When the boxing heavyweights fight, the world watches. The heavyweight division is always a big draw because of the biggest man producing spectacular knockouts with their raw power. Deciding on who is the best heavyweight boxer of all time is a difficult feat and one that will divide opinion.
There are a litany of names that can make the list, and comparing them over the generations is difficult, especially when the 20th-century fighters have been immortalised in lore and legacy. For many, the modern heavyweights don’t match up; however, some are just that good that they cannot be denied anymore and deserve their place on the list of the best heavyweight boxers in history.
So, below, we try the gargantuan task of listing the 10 best heavyweight boxers ever set by a certain criteria.
Criteria for rankings
To be able to rank the fighters, we established the following criteria. The best heavyweight boxers in history have been ranked based on their:
- Performance and achievements
- Influence on the sport
- Consistency and longevity
- Awards and recognitions
With this criterion, our best heavyweight boxers of all time have been listed below. See if you agree.
The Top 10 Best Heavyweight Boxers Ever
10.Evander Holyfield
Record: 44–10–2 (29 KOs)
A legend of the game, Evander Holyfield starts this list being the first boxer to ever win the undisputed cruiserweight title and then move up to claim the undisputed heavyweight championship. He is the only four-time world heavyweight champion who earned those titles with an iron chin and relentless will.
9. Tyson Fury
Record: 34-2-1 (24 KOs)
The most unconventional heavyweight of all time must be Tyson Fury. His movement and footwork were unmatched, making him the most elusive six-foot-nine-inch giant the world has ever seen. His talent in the ring is unquestionable, with an amazing boxing IQ and some of the greatest heavyweight fights we have seen in the modern era. He has to be credited with truly making the modern heavyweight picture great again.
8. Oleksandr Usyk
Record: 23-0 (14 KOs)
Whilst only seven of Oleksandr Usyk’s 23 wins come in the heavyweight division, it's how he has won his fights that defines Usyk as one of, if not the best, heavyweight boxer of these modern times, beating Fury and Anthony Joshua comprehensively. His exceptional footwork and ring IQ let him outmanoeuvre bigger heavyweights, and he rightly sits atop the heavyweight division currently.
7. Joe Frazier
Record: 32–4–1 (27 KOs)
The first man to beat Muhammad Ali was Joe Frazier. ‘Smokin’ Joe’ had a left hook that was among the most feared weapons in heavyweight history, combined with a relentless pressure style and the stamina to match, Frazier shone in every battle. His trilogy against Ali is arguably the greatest boxing trilogy ever and will be remembered for all time.
6. George Foreman
Record: 76–5 (68 KOs)
George Foreman was a remarkable fighter who had an imposing physique and devastating punching power, which allowed him to bully opponents. He had an incredible career that was split into two. A young foreman won his first world heavyweight title with a stunning second-round knockout of the then-undefeated Joe Frazier in 1973. After retiring in 1977, a 45-year-old Foreman came back and won the unified WBA, IBF, and lineal heavyweight championship titles by knocking out 26-year-old Michael Moorer in 1994. A legendary achievement.
5. Lennox Lewis
Record: 41–2–1 (32 KOs)
Lennox Lewis had everything a heavyweight boxer needed and is rightly regarded as one of the best heavyweights of all time. He beat every man he faced, getting revenge on the two men who beat him in his career. His signature jab was precise and powerful, his ring IQ elite. Lewis was as dominant and unbeatable as any heavyweight of any generation.
4. Rocky Marciano
Record: 49–0 (43 KOs)
The only heavyweight champion in history to retire undefeated is Rocky Marciano. He scored 43 knockouts in 49 fights with relentless pressure and a non-stop forward march which overwhelmed opponents. He beat a number of the big fighters of the time and should always be remembered for his punching power.
3. Mike Tyson
Record: 50–6 (44 KOs)
The name Mike Tyson can still elicit fear in many a man. The youngest heavyweight boxing champion of all time intimidated his opponents before the bell and then bullied them in it. His lore and reputation preceded him, and despite some high-profile losses, the combined explosive power with incredible speed was truly a spectacle. At his prime, he was an unstoppable force who remains an icon to this day.
2. Joe Louis
Record: 66–3 (52 KOs)
Joe Lewis dominated for over a decade, making 25 successful title defences, which is a record still unmatched at the heavyweight level. His devastating power, perfect technique, and calmness in the ring allowed him to reign as the champion for 12 years. Tie in his cultural relevance too in 1938, beating the German Max Schmeling in a fight that was more than just a fight, but a symbol of global resistance to Nazism. Louis will be remembered and revered for all time.
1. Muhammad Ali
Record: 56–5 (37 KOs)
Muhammad Ali is number one on this list, not to the surprise of many. He had everything: the talent, the charisma, the charm, the look. Ali’s in-ring style was unique and caused chaos and confusion in his opponents. He beat the best of the best during his generation and had some of the most legendary fights ever. Ali will be remembered as the greatest ever and duly so.
Controversies, debates and reflections on the evolution of the sport
As always, at the end of these lists, we should mention a few of the names that missed out. The Klitschko brothers - Vitali and Wladimir - were dominant champions during a time when the field was arguably weak. However, they did show amazing longevity and were great modern heavyweights.
Deontay Wilder has had a huge fall from the pedestal he was on prior to Tyson Fury. ‘The Bronze Bomber’ had the most extraordinary power of recent memory, with some of the most devastating knockouts boxing has seen. Older names who missed out were legends like Jack Johnson, Larry Holmes and Sonny Liston.
After the reinvigoration of the heavyweight division in the past decade with Wilder, Joshua, Fury and Usyk, we now enter the era with Usyk at the top and his challengers seemingly nowhere near as good. Daniel Dubois is next for Usyk to face in the big fights, but the depth of the division is seemingly weakening. It is primed for new talent to come through and take to the heavyweight stage and usher in another new age.