Before we start our list, I wanted to take some time to comment on 2 fighters who may have strong support in certain communities for being among the best ever, but don’t really have a place on the list.

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Rocky Marciano – Won 49 Lost 0, 43 KOs

Ask any Italian who was the greatest boxer in history, and you’ll never hear the names Ali, Louis or Sugar. No. You will only hear the name of Rocky Marciano, the only heavyweight champion to retire undefeated. To his credit, Rocky Marciano had a habit of beating up his opponents in the ring. Add the fact that his most notable victory was over his idle childhood, Joe Louis, whom he sent back into retirement. But Joe was past the prime of it. He also beat Archie Moore, but he was already in his early forties. So to the entire nation of Italy and his children I say, Rocky Marciano couldn’t beat any of the champions in my Top TEN

Lennox Lewis – 41 wins, 2 losses, 1 draw, 32 KOs

Lewis will most likely become one of the most intelligent and calculated champions in history. But that’s not what it’s based on pound for pound. Lennox was able to capitalize on Tyson’s prison sentence to reign as champion, then got out before the Klitchko brothers could undo the legacy he had created for himself. He stayed 4 more years as an amateur to win a gold metal against younger opponents (Riddick Bowe for the medal fight). He then became champion only because Bowe relinquished the title. He backed out of Tyson’s way (accepting a large multi-million dollar bounty from Don King as payment for Tyson taking the ranking from him) as he climbed back up to reclaim the championship that was handed to him. I think history will judge him for how fake he really is.

And now, to the top ten pound-for-pound boxers:

10 – Mike Tyson – 50 wins, 5 losses, 2 no contest, 44 KOs

No other wrestler has been called “the baddest man on the planet.” Mike Tyson was perhaps the most feared person in boxing history. Until Buster Douglas embarrassed Iron Mike, Mike Tyson made the fighters submit. Climbing up the amateur ranks, boxers actually lost on purpose in order not to fight Tyson in tournaments. How ironic that Tyson’s worst loss was not against a boxer, but against a beauty pageant contestant named Desiree Washington. There is a strong possibility that had Tyson not suffered a 3-year setback, he would have risen easily and be universally recognized as one of the greatest ever.

9 – (Big) George Foreman – Won 76 lost 5, 68 KOs

Foreman’s greatest enemy opponent has always been himself. He couldn’t accept defeat. After making a name for himself as one of the most dominant fighters of all time, his loss to Ali put him out of professional boxing for over a year. He made his first comeback attempt in 1977, knocking out his next 5 opponents (including Frazier, again), only to retire after losing a 12-round decision. A decade later, Foreman made an unlikely comeback at the age of 38. Foreman was once again near the top of the boxing rankings and, despite suffering setbacks against Holyfield and Tommy Morrison, Foreman shocked the world when he stunned Michael Moore with a knockout. in the tenth round. His subsequent bouts further demonstrated that even in his 40s, Foreman was still a formidable force.

8 – (Sugar) Ray Leonard – 36 wins, 3 losses, 1 draw, 25 KOs

Leonard has to be on this list if only for the sheer psychology he was able to inflict on his opponents. Only Ali could get more into the heads of his opponents than him. Add to that all the titles he has, in multiple weight divisions, and you have his No. 8 all-time. Like most great fighters, he just didn’t know when to quit, so you’ll have to ignore the last few fights of his career. Sugar Ray beat them all, from Duran (No Mas, No Mas), to Hagler, then Hearns, Sugar Ray’s stock only fell due to his own issues. He first retired due to a detached retina, and it can be argued that a serious cocaine habit between ’84 and ’89 further hurt his career.

7 – (Wonderful) Marvin Hagler – 62 wins, 3 losses, 2 draws, 52 KOs

Yes, we have the Marvelous ahead of Leonard, although Leonard did beat Hagler in their only meeting. Hagler was so distraught over that loss that he walked out early, and he even refuses to talk about that fight today. Hagler’s only 2 losses were early in his career, and he responded by beating both fighters. He would have continued to dominate the middleweight division had he not suffered the mentally debilitating loss to Leonard. While Hopkins has been the longest middleweight champion, with the most title defenses, it can be argued that he never faced opponents of the caliber of Duran and Hearns, whom Hagler defeated.

6 – Archie Moore – 181 wins, 24 losses, 9 draws and 1 no contest, 145 KO’s

Looking at the record, it’s easy to see why “Old Mongoose” or “Ancient Archie” made it to the list. Archie’s career spanned over 4 decades, and he was the only wrestler to face Rocky Marciano and Muhammed Ali. Archie was better light heavyweight than pure heavyweight. His light heavyweight title was stripped twice because he was too busy fighting at a higher weight class. No other fighter has knocked out as many professional opponents as Archie.

5 – Roy Jones Jr – 49 wins, 3 losses, 38 KOs

This particular selection is highly debatable and may end with Roy being removed from the list altogether. While his talent cannot be denied, there is a question as to whether his showmanship and his section of opponents unfairly propelled him to his status. Winning a championship fight after playing paid basketball on the same day was unheard of. Like becoming a champion from middleweight to heavyweight. Prior to his last two fights, Jones’ only loss was a fake call after he was disqualified against Montell Griffin, which he quickly got revenge on. Jones has at least deserved due consideration and an early entry to the list.

4 – Joe (Brown Bomber) Louis – Won 68 Lost 3, 54 KOs

While there seems to be some dispute as to whether or not 5 of his KO wins were exhibition matches, there is a consensus not to take 2 of his 3 losses seriously in failed comeback attempts. The last and most humiliating loss was an eighth round KO via the ropes by Rocky Marciano. The Brown Bomber was so in debt that he tried to get back way past the prime of it. The fact that so much cultural identity fell on his shoulders made Joe Louis not only one of the greatest pure fighters, but a true icon for the second-class citizens of the United States. Joe will be best known for his first-round knockout of German Max Schmeling in 1938. Schmeling beat 12-year-old favorite Louis just a few years earlier. Even when Joe won the heavyweight title by knockout, he refused to be called a champion until he settled things with Schmeling. It is this attitude that made him a national hero despite his color.

3 – Julio Cesar Chavez – Won 104 Lost 5, 2 draws, 80 KOs

Julio is a Mexican world champion boxer who won world titles in 3 different divisions. Among the world champions Chavez defeated in his career are Edwin Rosario, José Luis Ramírez, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor “Macho” Camacho, Juan Laporte and Tony López. Chavez went 13 years before not winning a fight, with a draw against Pernell Whitaker, and it was a year later before suffering his first loss which was avenged 4 months later. In the last 8 years of his 24-year career alone, Chavez posted 4 of his 5 losses against 3 different opponents. He was able to avenge his loss to Willey Wise, but failed on the second try against Oscar De La Hoya.

2 – Muhammed (Louisville Lip) Ali – won 56 lost 5, 37 KOs

In my book, Ali will also be remembered as one of the greatest human beings of all time. As a pure boxer, only a “what could have been” during his 3 year break after refusing to go to Vietnam keeps him from being the best of all. He came back after 3 years to lose the first of three asking Joe Frazier. They were both undefeated at the time. The same thing happened with Ken Norton. In both cases, Ali came back to flog them for the next 2 fights. Although the two later became friends, Ali is also credited with knocking Foreman out in the ring, outside of boxing, and in the pulpit. Leon Spinks got Ali during his decline years, but Ali came back to beat him in 1979. What happened to Ali in the next two fights against Holmes and Berbick is eerily similar to what’s happening now with Roy Jones Jr. In neither. Either way, should those 2 fights be included in what was a spectacular run.

1 – (Sugar) Ray Robinson 179 wins, 19 losses, 6 draws, 2 no contests, 109 KOs

While many boxers have had that nickname over the years, none have been as sweet as Ray Robinson, whose real name was actually Walker Smith Jr. Robinson won the middleweight title an unprecedented 5 times. Even Muhammad Ali referred to Sugar Ray as the greatest wrestler of all time (it is rumored that Robinson actually refused to give Ali an autograph when Ali met him when Ali was still young and Clay). Unlike Moore, most of Robinson’s losses came late in his career.

Honorable Mention

Floyd Mayweather Jr – 32 wins, 0 losses, 21 knockouts

Now (arguably considered) the best active pound-for-pound boxer

Roberto Duran – 103 wins, 16 losses, 69 knockouts

He will forever be marked by his eighth-round quit job on Sugar Ray Leonard.

Evander (Real Deal) Holyfield – 38 wins, 7 losses, 2 draws, 25 KOs

He was the undisputed world heavyweight and cruiserweight champion. He was also the man who destroyed the aura that was Mike Tyson. He will take his place in boxing history, but not as one of the greatest in history.

(Smokin’) Joe Frazier – 32 wins, 4 losses, 1 draw, 27 KOs

Also one of the most feared fighters in history, but 2 losses to Ali and Foreman will keep him off this list.

Thomas Hearns – 59 wins 4 losses 1 draw, 46 KOs

Also known as “The Hit Man” and “Motor City Cobra,” Hearns won seven world championships in six weight classes during his 22-year professional career. But his losses to Leonard (his first for him) and Hagler will keep him off the list.

Bernard Hopkins – 45 wins, 2 losses, 1 draw, 1 NC, 32 KO

More so than Hagler, Hopkins got off to a slow start to his career. When he finally won the belt, he’s defended it against the best of the ’90s and ’00s. It’s possible he’ll end up in the top 10 yet.