Who's Number 1? ESPN Counts Down the 20 Greatest Boxers of All Time

[ICB]

Ok this is my second go at this list.

1. Ray Robinson
2. Muhammad Ali
3. Willie Pep
4. Henry Armstrong
5. Gene Tunney
6. Joe Louis
7. Benny Leonard
8. Stanley Ketchel
9. Lou Ambers
10. Archie Moore
11. Pernell Whitaker
12. Marvin Hagler
13. Kid Gavilan
14. Jack Dempsey
15. Ray Leonard
16. Bernard Hopkins
17. Roberto Duran
18. Carlos Monzon
19. Oscar De La Hoya
20. Julio Cesar Chavez

I don't know. I still think the order is off but I like them all to be in the top 20. Maybe not in that order but I like this one better then my last. I'm satisfied. And I'll gladly defend everyone's place on the list.

nice list but who are the ones in bold ill be honest never heard of them bro

Ketchel was one of boxing's first ever 2 division champion. He won the middleweight title against Jack Sullivan in 1908 and then defended it against Sullivan's twin brother a couple weeks later. He then went on to dominate the division, beating top challengers Joe Thomas and Billy Papke. In his rematch with Papke, when the two went to shake hands in the middle of the ring and receive instruction, Papke let go two bare fisted punches to the side of Ketchel's head. Ketchel was believed to have suffered a concussion because he was on wobbly legs the entire fight and went on to lose in the 11th.

In the rematch a month later Ketchel gave Papke one of the worst beatings ever. He could have had him out of there fast but chose to prolong the beating in order to get revenge. That fight really ruined Papke, a hall of famer. Ketchel became the first middleweight ever to regain his title.

Then he went on to face Philadelphia Jack O'Brien, who was the champ at 175 but the belt was not on the line, and in one of the bigger boxing turnarounds in history, he got brutally beat up for the first 6 rounds before flooring O'Brien 3 times knocking O'Brien out cold at the final bell. It was a No Decision. They fought shortly thereafter with Ketchel winning by KO in the 3rd. While the belt wasn't on the line, most everyone in the media recognized Ketchel as the real 175 lb champion.

He then went on to face Jack Johnson. He floored Johnson in the fight, one that Johnson said the two were supposed to carry to a decision even though Ketchel denied that. He went on the attack against Johnson rounds 8-10 and spent himself. Between the 10th and 11th rounds, he delivered that famous quote "This isn't human." Johnson came back and KO'd Ketchel in the 12th.

Ketchel then had a fight against Sam Langford that was very well received as the two fought to a No Decision and while he training for a Langford rematch super fight in San Francisco, Ketchel was gunned down by a worker of his at just 24 years old.


Lou Ambers is probably a little high But still, one of the greatest lightweights of all time and probably the best Jewish fighter ever. The first ever lightweight titlist to win his belt back 3 times, finished his career with over 90 wins, all at lightweight. 2 of those wins over Tony Canzaneri and 1 over a prime Henry Armstrong. I'm partial to Ambers just because I've seen a few of his fights and he really looks like a boxer of today fighting 70 years ago. Awesome fighter.

thanks for the info cc