Top 15 All-Time Greatest Heavyweight Boxers (Style Breakdown)

There are many different ways to define who is the greatest boxer. In this article, I took into account not only the number of wins of the boxers or the titles they won but also their unique styles and what they bring to the table.

Also, this is a ranking of the greatest boxers and not of the best ones. That’s important because sometimes the greatest boxer doesn’t necessarily need to be able to beat everybody else.

For example, Muhammad Ali is a much greater boxer than Anthony Joshua, because of his competition and the things he accomplished but I don’t think that he is able to beat Joshua if they fought in their primes. Because Joshua is much bigger and he is generations ahead of Ali. And as we know, the sport never stops to evolves so Joshua has an unfair advantage over Ali.

So, after we made that clear, it’s time to dive into the rankings:

15. Jack Dempsey

Competed: 1914 – 1927

Record: 54 wins (44 KOs) / 6 Losses

Style: Slugger (brawler)

Jack Dempsey was a heavyweight champion for 7 years (from 1919 to 1926). He was also competing in the light heavyweight division although never got the belt there. I think he is one of the greatest boxers not only because of the fact he was a champion or because of his title defenses but also because of his unique style.

With a technique called by him “The Dempsey’s drop step”, he was able to generate huge power in his punches no matter how close or how far away from his opponents he was. The technique was simple – he leaned all his weight on his front foot before throwing the punch. Then he was quickly lifting it up while releasing the blow. It’s very similar to what Roy Jones Jr. does to land his powerful lead hooks.

That way he built huge momentum in his punch and dramatically increased its power.

Dempsey was also developed great head movement, footwork and he was able to fight in both stances. And those are things you can’t see very often back then.

Signature technique: Exit the clinch with an explosive lead hook

As I already mentioned, with the drop step, Dempsey was able to hit really hard, regardless of the distance – he did that from a long-range but also in the clinch. That way he knocked some of his opponents out, with a quick lead hook, right after exiting the clinch. They weren’t expecting him to generate such power from such short-range, which caught them unprepared.

Famous fight: Jack Dempsey vs Jess Willard

14. Jack Johnson

Competed: 1894 – 1945

Record: 74 wins (40 KOs) / 13 Losses

Style: Out-boxer

Jack Johnson won the heavyweight belt in 1908 and become the first African American heavyweight boxing champion. But that’s not the reason why he is on that list. I think he is one of the greatest because of how better he was than his competition.

He was much bigger, stronger and athletic than most of his opponents. You can see in some of his fights how he rag dolls the other boxers and even picking them up after dropping them. Most of the times Johnson kept a distance from his opponents and fought from the outside but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t able to out grapple them in the clinches. He was a very patient fighter who wasn’t always taking the risk to finish his opponents off. That’s why many of his wins are on points (which wasn’t highly appreciated by the fans, who want to see knockouts).

Signature technique: Uppercuts in the clinch

Jack Johnson usually prevented his opponents from entering into a clinch by resting his hands on their shoulder and pushing them back. And if the other boxer continued to move forward, Johnson punished him by throwing quick but powerful uppercut (or sometimes hook) to the chin from the inside.

Famous fight: Jack Johnson vs Frank Moran

13. Archie Moore

Competed: 1935 – 1963

Record: 186 wins (131 KOs) / 23 Losses

Style: Boxer-puncher

Archie Moore deserves to be in this list, not only because of the fact that he held the heavyweight title for 10 years but also because of his unique style.

In my opinion, Moore was a “boxer-puncher” (someone who is good everywhere – inside, outside, can fight in any stance, etc) because he was fighting effective no matter if it was in the clinch or from a long distance where he was circling around his opponents and jabbing them – Muhammad Ali style.

He was also fighting comfortably in both boxing stances – orthodox and southpaw and was switching between them to get a superior angle during the fight. That’s very similar to what Mike Tyson did when he was close to his opponents.

At a long distance, Archie Moore was using the basic boxing guard and stood in an almost sideways stance. That allowed him to jab his opponents from a distance without putting himself in danger. But when the other boxers came close to him, he transitioned to a crossguard so he can defend both – his body and his head effectively.

Signature technique: Bait a cross -> Counter with a check lead hook

Sometimes Archie was using the crossguard to bait his opponents. He was doing that by keeping his lead hand low, making himself vulnerable for crosses. Then he just waited for his opponents to take the bait, so he can counter them with a short lead hook to the head. This technique is risky and requires good speed.

Famous fight: Archie Moore vs Yvon Durelle I

12. Larry Holmes

Competed: 1973 – 2002

Record: 69 wins (44 KOs) / 6 Losses

Style: Out-boxer

Holmes’ style was similar to the style of Muhammad Ali (a classical out-boxer). Both fighters liked to jab their opponent while circling to their left. But of course, there are some differences between both fighters. For example, Ali has better footwork and used it much more than Holmes, who liked to pressure his opponents more.

But “The Easton Assassin” (Larry’s nickname) was faster and more explosive. And he had more power than Ali, especially with his jab. He had one of the best jabs in boxing history. It was fast and precise but also very powerful. And it was one of his main weapons.

In 1980, Holmes beat Ali in the 10th round by corner stoppage. That definitely wasn’t the prime Ali but still, there aren’t many people who can say that they have a win over such a boxer.

Signature technique: Triple jab

Holmes threw that combo usually while he was circling around his opponents. And they probably didn’t expect to get three of those hard jabs to the head in a row. That’s why it was hard for them to defend them.

Famous fight: Larry Holmes vs Ken Norton

11. Vitali Klitschko

Competed: 1996 – 2005

Record:  45 wins (41 KOs) / 2 Losses

Style: Slugger (Brawler)

Unlike his brother (Wladimir), who was an out-boxer, Vitali was a brawler. He was a pressuring fighter who wasn’t afraid to exchange. Of course, there are some similarities in the styles of the two brothers. For example, they both had knockout power and they both used their size and strength to control their opponents in the clinch.

Because of his style, Wladimir took much less damage during his career than Vitali. However, Vitali’s style was much more entertaining to watch and he was much more appreciated by the fans. But Wladimir beat better boxers and has much more title defenses and that’s why is ranked higher in this list.

Signature technique: Left hook -> Right Cross

For this combo Vitaly used his left hook, not to hurt his opponents but just to push their head to his right, where he can catch them with his devastating right cross. That’s a really effective combination, especially when fighting against someone fast and slick, who like to move his head a lot.

Famous fight: Vitali Klitschko vs Corrie Sanders

10. Mike Tyson

Competed: 1985 – 2005

Record: 50 wins (44 KOs) / 6 loses

Style: Aggressive counter-puncher

Mike Tyson started every fight by putting pressure on his opponents. With his Peek-a-Boo guard and his quick head movement, it was really hard for his opponents to catch him. He was also small for the weight class (5’10 tall), compared to the other heavyweights at that time, which was actually an advantage. That’s because he was much faster than them, and was also punching upwards which allowed him to generate more power in his blows. Tyson was a combination puncher who liked head-body-head combos and has a knockout power in both his hands.

Signature technique: Right uppercut to the body -> Right uppercut to the face

Tyson usually used that combination when his opponents were covered up and were pressed against the ropes. In such situations, he switched his stance into a southpaw and threw a lead uppercut with his right hand to the body, followed by another one to the head.

The combination is very tricky because by attacking the body first, he made his rivals lower their guards so they can block the body shots. But by doing that they often left their head open, which was a perfect opportunity for “Iron” Myke to land the knockout blow.

Famous fight: Tyson vs Frank Bruno

9. Wladimir Klitschko

Competed: 1996 – 2017

Record: 64 wins (53 KOs) / 5 Losses

Style: Out-boxer

With his 25 title defenses, Klitschko has one of the longest title reigns in the heavyweight division. He is an out-boxer (someone who maintain a distance from their opponent and throws fast and long punches) but unlike the most out-boxers, he has knockout power in both his hands. He was much bigger and longer than most of his opponents (which is normal when you’re 6′ 6″ tall with 81 in reach) and he used this advantage very efficiently.

His strategy basically was to jab his opponents from a distance where they can’t reach him and occasionally land some powerful straight rights. And as the other boxers tried to close the distance,  Wladimir got into a clinch or headlocked them (which is much easier when fighting with shorter boxers).

Many fans think his style was boring, calling it “jab and grab”. Maybe that’s not the most exciting boxing style but it’s definitely really effective when it comes to winning, without taking much damage.

Signature technique: Lazy Jab -> Powerful cross to the head

After he throws a jab, Klitschko often stuck his hand in his opponent’s face, blocking their vision with his glove. That allowed him to throw a powerful right cross without his opponents see it by moving his left glove off their eyes a split of the second before the cross lands. That way his opponents didn’t see the punch at all. And the shots you don’t see hurt the most. Using this technique Klitschko made many of his KO’s.

Famous fight:  Wladimir Klitschko vs. Calvin Brock

8. Sonny Liston

Competed: 1953 – 1970

Record: ‎50 wins (39 KOs) / 4 Losses

Style: Slugger (Brawler)

Sonny Liston a brawler. That’s a boxer who likes to exchange. Brawlers are willing to take a punch so they can land one. They usually, stay at a mid-range, in position dangerous for both – for them and for their opponents. Brawlers aren’t the most technical boxers, that’s why they rely mostly on their power and their chin. They plant their feet so they can generate as much power as they possibly can. That’s why they don’t have complex footwork and they aren’t light on their feet like, for example, the out-boxers.

Liston wasn’t the tallest or the biggest boxer. He was 6’1 tall, but his reach was really impressive (84 in). And not only that but also his hands were huge. His fists were 14 inches around, which are the largest fists measured in the heavyweight boxing division. Maybe that was the reason why he has such a knockout power. He was able to knock everyone out with every type of punch, even with a simple jab.

Obviously, Liston has, by far, the longest reach in the heavyweight class back then. And he was able to use it really effectively. He developed one of the hardest jabs in boxing history. His jab wasn’t the usual fast and snappy jab that most of the boxers are using. It was a powerful, stiff jab and Liston put all his weight behind it to make it even harder, trying to knock his opponents out.

Like most of the brawlers, Liston wasn’t the fastest boxer which caused him problems against quick out-boxers, as you can see in his fight with Ali. But no style is perfect and every boxer has his weaknesses.

Signature technique: Jab -> Cross

Liston’s Jab-Cross wasn’t the normal 1-2 (jab-cross) combination with light but quick jab and powerful right hand. It was full power with every punch. That’s how he knocked many of his opponents out – the hard jab stunned them and the cross got the job done.

Famous fight: Liston vs. Patterson II

7. Lennox Lewis

Competed: 1989 – 2003

Record: 41 wins (32 KOs) / 2 Losses

Style:  Slugger (brawler) / Out-boxer

Many people think that Lennox Lewis was a boxer-puncher, but I think he was a combination between an out-boxer and a brawler. That’s because he has knockout power, especially with his right hand, but he wasn’t effective at all when he needed to fight at a close range.

You can see that in his fights with Mike Tyson and his fight with Evander Holyfield where he was just pushing them back or pushing their heads down every time they closed the gap. Which actually was a really effective strategy – he beat both those guys. Besides this strategy, his size advantage was also a huge factor in those two fights (Lewis is 6’5 tall with 84” reach).

Lennox was most dangerous at a long distance where he can throw his right cross or uppercut with devastating power. Most of the knockout blows came from his right hand. He was using his left hand, mainly to throw some fast but light jabs, to keep his opponents away or to measure the distance for his right crosses or uppercuts.

Signature technique: Right cross feint -> Right uppercut

That’s a really cool technique. Lennox was feinting a right cross to make his opponents lower their head to dodge the shot. But then he threw an uppercut making his opponents fall right into the punch. And that automatically sets up the cross, because next time he could feint an uppercut and throw a straight right hand instead.

Famous fight: Lewis vs Tyson

6. Joe Frazier

Competed: 1965 – 1981

Record: 37 wins (27 KOs) / 4 Losses

Style: Infighter (swarmer)

Frazier competed during the golden age of heavyweight boxing. He was a pressuring fighter who was really explosive (especially with his left hook). The strategy of “Smokin’ Joe” was simple – to make his opponents step back using his constant pressure, feints, body shots and wrestling techniques (such as pushing the other boxer’s chest with his head).

His main weapon was his left hook. 

Frazier was able to knock everyone out with it. Even one punch was enough as long as it connects clean. Many boxers thought that this makes him predictable and easy to deal with. Because all the danger comes from his left hand, so if his opponents are aware of that, they can easily defend his most dangerous weapon and beat Frazier pretty handily. But that was way easier to be said than done.

In a real fight with Smokin’ Joe, it was really hard to see the punch coming, because of the way he moved. He was constantly changing levels, bobbing and weaving, feinting and throwing body shots. Sometimes he feinted a punch to the head but then went to the body. The next time he changed levels like he is going to throw a body shot, but then he sprang up with a hook to the head. In other situations, he even used his left hook as a counter for right uppercuts or straights.

That’s why it was really hard to predict when Frazier was going to throw the left hook. Smokin’ Joe did most of his knockouts, with that punch, while he was walking his opponents down.

His defense was just as impressive as his offensive skills. The style he developed required good head movement and timing. Because if you want to walk somebody down, you’re probably going to get some punches in the face, so you need to know how to deal with them. And Joe knew exactly how to do that – he was able to time almost every punch and to dodge it or block it. He was parrying the jabs with his right glove, ducking under the hooks and right straights and usually countering with a left hook to the head or to the body.

Signature technique: Bob and weave->Left hook to the head

Frazier loved this technique – changing the levels to make his opponent’s think he’s going to the body and the landing a clean left hook to the head. That way he dropped Muhammad Ali in their first fight.

Famous fight: Ali vs Frazier I

5. Rocky Marciano

Competed: 1947 – 1955

Record: 49 wins (43 KOs) / 0 Losses

Style: Infighter (swarmer)

Marciano was a classical infighter. He was always moving forward, fighting in a close distance, pushing and bullying his opponents. With his “never back style”, granite chin and knockout power, he was a really exciting fighter to watch. “The Rock from Brockton” (his nickname) was one of the first boxers who developed this style of boxing.

Actually, considering his height and reach disadvantage compared to his opponents (he was 5 ft 10 ¹⁄₂  tall, and has the shortest reach in the heavyweight history – only 68”), that was the best style for him. He would have no chance if he fought from a distance against someone with a longer reach. So Marciano was always trying to close the gap and start an infight. That way he was nullifying the reach and height advantages of his opponents.

The reason why he is one of the greatest boxers is that he has wins over boxers fighting in all styles – out-boxers, brawlers, other infighters.

Signature technique: Slip the jab (outside) -> Right overhand

Usually, it’s easier to counter the jab by slipping it inside (moving your head to your left) but Marciano was leaning to his right most of the time while he was fighting, so it was much natural for him to move his head to his right and slip the jab outside. Then he threw a wide, almost straight elbowed right overhand over the top. The technique of that punch wasn’t perfect at all, (every boxing coach will be shocked if he sees it), but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t effective. And at the end of the day, the effectiveness of the technique is much more important than its appearance.

Famous fight: Marciano vs Joe Louis

4. Joe Louis

Competed: 1934 – 1951

Record: 66 wins (52 KOs) / 3 loses

Style: Infighter (swarmer) / Aggressive counterpuncher

Joe Louis “The brown bomber”, was a mix of several boxing styles. He was an aggressive counterpuncher (someone who pressures his opponents, to make them throw punches, so he can counter), but he was also skilled infighter – a boxer who likes to fight at a very close distance. And he had a real power in his punches no matter what he was throwing.

Signature technique: Right overhand

His right overhand was a really had punch, because Luis was able to transfer the power from his feet, through the body, to the fist very efficiently with a crisp technique. But such punches are very easy to be seen because they require building huge momentum. That’s why Joe was usually setting his overhand up with a jab to the head.

Famous fight: Louis vs Schmeling II

3. Evander Holyfield

Competed: 1984 – 2011

Record: 57 wins (29 KOs) / 10 Losses

Style: Boxer-puncher

Holyfield was a boxer-puncher. He was good everywhere, no matter if he was fighting from the inside, or from a long distance.

He was also a very intelligent boxer, who was able to adjust his style according to the different opponents. For example, in the fight with Myke Tyson, he fought from a close distance, because he knew that Myke is very good at slipping jabs and long punches. So in order to beat such fighter, Holyfield had to fight from the inside.

During the whole fight, he stood his ground and waited for Myke to attack first so he can counter him. Holyfield’s great defensive skills and toughness allowed him to withstand Tyson’s punches and eventually to knock him out in the 11th round (in their first fight). Evander also won their second fight after Tyson was disqualified after he bit Evander’s ear several times but it was clear that Mike did that out of desperation.

Holyfield was a completely different fighter in his fight against George Foreman. He knew that Foreman was bigger and stronger than him and also that he deals pretty handily with infighters (as you can see in his fight with Joe Frazier). Foreman was also very tough and has a great punching power which makes it really hard to exchange with him.

So for Holyfield, the only way to beat such a monster was to fight from the outside and to outpoint him. And that was exactly what he did. He was light on his feet, moving around George a lot, and using sharp body-head combinations. That shows how adaptive and smart fighter Holyfield was in his prime which is the reason why he is one of the greatest ever.

Signature technique: Jab->Left hook to the body->Left hook to the head

One of the favorite Holyfield’s combinations started with a quick jab to the head, then he lowered his body and head while making a step forward and throwing a lead a hook to the body. After that, he finished the combo with a powerful lead hook to the head. The idea is to distract your opponent’s attention with the jab. That allows you to mask your step and land the body shot. Which makes your opponent lower his guard to protect his body and you can land a hard hook to the head. Simple yet effective.

Famous fight: Holyfield vs Tyson I

2. George Foreman

Competed: 1969 – 1977

Record: ‎81 wins (68 KOs) / 5 Losses

Style: Slugger (Brawler)

George Foreman was a classical slugger (or brawler). With his, size, his punching power, and his chin, Foreman wasn’t afraid to trade punch for punch no matter what type of opponent he was facing. His 68 knockouts speak for themselves. He wasn’t the fastest boxer with the greatest footwork – his feet were planted most of the time, so he can punch as hard as he possibly can.

He was usually much bigger and stronger than his opponents and he easily controlled them in the ring. So he was a thought matchup for everyone. When he was fighting with infighters, he just pushed them away as they tried to close the distance. You can see that in his fight against Joe Frazier.

And if his opponent was a fast out-boxer, who liked to move a lot, Foreman usually pressured him against the ropes where he nullified his opponent’s speed advantage was nullified. He also liked to put his gloves on his opponent’s gloves to trap their hands. That way he stopped the punches even before they were thrown. That’s an old-school boxing technique which Foreman effectively applied during the golden age of boxing.

Another interesting fact about him is that he made an unexpected return after 10 years away from the right to become the oldest man who won the heavyweight title. Definitely, George Foreman is one of the most intimidating and exciting boxers to watch.

Signature technique: Multiple hooks to the body

Foreman used his tremendous punching power so destroy his opponent’s body and to knock the wind out of them. Usually, he did this when his opponents were pressed against the ropes.

Famous fight: Foreman vs Frazier I

1. Muhammad Ali

Competed: 1960 – 1981

Record: 56 wins (37 KOs) / 5 loses

Style: Out-boxer

Ali was definitely the most famous but also the most successful out-boxer. But he was also the greatest boxers who ever lived, There are several reasons why:

• He beat all styles – Brawlers (boxers such as Sonny Liston and George Foreman), Infighters (Joe Frazier) and other out-boxers (Alonzo Johnson and many others).

• He was an innovator – Ali used techniques which were very unorthodox back then. Many coaches told him that he is doing it wrong. An example of such a technique is his cross-step. Most coaches teach that you should never cross your feet. If you want to move to your left, move your left foot first and vice versa.

But Muhammad did the complete opposite – he crossed his feet by moving his right foot behind his left one while moving to his left. But that allowed him to cover much more distance and surprise his opponents (nobody was probably expecting a pro boxer to move that way). He also kept his hands low and his chin up, which are common mistakes according to many coaches. But that way Ali was much more mobile and was able to see the punches better and to slip them.

• He showed his toughness – Muhammad Ali has real wars during his career. The 3 fights with Joe Frazier and the fight with George Foreman were the most brutal ones. But Ali showed his heart, by not only surviving but also winning those fights.

His style relied mostly on footwork, speed and timing. He was usually circling to his left while jabbing his opponents. That way it was really hard for them to catch him. And every time they tried, he used that opportunity to land a right cross over their punch.

Of course, he has a great strategy for every different opponent. For example against Sonny Liston, he was moving a lot, making him miss and countering him. And against George Foreman, he was staying at the ropes blocking all punches for several rounds, gassing Foreman out so he can finish him later.

Ali didn’t have the power of boxers such as Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Sonny Liston, but he was really skilled and was definitely very smart fighter with high fight IQ.

Signature technique: Right cross counter over the jab

Ali used this counter while he was circling to his left and jabbing his opponent. He was very precise with this counter. As the other boxer threw a jab, Ali slightly moved his head, just enough to avoid being hit and then quickly returned a right cross over the top.

Famous fight: Sonny Liston vs Cassius Clay