Greatest Middleweights of All Time:

Out of all the boxing divisions, the middleweight (160 pounds) division is the hardest to rank. The quality and talent is so high and so even in this division it is extremely difficult to sometimes separate the fighters. This weeks GGG vs Canelo II superfight is a perfect example of when the best middleweights go at it toe-to-toe it’s very difficult to decide. If the boxing divisions were an entire economy, The middleweights would be the retail sector or the fast food sector, it is very difficult to stand out and shine as the all-time greatest middleweight, The top is very crowded. Making a list of the greatest athletes in any sport which has over a century of history is not an exact science. There are many factors which goes into ranking the greatest boxers including how dominant they were in their era.

With the current and future young lions of the middleweight division (Alvarez, Jacobs, Saunders, Charlo’s, Derevyanchenko, Hurd and very young Munguia) fighting and training hard to be an all-time great, we look back at the best 30 middleweights of all time.

Top 30 Greatest Middleweights Of All Time:

1. Sugar Ray Robinson
2. Charley Burley
3. Marvin Hagler
4. Carlos Monzón
5. Harry Greb
6. Mickey Walker
7. Roy Jones Junior
8. Sam Langford
9. Bernard Hopkins
10. Ezzad Charles
11. Gennady Golovkin
12. Gene Fullmer
13. Stanley Ketchel
14. Thomas Hearns
15. Dick Tiger
16. Sumbu Kalambay
17. Emile Griffith
18. Roberto Duran
19. Nino Benvenuti
20. Sugar Ray Leonard
21. Marcel Cerdan
22. Tiger Flowers
23. Freddie Steele
24. Bob Fitzsimmons
25. Joey Giardello
26. Sergio Martinez
27. Tony Zale
28. Carmen Basilio
29. Jake Lamotta

30. James Toney

Honorable Mentions: Mike McCallum, Michael Nunn, José Napoles and Ted “Kid” Lewis.

1. Sugar Ray Robinson
Sugar Ray Robinson is widely regarded as the greatest boxer of all time. As an amateur he had a record of 85-0 with 69 knockouts. During his illustrious career he had a unbeaten streak of 91 wins spanning nine years. If that wasn’t impressive enough, he only had one loss in his first 131 professional bouts.

2. Charley Burley
Considered by many of the best boxers to be the best fighter ever, Burley never received a title opportunity from any of the champions in his era. He held the World Colored Welterweight Championship and the World Colored Middleweight Championship.

3. Marvin Hagler
Marvelous Marvin Hagler was undisputed middleweight champion for 6 1/2 years ( 1980-1987). He dominated boxing like only few can in an era where boxers fought for 15 hard rounds. Marvelous defended the unified middleweight championship twelve consecutive times. He finished with a great record of 62-3-2, with his three losses coming by decision.

4. Carlos Monzón
Argentine born Carlos Monzon Won an incredible 87 bouts. He only lost three times in the early part of his career and went on to avenge his 3 losses. Shotgun was Undisputed Middleweight Champion for seven years and Successfully defended his title 14 times.

5. Harry Greb
The Pittsburgh Windmill fought all the best fighters of his era and was Middleweight Champion from 1923 to 1926. Over his 13 year career he fought 298 times. He often took on more than he could chew by facing any boxer in any weight class.

6. Mickey Walker
The Toy Bulldog had an incredible career winning 131 fights. On July 2, 1925 Mikey Walker moved up in weight and fought Harry Greb in a Superfight at the Polo Grounds in New York in front of 60,000 fans. Walker held the middleweight title for five years.

7. Roy Jones Junior
Superman dominated boxing like only few can, widely regarded as one of the top pound for pound boxer in history, Jones was undefeated his first 15 years as a professional boxer (not counting his March 21, 1997 bout against Montell Griffin when he was winning the fight but got disqualified) in his first 15 years as a professional, Jones amassed a record of 49-0. Currently at age 49 he still dabbles in the ring ( as a fighter and trainer) and is a boxing analyst for HBO.

8. Sam Langford
The Boston Tar Baby had an incredible career fighting at Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight, Light heavyweight and Heavyweight. His talent and career are so outstanding, he is often ranked as one of the greatest of all time in all divisions. Most champions avoided fighting The Boston Bonecrusher. Jack Dempsey said, “ I think Sam Langford was the greatest fighter we ever had.”

9. Bernard Hopkins
The Executioner’s career is nothing short of extraordinary. The Alien’s professional career lasted 28 years. After winning the Undisputed Middleweight Title in 1995, he defended it a record 20 consecutive fights, finally losing to Jermain Taylor by split decision in a controversial bout. Hopkins slick defense and smart game planning made him one of the best pound for pound boxers of all time. Hopkins boxed at a high-level until he retired at almost 52 years old. Boxing into your 40’s is almost unheard of but to be 50 and still boxing at a high-level is indescribable.

10. Ezzad Charles
The Cincinnati Cobra had a great career winning 95 fights. Regarded by many as the best light heavyweight boxer of all, Charles amateur record was 42-0. He dominated as a Featherweight and Middleweight but really started his professional career as a Light Heavyweight after serving in the military during World War II. Ezzard’s speed, footwork and agility made him one of the best boxers ever.

11. Gennady Golovkin
GGG holds the highest knockout-to-win percentage of any middleweight (87.2%). His career has been spectacular and many argue he should be in the top five of all time best middleweights. GGG “ Mexican-Style” way of fighting(aggressive and action packed) has made him a must see attraction. GGG is also known to have a great chin. Triple G cleaned out the entire middleweight division over the last 10 years. In many fans minds he is still undefeated at 40 -0 ( many view the two fights with Canelo Alvarez as wins). His hard work and dedication to boxing in combination with his gentlemen character has earned him fans around the world. Currently at age 36 he is still the best middleweight on the planet and One of the best pound for pound boxers. Even though his time is running out at the top, he has cemented his legacy as one of the all-time greats.

12. Gene Fullmer
Gene Cyclone Fullmer became World Middleweight Champion in 1957 when he Won a 15 round unanimous decision fight against Sugar Ray Robinson. A true middleweight, Fullmer won his first 29 professional bouts,19 by knockout. Fullmer has an outstanding record of 55-6-3.

13. Stanley Ketchel
The Michigan Assassin is considered one of the best boxers to ever put the gloves on, his punching power in the Middleweight division was legendary. The Michigan assassin started professionally boxing in 1903 at the age of 16. Stanley was murdered at the age of 24 in Conway, Missouri.

14. Thomas Hearns
The Hitman had a career spanning almost 30 years, Hearns became the first boxer to win world titles in five weight divisions. The Motor City Cobra had tremendous punching power throughout his career. He will always be known as one of the Fab Four.

15. Dick Tiger
Richard Ihetu (Dick Tiger) Won the Middleweight Title from Gene Fullmer in 1962. Tiger had a great career winning 60 fights and in his prime, usually fought 7 to 9 times per year.

16. Sumbu Kalambay
Kalambay was 90-5 as an amateur. He turned professional in 1980 and in May 1987 in London, Kalambay defeated European Middleweight Champion Herol Graham who at the time was 38-0 and ranked number one in the world. In his next fight Kalambay defeated champion Iran Barkley over 15 rounds for the WBA Middleweight Title. He defended the title three times and upset undefeated Jamaican Mike McCallum.

17. Emile Griffith
Griffith turn professional in 1958 and fought often in New York City. On April 25, 1966 Griffith won the middleweight championship title by defeating Dick Tiger. He also lost, regained and then lost again the Middleweight Title in three great fights with Nino Benvenuti. Griffith also had a great Trilogy with Cuban Benny Paret. Paret died 10 days after the third fight from taking to many blows. Many believe Griffith was never the same boxer after Paret’s death.

18. Roberto Duran
Hands of Stone won his first 31 fights as a professional. Duran’s career is nothing short of extraordinary as he was champion in four weight divisions. Even though Hands of Stone had more success in the lighter weight classes he competed with the best in his era at any weight. Duran’s legendary career spanned from 1968 to 2001 and for the first 14 years was trained by Ray Aracel.

19. Nino Benvenuti
Nino won the Olympic gold medal for Italy in 1960. After turning professional in 1961, Nino won his first 65 professional fights fighting stiff competition. His first loss came to Kim Ki-Soo in Korea by controversial split decision. Nino was involved in many great fights and he won two of three bouts with the great Emile Griffith.

20. Sugar Ray Leonard
Part of the fabulous four (Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns and Marvin Hagler), Sugar Ray Leonard made some of the biggest most exciting fights ever. Relying on his quickness, great footwork and wisdom, Sugar never backed away from a fight. Sugar Ray is universally known as a top p4p great. A true Prize fighter, he was the first boxer to earn nine figures in his career and set the table for boxers Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. to break all time boxing revenue and earnings records. Sugar Won his first 27 professional bouts and finished with a career record of 36-3-1. If you don’t count his losses at the end of his career, he only lost one time to Roberto Duran and he avenged that single loss twice. When someone mentions Leonard’s name, you can’t help but open your eyes wide and get excited.

21. Marcel Cerdan
Cerdan won his first 48 professional Bouts. After losing his first fight to Harry Craster in London by disqualification in five rounds, he ran of another winning streak of 23 fights. Cerdan’s boxing career was cut short, he died in a plane crash in 1949 at the age of 33.

22. Tiger Flowers
Theodore Tiger Flower’s became the first African-American middleweight boxing champion, when he defeated Harry Greb in 1926. Often called the Georgia Deacon, Flower’s has a stellar career. He died at the young age of 33.

23. Freddie Steele
Steele was middleweight champion of the world from 1936 to 1938. Nicknamed the Tacoma Assassin he drew large crowds to his fights and only lost twice in his first Ten years as a professional.

24. Bob Fitzsimmons
With a variety of nicknames including Ruby, The Freckled Wonder and Cornishman, Bob Fitzsimmons was the first professional boxer to become world champion in three weight divisions. His legendary career spanned from 1883 fighting in Australia to his last fight in 1914 staged in Pennsylvania.

25. Joey Giardello
Carmine Orlando Tilelli was world middleweight champion from 1963 to 1965. Over his professional career, he fought 134 fights and won 101 of them with only 25 losses and 7 draws.

26. Sergio Martinez
This Argentinian boxer had a terrific 17 year career. Maravilla or Marvel was Light Middleweight champion from 2009 to 2010 and lineal middleweight world champion from 2010 to 2014. Marvel defended the middleweight titles successfully six times and reigned Champion for 50 months. In his first 47 fights, he only lost to Antonio Margarito. Maravilla finished with a great professional record of 51-3-2

27. Tony Zale
Nicknamed the Man of Steel, Zale won the world middleweight title multiple times. A ferocious body puncher, and very aggressive fighter, Zale would keep working till he wore his opponent down. Zane’s professional record was 67-18-2.

28. Carmen Basilio
Basilio nicknamed The Upstate Onion Farmer was welterweight and middleweight champion. Basilio, famous for his iron chin was a come forward aggressive fighter, he would keep working with vicious punches to the head and body and fatigue his opponents. He was voted fighter of the year in 1955 and 1957.

29. Jake Lamotta

30. James Toney

Honorable Mentions: Great Jr. Middleweights:

Erislandy Lara – This Cuban-American professional boxer was Light Middleweight Champion from 2014-2018. With his great defensive skills and pin point punching accuracy, The American Dream dominated the light middleweight division for many years. His current record is 25-3-2. At 35 years old, it’s getting difficult for him to compete with the younger faster fighters. In his prime he was basically unbeatable.

Vernon Forrest – “The Viper” competed as a professional from 1992 to 2008. Over his illustrious 16 year career he was lineal welterweight champion and WBC Light Middleweight Champion twice. Forrest was voted fighter of the year in 2002. After winning his first 36 bouts and beating the great Sugar Shane Mosley twice, he lost to heavy hitting Ricardo Mayorga in a 3 round TKO. Mayorga was the only puzzle The Viper couldn’t figure out, but he sure tried and never backed down from a challenge. To this day Vernon Forrest is one of the most underrated boxers to grace the ring.