Top 5 greatest heavyweight boxers of all time

Let's talk about the best of the best heavyweight boxers. Of course any such Top will not be able to contain all the best boxers and is very subjective. So we will stick to the following rules, the boxers included in this Top 5 are the best more than others:

contributed to the popularisation of boxing;
had outstanding knockout factors;
showed great technique;
had an iron character and unbreakable willpower

So TOP 5 best of the best according to the above criteria:

5th place. Muhammad Ali

It is difficult to overestimate Muhammad Ali's contribution to boxing. He possessed for his time incredible technique, speed, and originality. He was able to change strategy when it was necessary and stood to the last when circumstances demanded it. Thanks to him, boxing became massively interesting to the audience. His influence extended beyond sports, inspiring millions worldwide. Even today, his legacy continues to thrive in various fields, from athletics to entertainment. Just as legendary fighters leave their mark in history, top gaming platforms like stay casino no deposit offer unforgettable experiences for those seeking excitement and big wins.

Scale Top 5 best of the best of Muhammad Ali:

popularisation of boxing - 9 out of 10;
knockout factors - 6 out of 10;
superb technique - 7 out of 10;
iron character and unbending willpower - 8 out of 10.

Total: 30 points out of a possible 40.

In fact, it was with Muhammad Ali that the dawn of boxing began and the competition and the level of skill of athletes began to grow rapidly. Therefore, he occupies the honourable 5th place among the best.

4th place. The Klitschko brothers.

On the fourth place are two great boxers are the legendary Klitschko brothers. Many do not like these boxers for excessive caution in conducting fights and as a consequence of the loss of entertainment. Some even attribute to them that the interest of the audience in Boxing died because of Klitschko. But the fact remains that for 10 years Klitschko completely dominated the professional ring, defeating all the best boxers of their time and were the first to prove that boxers from the post-Soviet space can compete with the world boxing stars.

In the fourth place are two great boxers at once - the legendary Klitschko brothers.

Scale Top 5 best of the best Klitschko brothers:

boxing popularisation - 9 out of 10 (mainly for Europe and post-Soviet countries);
knockout factors - 8 out of 10;
superb technique - 7 out of 10;
iron character and unbending willpower - 9 out of 10.

Total: 33 points out of a possible 40.

In fact, the Klitschko brothers played a crucial role in the development of boxing, especially in Europe and post-Soviet countries. Their dominance in the heavyweight division set new standards for discipline, endurance, and tactical approach in the sport. Thanks to their achievements, boxing gained a new wave of popularity, and the level of professionalism among athletes significantly increased. Therefore, they rightfully hold an honourable place among the best.

3rd place. Mike Tyson

In third place in the ranking is the legendary Mike Tyson

In third place in the rating is the legendary Mike Tyson. He became a star of American boxing and brought this sport to a whole new degree of popularity. It was thanks to Iron Mike that thousands of boys rushed to the halls and dreamed of repeating his success. The pendulum style and the combination ‘right to the body-right to the jaw’ were Mike's trademark. And Tyson became a household name that went far beyond boxing. Even people who are not interested in boxing know about Tyson.

Scale Top 5 best of the best Mike Tyson:

popularisation of boxing -10 out of 10 (he took Boxing to a whole new level of popularity around the world);
knockout factors - 10 out of 10 (he is one of the most ferocious punchers of all time);
excellent technique - 10 out of 10 (he proved that with excellent technique you can defeat opponents taller and heavier than yourself);
iron character and unbreakable willpower - 2 out of 10 (it was weak willpower, inability to control his emotions, lack of discipline and frankly weak character that became the Achilles' heel of this great boxer).

Total: 32 points out of 40 possible.

Mike Tyson is a true legend, who really could become the best of the best, but weak character and lack of willpower ruined him. American experts gave a clear description of Mike Tyson - ‘Tyson is like a perfect war machine, but it is a threat only with a strong man inside, and without this man it is just a pile of mettal’.

2nd place. Evander Holyfield.

The second place is occupied by the legendary athlete Evander Holyfield. Unlike Iron Mike, whose main thing was the show, Evander put discipline, training and stubbornly went to his dream of becoming the world heavyweight champion. Although he didn't have the outstanding physical parameters to do so, he wasn't big or heavy, nor did he possess a crushing punch. And his athletic body was literally forged by years of training. It was his strong will and unbending character that made him an absolute world champion, he beat all the best boxers of his time and became the heaviest opponent of Lenox Lewis during his career.

Many even believe that in the second fight with Lenox, it was Holyfield who won. And Lenox Lewis himself admitted that neither before nor after he had such a hard fight. It is noteworthy that Lenox Lewis did not want a second fight with Evander and said that he would go to the rematch only if their fees with Holyfield will be the same 10 million dollars. At the time, Holyfield's fee for the rematch was $15 million and Lewis' was $5 million. Evander gave Lewis $5 million of his fee to make the fight happen, so much did Holyfield want the fight. Despite the fact that Holifield was more active in the fight, attacking, hitting and generally being more active, the judges decided that the young rising star Lenox Lewis was more promising than the old Evander Holifield and awarded the victory to Lenox Lewis.

Scale Top 5 Best of the Best Evander Holyfield:

boxing popularisation - 9 out of 10 (The second Evander Holyfield-Mike Tyson fight tops the rankings of the most watched fights in boxing history to date. Tyson biting off an ear in this fight, has become the most talked about event in the sports world. Evander Holyfield has become, along with Mike Tyson, a boxing legend);
knockout factors - 7 out of 10 (despite the fact that most of his fights Holyfield finished early, he was never a knockout artist with a crushing punch);
excellent technique - 9 out of 10 (he proved that training, discipline and strict adherence to a fight plan can break even opponents of superior height, weight and punching power);
iron character and unbreakable willpower - 10 out of 10 (Evander's strongest point is his iron faith in himself, even when the whole world doesn't believe in you).

Total: 35 points out of a possible 40.

Evander Holyfield is a living example that the main thing in a man is his fortitude and belief in himself. This is what allowed him to achieve his main dream in life - to become the absolute world heavyweight champion.

1 place. Lenox Lewis

The winner of today's Top is the last legendary boxer of the golden era of boxing - Lenox Lewis. This is a case of all the stars aligning. Lenox Lewis had great natural data: height 196 cm, Weight 114 kg., the strongest knockout punch. Adding to that iron discipline, training and self-control created an almost perfect boxer of all time. He had only two flaws: 1. He was a British boxer, which meant he was not loved by American audiences; 2. His style of fighting, mainly from defence, was not at all spectacular, especially against the background of Mike Tyson's furious fights.

Sports experts recognise that Lenox is a true unifier who has no equal.

It is for these reasons that Lenox Lys was not loved by the masses, but all professional sports experts recognise that Lenox is a true unicom equal to whom there is simply no equal, and at the peak of his form it was an indestructible fighter capable of both sending his opponents to the ring in the first three rounds, and to withstand all 12 rounds competently spending his strength in the course of the fight.

Scale Top 5 best of the best Lenox Lewis:

popularisation of boxing - 9 out of 10 (mainly in Europe);
knockout factors - 10 out of 10 (Lenox Lewis had one of the most devastating punches in boxing history);
great technique - 10 out of 10 (training, discipline and strict adherence to the fight plan. Ability to change tactics during the fight, to impose his own way of fighting, excellent sense of distance and excellent defence);
iron character and unbreakable willpower - 9 out of 10 (Lenox Lewis had an iron will to win and unbreakable faith in himself, the only one who could beat him in this factor is Evander Holyfield).

Total: 38 points out of a possible 40.

To summarise, it can also be noted that Lenox Lewis defeated Klitschko, Tyson, Holyfield and most likely would have defeated Muhammad Ali. Although this is not the main indicator, because Klitschko was still inexperienced and was much inferior to the old Lewis in technique, Tyson had already abandoned training and visited bars rather than the gym, Holyfield was too old and much smaller in height and weight, and as the British proverb says ‘A good big boxer will always beat a good little boxer’.

But these are all excuses in favour of the poor. The fact is Lenox Lewis defeated them all and also defeated everyone who came after. He has lost only twice in his career and that only because of his self-confidence, but in both cases he won confident rematches. So he's the only heavyweight boxer to leave the ring undefeated.

And how do you think who should be in this top, and who is probably superfluous, write your comments.