The 16 Greatest Middleweight Boxers of All Time

From bruising bygone champions to modern pound-for-pound kings, this lineup gathers the men who ruled at 160 pounds across a century of the sweet science. Who tops your list?

1

Sugar Ray Robinson

Widely regarded as the greatest pound-for-pound boxer ever, a five-time middleweight champion with a 91-fight unbeaten streak.

1000pts

2

Dick Tiger

Nigerian two-time middleweight champion celebrated for his durability and pressure style.

964pts

3

Marcel Cerdan

Beloved French-Algerian champion of the late 1940s considered one of Europe's finest fighters.

922pts

4

Nino Benvenuti

Stylish Italian champion whose trilogy with Emile Griffith defined the late-1960s division.

856pts

5

Harry Greb

The Pittsburgh Windmill, an early-1920s middleweight king famed for an extraordinary fight volume and 100-plus wins.

807pts

6

James Toney

Slick defensive master who won the middleweight crown before campaigning up to heavyweight.

807pts

7

Stanley Ketchel

The Michigan Assassin, an explosive early-1900s middleweight champion known for ferocious power.

749pts

8

Mickey Walker

The Toy Bulldog, a 1920s welterweight and middleweight champion who fought far above his weight.

749pts

9

Carlos Monzon

Argentine icon who reigned as undisputed middleweight champion for seven years with 14 title defenses.

681pts

10

Jake LaMotta

The Raging Bull, a granite-jawed 1940s champion immortalized in the Scorsese film.

681pts

11

Marvin Hagler

Undisputed middleweight champion from 1980 to 1987 known for his relentless pressure and granite chin.

599pts

12

Bernard Hopkins

Record-setting middleweight who unified the division and made 20 consecutive title defenses.

599pts

13

Canelo Alvarez

Mexican superstar and multi-division champion who claimed undisputed status at super middleweight.

599pts

14

Tony Zale

The Man of Steel, famed for his brutal three-fight series with Rocky Graziano in the 1940s.

599pts

15

Gennady Golovkin

Kazakh knockout artist who dominated the middleweight division in the 2010s with a long title reign.

499pts

16

Emile Griffith

Hall of Famer and multi-time world champion known for his rivalry with Nino Benvenuti.

499pts