Julio Cesar Chavez
Mike Tyson
Stat by stat
Bars are scaled to the leader in this list.
The verdict
Julio Cesar Chavez leads 2 of 2 categories. Our all-time ranking places Julio Cesar Chavez at #9 and Mike Tyson at #11.
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The case for Julio Cesar Chavez
The greatest Mexican fighter and one of the finest body punchers who ever lived, Chavez was unbeaten in his first 90 professional fights, a run of 89-0-1 spanning 1980 to 1994 that is among the longest in boxing history. He finished roughly 107-6-2 with 86 knockouts and won world titles in three divisions, super featherweight, lightweight and light welterweight. He holds the record for most world title fights, 37, and title-fight wins, 31. His signature nights include the last-second, near-miraculous 12th-round stoppage of Meldrick Taylor in 1990 with the fight slipping away, and a title defense before roughly 132,000 fans at Estadio Azteca in 1993, a record boxing crowd. His method, methodical pressure, a granite chin, and merciless work to the liver and ribs that broke opponents down over rounds, made him a national hero in Mexico and a fixture at the top of pound-for-pound lists through his prime.
The case for Mike Tyson
At his peak the most terrifying force boxing has seen, Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion in history at 20 years and 4 months, winning the WBC title in 1986 and unifying all three belts to reign as undisputed champion by 1987. Trained in Cus D'Amato's peek-a-boo style, he fused a shorter man's crouch and head movement with explosive one-punch power in both hands, blitzing the division and demolishing Michael Spinks in 91 seconds in 1988. His record finished 50-6 with 44 knockouts. The shocking 1990 upset by Buster Douglas, a prison term, and the 1997 disqualification for biting Evander Holyfield fractured what might have been an all-time-great career into a merely great and unforgettable one. But at his best, roughly 1986 to 1989, few heavyweights in history project the aura of inevitability Tyson did, and none matched his blend of speed, power and intimidation.