Holyfield would drop his titles once again in 1994 in an extremely close bout with Michael Moorer; after beating Ray Mercer, he was then finished for the first time in his career (he would only be finished on one other occasion in his career at the age of forty) in a trilogy fight with Bowe, leading many to write off the 33 year old former champ.
Winning multiple world titles in boxing was a little harder several decades ago as there were just eight different weight divisions in the sport. Today there are 18 weight classes mainly due to the introduction of junior and super divisions as well the cruiserweight class. Some four-division champs have achieved the feat by gaining just 10 lbs between weight classes while others have had to bulk up by at least 40 lbs.
A slick boxer with impeccable defense and an excellent jab, Bivol has been a light heavyweight titleholder for years but didn’t break through until May when he upset Canelo Alvarez in a rout. For an encore, Bivol played with Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez over 12 rounds earlier this month. Bivol has long been touted as an elite fighter and proved it beyond a shadow of a doubt in his win over Alvarez. Bivol didn’t just outpoint Alvarez; he dealt plenty of damage with five- and six-punch combinations, displaying another layer to his game. He appears to be improving each time out.
The most boxing world titles held simultaneously in different traditional weight divisions is three, achieved by Henry Armstrong (USA, b. Henry Jackson) at featherweight, welterweight and lightweight on 17 August 1938.
Minuses: He did lose his biggest fight, against Taylor. His best victory (Zepeda) probably carries less weight than the biggest wins of others on this list. And Prograis, at 34, is the oldest member of this group. That means his meeting with Haney is particularly important for his career.
Charles’ versatility was a hallmark of his career. He demonstrated an uncanny ability to excel in various weight categories, marking him as one of the sport’s all-time greats. His journey through different divisions showcased his adaptability and mastery of the sweet science, earning him respect and admiration from both fans and fellow fighters. Ezzard Charles’s storied career serves as an enduring source of inspiration for contemporary and aspiring boxers. His legacy is a testament to the value of versatility and the heights that can be reached through mastery of the sport’s intricacies. Charles remains an everlasting symbol of the sweet science’s elegance and the potential for greatness within its hallowed confines.
Greb reigned as the middleweight champion from 1923 to 1926 and also held the American light heavyweight title despite being vastly outweighed by most of his opponents. The “Pittsburgh Windmill” was known for his overwhelming flurries of punches, his excellent footwork, his durability, and his knack for dirty tactics, a pretty common theme back in his day.
We’ve ranked the all-time greatest middleweights, bantamweights, light heavyweights and flyweights. Now we turn to the featherweights and offer our list of the all-time best to lace up the gloves at 126 pounds. As noted in our previous divisional rankings, we limit boxers to only one of the traditional eight weight classes, which makes it a little easier to spread the glory around and recognize more fighters. Thus, you won’t find George Dixon or Terry McGovern listed here as they hold prominent positions in our bantamweight rankings.
The weight divisions listed in the first section are the traditional divisions. Those eight were prominent and continued to be at the forefront of everyone’s minds even as new weight classes were introduced. most division champion boxing of the newer weight classes took quite some time to develop real traction and legitimacy in the sport.
The beginnings of the lightweight division can be traced all the way back to 1738 when introduced by the father of English boxing, Jack Broughton. Any fighter at the time, weighing less than 160 lbs, was considered a lightweight.
Top Historical Boxers: Evander Holyfield is widely regarded as the sport’s greatest cruiserweight ever, even though he is also considered one of the greatest heavyweights in the history of the sport. However, it is one of boxing’s less well-known facts to the general sports audience. Holyfield dominated the division throughout the 1980s and brought it together in a way that had never been completed. Holyfield’s accomplishment could have been matched only by David Haye, another great cruiserweight during the 2000s who had the opportunity to win all of the significant title belts in the division.
Inoue’s destruction of Fulton, who was widely regarded as the top fighter in the 122-pound division, left the world in awe and sparked discussions about Inoue’s place among the elite. Tapales, a durable, rugged and formidable champion, will challenge Inoue. There is also Figueroa, a hungry, tall, aggressive switch hitter with punching power and a strong chin, who has been vocal about his willingness to test himself against Inoue.
