By James Slater: A while back (in 2008) I contributed an article to ESB in which I gave my honest opinion on the 50 finest boxers in the sport’s history. No easy task to compile, my list was met with some approval, some utter disgust and some opinion somewhere in the middle.
Here I give here my revised list of the fifty finest pugilists of all-time; where a few changes have been made. Once again, disagreement, even angst, will no doubt be felt by a few readers – perhaps even more than a few. But, as I wrote last time, you must understand that this list was written with absolutely no axe to grind, and that if serious disagreement is felt then perhaps the writing of another list should be undertaken by the person (or persons) who so feel so strongly against mine.
My fifty choices now follow. And remember, it’s only MY opinion.
1. Sugar Ray Robinson
2. Henry Armstrong
3. Muhammad Ali
4. Roberto Duran
5. Ezzard Charles
6. Benny Leonard
7. Archie Moore
8. Willie Pep
9. Harry Greb
10. Joe Louis
11. Joe Gans
12. Sam Langford
13. Jimmy Wilde
14. Gene Tunney
15. Charley Burley
16. Manny Pacquiao
17. Jack Johnson
18. Edre Jofre
19. Sugar Ray Leonard
20. Barney Ross/Kid Gavilan (Tie)
21. Marvellous Marvin Hagler
22. Jack Dempsey
23. Pernell Whitaker/Roy Jones Junior (Tie)
24. Stanley Ketchell
25. Julio Cesar Chavez
26. Tony Canzoneri
27. Rocky Marciano
28. Carlos Monzon
29. Sandy Saddler
30. Michael Spinks
31. Jimmy McLarnin
32. Thomas Hearns
33. Bob Foster
34. George Foreman
35. Mickey Walker
36. Terry McGovern
37. Larry Holmes
38. Mickey Walker
39. Floyd Mayweather Junior
40. Joe Frazier
41. Ricardo Lopez
42. Jake LaMotta
43. Salvador Sanchez
44. Alexis Arguello
45. Marcel Cerdan
46. Emile Griffith
47. Ted Kid Lewis
48. Oscar De La Hoya
49. Lennox Lewis
50. Joe Calzaghe/Aaron Pryor (Tie)