Sugar Ray Robinson
Julio Cesar Chavez
Stat by stat
Bars are scaled to the leader in this list.
The verdict
Sugar Ray Robinson leads 2 of 2 categories. Our all-time ranking places Sugar Ray Robinson at #1 and Julio Cesar Chavez at #9.
The case for Sugar Ray Robinson
Robinson is the fighter the phrase pound-for-pound was invented to describe, and The Ring's choice as the greatest of all time. He compiled a record of roughly 173-19-6 with 108 knockouts across 200 professional bouts and 25 years, and for a stretch was untouchable: he won his first 40 fights and was unbeaten for 91 consecutive bouts between 1943 and 1951. He held the welterweight crown, then won the middleweight title five separate times, the last at 37, beating Hall of Famers like Jake LaMotta, whom he defeated five times in six meetings, Kid Gavilan, Carmen Basilio and Gene Fullmer. His blend of one-punch power in either hand, hand speed, footwork and finishing instinct set the template every all-around great is measured against. Even in decline he was dangerous, and his combination of volume, dominance and artistry over a quarter century has never been matched.
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.