Those of you that follow boxing, or are interested in it at all, know that there are many great boxers that have come through the sport over the years. Some of the biggest names include Muhammad Ali, Rocky Marciano, Roberto Duran, Joe Louis, and Sugar Ray Leonard. Each of these boxers has a unique story to tell, and it’s fun to learn about their life and accomplishments.
Muhammad Ali
Despite being one of the greatest boxers of all time, Muhammad Ali’s stats do not support his claim. He won 56 fights in 21 years, but his statistics do not show a record that ranks him amongst the top three.
Ali was the first boxer to win the heavyweight championship three times. He was also the first to win a gold medal at the Olympics.
Ali’s status as one of the greatest boxers of all time is mainly due to his out-of-the-ring deeds. He was not shy from politics, and traveled the world to make humanitarian appearances. He also negotiated the release of American hostages. He met with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in 1990, and traveled to Afghanistan in 2002 as a United Nations Messenger of Peace.
He is also known for his striking figure, and his dazzling displays of speed. But he was not the best puncher in the ring.
The best thing about Ali is his out-of-the-ring deeds, and his charisma. His self-promotion skills were well known, and his unorthodox techniques helped confuse his opponents. He was a wise-cracking boxer, and his verbal taunts were more impressive than his boxing skills.
Although he suffered from Parkinson’s disease, he did not lose his ability to fight. Instead, his motor skills and verbal grace began to decline slowly.
In 1967, he was arrested for felony draft evasion. Although he was convicted, he was sentenced to five years in prison, a $10,000 fine, and suspended from boxing for three years.
Joe Louis
Known as the “Brown Bomber,” Joe Louis is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. His legendary career spans 12 years and 25 defences of the world heavyweight title. He won 54 of his 68 professional fights by knockout.
A native of LaFayette, Alabama, Joe Louis was born in a poor family. When he was a young boy, his family relocated to Detroit. It was there that his love for boxing was developed.
In 1934, Louis won the Detroit Golden Gloves light-heavyweight title. In 1934, Louis was also awarded the AAU national title.
The boxer won the world heavyweight title in 1937. He defended it 25 times before retiring in 1949. He also was the first African-American heavyweight boxer to win a world title. Louis became a national hero and a symbol of racial equality.
In his final match, Louis was knocked out by Rocky Marciano in the eighth round. Marciano shocked Louis by taking him to the floor in the eighth round. Louis felt he could put Marciano away.
Louis was awarded a Legion of Merit medal for his contribution to morale in the Armed Forces. He also received a Congressional Gold Medal posthumously in 1982.
Louis fought the best of the best in his career. He was the longest running heavyweight champion in history. He won 68 professional fights, but he also suffered three defeats. Louis also lost his prime years due to the war. He struggled with cocaine addiction in his later years.
Rocky Marciano
Rocco Francis Marchegiano, better known as Rocky Marciano, is regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. The Italian-American fought in 49 bouts and retired undefeated. He is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
He was born in Ripa Teatina, Italy. He was a fairly accomplished baseball player. But he turned to boxing when he showed promise. In 1947 he signed with New York fight manager Al Weill. He had a 12-fight amateur career. He also fought in a number of AAU Olympic tryouts.
Marciano became a professional boxer in 1948. In the first professional fight, he knocked out local competitor Lee Epperson in three rounds. He then won two fights against Italian boxer Gino Buonvino.
He was the heavyweight champion for a short period of time. He then defended the title six times. He retired undefeated and has 43 KOs. He is the only heavyweight in boxing history to have retired with an undefeated record.
He defeated Joe Louis in his last career fight. He also defeated Max Baer, Abe Simon, and Buddy Baer. The former was considered the greatest of all time against big men. He was also considered the best pound for pound boxer in the heavyweight division.
He has defeated two of the top ten contenders. One of them is Archie Moore. He was a former ballroom dancer. He was also a control freak. He wanted a percentage of all outside work earnings.
Sugar Ray Leonard
Whether you’re a boxing fan or not, Sugar Ray Leonard is one of the greatest boxers of all time. He’s known for his ring savvy and blinding hand speed. He’s fought in five weight classes and won world titles in each. He’s also the only boxer to ever earn over $100 million in purses.
Before turning professional, Leonard won three National Golden Gloves titles and two AAU championships. He also won a Pan-American Games crown in 1975.
In the early 80s, Sugar Ray became a superstar. He fought in 40 professional bouts. He won 36 matches and drew two. His greatest fight was against Roberto Duran, who he stopped in the seventh round.
Before turning pro, he had an amateur record of 155 wins in 160 fights. He earned a spot in the 1976 Olympic team. He won gold and a silver medal in the Olympics.
Sugar Ray also won the Ring’s Fight of the Year for 1981, defeating Thomas Hearns. He was also voted Fighter of the Year for 1979. He had a professional record of 128-1-2 with 84 knockouts. He fought in the welterweight division and earned lineal and vacant World Boxing Association titles.
After his career in boxing, Leonard became a motivational speaker for various causes. He’s spoken at the Washington Speakers Bureau and has appeared on the popular TV show Keeping up with the Kardashians. He’s also helped fund research into pediatric diabetes.
Evander Holyfield
During his professional boxing career, Evander Holyfield won numerous titles. He is one of the greatest boxers of the modern era and is the only boxer to win undisputed titles in two weight classes. He has defeated ten heavyweight champions.
Evander Holyfield first came to national attention during the 1984 Summer Olympics. He was selected to be a member of the American Boxing Dream Team. He also won a bronze medal in the light heavyweight division.
Evander Holyfield won the first world championship of his career as a cruiserweight in 1985. He defended his title four times. He became the first boxer to knockout both Ray Mercer and George Foreman.
Evander Holyfield also gained popularity at the light heavyweight level. He won a bout against Larry Holmes. He then moved up to the heavyweight division in 1988. He defended his title against Michael Moorer.
Evander Holyfield has won several fights, but has lost his last four. He also retired on medical advice. He has a record of 44 wins and 10 losses.
Evander Holyfield is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. He is one month shy of his 59th birthday. He is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He is also a friend of Benny Hinn. He gave Hinn $265,000 when Hinn was healed.
Evander Holyfield is one of the greatest boxers of all time. He is a fighter who will be remembered for his true warrior spirit. He is also considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time.
Roberto Duran
Almost five decades of boxing and 103 wins later, Roberto Duran is one of the greatest boxers of all time. He’s also one of the most durable. His record of 70 knockouts is a remarkable feat. It’s also a testament to his slick defense and boxing skill.
He fought in four weight classes, winning titles in lightweight, middleweight, junior middleweight, and light heavyweight. His final record was 103-16 (70 KOs), including 18 knockouts in the first round.
Duran first appeared on the scene in 1979 in the sequel to the hit movie Rocky II. He then appeared in Harlem Nights and Miami Vice. He was later featured in a documentary about his life, Los punos de una nacion, which was directed by Panamanian filmmaker Pituka Ortega-Heilbron.
“Manos de Piedra” was a lightweight fighter who was 20 years old. He was trained by veteran trainers such as Ray Arcel and Freddie Brown. He won his world title when he knocked down Benny Huertas in 66 seconds.
Duran moved to welterweight after his lightweight title was vacated. In 1979, he had a 62-1 record. He was considered to be the greatest lightweight of the 20th century. He also added the lineal title to his mantelpiece.
Despite his accomplishments, Duran was not a well-known figure in his own country. In fact, he was ostracized.
In 2002, Duran was voted the fifth best fighter of the last 80 years by the Associated Press. He also was ranked the eighth greatest lightweight of the twentieth century by boxing historian Bert Sugar.
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