The Thing with being a boxing fan you can get into all sorts of heated debates, it’s one of the reasons we all love the sport, ask anyone who was the greatest Boxer of all time, the greatest fight ever or perhaps the worst boxer of all time, our opinions on each of those question will no doubt differ from one fan to another but who is right or who is wrong? the answer quite simply it comes down to who your favourite boxer is, or your favourite moment in time and it is as simple as that.
Let’s be honest here, we cannot say categorically that Marvin Hagler was the greatest Middleweight of all time, would he have beaten Harry Grebb, Carlos Monzon, or even further back Bob Fitzsimmons, what about the Heavyweights Could Muhammed Ali have beaten Jack Johnson or Lennox Lewis, No-one truly knows but the debate on the answers will linger on forever.
We asked our Magazine readers and Forum contributors to send us a bio of their Favourite Boxers in 200 words or less, the results were diverse and ultimately very different from one fan to another.
Favourite Boxer: Muhammad Ali
Name: Simon
Location: West Sussex, UK
Let me tell you about my lifelong admiration for the one and only Muhammad Ali.
It all began when I stumbled upon an old cassette recording of Muhammed Ali’s (then Cassius Clay) first professional fight against Tunney Hunsaker in 1960. As the scratchy sounds of the bout filled the room, I found myself drawn into the rhythm of the fight. The thud of gloves, the cheers of the crowd, and the commentary painted a vivid picture of Clay’s skill and determination in the ring. Even without the visuals, I could feel the intensity and excitement of the match unfolding.
As I delved deeper into Ali’s journey, I couldn’t help but be moved by his powerful interviews, both on the radio and on television. His eloquence and conviction resonated with me, and I couldn’t help but admire his unwavering confidence and determination.
One of the most memorable moments for me was Ali’s famous interview with Howard Cosell after reclaiming his heavyweight title from George Foreman in the “Rumble in the Jungle.” The way Ali eloquently expressed his triumph and his unwavering belief in himself left an indelible mark on me, reinforcing the idea that with determination and resilience, anything is possible.
Ali wasn’t just a boxer; he was a symbol of hope and inspiration. His unwavering commitment to his principles and his fearlessness in the pursuit of greatness continue to inspire me today.
Favourite Boxer: Neville Meade
Name: Darin Dobson
Location: Deeside, North Wales
My favourite boxer is Neville Meade.
I followed Neville from his amateur days when he won the commonwealth title and all through his professional career, I attended 11 of his fights in person and got to know and become friends with him. He was an inconsistent fighter and the mixture of punch power and not great stamina made him very exciting to watch and his wins against David Pearce for the Welsh heavyweight title and against Gordon Ferris for the British heavyweight title are my best nights watching the sport.
Also, I was lucky enough to spar with him when I was a young amateur.
Favourite Boxer: Ricky Hatton
Name: Chris Haslingden
Location: Manchester
My favourite boxer: Ricky Hatton.
It’s easy to talk about the Ricky we all knew, I didn’t love that Ricky, the Ricky I loved was the one that fought, John Thaxton, Eamon Magee, Ben Tackie, that Ricky Hatton made me believe that hard work and graft could take you anywhere.
Ricky wasn’t the most gifted or natural boxer he didn’t have great head movement, didn’t make you miss with slick feet, yet he was only ever really beaten by two of the greatest to ever lace gloves.
Ricky made the most of his talent and worked harder than anyone else when in the ring, that never changed throughout his career, he applied the same standard of hard work against everyone he fought, nobody will ever go as far as Ricky did with the same skill set! Why? You can’t train a heart and hard work! It’s a natural attribute.
Favourite Boxer: Sugar Ray Leonard
Name: Chris Walsh
Location: Leeds
My favourite boxer: Sugar Ray Leonard.
He had it all, flare, confidence, and flamboyance but knew how to dig deep when he had to. I genuinely believe there is not a modern-day boxer that could compete on Leonard’s level and that’s including the likes of Floyd Mayweather Jnr.
Sugar Ray lost bouts as all the greats did during his era, but they all fought and brought out the best in one another, modern day boxers could learn a thing or two about that, to be the best you should fight the best.
Ray Leonard’s era was special but for me he “JUST” comes out above Hagler, A true legend of the sport.
Favourite Boxer: Lennox Lewis
Name: Anon
Location: Worcestershire, England
My favourite boxer: Lennox Lewis.
Lennox Lewis developed into one of the most complete heavyweights in history: able to box at range or fight aggressively when necessary, as well as being considered one of the hardest punchers of all time, during his career from 29th June 1989 until he retired 21st June 2003 he racked up 41 wins 32 KOs 2 loses and a draw however he avenged his 2 loses to become the last unified and undisputed Heavyweight champion to retire undefeated, his most notable wins were against top heavyweights such as Holyfield, Morrison, Mercer, Klitschko, Tua, Grant and of course Mike Tyson.
In my opinion Lewis is the epitome of the ‘perfect heavyweight boxer’ and one of the elite Greatest of All Time Heavyweights, I’m honoured to have lived in a time where I can tell my grandchildren in years to come about the Greatest British Heavyweight of all time who went on to dominate world boxing.
Favourite Boxer: Mike Tyson
Name: Chris Day
Location: UK
It’s 1995, I’m 10 years old, and I’ve heard about this wild fighter who’s coming out of prison, before he went in he was a monster! No YouTube in those days! Who was this monster!
Fast forward a few months it’s March 16th 1996 Tyson v Bruno II.
I’ve heard about and seen this Bruno fella on the news, he’s massive, surely this Tyson bloke can’t hit harder than him? (Cause that’s all that matters to win a fight when you’re 10)
A 10 year old me cons my parents into paying pay per view, one of the first ever in the UK, I stay up ridiculously late (3am as I remember).
The ring walk, this chiseled angry looking monster machine wearing a piece of black cloth over his head viciously hits his gloves together then walks calmly to the ring. I’m transfixed!
The bell goes round one: I am amazed within 2 seconds! This is my first ever memory of a boxer, Tyson comes out shuffling his feet at a speed the likes of which I’ve still never seen to this day!
What ensued in my mind from here on, in, was 3 rounds of pure magic! The speed, power and ferocity of this monster was something not only had I never seen but it wasn’t even something I thought possible! To see the fear and shock on Bruno’s face as he was pummeled on the ropes in the middle of the 3rd……wow!
I was hooked! This is how I fell in love with boxing! I went on to love, Naz, Hatton, Lewis and all the greats but this was the start!
