There are some amazing boxers in the middleweight division and all the boxers have different skills and abilities. While some have speed and agility others have great knockout power. This is our take on the greatest middleweight boxers of all time that have competed in the 160 pound division. While some may not agree and while we may have missed quite a few boxers out of the list. It is a hard job to find the top 5 greatest middleweight boxers of all time as there have been quite a few great boxers over the time.
The middleweight divison is one of the most dangerous divisions and the fighters are known for all different styles. But without further ado here is our list of the top 5 greatest middleweight boxers of all time.
5. Roberto Durán (103-16, 70 KO)
Durán has an amazing record with 103 wins and 70 of them being knockouts but he is also a four weight world champion. This includes winning the lightweight, welterweight, light middleweight and middleweight titles. He was nicknamed Hands of Stone because of his punching power and skills as a boxer.
Durán is the second boxer to his career stretch over 5 decades. He overcome opponents like Iran Barkley, Davey Moore and Sugar Ray Leonard.
4. Gennady Golovkin (37-0, 33 KO)
The only person on this list who is still currently boxing, Golovkin or GGG as he is popularly known . Golovkin’s record speaks for itself. No losses and 37 wins out of which 33 have been KO’s. What a explosive and clinical boxer! GGG has great power, good balance and footwork and also a good chin having never been knocked out in his whole career.
He holds a number of middleweight titles and is ranked by many to be one of the greatest middleweight boxers of his time. Beating my different opponenets including Brook, Jacobs and Geale. He is the only boxer on this list to not have a loss and is the only boxer who is currently actively boxing on this list.
The only reason Golovkin is not higher up this list is because of the quality of fighters he has been fighting. They have been good boxers but compared to others on this list, the others have been better. However we have no doubt that in a couple of years GGG could be the greatest middleweight boxer of all time.
3. Bernard Hopkins (55-8-2, 32 KO)
Nicknamed The Executioner and rightly so. Hopkins got notable wins over the likes of Oscar De La Hoya and Jermain Taylor. A intelligent boxer, Hopkins knew the punches he wanted to hit and was very strategic. But that’s not all he had. He had amazing speed and good counter-punching skills making him a formidable boxer.
In the latter part of his career Hopkins broke the record for being the oldest boxer in history to win a world title at the age of 46 surpassing George Foreman’s record. What’s more impressive is that during his reign of world champion he made 20 successful title defense which is another record.
Bernard Hopkins deservedly earned his place on the greatest middleweight boxers of all time with his strategic boxing, his agility and his longevity as a boxer. Although some might say Hopkins was more a light heavyweight boxer, he did begin his career in the middleweight division.
2. Sugar Ray Robinson (173-19-6, 108 KO)
Not only was Sugar Ray an awesome boxer but he was one of the most flamboyant boxers of his time. Coming from very humble beginnings, as an amateur his record was impeccable having won all his 85 fights, 69 of them being knockouts. Robinson had one of the longest winning streaks in boxing lasting 8 years and going 91 fights unbeaten.
Sugar Ray was known for his changing his style constantly and could go with different styles between rounds. He was very versatile and could punch with either hands and have a tremendous amount of speed and power.
Some of the opponents he beat include Carmen Basillio, Gene Fullmer, Bobo Olsen and Rocky Graziano. He had a career that spanned 25 years and had 200 fights in his career.
He inspired many boxers and professional fighters to get into boxing. For his longevity as a boxer, his boxing skills, power and speed, Sugar Ray Robinson cements his place as one of the greatest middleweight boxers of all time.
1. Henry Greb (261-17-19, 48 KO)
Having almost 300 fights in his career and winning just over 260 over them fights, he was a very prolific boxer. Greb was a very fast boxer and had phenomenal footwork. An aggressive fighter although sometimes he lacked the knockout power to knockout his opponents. During his career in the early 1910s he fought many boxers including Johnny Wilson, Gene Tunney, Bryan Downey and Johnny Wilson.
During the latter part of his career he went blind in one eye and would fight many matches unbeknown to the public and media.
Henry Greb was considered by many to be the best middleweight champion of all time. He had remarkable heart and outstanding determination and would carry on fighting no matter what. Greb had an outstanding fighting spirit and because of this he is the greatest middleweight boxer of all time.
This was our list of the greatest middleweight boxers. We have missed out quite a few class boxers from the list including Marvin Hagler, Canelo Alvarez and Miguel Cotto. However in our opinion we think these are the best middleweight boxers of all time.
If you think this list should be different then let us know in the comments.
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