NO. 2 HENRY ARMSTRONG
Record: 152-22-9 (101 KOs)
Years active: 1931-45
Titles won: World featherweight, world lightweight, world welterweight
Among his victims: Baby Arizmendi, Midget Wolgast, Mike Belloise, Benny Bass, Petey Sarron, Chalky Wright, Ceferino Garcia, Lew Jenkins, Fritzie Zivic, Juan Zurita, Sammy Angott
Background: All you really need to know about Armstrong is this: He held three world titles simultaneously – and almost added a fourth – when there were only eight championships. He was nothing short of amazing. If you want to know how he fought, think of the Tasmanian Devil character of Looney Tunes fame. He was a whirling dervish who suffocated his opponents with a never-ending barrage of ill-tended punches from every conceivable angle. A young Manny Pacquiao and Shawn Porter stole from his playbook. “Hammerin’ Hank” stopped Petey Sarron to win the 126-pound title in 1937, moved all the way up to 147 the following year and took the belt from Barney Ross by a unanimous decision and then went back down to 135 and outpointed Lou Ambers to win the lightweight title. He tried to add a fourth title – which would’ve given him half of all championships – but he drew with beltholder Ceferino Garcia. Imagine someone today even challenging for titles between 126 and 160 pounds. Unthinkable. Armstrong was something else.