Special feature: Greatest heavyweights of the modern era

Boxing Junkie presents in this special feature its list of the 10 greatest heavyweights of the modern era.

  1. MUHAMMAD ALI
    Years active    : 1960-67; 1970-81
    Record: 56-5 (37 KOs)
    Championship reign(s): 1964-67; 1974-78; 1978-79
    Biggest victories: Sonny Liston (twice), Floyd Patterson (twice), Cleveland Williams, Joe Frazier (twice), Ken Norton (twice), George Foreman, Leon Spinks
    Biggest losses: Frazier, Norton
    Background: “The Greatest” is called the greatest for a reason. His career was divided into two distinct parts – the result of a battle with the U.S. government – and he was superb in both. In his first incarnation, he had dazzling speed and athleticism that remains unrivaled in heavyweight history and bravado that caught everyone’s attention. He stunned the boxing world by taking the title from seemingly unbeatable Sonny Liston in 1964 and then beat him again. The champ left boxing for 3½ years – his prime years – after refusing induction into the armed forces but returned to dominate again, this time using guile as much as his physical tools. Arguably his greatest victory was his knockout of the imposing George Foreman in 1974, the beginning of his second reign as champion. In all, he would become the first to win the title three times and work his way into the hearts of fans as a remarkable fighter and man.

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