The 18 Greatest Super Middleweight Boxers of All Time

By YPB TeamMay 45 votes

Spanning undefeated legends, technical masters, and modern power-punchers from multiple eras and continents, the division has produced some of boxing's most compelling rivalries. Who is the greatest?

1
Joe Calzaghe
Welsh legend who retired undefeated after an 11-year title reign, beating Roy Jones Jr. and Bernard Hopkins.
1000pts
BE
2
Roy Jones Jr.
A pound-for-pound all-time great who dominated at 168 lbs with freakish speed and athleticism.
691pts
3
Arthur Abraham
The Armenian-German held the WBO super middleweight title twice between 2012 and 2016 after stepping up from middleweight for the Super Six tournament.
647pts
4
David Benavidez
The Mexican Monster became the youngest WBC super middleweight champion at 20 in 2017 and later beat Caleb Plant and David Lemieux before moving up.
629pts
5
Carl Froch
The Cobra won world titles across a long reign at 168 pounds, beating Jermain Taylor, Mikkel Kessler and Lucian Bute and twice stopping George Groves.
534pts
6
Callum Smith
The Liverpool fighter won the World Boxing Super Series in 2018 by knocking out George Groves and held the WBA title until losing to Canelo in 2020.
534pts
7
Canelo Álvarez
Became the first undisputed four-belt super middleweight champion in 2021 by stopping Caleb Plant, after title wins over Callum Smith and Billy Joe Saunders.
478pts
8
Nigel Benn
The Dark Destroyer won the WBC super middleweight title in 1992 and defended it repeatedly, including his brutal 1995 victory over Gerald McClellan in London.
478pts
9
Sugar Ray Leonard
Won the inaugural WBC super middleweight title against Donny Lalonde in 1988, then kept it with a draw against Thomas Hearns and a win over Roberto Durán.
478pts
10
George Groves
British contender who held a world title and fought in three epic title bouts as a top-level 168-lb name.
478pts
11
James Toney
Lights Out took the IBF super middleweight title from Iran Barkley in 1993 and ruled the division until his 1994 loss to Roy Jones Jr.
414pts
12
Lucian Bute
The Romanian-Canadian made nine defences of the IBF super middleweight title between 2007 and 2012 before Carl Froch stopped him in Nottingham.
414pts
13
Andre Ward
Won the Super Six World Boxing Classic in 2011, beating Mikkel Kessler and Carl Froch, and retired undefeated as the unified WBA and WBC super middleweight champion.
341pts
14
Steve Collins
The Celtic Warrior took the WBO super middleweight title from Chris Eubank in 1995, beat him again in a rematch and twice defeated Nigel Benn.
257pts
15
Mikkel Kessler
The Danish Viking Warrior held the WBA and WBC super middleweight titles and beat Carl Froch in 2010 during the Super Six World Boxing Classic.
257pts
16
Sven Ottke
The German retired undefeated in 2004 after 21 defences of the IBF super middleweight title, adding the WBA belt with a win over Byron Mitchell.
159pts
17
Terence Crawford
Moved up two divisions to beat Canelo Álvarez by unanimous decision in September 2025 and become the undisputed super middleweight champion.
0pts
18
Chris Eubank
Won the WBO super middleweight title against Michael Watson in 1991 and defended it 14 times, including a draw with Nigel Benn and a win over Graciano Rocchigiani.
0pts

sports746 boxing67 super middleweight2 fighters50

Photo credits

Joe Calzaghe — Ben Duffy, CC BY 3.0
Roy Jones Jr. — Bill(iudshi8uf), CC BY 2.0, cropped
Arthur Abraham — Sven Mandel, CC BY-SA 4.0
David Benavidez — MILLION DOLLAZ WORTH OF GAME, CC BY-SA 4.0
Carl Froch — Pasi, CC BY-SA 3.0
Callum Smith — Checkemlads Testicular cancer, CC BY 3.0, cropped
Canelo Álvarez — Box Azteca, CC BY 3.0
Nigel Benn — Unknown author, CC BY 4.0
Sugar Ray Leonard — Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
George Groves — Mac Dreamstate, CC BY-SA 3.0
James Toney — stoyan vassev on Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0
Lucian Bute — Mastermindsro, CC BY-SA 3.0
Andre Ward — Chamber of Fear, CC BY-SA 2.0
Steve Collins — Mark Hillary, CC BY 2.0
Mikkel Kessler — Sirocco758, CC BY-SA 3.0
Sven Ottke — 9EkieraM1, CC BY-SA 3.0
Terence Crawford — MILLION DOLLAZ WORTH OF GAME, CC BY 3.0
Chris Eubank — Keith Page, CC BY-SA 2.0

Comments 2

Fielding in 2018 and Callum Smith in 2020 started the 168-pound reign that Crawford ended in 2025: https://youpick.best/articles/canelo-alvarez-ranked-many-ways

ypb-teamOct 22

Benavidez, unbeaten in 32 fights, now boxes at cruiserweight: on 5 December in Glendale, Arizona, he puts his WBA and WBO belts on the line against WBC champion Michal Cieslak. Split Decision’s preview has the UK time and the full card: https://split-decision.co.uk/boxing-news/benavidez-vs-cieslak/

beechelmsyesterdaypickedJoe Calzaghe