Retired as Champ?

[Anthony342]

Have there been many ATG boxers who have retired still as the undisputed, lineal, or Ring champ in their weight class or held most of the belt and were considered the top boxer at the time of their retirement. The only ones I can think of without looking it up are Rocky Marciano and Lennox Lewis. Floyd Mayweather and Joe Louis came back later, so they weren't champs after their very last fight. Vitali Klitschko was still WBC heavyweight champ and retired before he could be stripped. So who are some other top names that pulled this off?

[BattlingNelson]

Joe Calzaghe
Sven Ottke
Andre Ward

[Anthony342]

Good ones. Would you consider Calzaghe and Ottke all time greats though?

[BattlingNelson]

Good ones. Would you consider Calzaghe and Ottke all time greats though?

For me no. And that goes for Ward as well. I reserve the tag ATG for the selct few, but that is purely a matter of your own personal preference/definition.

[deansluk]

ricardo lopez , retired undefeated world champ , i think jermain taylor had just won the ibf vs soliman when he was ''retired'' lol and his win over truax looks better now

[Bundana]

Ketchel
Tunney
Villa
Monzon
Salvador Sanchez

Others that may or may not be considered ATGs, but who are at least in the IBHOF:
John Henry Lewis
Duilio Loi
Masao Ohba
Michael Carbajal

Several other champions retired as title holders, but can't be be considered here, as they are far from what we would call ATGs.

[BattlingNelson]

Ketchel
Tunney
Villa
Monzon
Salvador Sanchez

Others that may or may not be considered ATGs, but who are at least in the IBHOF:
John Henry Lewis
Duilio Loi
Masao Ohba
Michael Carbajal

Several other champions retired as title holders, but can't be be considered here, as they are far from what we would call ATGs.

Hmmm. I was actually having some of those mentioned in mind, but thought the TS had written 'undeafeated' also which would have ruled them out.

[Anthony342]

Nope, just undisputed or had a piece of the title but were still considered the top guy in their weight class. I should have remembered Carbajal. Used to love seeing him on TV and that was back when boxing got a lot more major network and basic cable coverage. Wasn't there a guy he said he was going to "outbox the s**t out of"? I thought I remembered seeing that clip during an early De La Hoya fight. Who was that opponent anyway?

[Anthony342]

For me no. And that goes for Ward as well. I reserve the tag ATG for the selct few, but that is purely a matter of your own personal preference/definition.

I'd have to agree, but Ward was at least the best at 168 and beat the best opponent at 175, so I'd say he was tops in his era above middleweight.

[turnedup]

I'd have to agree, but Ward was at least the best at 168 and beat the best opponent at 175, so I'd say he was tops in his era above middleweight.

Above middleweight has to go to the Klitschko's for their sheer dominance for as long as they dominated regardless of the level of talent there. Beyond the super six Ward had one truly notable opponent who's greatness is still very much under question.