Past and Present Boxing Champions

Thousands of boxers have earned the title "champion" in the rich history of boxing. When you take a look at past and present boxing champions, you can see that the list of top-level athletes is long and distinguished.

The icons

Trying to name every great boxer is nearly an impossible task, but there are a few who stand out. In a recent poll by a well-known sports website, Sugar Ray Robinson took honors as the greatest boxer of all time, followed closely by Muhammad Ali, Henry Armstrong, Joe Louis, Willie Pep and Roberto Duran, among others. Robinson won 173 fights in his storied professional career, against only 19 losses. He accomplished 108 knockouts, winning several middleweight and welterweight titles.

More stars

Sugar Ray Leonard, Rocky Marciano, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Oscar De La Hoya and Mike Tyson consist of just a few of the other names mentioned in the company of these greats. These were all great professional boxers in their own time that have went down in history as the greatest of all time.

Several current champions

Today's boxing consists of several champions, since the sport is now divided into four major organizations recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame which sanctions world championship bouts. These organizations include the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council and the World Boxing Organization, which all crown champions in several weight categories. For example, the IBF currently has 16 champions, including heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko. Through a series of unification bouts, Klitschko holds three of the four major titles with his brother, Vitali Klitschko, holding the WBC title.

This list of boxing champions is a "who's who" of all-time great athletes and demonstrates the rich history of this beloved sport. These boxers are the greatest professional boxers of all time.