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I have comprised a list, from the 1940s - 2000s, ranking who I believe to be the fighter of the decade in each ten year span. I didn't start any earlier than 1940 as the research would be FAR too time consuming (this took a while in itself), plus there is a lot less fill footage available pre-1940.
1940s:
A tie, Sugar Ray Robinson and Willie Pep both get the award.
Honourable Mention: Joe Louis
Willie Pep reigned as featherweight champion for 6 years and then lost his title to fellow HOFer Sandy Saddler, only to regain it months later, ending the decade as one of the finest featherweights of all time.
Sugar Ray Robinson won the welterweight title in 1946 and remained undefeated at the weight for the duration of his time at 147. His only loss in the decade came at the hands of his greatest rival, Jake LaMotta. Possibly the greatest welterweight of all time.
1950s:
Sugar Ray Robinson
Honourable mention: Rocky Marciano
Very few fighters have had the longevity that Robinson enjoyed in the 40s and 50s and even fewer fighters have reigned as the lineal champion in 2 different weight divisions. Robinson would hold the middleweight crown an astounding 5 times over the course of the decade, finally losing to Paul Pender as the decade came to an end.
His wins over the likes of Fullmer, Olson, Turpin and Graziano showed that even as Robinson's skills deteriorated, he had a high enough boxing IQ to compensate. His is one of the greatest championship reigns ever seen at 160lbs.
1960s:
Muhammad Ali
Honourable Mention: Dick Tiger
There has never been an athlete quite like him, Muhammad Ali personified the decade. turmoil, chaos, a cultural and political awakening. Ali was truly a man of his times and his boxing achievements from 1963-1967 defined him as an ATG. The term great is used far too often in sport but Ali's domination and subsequent destruction of every challenger that was put in front of him was simply astounding.
He first toyed with the heavyweight champion of the world, Sonny Liston in 1964, would repeat that performance a year later and then go on to do the same to every one of the top 10 ranked challengers that came his way. Get yourselves on Youtube and catch as many of his fights from this period as possible, Ali at this point was truly the greatest.
1970s:
Muhammad Ali
Honourable Mention: Roberto Duran
Frazier, Foreman, Norton, Shavers, Mathis, Foster, Spinks...a stellar cast of heavyweights, all enshrined in the divisions golden age, were beaten by Ali, an Ali who was a shell of his former shelf, no longer as fleet of foot as his 22 year old counterpart. His hands were no longer lightning fast and his reflexes had dulled. He took punches now, rather than harmlessly slipping them. He was battered to the body and head; he took punches from some of the hardest hitting men the sport has ever seen. 'Nuff said.
1980s:
Ray Leonard
Honourable Mention: Marvin Hagler and Julio Cesar Chavez Sr.
With his career shortened by injury, the other "Sugar" wasted no time in fighting the best. He beat the greatest fighters of his era. Never has a fighter in such a short span of time (in terms of fights) beaten so many true ATGs. Hagler, Hearns and Duran, complemented by the likes of Benitez, Kalule and Lalonde.
1990s:
Roy Jones Jr.
Honourable Mention: Oscar De LaHoya
Roy Jones is the type of fighter who could have been great in any era. His athleticism and natural ability allowed him to stand head and shoulders above almost every other fighter of his generation. Championship belts at 160, 168 and 175 defined his legacy. Few fighters have fought with the confidence, speed and reflexes that a prime Jones possessed, not to mention a more than healthy amount of power. His sad decline is made even worse by what we remember him to be.
00s:
Manny Pacquiao
Honourable Mentions: Bernard Hopkins and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
It takes a very special fighter to beat the likes of Mayweather and Hopkins in any list and Manny Pacquiao is one such fighter. Forget all the sour taste that his Mayweather dispute has left in the mouth of millions of boxing fans worldwide and remember that no fighter has one as many championship belts in as many weight divisions as Manny Pacquiao. His rise through the weights has been simply astonishing, holding victories over a number of truly great fighters, Barrera, Morales, Marquez, DLH, Cotto and Mosley.
What are your opinions and who would you rate as the best for each decade?
1940s:
A tie, Sugar Ray Robinson and Willie Pep both get the award.
Honourable Mention: Joe Louis
Willie Pep reigned as featherweight champion for 6 years and then lost his title to fellow HOFer Sandy Saddler, only to regain it months later, ending the decade as one of the finest featherweights of all time.
Sugar Ray Robinson won the welterweight title in 1946 and remained undefeated at the weight for the duration of his time at 147. His only loss in the decade came at the hands of his greatest rival, Jake LaMotta. Possibly the greatest welterweight of all time.
1950s:
Sugar Ray Robinson
Honourable mention: Rocky Marciano
Very few fighters have had the longevity that Robinson enjoyed in the 40s and 50s and even fewer fighters have reigned as the lineal champion in 2 different weight divisions. Robinson would hold the middleweight crown an astounding 5 times over the course of the decade, finally losing to Paul Pender as the decade came to an end.
His wins over the likes of Fullmer, Olson, Turpin and Graziano showed that even as Robinson's skills deteriorated, he had a high enough boxing IQ to compensate. His is one of the greatest championship reigns ever seen at 160lbs.
1960s:
Muhammad Ali
Honourable Mention: Dick Tiger
There has never been an athlete quite like him, Muhammad Ali personified the decade. turmoil, chaos, a cultural and political awakening. Ali was truly a man of his times and his boxing achievements from 1963-1967 defined him as an ATG. The term great is used far too often in sport but Ali's domination and subsequent destruction of every challenger that was put in front of him was simply astounding.
He first toyed with the heavyweight champion of the world, Sonny Liston in 1964, would repeat that performance a year later and then go on to do the same to every one of the top 10 ranked challengers that came his way. Get yourselves on Youtube and catch as many of his fights from this period as possible, Ali at this point was truly the greatest.
1970s:
Muhammad Ali
Honourable Mention: Roberto Duran
Frazier, Foreman, Norton, Shavers, Mathis, Foster, Spinks...a stellar cast of heavyweights, all enshrined in the divisions golden age, were beaten by Ali, an Ali who was a shell of his former shelf, no longer as fleet of foot as his 22 year old counterpart. His hands were no longer lightning fast and his reflexes had dulled. He took punches now, rather than harmlessly slipping them. He was battered to the body and head; he took punches from some of the hardest hitting men the sport has ever seen. 'Nuff said.
1980s:
Ray Leonard
Honourable Mention: Marvin Hagler and Julio Cesar Chavez Sr.
With his career shortened by injury, the other "Sugar" wasted no time in fighting the best. He beat the greatest fighters of his era. Never has a fighter in such a short span of time (in terms of fights) beaten so many true ATGs. Hagler, Hearns and Duran, complemented by the likes of Benitez, Kalule and Lalonde.
1990s:
Roy Jones Jr.
Honourable Mention: Oscar De LaHoya
Roy Jones is the type of fighter who could have been great in any era. His athleticism and natural ability allowed him to stand head and shoulders above almost every other fighter of his generation. Championship belts at 160, 168 and 175 defined his legacy. Few fighters have fought with the confidence, speed and reflexes that a prime Jones possessed, not to mention a more than healthy amount of power. His sad decline is made even worse by what we remember him to be.
00s:
Manny Pacquiao
Honourable Mentions: Bernard Hopkins and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
It takes a very special fighter to beat the likes of Mayweather and Hopkins in any list and Manny Pacquiao is one such fighter. Forget all the sour taste that his Mayweather dispute has left in the mouth of millions of boxing fans worldwide and remember that no fighter has one as many championship belts in as many weight divisions as Manny Pacquiao. His rise through the weights has been simply astonishing, holding victories over a number of truly great fighters, Barrera, Morales, Marquez, DLH, Cotto and Mosley.
What are your opinions and who would you rate as the best for each decade?
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