Boxing has always been one of those sports that’s hard to decide who the genuine greatest of all time is, with different weight divisions making it hard to compare fighters from different weight classes.
On top of that, you have the fact the sport has changed drastically between eras, making it even harder to compare fighters.
The likes of Floyd Mayweather and Muhammad Ali will always be considered in these conversations, but who will come out on top? PlanetSport have compiled a list of the top 10 fighters of all time and it is as follows…
10. Jack Johnson
American heavyweight boxer Jack Johnson in action sparring. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
He was the first black heavyweight champion and dominated the heavyweight division for the best part of a decade from 1908 to 1915 and is one of the earliest fighters on this list.
9. Benny Leonard
November 1925: American lightweight boxer Benny Leonard. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
Benny Leonard was a dominant lightweight who reigned the division from 1917 to 1923. He fought on 212 occasions and was only knocked out on four occasions.
8. Jimmy Wilde
January 1921: Boxer Jimmy Wilde in boxing stance. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Continuing with the theme of early 20th century fighters, Jimmy Wilde makes the list. He was the world champion of the flyweight division from 1916 to 1923, plying his trade at a similar time to Benny Leonard.
7. Willie Pep
circa 1948: Italian-born US featherweight boxer Willie Pep, (ne Guiglermo Papaleo), training. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)
Willie Pep fought an impressive 242 bouts, winning a staggering 230 of those. He famously won a round without throwing a single punch, now that’s impressive! Pep has an eight year reign as the featherweight world champion (1942-1950).
6. Joe Louis
29 Nov 1947 : Joe Louis in training for the fight against Jersey Joe Walcott. Credit : Allsport. Mandatory Credit: Allsport UK/ALLSPORT
Joe Louis followed in Johnson’s footsteps, becoming the second black heavyweight champion, becoming a hero figure for all Americans as he made 25 title defences.
Floyd Mayweather has sold an astonishing £1.2 BILLION in PPV sales during undefeated career
Money is someone you expect to see in basically everyone’s top three, minimum. Retiring with an unprecedented 50-0 record winning all 26 world title fights across five different divisions, he only makes fifth on this list.
4. Henry Armstrong
11th May 1939: The US boxer who was World title holder turned baptist minister, Henry 'Sepia Slayer' Armstrong (1912 - 1988). (Photo by David Savill/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
It was a brutal time to be in the ring with Henry Armstrong. He had titles in three weight classes at one time, stopping 101 opponents in his 151 bouts, taking fights on just days apart at times.
3. Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard
He was the star of the 1976 Olympic Games and competed in a golden era of boxing. Sugar Ray Leonard was imperious, winning five world titles at five different weights.
2. Sugar Ray Robinson
6th July 1951: World welterweight boxing champion of the world Sugar Ray Robinson (1921 - 1989) in training. George Gainford is at the ringside. (Photo by Stroud/Express/Getty Images)
Sugar Ray Robinson was one of the greatest boxers of all time, so seeing him come in second place isn’t going to shock too many, especially those lucky enough to watch him. He had a six-fight rivalry with Jake La Motta which was iconic, going down in the history books.
1. Muhammad Ali
14th June 1963: American boxer Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) before his World Heavyweight Title fight against Britain's Henry Cooper. (Photo by Norman Quicke/Express/Getty Images)
Now this won’t raise any eyebrows, Muhammad Ali is always deemed as one of the best, topping plenty of GOAT lists for boxing fans everywhere. He was triumphant in some of the biggest fights in the history of boxing as he fought his way to be a three-time heavyweight champion of the world.