10 Best Boxing Records of All Time: The Ultimate Rankings

Many legendary fighters have left an indelible imprint on boxing history. When discussing the best boxing records of all time, we need to look beyond simple win-loss totals and evaluate other criteria such as competition level, championship defenses, and total bouts won. Among all this success lie careers that combine overwhelming success with lasting historical relevance—making their respective careers truly legendary.

Sting Sports recognizes the dedication it takes for fighters to strive towards greatness in each round, knowing the quality of opposition will ultimately define their legacy. Our rankings present the top 10 best boxing records of all time based on wins, longevity, championship pedigree, and impact in the ring, honoring athletes whose performances set lasting standards in boxing history.

1) Champion Wins: Floyd Mayweather

Floyd Mayweather is one of the world's most successful and talked-about athletes. Known for his perfect record, incredible defense, and business genius, he’s more than just a fighter. He’s a global icon.

• Career record: 50–0

• Titles captured in five divisions

• Victories over reigning champions: 23

Nearly half of Mayweather’s bouts came against fighters entering as champions or former belt holders. This required relentless tactical discipline rather than simple record preservation. His defensive stability, measured footwork, and counter-punch timing allowed him to dominate stylistically diverse opponents without a late-career performance drop.

2) Eight-Division Champion: Manny Pacquiao

 Pacquiao weighed 111 lbs for his first world title and moved up by about 38 lbs during his career, winning titles in every division. Manny Pacquiao completed the widest championship climb in boxing history.

• Career record: 62–8–2

• Championships across eight divisions

• Competed across nearly 40 pounds of weight movement

His experience of moving through numerous boxing weight classes points out the physical changes needed to be a successful athlete as size, strength, and stamina demands increase.

3) Undisputed Champion: Muhammad Ali

Throughout his career and life, Ali perfectly encapsulated the role of a champion. He fought with his head and his heart. Muhammad Ali fought till the very day that he passed and held himself throughout as an undisputed champion.

• Career record: 56–5

• Undisputed heavyweight champion three times

His career often features in Best Boxers Of All Time comparisons because of how consistently he conquered champions across shifting heavyweight line-ups.

4) Career Comeback: George Foreman

George Foreman won his first heavyweight title in 1973 and retired in 1977. He took a 21-year break from boxing. He came back to knock out Michael Moore to win the WBA and IBF titles at the age of 45.

• Career record: 76–5

• World title regained at 45 years old

• Total knockouts: 68

The substitution of youth aggression with measured power enabled Foreman to utilize his full energy and prolong the competitive spirit past his mid-forties. This record is often discussed among the best boxing records of all time.

5) Career Volume: Willie Pep

One of the most famous and recognizable names on this esteemed list, ‘Will o’ Wisp’ is not only accepted as one of the greatest featherweights ever, but he also holds the record for the only fighter in history to ever have two unbeaten streaks of over 60 wins.

• Career record: 229–11–1

• Two-time featherweight world champion

• Competition spanning more than 20 years

Willie was the featherweight equivalent of Muhammad Ali. He was among the top ten fighters, pound for pound, of all time.

6) Title Defenses: Joe Louis

Joe Louis ruled heavyweight boxing with unmatched championship stability.

• Career record: 66–3

• 27 consecutive title defenses

• Nearly a 12-year reign

Louis was able to maintain consistent technique despite facing mandatory defense pressure, avoiding the typically diminished quality seen during long championship reigns.

7) Triple-Division Titles: Henry Armstrong

Henry Armstrong was one of the first-ever fighters to win a world championship in three different weight classes.

• Career record: 151–21–10

• Simultaneous world titles across three divisions

• Successfully defended the welterweight crown 19 times

Balancing defensive obligations across multiple weight classes demanded relentless conditioning and scheduling discipline.

8) Volume King: Buck Smith

Buck Smith stands out on the list of winners as a modern boxing great, fighting from 1987 to 2009. He’s also remarkable for having his first-ever professional bout with zero experience or preparation.

• Total fights: 228

• Wins by KO: 121

• Unique feat: Fought twice in one day in two different states.

At one point in his career, he was ranked within the world’s top 15 after fighting the likes of Julio Cesar Chavez, Buddy McGirt, and Antonio Margarito.

9) All-Time Great: Harry Greb

“The Pittsburgh Windmill,” Harry Greb was an American light-heavyweight champion from 1922 to 1923, before conquering the world championship at middleweight from 1923 to 1926. His nickname was earned due to his swarming style of fighting, burying his foes in a blizzard of unyielding punches. This kind of intense ring work made high-quality boxing gloves essential for him to protect his hands and maintain his pace over 300 fights.

• Total fights: Approximately 299

• Wins vs. Hall of Famers: 16 (A record in boxing history)

• Vision handicap: He fought the latter part of his career virtually blind in one eye.

It’s even more remarkable knowing that he started as a welterweight and later took on and defeated heavyweights, just part of the reason the ‘Wildcat’ is widely considered one of the best boxers of all time.

10) Five-Weight King: Sugar Ray Robinson

He became the first boxer in history to be crowned a five-weight world champion. The phrase “pound for pound” was created just for him during his career as a way to compare boxers irrespective of weight class.

• Longest unbeaten streak: 91 fights

• World Middleweight titles: 5 (A record)

• Career record: 174-19-6

Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard have all ranked Sugar Ray Robinson as the greatest boxer in history. And that’s all the proof that’s needed, right there.

What These Records Reveal

These ten accomplishments, when put together, indicate distinct trends behind the most persistent boxing records in boxing history.

These shared traits explain why so many of these records have stood firm for decades despite massive changes in how the sport is contested.

Conclusion: 

The best boxing records of all time show that greatness is a combination of durability, adaptation, and sustained championship excellence, traits that have been shown by Ali and Mayweather all the way to Pacquiao and Foreman and remain the ultimate performance standard in boxing.

Sting Sports is proud to champion their legendary careers and honor every record achieved through hard work and superior performance.

FAQs

Q1. How do you measure the best boxing records of all time?

Evaluation involves winning streaks, championship defenses, divisional victories, quality of the opponents, and knockout ratios rather than the total number of fights alone.

Q2. Why do older boxers often have higher volume in the best boxing records of all time?

Earlier eras permitted a greater frequency of fights, producing huge totals. Modern careers focus on divisional mobility and winning streaks instead.

Q3. Are modern athletes capable of achieving the top 10 best boxing records of all time?

This record is unlikely to be achieved. New standards prefer undefeated careers and cross-divisional championships over merely the number of bouts.