The heaviest athletes compete in boxing. Famous boxers

Louis Joe

Biography of boxer Louis Joe

In the Ring magazine List, this athlete is number 1 among boxers of all time.
Joseph Louis Barrow better known as Joe Louis, was born on May 13, 1914 near the village of Lafayette, Alabama, into a large black family. However, Joseph’s father, Munro Barrow, had white ancestry, and his mother was half-Indian, so later, during the period of Joe’s fame, the press defined his skin color as “coffee with double cream.”

Klitschko Vitaliy

Biography of boxer Vitaliy Klitschko

Vitaly "Dr." Klitschko born on July 19, 1971 in the village of Belovodsk (Kyrgyzstan) in a military family.

Together with his parents and brother, Vitaly traveled throughout most of the Soviet Union. In 1985, the family moved to Ukraine. Since childhood, Vitaly and his brother were fond of various types of martial arts, but unlike his brother, Vitaly at first gravitated more toward kickboxing and achieved good results in this sport. He became a six-time world champion in kickboxing (four times among professionals and two times among amateurs), as well as a three-time champion of Ukraine in boxing, champion of the 1st World Military Games in the heavyweight category (Italy, 1995), and silver medalist of the world championship.

2016-01-30T20:31:40+03:00

10 best Russian boxers

Such serious people have gathered here that even Alexander Povetkin is not in first place. Would you like to explain why and tell us how many friends the last-ranked Dmitry Mikhailenko has?

10. Dmitry Mikhailenko

20 wins, 0 losses; 66.6 kg; 29 years.

Where did he come from: Slavyansk-on-Kuban, Krasnodar region.

2015: Felipe De La Paz Teniente – victory (refusal to continue the fight), Johan Perez – victory by TKO

The coolest in its weight:

Short: Mikhailenko trains by the sea - either in Gelendzhik or somewhere in the USA: Oxnard, Atlantic City. It is led by manager Egis Klimas, the man with the best eyesight and nerves in professional boxing. So that you understand why we are talking about Klimas like this: he once invested a quarter of a million dollars of personal money in Sergei Kovalev, so that now Kovalev owned three championship belts and from Cardiff to Montreal he collected the jaws of his opponents with his fists.

9 . David Avanesyan

21 victories; 1 defeat; 66.6 kg; 27 years.

Where did he come from: With. Tabynskoye, Bashkortostan

2015: Dean Byrne – victory by TKO, Charlie Navarro – victory by TKO

The coolest in his weight: Manny Pacquiao, Kell Brook, Kate Thurman

Short: Avanesyan is in ninth place in the ranking, but he may well not feel the hardness of the soil while in this place. A week ago, for example, Denis Shafikov was somewhere near the TOP 5, lost and went to 12th place. David has so far spent most of his fights in the south of Russia, leaving it only for the last three fights: Great Britain and Poland. On the other hand, it was there that he managed to finish fights ahead of schedule (the last two), but the first trip to Britain was not easy. The boxer spent all 10 rounds dealing with a man whose statistics were 22-16 then and 28-23 right now.

8. Fedor Chudinov

14 wins, 0 losses; 76.2 kg; 28 years.

Where did he come from: Bratsk

2015: Felix Sturm - win by split decision, Frank Buglioni - win by unanimous decision

The coolest in his weight: Manny Pacquiao, Kell Brook, Kate Thurman

Short: You may not like the “Night Wolves” that accompany Fedor and add a motorcycle rally dedicated to the anniversary of the Great Victory to his fight in Germany. You may not like the promoter Vladimir Khryunov, who leads Fedor. But this does not allow us to deny two things. Fedor went to Frankfurt and beat a local boxer there, being an underdog with the bookmakers. And then he came to England and defended the title. Fedor Chudinov as such is just a normal guy. “If I was provoked like Vladimir Klitschko’s Briggs, I wouldn’t call the lawyers. We would put on gloves and fight like two men in the hall.” Lives in Serpukhov, dances - apparently, he will listen to advice from Roy Jones.

7. Ruslan Provodnikov

25 wins, 4 losses; 63.5 kg; 31 year.

Where did he come from: With. Berzovo, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug

2015: Lucas Matthysse – defeat by majority decision, Jesus Rodriguez – victory by TKO

The coolest in his weight:

Short: The most beloved (this is a little different compared to “popular”) boxer in Russia continues to box with himself and fight with his rivals. Provodnikov has three twin years under his belt: defeat in the first half, victory in the second. Only if in 2013 the defeat from Bradley was a victory in content, and the next fight brought the title taken from Alvarado, then later the defeats became less obligatory, and the victories not so memorable. In 2015, Ruslan lost a very important fight with Matthysse and forced his manager to talk about the need to change. Provodnikov began working with a new coach, but, having defeated Jesus Rodriguez in Monaco, he did not answer what this led to.

6. Artur Beterbiev

9 wins, 0 losses; 79.3 kg; 30 years.

Where did he come from: Khasavyurt

2015: Gabriel Campillo – victory by KO, Alexander Johnson – victory by TKO

The coolest in his weight:

Short: The verbal spat with Kovalev this year was more memorable than the fights with Campillo and Johnson. Arthur, either himself or at the suggestion of his managers, reminded Sergei how he defeated him in the amateurs, and Sergei recalled how Beretbiev’s “head flew off to his ass” in sparring.

After that, everything was even stranger: Arthur, who offered the fight to Kovalev, suddenly refused the fight himself. True, it was not he who said, but the manager: “Arthur needs one more fight before facing Kovalev.”

5. Eduard Troyanovsky

23 wins, 0 losses; 63.5 kg; 35 years.

Where did he come from: Omsk

2015: Hayk Shahnazaryan - victory by KO, Ronald Pontillas - victory by KO, Cesar Cuenca - victory by TKO

The coolest in his weight: Terence Crawford, Viktor Postol, Adrien Browner

Short: In terms of modesty/level ratio, he could be in first place. He is smiling, sociable, and just because of his weight category, it is difficult to guess the man who has never lost in 23 professional boxing fights and is in fourth place in the world rankings. In front is Broner, behind is Provodnikov. Bringing the first one to Russia could be the main goal for Andrey Ryabinsky for 2016.

4. Denis Lebedev

20 wins, 2 losses; up to 90.7 kg; 36 years.

Where did he come from: Stary Oskol

2015: Youri Kalenga – victory by unanimous decision, Lateef Kayode – victory by TKO

The coolest in his weight:

Short: Somehow no one noticed that Denis spent perhaps the best year of his sports career. Two title defenses, one of which was at that very boxing evening in Kazan, where the Russians confidently fell, and the guests destroyed the jaws and statuses of the losers in advance. Denis has shown that he is capable of learning, capable of becoming more mobile and capable of growing. If in the fight with Kalenga he improved his footwork and thinking, then by the second fight of the year he managed to add to this the blow that was always with him.

3. Grigory Drozd

40 wins, 1 loss; up to 90.7 kg; 36 years.

Where did he come from: Prokopyevsk

2015: Lukasz Janik – victory by TKO

The coolest in his weight: Grigory Drozd, Denis Lebedev, Krzysztof Glowacki

Short: Grigory’s career is now taking a turn, similar in trajectory to a question mark. Firstly, he is at a level that 99% of boxers will not reach, and you need to understand that it is not always easy to motivate yourself when the main goal is achieved. Secondly, Drozd is one of those boxers to whom boxing gave not only the opportunity to realize themselves in life, but also the opportunity to develop somewhere else. He holds Muay Thai tournaments, commentates on fights, and is involved in social activities. At 36 years old, this may turn out to be more trivial than two workouts a day for three months. Grigory has a fight announced for the spring, and the answer will be there.

2. Alexander Povetkin

30 wins, 1 loss; over 90.7 kg; 36 years.

Where did he come from: Kursk

2015: Mike Perez – victory by TKO, Mariusz Wach – victory by TKO

The coolest in his weight: Tyson Fury, Wladimir Klitschko, Alexander Povetkin

Short: The hero of his time unexpectedly received support from the UK: Tyson Fury, who gave Vladimir Klitschko a beating, slightly confused the situation in the heavyweight division. As everything looks now, Povetkin needs a belt for status. There are four in total: Fury has two, who will give Klitschko revenge. One is from the American Wilder, who will ask for a lot of money for the fight and, most likely, will lose to Alexander. There is another belt - Fury flushed it down the toilet after the organization said it was taking it from the Briton. Wilder, who will have to wait for a rematch between Fury and Klitschko, may agree to a fight in Moscow with Povetkin.

1. Sergey Kovalev

28 wins, 1 draw; 79.3 kg; 32 years.

Where did he come from: Kopeysk, Chelyabinsk region

2015: Jean Pascal - victory by TKO, Najib Mohammedi - victory by KO

The coolest in his weight: Sergey Kovalev, Adonis Stevenson, Andre Ward

Short: The boxer the planet was waiting for was born in Kopeisk and we should be happy about this. After Klitschko’s defeat and Tyson Fury’s conflict with the IBF, he is the only one in the world with three championship belts and the only Russian in the top ten boxers on the planet, regardless of weight. He somehow coexists with the cry “AUE, Chelyaba”, and the English language in which he gives interviews in America, and his house in the USA, and the Russian flag on his shoulders. And also the ability to hit hard and tell an interesting story. A self-made man who has butchered almost three dozen opponents, Kovalev has never been number one in the Russian national team in the amateurs and is now making up for lost time.

What was it like a year ago*: 10. Evgeny Gradovich, 9. Khabib Allahverdiev, 8. Rakhim Chakhkiev, 7. Ruslan Provodnikov, 6. Denis Lebedev, 5. Denis Shafikov, 4. Matvey Korobov, 3. Grigory Drozd, 2. Alexander Povetkin, 1. Sergey Kovalev .

Text: Vadim Tikhomirov

Photo: vk.com/mechanic_111; vk.com/id228378619

The world has seen many amazing fights, but only the best boxers have contributed to the history and development of this bloody sport. I suggest you familiarize yourself with the list of the 15 greatest boxers of all time.

1. Muhammad Ali
One of the most famous and recognizable boxers in the history of world boxing. Champion of the XVII Summer Olympic Games in 1960 in the light heavyweight category, absolute world champion in heavyweight.

2. Sugar Ray Robinson
World champion in welterweight and middleweight categories. The best boxer of all time, regardless of weight category, according to Ring magazine.

3. Rocky Marciano
The only heavyweight boxer with a title who has never been defeated in the professional ring in 49 fights.

5. Floyd Mayweather
Undefeated American professional boxer, winning 47 fights.

6. Manny Pacquiao
Filipino professional boxer. The first and, at the moment, only boxer to become world champion in eight weight categories.

7. George Foreman
According to the World Boxing Council, George Foreman is the most devastating heavyweight of all time. Olympic champion 1968. World heavyweight champion.

8. Sugar Ray Leonard
American professional boxer who competed in the welterweight, 1st middle, middle, 2nd middle and light heavyweight categories. World champion in welterweight, 1st middle, middle, 2nd middle and light heavyweight categories.

9. Arturo Gatti
Canadian professional boxer, world champion in the 1st featherweight and 1st welterweight categories.

10. Jack Dempsey
American professional boxer, world heavyweight champion.

11. Roberto Duran
Panamanian professional boxer, world champion in the lightweight, welterweight, 1st middle and middle weight categories. One of the strongest boxers of the 1970s and 1980s. He was recognized as the best lightweight of the twentieth century.

13. Julio Cesar Chavez
Mexican professional boxer, world champion in the 2nd featherweight, lightweight, 1st welterweight categories. One of the strongest boxers at the turn of the 1980s-1990s.

14. Joe Fraser
American professional boxer, world champion in the heavy weight category. Olympic champion 1964.

15. Oscar De La Hoya
American professional boxer, 1992 Olympic champion in the up to 60 kilogram category. World champion in the second featherweight, lightweight, first welterweight, welterweight, first middle and middle weight categories. After retiring from sports, he began his singing career.

There is no doubt that in boxing it is all about personality. Of course, it sometimes happens that the main characters are not in the ring, but in the shadows of the spotlight. Until now, promoters in their offices decide the fate of fights. Nevertheless, there is a series of boxing champions who have gone down in the history of this sport.

These are real personalities who fought legendary fights and achieved their fame in battles with really strong opponents. Today, aspiring boxers look up to these idols, dreaming of winning at least a fraction of their fame.

Joe Fraser. This American was born in 1944 in South Carolina. Boxing came into Joe's life by accident; his first hobby was gymnastics. However, by taking up a new sport for himself, Frazier managed to become one of the best heavyweights in America. For a long time, there was no one in Joe's path who could beat him. Only Buster Mathis managed to do this. That victory gave him the right to go to the Tokyo Olympics in 1964. But a hand injury prevented Mathis, and in the end it was Fraser who represented the USA. He became an Olympic champion, defeating the German Huber in the final.

Since 1965, Fraser has been performing as a professional. His boxing style is quite tough; his signature blow is the left hook. In his first 11 fights, Fraser won, but in September 1966, the unyielding Oscar Bonavena stood in his way. During the round, this Argentine knocked Fraser down twice, but he managed to turn the tide of the fight and win. By the end of 1967, Frazier had an impressive 19 wins from 19 fights.

When Muhammad Ali was stripped of his title, the WBA fell into chaos over the determination of the champion. As a result, a special New York State tournament was held. Frazier was able to knock out his old friend Mathis and take the prestigious title. In 1968-1970, Joe repeatedly defended his status, and in 1970 he became the absolute world champion. When Muhammad Ali's suspension was lifted in the summer of that year, it became unclear who should be considered number one in boxing? By the end of that year, Ali had won several fights and won the right to fight Frazier for the title of absolute champion. That fight caused a lot of excitement. Each boxer was promised $2.5 million for participation.

The 15-round fight took place on March 8, 1971 at Madison Square Garden. In that fight, Joe Frazier managed to inflict the first defeat in his career on Muhammad Ali. This decision was made unanimously by the judges. A year and a half later, Frazier was defeated by George Foreman in Jamaica and his career began to decline. Attempts to regain the championship title were not successful; in 1976, Fraser left boxing. By that time, he had lost to Ali twice and again to Foreman. Frazier tried to return to the ring in 1981, but it ended in failure. In 2011, the legendary boxer died of liver cancer.

Muhammad Ali. The future legendary champion was born in 1942, then his name was Cassius Clay. 16-year-old Ali's career began with a call to famous trainer Angelo Dundee. Young Cassius said that if he was taken under his wing, then he could become an Olympic champion and simply the best boxer in the world. The coach decided to work with the promising young man and was right. He turned out to be a natural boxer.

He had the ideal physique of an athlete, he had a flexible mind and excellent intuition. But that was preceded by hard work. The younger brother threw stones at Cassius, honing his reaction. The then timid teenager began training with police officer Joe Martin. For the sake of his love for sports, the athlete ignored problems with his blood pressure. In 1959, the promising boxer easily qualified for the US Olympic team.

Cassius Clay easily won the 1960 Olympics, competing as a light heavyweight. From 1964 to 1974, Ali was a multiple world heavyweight boxing champion. For 20 years he was the king of the ring. With a height of 192 cm, the boxer weighed about 97 kg, he was very mobile. It is no coincidence that Ali owns the phrase: “I flutter like a butterfly, I sting like a bee.” In total, the legend had 25 title or qualifying fights, which is second only to Joe Louis. In total, Ali suffered 5 defeats in the ring, the first of which was in the championship fight with Joe Frazier in 1971.

One of Muhammad Ali's greatest fights took place on October 30, 1974 in Kinshasa. He was up against current champion George Foreman. Muhammad Ali led the entire fight, and in the 8th round he punched his opponent. The powerful champion collapsed onto the platform. But he was a legendary fighter who managed to beat many strong opponents and achieve the title of champion! One can imagine the strength of Muhammad Ali.

In the early 80s, the great boxer ended his career, losing 3 of his last 4 fights. In total, he had 56 fights in the professional ring, winning 51 of them, 37 by knockout. Unfortunately, at the age of less than 40, the athlete was struck by Parkinson's disease. Throughout his life, the boxer also fought for the rights of blacks and for peace, and protested against the Vietnam War.

Rocky Marciano. This boxer was born in 1923 in Massachusetts into the family of a disabled Italian. From childhood, Rocky grew up to be a brave boy. But to earn a living he had to work from a young age. He cleared the streets of snow, washed dishes, laid pipes, and dug the ground.

The developed teenager was noticed by boxing coach Gene Caggiano. But in 1943, Rocky was drafted into the army. While serving in the navy, he fought for money in pubs while on leave, developing his fist skills. Marciano was agile, sharp and decisive. His blows were accurate and strong. It was like a bulldog who was ready to fight to the last drop of blood.

Both in his personal and everyday life, Rocky Marciano was quite modest. He eschewed luxury, devoting a lot of time to his family. But behind these hid a man with incredible willpower. In total, Rocky had 49 professional fights, without losing even one. The debut took place in 1947.

In 1951, Marciano met the legendary Joe Louis. The aged champion resigned his powers to a young, assertive competitor. In 1952, Marciano was knocked down for the first time in a fight against another champion, Jersey Joe Walcott, but was able to get up and knock out his opponent in the 13th round.

Victories were not easy for Marciano; he often left the ring with a bloodied and disfigured face. But 83% of his fights ended early, by knockout. Rocky was one of the first to practice his punches in the water. Marciano's preparation for the fight was carried out at the highest level of professionalism. The undefeated champion's last fight took place in 1956; his career was ended due to back problems.

And in 1969, Rocky Marciano died tragically in a plane crash. It is believed that it was he who served as the prototype for Rocky Balboa, the protagonist of the Rocky film series that made Sylvester Stallone famous.

George Foreman. This legendary boxer had a long and glorious career, during which he fought 81 fights, losing only 5 of them. The future champion was born in 1949 in Texas. Foreman began boxing at a school for troubled teenagers. At the age of 19, Foreman performed successfully at the Olympics, winning gold there. The road to becoming a professional was open.

In 1969, in just six months of performances, Foreman managed to win 13 victories. He stood tall at 195cm and had strong hands, making him a tough fighter. The rising star meets champion Joe Frazier on January 2, 1973. He was able to hold out for only 4.5 minutes, during which time he was knocked down 7 times. Frazier gave up his title only on October 30, 1974, when he lost to Muhammad Ali.

After that fight, George felt a connection with God. The second call came after his 1977 loss to Jimmy Young. Foreman left sports and became a preacher. He built a church and collected donations. 10 years outside of boxing changed the athlete, but in 1987 he said that he dreams of returning. Foreman was going to become a champion again. After a year of training, the boxer regained his shape. Foreman won 24 fights in a row, all by knockout.

In April 1991, he lost to Evander Holyfield only on points, never becoming the undisputed champion. But soon Foreman received the WBA belt for his victory over Michael Moorer in 1994. The boxer finally left the sport in 1997. Currently, Foreman has returned to his previous activities - he gives sermons and helps the disadvantaged.

Joe Louis. The boxer was born into a poor family in 1914. His father picked cotton in Alabama, but in 1924 the family moved to Detroit. Here the future athlete got a job with his father at the Ford plant. Joe's mother loved him very much and raised money for him to study music. But he took all his savings to the boxing club. What motivated Joe is unclear, because he was not a fighter.

An experienced tall fighter was released against a newcomer to the club. He began to beat Louis, but suddenly Joe sent his offender to the floor with a counter blow. Soon there were no equals to the young boxer in the rather large Detroit. The promising athlete was noticed by coach Jack Blackburn, who promised to pull Louis out of the ghetto and make him a professional. At the age of 22, Joe began his career in the big ring. He literally broke into the elite.

Louis, known as the "Brown Corporal", won his first 27 fights, 24 of them by knockout. The coach selected opponents for him, gradually increasing their level. However, Louis swept both experienced boxers and ex-champions out of the ring. Before the outbreak of World War II, Joe defended his title of absolute champion 25 times. Equal opponents never appeared, and the fees for fights with a decided outcome became less and less. In 1948, Louis decided to retire from the sport.

A year later, the undefeated champion was returned to the ring - a new generation of fighters grew up. Louis lost his first fight to Ezzard Charles, and a brutal defeat from Marciano in 1951 finally put an end to it. At that time, the great boxer's fortune was a fantastic 4.5 million dollars. But Louis quickly squandered that capital. At the end of his life, the former boxer worked as a gatekeeper at a Las Vegas casino. The legendary athlete died in this city in 1981.

Various boxing organizations and polls call Joe Louis the best puncher in history. He fought 27 fights for the championship, holding the title of the strongest boxer in the world for 11 years. Of his 70 fights, Louis won 66.

Mike Tyson. Tyson was born in 1966 in New York. His father had separated from his mother by that time. In the future, Mike took his mother's surname. The family lived in Brooklyn, in a poor neighborhood. The young guy grew up big and tough, but at first his voice was high and lisping. Mike had to fight a lot to teach his offenders a lesson.

Soon everyone in Brownsville knew this unyielding black guy. When he was furious, he could knock down an adult with his blows. Over time, Mike became involved in many dubious stories - thefts, attacks, robberies. To correct the troubled teenager, the authorities sent him to a boys' school on the outskirts of the state.

Here Tyson had a happy meeting with coach Bobby Stewart. He himself was once a professional and managed to teach the young guy the basics of boxing. At that time, Michael was only 13 years old, but he already weighed 90 kg and was very strong. Tyson did chest presses weighing 100 kg. Stuart made an agreement with Mike about training. Tyson quickly realized that he would not be able to obtain an academic degree and began to devote all his time and energy to boxing.

In 1980, Stewart brought his ward to New York to show that manager D'Amato. The coach entered the ring with his ward, and soon it became clear to everyone that Tyson would be the new world champion. Michael entered the professional ring for the first time on March 5, 1985. In total, the boxer fought 15 fights that year, winning all by knockout. Tyson managed to become the youngest world champion, winning this title at the age of 20. At the age of 21, Michael managed to become the youngest absolute world champion. Failures in his personal life inevitably affected the career of “Iron Michael”.

He was arrested for assault and rape, and in 1992, Tyson went to prison. The return to the ring in 1995 was not triumphant. Moreover, in the match against Holyfield, the boxer also managed to cause a scandal by biting off a piece of his opponent’s ear. The champion's last fight took place in 2005, after a defeat from the little-known Kevin McBride, Tyson decided not to disgrace himself and leave the sport. Today Tyson acts in films, he has 3 convictions, 3 marriages and 8 children. The talented boxer quickly climbed to the top of success, but also quickly squandered his gift.

Max Schmelling. This boxer lived a glorious and long life. He was born in 1905 in Germany. Schmeling made his first fight in the professional ring at the age of 19. At the age of 21, he became the German lightweight champion, in 1927 he won the continental championship, and the very next year Max had no equal in his country in the heavyweight division.

In 1930, Schmeling defeated the American Sharkey in New York, winning the world title. The title was soon lost due to a questionable decision by the judges. But in 1936, the German again became champion, defeating the young talent Joe Louis. But the bets on the American’s victory were 10 against 1. At that moment, the Aryan athlete becomes the pride of Nazi propaganda. They call him the ideal German, the white man defeated the black man. Hitler saw the rematch with Lewis in 1938 in New York as an opportunity to prove to the world the superiority of his nation.

70 thousand spectators gathered at the stadium, Max himself was perceived as nothing less than a Nazi, insulting him and throwing garbage at him. Schmeling lost crushingly in the first round; for millions, that victory became a symbol of the defeat of fascism. In Germany they tried not to remember the name of their former favorite. An angry Hitler, having learned that the boxer also supported the Jews, sent his former favorite to the front.

Schmeling managed to survive the meat grinder of World War II. After her, he went into business and even helped his former rival Louis financially. Throughout his life, the boxer was a model of decency and respect for opponents. His compatriots loved Schmelling for his beautiful victories in the ring. In total, Max had 70 fights, of which he won 56, and the boxer died at the age of 99.

Lennox Lewis. The athlete was born in London in 1965. At the age of 12, Lennox and his family moved to Canada. Lewis grew up very athletic as a child, playing football, volleyball, basketball and boxing. He had offers to continue competing for college in gaming disciplines, but Lennox chose amateur boxing.

Already at the age of 17, he managed to become the world champion among juniors. At the age of 18, the young boxer competed at the Olympics in Los Angeles, representing Canada. He lacked experience, and Lewis only reached the quarterfinals. Even then, the promising fighter began to be invited to become a professional. But Lewis himself dreamed of becoming an Olympic champion, which he succeeded in 4 years. In the final, American Riddick Bowie was knocked out in the second round.

Lewis's professional career began in 1989. He becomes the heavyweight champion of England, then wins the European championship. On October 31, 1992 in London, Lewis defeated the dangerous Razor Ruddock in just 2 rounds, and 2 months later the Briton became the WBC world champion. In September 1994, Lennox lost his title, but in early 1997 he managed to regain his title, becoming the first Briton to do so.

Then there were impressive victories over Andrew Golota, Shannon Briggs, Zeiko Mavrovik. In 1999, an interesting fight took place with Evander Holyfield for holding the champion title in three versions at once. The fight was watched by 150 million television viewers. Then a draw was recorded, the re-match brought the title of absolute champion to Lennox Lewis.

Then there were victories over Hasim Rahman, Michael Tyson, Vitali Klitschko. After a dubious victory over the Ukrainian, the Englishman announced the end of his career. In total, Lewis fought 44 fights, winning 41 of them. The boxer entered the elite club of those heavyweight champions who sooner or later beat all their opponents. The Englishman walked away undefeated, holding the championship title.

Sugar Ray Robinson. This American athlete was born in 1921 in the town of Ailey, Georgia, under the name Walker Smith Jr. The boy was the third child in the family; his father had to work hard and a lot. After his parents' divorce, Walker ended up with his mother in New York, in the Harlem area.

School wasn't going well, and the teenager decided to devote all his energy to boxing. The young fighter was once called by his coach as sweet as sugar. This is how the first part of his nickname appeared. And to participate in underground battles, he borrowed the name and card of his friend, Ray Robinson. This is how the young boxer got his nickname, which would soon become famous.

As a featherweight, the athlete won all of his 90 fights, receiving the Golden Gloves award. Since 1940, Sugar Ray Robinson has turned professional. He literally blew up the boxing world with his appearance. In 1946, the young athlete became the world champion in the second welterweight. In 1951, he won the middleweight title. As a champion, Robinson retired from the sport in 1952, losing only 3 fights. However, boxing did not let him go so easily.

The return to the sport took place in 1955 and turned out to be triumphant. Sugar Ray Robinson became the first boxer to regain his championship title after officially retiring from his career. In 1958, the boxer again became the middleweight champion. However, in 1960 the belt was lost to Paul Pender.

Sugar Ray Robinson is considered one of the greatest boxers of all time. He stood out from the crowd with his somehow ideal appearance. The boxer's face is without scars or grins, his hair is carefully pomaded. The speed and accuracy of Robinson's strikes, the quick transition from defense to attack, confused the enemy. After finishing his career, the great boxer tried to prove himself in the entertainment industry and business. But the athlete never succeeded anywhere outside the ring. Robinson suffered from Alzheimer's disease in his final years, dying in poverty in 1989.

Henry Armstrong. The world boxing legend was born in 1912 in Columbus, Mississippi. At birth he received the surname Jackson. He entered the history of world boxing as the holder of three simultaneous champion titles in different weight categories. At the age of 17, Armstrong began participating in amateur fights, and the transition to professionals took place in 1933. At that time, the boxer had won 58 of his 62 fights.

In 1937, Armstrong became the featherweight champion by knocking out Sarron. A year later, multiple champion Barney Ross in the second welterweight division was defeated. 10 weeks after that victory, Lou Ambers won the lightweight belt. In 1937-1938, Armstrong eventually won 46 fights in a row, 7 of them title fights.

Boxer managers agreed to fight with any opponents, they said that bets on Armstrong at that moment were the most correct. At that time, boxing glory belonged entirely to Joe Louis, which is why Armstrong and his managers decided to collect three titles in their hands at the same time.

According to the rules of the American Boxing Association, an athlete had to vacate the title if he became a champion in a different weight. Therefore, Armstrong gave up his titles without a fight. In total, during his professional career, the boxer fought 174 fights, scoring 145 victories. He was nicknamed the “perpetual motion machine” and the “California comet” for his speed and strength.

Hank the Hurricane was a machine that punched nonstop, more rhythmically than purposefully. In 1945, Armstrong retired from sports, deciding to become a preacher. Since 1951, the athlete became a Baptist priest, starting to work with the poor. The famous champion died in 1988.

Lately Russian boxers began to show good results, winning victories one after another. The high level of preparation is noted not only by our commentators, but also by foreign sports analysts.

Top 7 Russian boxers of different weight categories

Ruslan Provodnikov. Weight category – first welterweight. Born in Khanty-Mansiysk Okrug. He started boxing at the age of 10. Evgeny Vakuev and Stanislav Berezin acted as the boy’s coaches. At the age of 16, he won the Eurocadet Junior Championship competition in Greece. Since 2006 he has been performing as a professional boxer. His victory in 2013 over American boxer Mike Alvarado brought him the title of world champion.

Boxing champion Denis Shafikov. Weight category – lightweight and first welterweight. Born in the Chelyabinsk region, Bashkir by origin. A series of amateur matches brought him to the professional league. Victories in 2011 helped him receive the title of European champion. A distinctive feature of the boxer is that he enters the ring in a national Bashkir costume. Therefore, he was later nicknamed Genghis Khan.

In number best boxers also includes Artur Beterbiev. Weight category – light heavyweight. This boxer comes from Chechnya. He was declared World Champion in 2009. He became the European Champion twice, as well as the World Cup winner. In 2015, Beterbiev won a decent victory over Gabriel Campillo. For his intimidating behavior in the ring he was nicknamed the White Puncher and the Wolf.

Boxer of Russia Denis Lebedev. Weight category – first heavy. Born in the city of Stary Oskol. For the first time, at the age of 18, he won a competition among juniors. He won a bronze medal at the Goodwill Games in 1998. Won 13 times in a row from 2001 to 2004. He left boxing. However, having returned to the presented form of martial arts, he entered into battle with such boxers as Sean Cox, Guillermo Jones, Roy Johnson. In relevant circles he is called the White Swan.

Russian boxer Grigory Drozd. Born in the Kemerovo region. He began to become actively involved in sports at the age of 12. In addition to boxing, he practices Muay Thai and kickboxing. Sometimes acts as a sports commentator. He entered the ring in 2001 and after 2 years received the title “Champion of Russia”. For 2001-2006 never lost to his opponents. He took part in his last fight in 2015. Known in the press by the nickname Handsome.

Famous boxer Alexander Povetkin. The weight category is heavy. Born in Kursk. As an amateur boxer, he showed himself in 133 fights, of which he lost only 7. At the age of 16 he won his first major victory in the Russian Championship, and at 18 he earned the title of winner of the national championship. In 2004 he took part in the Summer Olympic Games. Note that Povetkin is the winner of kickboxing competitions. In his circles he bears the title of Russian Knight.

The best boxer of Russia Sergey Kovalev. Weight category – light heavyweight. Born in Kopeisk. At the age of 14 he became interested in amateur boxing. In 2004, he participated in the Russian Championship and was able to reach the finals. In 2005, the athlete received the title of Russian Champion. Then he took the title of World Champion among military personnel. Since 2008 he has become a member of professional boxing. 2009-2016 - during this time Kovalev won over 32 opponents. Currently lives in the USA, as he prefers the American ring. His rivals gave him the nickname "Destroyer".

The best boxers in the world

Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson is known to the world for his many victories in boxing. This is the youngest fighter to become the absolute world heavyweight champion. Note that he was only 20 years old when he received this title and was proclaimed the youngest boxer, according to the IBF, WBC, WBA. Mike Tyson is also popular in boxing due to his incredible speed around the ring.

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali is not just a great man, but a great man. He is distinguished not only by his physical characteristics, but also by his strength of spirit. The athlete was only 12 years old when he started training in martial arts. At the age of 18, he won his first gold medal, which later became a truly legendary achievement. In 1960, Muhammad Ali defeated Tunny Hunsaker. Thus began his journey in the world of professional boxing. Ali stood out because he used brutal attacks, relying on cool calculation to defeat his opponent. In addition, Ali is the author of many aphorisms about life, boxing, and the destiny of man in general.

George Foreman

IN boxer rating Also included is George Foreman, also known as “Big George”. This athlete received the world heavyweight title twice. He also became the main medalist at the Olympics in Mexico City. In life, Jones is a preaching pastor and entrepreneur.

Roy Jones

Among famous boxers Roy Jones began his career with the basics of boxing. And in the end, he received the heavyweight champion title. The athlete’s main achievement was that he was able to make the transition from medium to heavy weight. In 2003, Jones was declared the best boxer of the year. An interesting fact is that Roy, in addition to American, also has Russian citizenship.

How are great boxers selected?

When choosing the best boxers, of course, the number of fights held is taken into account. An analysis of victories relative to defeats, as well as fights won ahead of schedule, is carried out. In addition, it is not so much the style that is important, but the manner of fighting and the average score. Despite this, there are boxers - world champions who are not included in this list or those who were deprived of their titles (Muhammad Ali).

The hardest punch in boxing

In the process of striking, not only muscle strength is taken into account, but also the knockout component. For this reason, it is quite difficult to make concrete calculations. At the same time, sharp and pushing blows can be completely identical in their strength, but their knockout part is completely different.

Note that the impact force of the average man is in the range of 200-1000 kg. The latter figure is quite good for an athlete weighing 60 kg, the first for a super heavyweight.

The most powerful blows in the world

Of course, Mike Tyson's right cross is recognized as the most powerful blow. But there are other boxers whose blow is no weaker than the last one. Among them:

1. George Foreman - right uppercut;
2. Joe Frazier - left hook;
3. Max Baer, ​​who knocked out a real bull;
4. Ernie Shavers – right cross

photo by Joe Fraser

photo Max Baer

photo by Ernie Shavers

Is strength the main component of winning in boxing?

All opponents are different, so each one has a certain fighting style. Even a fighter who has a crushing blow will not win in the ring without his own unique tactical strategy. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the battle tactics of your opponent. As a rule, boxers become famous because of their good physical fitness. Also important here is the ability to mentally prepare yourself before a fight.

Modern boxing

Despite the fact that the best boxers in the world have been announced throughout the existence of this sport, modern boxing is guided by its own rules. If we talk about the achievements of a boxer, regardless of his weight category, then today we should mention Floyd Mayweather. He received the World Boxing Council welterweight title. This particular American boxer was included in the ranking of famous fighters. He is followed by Ukrainian Vladimir Klitschko. Further, the rating of outstanding modern boxers, regardless of weight indicators, is as follows:

• Saul Alvarez;
• Carl Froch;
• Manny Pacquiao;
• Russian boxers Gennady Golovkin and Sergey Kovalev;
• Juan Manuel Marquez;
• Danny Garcia;
• Adonis Stevenson

A sport like boxing is considered a rather difficult form of martial arts. Therefore, in order to win, it is important to fight, applying a lot of courage and patience to the process itself. Deliver brutal blows against your opponent while maintaining extreme composure. This is a very difficult task, however, if you follow the presented rule, you can emerge from the battle as a real winner.