Those of us who are fans of boxing know that there are some greats out there. Some of these boxers include Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Rocky Marciano and Deontay Wilder. But what’s the difference between these greats?
Rocky Marciano
Known as “The Rock” and the “Great White Hope”, Rocky Marciano is one of the boxing greats. He was the first heavyweight boxer to hold the title for a full championship reign. And, he was a boxer who won all 16 of his bouts by knockout.
The first major fight of his career took place in March 1950. The fight was a rematch of his first championship bout with Jersey Joe Walcott. This time, Marciano was able to win by knockout in three rounds. The bout was broadcast on the NBC Television network.
Other notable fights include the one in which Marciano beat up childhood hero Joe Louis. The fight also marks the beginning of Marciano’s relationship with New York fight manager Al Weill. Weill was the man who introduced Marciano to the Boston mob. He helped Marciano find the best fights for his talent, and he got him started in the ring.
Marciano had a great deal of energy, but he lacked a certain ring artistry. He would wait for an opening to land his punch. He also liked to dance around the ring. He was a huge fan favorite in Providence, Rhode Island.
Marciano made his professional debut on July 12, 1948. He went on to win nine out of his sixteen bouts.
Muhammad Ali
During the tumultuous era of the Vietnam War, Ali made a name for himself as a freedom fighter. He also helped to negotiate the release of American hostages. He was also an outspoken critic of the Vietnam War.
As a boxer, he was known for his skillful jabs and fast footwork. He introduced a new level of elegance into the sport. His combinations were blindingly fast, and his ring moves were so precise that some opponents found it difficult to keep up with him.
The most important thing about his achievements is that he transcended boxing. His impact on American culture was significant. In 2005, Ali was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He was also named one of the 100 most influential Americans of the 20th century.
He was also a recipient of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. He traveled to Afghanistan in 2002 as a United Nations Messenger of Peace. He was honored at the 1996 Olympics with the lighting of the Olympic flame. He received honorary degrees from universities.
He was also a member of the Black Muslim group Nation of Islam. He became a practicing Muslim in the late 1970s.
He was the first African American heavyweight champion and was known for his ability to take a punch. He was the greatest of all time in the sport.
Mike Tyson
Among the greats of heavyweight boxing, Mike Tyson holds the distinction of being the only boxer to unify titles in succession. His career spanned two decades. In a span of 16 fights, he won 15 by knockout.
He also became a household name, appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1986. The article described Tyson’s upbringing as a poor Brooklyn kid.
Mike Tyson’s style was a combination of power and speed. He could move forward in angles, and his hook to the head was enough to score a knockout. The hook was also an important part of his defense.
During his early training, Mike Tyson was influenced by famed trainer Cus D’Amato. D’Amato emphasized the importance of footwork.
D’Amato’s work with Tyson was a fable that was adapted into numerous movies and music videos. Gordon Marino, a boxing coach, has also done drills with Tyson.
Despite being one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, Tyson’s life has also been a whirlwind of highs and lows. He served a year in prison after a rape conviction in 1992.
During his career, Tyson defeated 11 boxers for the world heavyweight title. He was ranked as the 16th best puncher of all time by The Ring magazine in 2003.
Wilfredo Gomez
Throughout his illustrious boxing career, Wilfredo Gomez had an impressive record of 44-3-1 with 42 knockouts. He was a three-time world champion, holding titles at featherweight, junior featherweight and super featherweight. He was nicknamed “Bazooka” and was a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
At the age of seventeen, he won the gold medal at the World Amateur Boxing Championships in Havana, Cuba. He later turned professional, and defended his title against WBC bantamweight king Carlos Zarate in 1978.
He won the WBA Lightweight title in 1962 and was the WBA Jr. lightweight champion in 1965. He also won the World Amateur Boxing Championships in 1972. He competed in the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany. He also won the gold medal at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
He defended his titles against Azumah Nelson in December 1984. He was a resilient and powerful Ghanaian boxer. He floored him three times and put him to sleep in the first round. He was eventually knocked out in the eleventh round.
Wilfredo Gomez was a precocious talent. He fought at 130 pounds during his prime. In fact, he stood 5-5. When he retired in 1989, he had an impressive 44-3-1 record.
Floyd Mayweather
Known as one of the greatest boxers of all time, Floyd Mayweather has enjoyed an incredible career. He has been the most popular and profitable boxer of the last decade, and his pay-per-view buys are among the highest of all time. He has also been a boxing promoter and now runs his own company, Mayweather Promotions.
He has fought in five weight classes and won major world titles in four of them. He has also won an Olympic bronze and national Golden Gloves title. He has a number of notable fights and memorable moments, but what are some of the most notable?
During his pro career, he has fought 23 ranked opponents, and he has won 17 of those. He has fought some impressive names, and some that are just names. But he has achieved more victories against better opponents than most other boxers have had in their careers.
He has been named the most powerful boxer of all time by Forbes, and he was the highest paid athlete of the last decade. He was also rated by The Ring, BoxRec, Sports Illustrated, and Yahoo! as the best pound-for-pound welterweight of all time.
He has been a boxing fanatic since his father was a young boy. His uncle Roger Mayweather was a professional boxer himself. He was the lineal welterweight champion for many years, but he has since retired.
Klitschko
Among the many boxing greats of the last 35 years, Vitali Klitschko stands out. The former heavyweight champion is one of the few to hold multiple world titles. The elder brother of the current champion, Wladimir, is also a highly accomplished boxer. The pair are credited with forming a sophisticated public image that has been echoed by other star boxers.
Vitali Klitschko has won 41 bouts by knockout and his knockout percentage is the best of any heavyweight champion. During his nine-year reign as heavyweight king, he never lost a title. He defended his title twenty-four times, making it the second-longest reign in the history of the sport.
Vitali Klitschko’s father, a former Soviet major general, dedicated his life to serving Russia. His job as a high-ranking military officer provided his sons with a high-quality education.
The elder brother, Wladimir, had a super heavyweight gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. He won 134 of 140 amateur fights. He made his professional debut in 1996 in Hamburg, Germany, before winning the World Boxing Association’s super heavyweight title. He then won five additional world heavyweight titles in the following seven years.
In 2008, he returned to the ring after a three-year absence. He defeated long-reign WBC cruiserweight champion Juan Carlos Gomez. In the second round, he landed a hard left hook that left his opponent unable to stand. In the seventh round, he produced three knockdowns.
Deontay Wilder
During his career, Deontay Wilder has earned a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Games, won an Olympic Trials title, and fought on the US Olympic Team. However, he has received plenty of criticism, which he has had to deal with.
He originally wanted to be a wide receiver in the NFL, but changed his mind to become a boxer to help support his daughter. He dropped out of college in order to fight full-time. He weighed in at 212 pounds in his first fight against Tyson Fury.
He defended his title ten times. He is one of the best heavyweights of all time, and it would be hard to find a heavyweight in the division today who is better than him.
He has a natural weight of 220 pounds. He has only two opponents who have been able to make it past the fourth round.
He has a record of 33 fights, with 32 knockouts and 41 wins. He is also one of the hardest punchers in the division. He has been compared to Mike Tyson and George Foreman.
He has won a number of awards, including Ring Magazine’s Knockout of the Year in 2019. He is also one of the few fighters in the world who has won a share of the World Heavyweight Championship.
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