Pound for pound, let’s take a look at ten of the All-Time Great boxers. Let’s start with former welterweight and middleweight champion ‘Sugar’ Ray Robinson, who is 174-19-6 with 109 knockouts. He turned professional in October 1940 and won his first 40 games, scoring 30 by knockout.
In September of 1941, Robinson defeated Marty Servo 40-0-2. He then defeated former world champion Fritzie Zivic twice with 111-26-5. In October 1942, he improved to 36-0, defeating Jake ‘Bronx Bull’ LaMotta 25-4-2. In February of 1943, Robinson lost for the first time in a rematch with him. Three weeks later, Robinson won the rematch. He would defeat LaMotta 4 out of 5 games
In December of 1946, Robinson won the NBA welterweight title, defeating Tommy Bell 39-10-3. In June 1947 he won the world title, stopping Jimmy Doyle 42-6-3.
In February 1951, Robinson, 121-1-2, stopped then middleweight champion LaMotta, 78-14-3. In July 1951 he lost to Randy Turpin, 40-2-1, in the UK. Two months later he regained the title, stopping Turpin at Polo Grounds, New York.
In June 1952, in an attempt to win the light heavyweight title from Joey Maxim, 78-18-4, Robinson went 13 rounds with scores of 10-3, 9-3-1, 7-3-3. The umpire, Ruby Goldstein, was replaced due to the temperature at 104 degrees. Robinson, 133-2-2, was unable to make it to the 14th round. The rest is history that 41-17-4 obviously stays active for far too long.
Second is Henry ‘Homicide Hank’ Armstrong, 149-21-10 with 99 knockouts, holding the featherweight, welterweight and lightweight divisions simultaneously.
Winning his first world title was in October 1937, knocking out NBA world featherweight champion Petey Sarron 107-21-13 at Madison Square Garden, New York.
In May 1938, Armstrong won the world welterweight title, defeating Barney Ross 74-3-3 at the Madison Square Garden Bowl, Long Island City, New York.
In August 1938, Armstrong won the lightweight title by a split decision over Lou Ambers, 75-5-7, at Madison Square Garden, New York. He lost the rematch against Lou Ambers, 84-6-7, in June 1939.
In September of 1940, Robinson lost his welterweight title in back-to-back fights with Fritzie Zivic, 100-24-5.
