Boxing's 25 Best Over the Last 25 Years

In 1984, with names like Ali, Frazier, and Foreman retired and legendary fighters like Leonard, Duran, Hearns, Holmes, and Hagler on the decline, boxing developed a new list of greats and ushered in a new era.

This is a list of boxing's best among the new era greats.

Lists like this are always subjective and this one is no different. There is simply no way to take all of the sport’s best since 1984 and make a list that would make everyone happy.

So, here’s my take on things, and, if you have a difference of opinion, feel free to comment or complain at will...

I based my list on overall quality of opposition and inherent skill. To keep things fair, I excluded a fighter’s performances from when he was well past his prime.

My focus was on the young fighter coming up and the champion in and around his prime.

Let the debates begin:

25) Riddick Bowe: 43-1 (33 KO), 1989-Present

Key Wins: Bert Cooper, Tony Tubbs, Bruce Seldon, Evander Holyfield (2-1), and Andrew Golota (2)

Key Losses: Evander Holyfield

Bowe was perhaps the most physically gifted of his contemporary Heavyweights, yet, aside from his series win over Holyfield, he has little to show for it.

Solid wins litter his resume, but talent and respectable competition alone don’t cut it on any all-time list.

Names like Lewis, Tyson, Moorer, and Mercer were around...Bowe had the potential to beat them all.

24) Joe Calzaghe: 46-0 (33 KO), 1993-2009

Key Wins: Chris Eubank, Robin Reid, Byron Mitchell, Jeff Lacy, Mikkel Kessler, Bernard Hopkins, and Roy Jones Jr.

Key Losses: None

After a solid win over an older Chris Eubank to become WBO Super Middleweight Champ, Calzaghe went about setting a record of 21 straight title defenses against mostly second and third tier opposition.

His saving graces were his total domination of Lacy and two respectable wins over Kessler and Hopkins.

23) Azumah Nelson: 39-6-2 (28 KO), 1979-2008

Key Wins: Wilfredo Gomez, Juan LaPorte, Jeff Fenech (1-1-1), Calvin Grove, Rafael Ruelas (2), and Jesse James Leija (1-2-1)

Key Losses: Salvador Sanchez, Pernell Whitaker, Jesse James Leija, Jeff Fenech, and Genaro Hernandez

The world first caught a glimpse of the very young Azumah when he went toe-to-toe with the great Salvador Sanchez, and the heart he displayed that day carried on throughout the rest of his career.

“The Professor” was never the most physically gifted fighter, but he used his experience, superb conditioning, and blue-collar work ethic to become one of the very best and the measuring stick for fighters in the Featherweight and Super Featherweight divisions for almost 15 years.

22) Mike McCallum: 49-5-1 (36 KO), 1981-1997

Key Wins: David Braxton, Julian Jackson, Milton McCrory, Donald Curry, Herol Graham, Steve Collins, Michael Watson, and Sumbu Kalambay (1-1)

Key Losses: Sumbu Kalambay, James Toney (2), Fabrice Tiozzo, and Roy Jones Jr.

Aside from having one of the coolest nicknames in the history of the sport, “The Bodysnatcher”, McCallum was almost a blueprint for the perfect boxer.

He was a “most feared man” before the term became popular, and many of the sport’s best avoided him until the very end of his career.

Still, McCallum was able to have a great deal of success on the European circuit, and he accounted for himself well, even well past his prime.

21) Diego Corrales: 40-5 (33 KO), 1996-2007

Key Wins: Roberto Garcia, Derrick Gainer, Angel Manfredy, Jose Luis Castillo (1-1), Joel Casamayor (1-2), and Acelino Freitas

Key Losses: Floyd Mayweather Jr, Joel Casamayor, and Jose Luis Castillo

People forget just how much “Chico” Corrales terrorized the Super Featherweight division. With 27 brutal KOs in his first 33 fights, Corrales just may have been the heaviest-handed 130 pounder in the history of the sport.

Plus, who could ever forget his classic performance against Castillo in what could have arguably been the greatest fight of the last 25 years?

RIP Chico.

20) Juan Manuel Marquez: 50-4-1 (37 KO), 1993-Present

Key Wins: Agapito Sanchez, Manuel Medina, Derrick Gainer, Marco Antonio Barrera, Rocky Juarez, Joel Casamayor, and Juan Diaz

Key Losses: Freddie Norwood, Chris John, and Manny Pacquiao

Despite treading water in the early part of his career, Marquez has come on strong and has shown his excellence across three divisions.

Two of his key losses, against John and Pacquiao, have been of the controversial variety, and the draw came in a fight with Pacquiao where he was dropped three times in the first.

Marquez has the skill and drive to work his way up on this list, and could very well find himself Top Five or Top 10 by the time he retires.

19) Ricardo Lopez: 51-0-1 (38 KO), 1985-2001

Key Wins: Kermin Guardia, Alex Sanchez, Rosendo Alvarez (1-0-1), Will Grigsby, and Ratanapol Sor Vorapin

Key Losses: None

The only negative about “Finito” Lopez was that there were no competitors in his weight class capable of giving him a quality tussle.

With picture-perfect technique and the cold, calculating mind of an assassin, Lopez was as close to a perfect fighter as a human could be.

There’s little doubt that if he were 30-40 lbs. heavier, he would be at the very top of this list.

18) Miguel Cotto: 33-1 (27 KO), 2001-Present

Key Wins: Cesar Bazan, Carlos Maussa, Randall Bailey, DeMarcus Corley, Paulie Malignaggi, Carlos Quintana, Zab Judah, Shane Mosley, and Joshua Clottey

Key Losses: Antonio Margarito

Miguel Cotto, at 140 lbs., was as dominant a champion as you’ll ever find, and, at 147, he’s proven himself a fighter who will fight (and can beat) anyone in front of him.

One of the best offensive fighters of this era, his lone defeat at the hands of Margarito can be called into question due to the possibility of Margarito using plaster-laced handwraps.

Loss to Margarito or not, Cotto has become the standard-bearer at 147.

17) Winky Wright: 51-5-1 (25 KO), 1990-Present

Key Wins: Andrew Council, Bronco McKart (3), Keith Mullings, Shane Mosley (2), Felix Trinidad, Ike Quartey, and Jermain Taylor (Draw)

Key Losses: Julio Cesar Vazquez, Harry Simon, Fernando Vargas, Bernard Hopkins, and Paul Williams

Wright may not always have been the most exciting fighter, but few could argue with his success, the skill-set demonstrated by his two wins over Mosley, and his complete domination of Trinidad.

Avoided by many of the top talents, Wright and his defense-minded southpaw trick book were forced into fighting whoever he could, whenever a fight could be made—even to the point of spending five prime years on the European circuit.

16) Jose Luis Castillo: 57-9-1 (49 KO), 1990-Present

Key Wins: Jorge Paez, Stevie Johnston (1-0-1), Cesar Bazan, Juan Lazcano, Joel Casamayor, Julio Diaz, Diego Corrales (1-1), and Herman Ngoudjo

Key Losses: Floyd Mayweather (2), Diego Corrales, and Ricky Hatton

Possibly the most underrated boxer on this list, Castillo had the misfortune of emerging after training partner Julio Cesar Chavez, and at the same time as guys like Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales.

Castillo didn’t capture too many headlines. He just set about becoming one of the all-time greats at Lightweight through a steady pace of quality wins and exciting performances.

15) Felix Trinidad: 42-3 (35 KO), 1990-2008

Key Wins: Maurice Blocker, Hector Camacho, Yori Boy Campas, Oba Carr, Freddie Pendleton, Pernell Whitaker, Oscar De la Hoya, David Reid, Fernando Vargas, William Joppy, and Ricardo Mayorga

Key Losses: Bernard Hopkins, Winky Wright, and Roy Jones Jr.

With two precision rockets for fists, “Tito” Trinidad established himself as one of the finest offensive fighters of his era.

Like most punchers, he could be outboxed, but the fighters who could do so were few and far between from 147 lbs. to 160.

Trinidad will go down as one of this generation’s most brutal KO artists and one of its most talented offensive fighters.

14) Erik Morales: 48-6 (34 KO), 1993-2007

Key Wins: Daniel Zaragoza, Junior Jones, Wayne McCullough, Marco Antonio Barrera (1-2), Kevin Kelley, Guty Espadas Jr. (2), Paulie Ayala, Jesus Chavez, and Manny Pacquiao (1-2)

Key Losses: Marco Antonio Barrera (2), Zahir Raheem, Manny Pacquiao (2), and David Diaz

The pride of Tijuana, “El Terrible,” came from humble beginnings to earn himself a position among the all-time greats from 122 to 130 lbs.

Morales fought like a brawler with the sensibilities of a boxer, mixing solid fundamentals with the heart of a warrior. This mix made him one of the all-around best of this era and earned him a rightful place among the other Mexican Boxing legends.

13) Mike Tyson: 50-6 (44 Ko), 1985-2005

Key Wins: Trevor Berbick, James Smith, Tony Tucker, Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks, Frank Bruno (2), Donovan Ruddock (2), Bruce Seldon, and Frans Botha

Key Losses: Buster Douglas, Evander Holyfield (2), Lennox Lewis, Danny Williams, and Kevin McBride

“Iron” Mike spent a total of about six prime years of his career in deep personal and managerial problems, including a nearly four year prison sentence.

However, for about a three year period from 1986 to 1989, no fighter in any division at any time was as dominant as Tyson.

Using his phenomenal physical gifts, Cus D’amato’s peek-a-boo defense, and a generous amount of pure rage, Tyson became the youngest Heavyweight champion in history and maybe the most feared as well.

12) Shane Mosley: 46-5 (39 KO), 1993- Present

Key Wins: Philip Holiday, John John Molina, Jesse James Leija, Oscar De la Hoya (2), Fernando Vargas (2), Luis Collazo, Ricardo Mayorga, and Antonio Margarito

Key Losses: Vernon Forrest (2), Winky Wright (2), and Miguel Cotto

Just when everybody thought he was on the decline following his loss to Miguel Cotto, “Sugar” Shane shocked the world by knocking out Ricardo Mayorga.

Then, more surprisingly, he totally dominated and brutalized 147 lb. kingpin, Antonio Margarito to once again capture a piece of the Welterweight title.

Considering his recent success, it's very possible that Mosley could earn himself an even higher placement on this list by the time he retires.

11) Marco Antonio Barrera: 65-7 (43 KO), 1989-Present

Key Wins: Agapito Sanchez, Kennedy McKinney, Erik Morales (2-1), Naseem Hamed, Johnny Tapia, Paulie Ayala, and Rocky Juarez (2)

Key Losses: Junior Jones (2), Erik Morales, Manny Pacquiao (2), Juan Manuel Marquez, and Amir Khan

Imagine picture-perfect technique and flawless execution delivered by a fighter with the sensibilities of a street thug—that was Marco Antonio Barrera.

“The Baby Faced Assasin” became an all-time great from 122 to 130 lbs. by displaying the technique of a real craftsman with the attitude of a cold-blooded assassin.

Winning was his primary drive, and he rolled over most everyone who tried to get in his way.

10) Evander Holyfield: 42-10-2 (27 KO), 1984-2008

Key Wins: Dwight Muhammad Qawi (2), Carlos DeLeon, Buster Douglas, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Riddick Bowe (1-2), Michael Moorer (1-1), Ray Mercer, Mike Tyson (2), John Ruiz (1-1-1), and Hasim Rahman

Key Losses: Riddick Bowe (2), Michael Moorer, Lennox Lewis, John Ruiz, Chris Byrd, James Toney, Larry Donald, Sultan Ibragimov, and Nikolay Valuev

“The Real Deal’s” first mark on professional prize fighting was as the greatest Cruiserweight of all-time.

As a Heavyweight, Holyfield used heart, soul, and old-school toughness to beat more than his fair share of boxing’s best big men.

Even well past his prime, Holyfield never cheated the public with a sluggish performance or a half-hearted effort; Evander was a real warrior, through and through.

9) James Toney: 71-6-3 (43 KO), 1989-Present

Key Wins: Michael Nunn, Reggie Johnson, Mike McCallum (2-0-1), Iran Barkley, Tim Littles, Charles Williams, Vassiliy Jirov, Evander Holyfield, and Hasim Rahman (D)

Key Losses: Roy Jones Jr., Montell Griffin (2), Drake Thadzi, and Samuel Peter (2)

Freddie Roach, Toney’s ex-trainer, recently said that an in-shape Toney had the potential to be the best fighter ever.

Few who saw Toney at his best would rule out Roach’s assessment as pure fantasy. “Lights Out” outclassed fighters from 160 all the way up to 190, giving his opponents lessons in classic, old-school combat.

With quick hands and a supremely tight defense, Toney’s only apparent weakness was at the dinner table where he probably ate away a few prime years of his otherwise stellar career.

8) Manny Pacquiao: 48-3-2 (36 KO), 1995-Present

Key Wins: Jorge Julio, Marco Antonio Barrera (2), Juan Manuel Marqez (1-0-1), Erik Morales (2-1), Oscar Larios, Jorge Solis, David Diaz, Oscar de la Hoya, and Ricky Hatton

Key Losses: Medgoen Singsurat and Erik Morales

Boxing’s true “Mexicutioner,” Pacquiao has beaten a virtual Mt. Rushmore of Mexican greats in Barrera, Morales, Marquez, and Larios.

Over the course of his career, “The Pac-man” has transformed himself from a wild rush of southpaw fury into a sharp and focused, division-jumping pro.

His most recent domination of De la Hoya proved all critics, and most experts, wrong. Boxing’s current Pound for Pound king has established himself as the force to be reckoned with in every division from 130 to 147.

7) Lennox Lewis: 41-2-1 (32 KO), 1989-2003

Key Wins: Donovan Ruddock, Tony Tucker, Frank Bruno, Ray Mercer, Oliver McCall (1-1), Andrew Golota, Shannon Briggs, Evander Holyfield (1-0-1), Frans Botha, David Tua, Hasim Rahman (1-1), Mike Tyson, and Vitali Klitschko

Key Losses: Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman

Maybe the most controversial placement on this list, because Lewis seems to bring up vastly different assessments of his abilities and accomplishments.

What can’t be disputed about Lennox, though, was the fact that he fought everyone in the division who was willing to fight him and mostly won convincingly.

His only two losses were avenged brutally. When Boxing has time to reflect, Lewis will be remembered as the best Heavyweight since prime Larry Holmes and, maybe, the best since Ali.

6) Floyd Mayweather Jr.: 39-0 (25 KO), 1996-Present

Key Wins: Genaro Hernandez, Diego Corrales, Carlos Hernandez, Jesus Chavez, Jose Luis Castillo (2), DeMarcus Corley, Zab Judah, Carlos Baldomir, Oscar De la Hoya, and Ricky Hatton

Key Losses: None

One of the most gifted and best-schooled fighters of this era, “Pretty Boy/Money” Mayweather lit up the 130-135 lb. division, beating the best of those divisions and displaying skills and abilities on an “all-time” level.

Above 140 lbs., he received criticisms for not fighting the very best, but still found a way to become 140, 147, and 154 lbs. champ and true lineal champ at Welterweight.

In all fairness to Mayweather, actual timelines and business issues stood in the way of the one fight he could actually be accused of skipping against Miguel Cotto.

5) Julio Cesar Chavez: 107-6-2 (86 KO), 1980-2005

Key Wins: Roger Mayweather (2), Rocky Lockridge, Juan La Porte, Edwin Rosario, Bazooka Limon, Jose Luis Ramirez, Meldrick Taylor, Hector Camacho, Frankie Randall (2-1), Joey Gamache, and Ivan Robinson

Key Losses: Frankie Randall, Oscar De la Hoya (2), Willy Wise, Kostya Tszyu, and Grover Wiley

In his prime, there was nobody who better represented the classic Mexican style and the classic Mexican fight ethic than “El Gran Campeon Mexicano.”

With brutal body work, a calculated temper, and a cast-iron chin, Chavez bullied his way to dominance from the Super Featherweight division all the way up to Welterweight.

Chavez’s toughest enemy was his own weakness for partying, and the last couple of years of his career saw him be a shadow of his true self.

Prime Chavez is of the “all-time” class and Top Five of the last 25 years.

4) Oscar De la Hoya: 39-6 (30 KO), 1992-2008

Key Wins: Jorge Paez, John John Molina, Rafael Ruelas, Genaro Hernandez, Jesse Jame Leija, Julio Cesar Chavez (2), Miguel Angel Gonzalez, Pernell Whitaker, Wilfredo Rivera, Ike Quartey, Oba Carr, Javier Castillejo, Fernando Vargas, Felix Sturm, and Ricardo Mayorga

Key Losses: Felix Trinidad, Shane Mosley (2), Bernard Hopkins, Floyd Mayweather Jr., and Manny Pacquiao

The tired, old cliche about “The Golden Boy” is that he “never won the big ones.”

Well, it could also be said that only one fighter, Shane Mosley, ever really beat De la Hoya in the roughly seven years of his his prime, from 135 to 147 lbs.

Oscar not only became the face of boxing for more than a decade, but he did so with class and dignity. His resume has more big names than the Warsaw phone book—he fought the best of his generation.

Were some of those names older or naturally smaller than De la Hoya?

Yes, but his fame drew the best fighters to the table and, much more often than not, Oscar fought them.

3) Bernard Hopkins: 49-5-1 (32 KO), 1988-Present

Key Wins: John David Jackson, Glen Johnson, Simon Brown, Antwun Echols (2), Keith Holmes, Felix Trinidad, Carl Daniels, William Joppy, Oscar De la Hoya, Antonio Tarver, Winky Wright, and Kelly Pavlik

Key Losses: Roy Jones Jr., Jermain Taylor (2), and Joe Calzaghe

The symbol of technical excellence and old-school toughness, Hopkins has been boxing at the highest levels for more than 15 years.

“The Executioner’s” numbers can’t be argued with—He was the sport’s last unified, 4-belt champ, 20 successful defenses as a Middleweight, and at 41 years of age he embarked on a second career run that saw him become the true, lineal champ at Light Heavyweight.

For the vast majority of his career, B-Hop labored under the burden of being an outsider, shunned by promoters and sanctioning bodies for his outspoken tirades against boxing’s injustices.

B-Hop has had the final laugh and is evidence to the fact that superb conditioning and hard-earned ring intelligence are a boxer’s two greatest weapons.

2) Roy Jones Jr.: 53-5 (39 KO), 1989-Present

Key Wins: Bernard Hopkins, Thulani Malinga, James Toney, Mike McCallum, Montell Griffin, Virgil Hill, Reggie Johnson, Eric Harding, Clinton Woods, John Ruiz, and Antonio Tarver (1-2)

Key Losses: Montell Griffin, Antonio Tarver (2), Glen Johnson, and Joe Calzaghe

Jones was one of the most physically gifted fighters of all-time and, definitely, the most gifted of this era.

Jones easily dominated world class fighters with an almost super human hand speed and uncanny reflexes.

Literally untouchable for the better part of a decade, “RJ” ruled the world from 160 to 175 lbs., and collected belts like matchbook covers, acquiring straps that most never even knew existed.

The last flash in his career was his move up to heavyweight to capture the WBA title from John Ruiz. As his physical gifts diminished with age, Jones became vulnerable and beatable, but nobody can ever take away from the total excellence Jones displayed in his 16-punch combination, pre-fight basketball-playing prime.

1) Pernell Whitaker: 40-4-1 (17 KO), 1984-2001

Key Wins: Roger Mayweather, Greg Haugen, Jose Luis Ramirez (1-1), Freddie Pendleton, Azumah Nelson, Jorge Paez, Rafael Pineda, Buddy McGirt (2), Julio Cesar Chavez (D), Julio Cesar Vazquez, Jake Rodriguez, and Wilfredo Rivera

Key Losses: Jose Luis Ramirez, Oscar De la Hoya, Felix Trinidad, and Carlos Bojorquez

“Sweet Pea” was, quite frankly, the best boxer of these last 25 years.

With the best defense since Willy Pep and the inherent ring smarts of a Sugar Ray Robinson, Whitaker set about a pace of utter dominance from Lightweight to Welterweight, with the two blights on his record (a loss to Ramirez and a draw to Chavez) being complete robberies.

Most amazing was the fact that not only did Pernell beat the best of his class, but for a long period of time he rarely even lost a round!

Pernell Whitaker was the perfect combination of gifted athlete and learned student of the game, and he was Boxing’s Best Over The Last 25 Years.