. Staying fit and healthy so that you can continue for a long period of time with the sport you love is vital. Joe Louis may have had 55 fewer knock-outs to his credit than Sugar Ray Robinson but he held the title of Heavy Weight Champion for 12 years which is no small feat.