Canelo Alvarez is already a four-weight world champion taking over Dmitry Bivol in Las Vegas – however the place does the pound-for-pound no.1 boxer stack up towards the all-timers?
This isn’t a prime 10 finest boxer ever, as a fighter can show his greatness by dominating one division (see: Marvelous Marvin Hagler). This can be a countdown for the multi-weight wonders which have traveled up and down the divisions to win world titles in a spread of weight lessons. From Mike Tyson’s hero to the fighter who went from middleweight to heavyweight champion.
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10. Roberto Duran
The growling, ferocious Panamanian – an idol of ‘Iron Mike’ – had already established himself as the best light-weight of all time earlier than leaping two weight lessons to upset Sugar Ray Leonard by 147 kilos. That supreme stress battle was the top of Arms of Stone’s profession, however though he infamously misplaced the rematch to Leonard, Duran nonetheless had sufficient left to later decide alphabet titles in two extra weight lessons: 160lb and 168lb. Fairly particular for a boxer whose prime was 135 kilos.
9. Canelo Alvarez
Outstanding to think about that Canelo began his skilled profession at welterweight (147lb), on condition that the Mexican icon has grown right into a stocky, arduous hitting champion from 168lb-175lb. Has gained titles in 4 weight divisions, however will get additional credit score for being a lineal champion in two of them: middleweight (after his thrilling win over Gennady Golovkin) and tremendous center (the place he joined the belts). If he can repeat that trick at 175 kilos and/or declare a cruiserweight belt, Canelo will climb even increased.
8. Oscar De La Hoya
Simply above the person he as soon as promoted (for now), the ‘Golden Boy’ is a world champion with six weights, a 5ft 10in boxer punch who had the body to win world titles from junior light-weight (130lb) all the way in which to middleweight (160lb) . Loses just a few factors for not likely being “the person” in a lot of these divisions – ie middleweight, the place he grabbed a WBO belt from Felix Sturm earlier than shedding to actual champ Bernard Hopkins. However general nonetheless spectacular.
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Getty Pictures – Getty
7. Sugar Ray Leonard
After all, Sugar Ray – simply as slick exterior the ring as he was in – bent the foundations to get his means. Leonard one way or the other managed to win world titles in two divisions in only one battle, when he KOd Danny Lalonde for a light-heavyweight title — and a newly created super-middleweight world title. That is regardless of Leonard weighing 165 kilos in a single day. Nonetheless, he was an all-time nice welterweight, preventing Hagler to win his middleweight championship. So 5 division champion Leonard rides excessive.
6. Thomas Hearns
Leonard defeated Hearns within the ring after they first met of their blistering showdown in 1981, however “The Hitman” really had essentially the most exceptional profession run via the divisions. The lanky, six-foot Kronk Gymnasium puncher had the body to go from welterweight champion to cruiserweight excellence in the direction of the top of his profession. Boxing’s first five-time world champion might have surpassed his report since then, however solely a small variety of fighters can pack 50 kilos and nonetheless field at an elite stage.
5. Amanda Serrano
The Puerto Rican misplaced a contentious determination to Katie Taylor in April’s conflict at Madison Sq. Backyard, however her place as the best multiweight champion ever in ladies’s boxing has been secured. Has gained 9 world titles in seven totally different weight divisions, remains to be a unified featherweight champion, with many feeling that she ought to most likely even be the undisputed world light-weight champion at this level. Solely a scarcity of depth in some weight lessons in ladies’s boxing – for now – stops her from being even increased on this listing.
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4. Henry Armstrong
“Murder Hank” was “simply” a three-weight world champion within the Thirties and Forties. However there have been solely eight weight divisions again then, with no junior or super-alphabet belts to select from. The all-action American was a featherweight, light-weight and welterweight world champion who drew a tie in his bid to win the middleweight crown, which might have made Armstrong the primary ever four-time world boxing champion. Simply one of many best fighters of the final century.
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3. Floyd Mayweather
For all his unimaginable achievements, Mr. 50-0 by no means united all of the alphabet titles in a single division. However he was a linear champion in 4 weight divisions and gained as many as 15 main titles in 5 divisions. Mayweather’s first 130lb world title noticed him beat a high-quality champion in Genaro Hernandez. The ‘Fairly Boy’ was linked to Naseem Hamed and featherweight tremendous fights on the time, however ten years later he gained world titles at 147lbs and 154lbs. A journey for the shy, retired Floyd.
2. Roy Jones Jr
In a listing of 5/six weight champions, Jones gained titles in simply 4 weight divisions. However he additionally made historical past. RJJ defeated Bernard Hopkins to win his first world title at 160 lb, sinking James Toney at 168 lb, united at 175 lb, and handed cruiserweight in 2003 to take out heavyweight titleist John Ruiz. That made Jones the primary boxer since Bob Fitzsimmons within the 1800s to win world middleweight and heavyweight titles and whereas Ruiz wasn’t precisely the strongest champion, it was an astonishing feat for a fighter who peaked at tremendous middleweight.
1. Manny Pacquiao
Simply no dispute. The whimsical Filipino gained world titles in flyweight (112 lb) early in his profession, grew to become a star in featherweight (130 lb) when he dethroned Marco Antonio Barrera and on the peak of his stardom was spectacular in welterweight (147 lb), even briefly a light-middleweight (154lb) champion. By the point Pacquiao lastly retired final 12 months, he had gained world titles in as many as eight weight divisions. No different male boxer even has seven. One-time.
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