Here's the top 5 : Hagler , Ali , Sugar Ray , Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano. Hagler took on all comers for years and destroyed everybody in his path , plus he was totally robbed in the Sugar Ray fight.

1)Tyson, made Spikes faint in the first round and everyone feared him
2)Rocky Maricano; Undefeated
3)Roberto Duran; Hands of Stone,
4)Sugar Ray Robinson/Leonard, Sweet in two different eras
5)Ali, Backed it all up!
and let's not forget, Rocky Balboa!! Only fighter still fighting todat on the list, Rocky 99 will be out in the year 2074.

I think Roy Jones is one of those boxers who wasted his talent, and therefore should drop out of the top five. I think Archie Moore should be considered for the top five. His longevity, willingness to fight everyone & anyone, and his ability to change weight classes (This was before there were six hundred weight classes like today), and win, should rank him up there with the best.

Joe Louis was my #1 pick, as he would for most hardcore boxing fans who know the history behind the sport. His record, film footage, and title defenses speak for themselves. I feel bad that guys like Willie Pep, Carlos Monzon, and Jack Johnson aren't being mentioned. It's too bad that Salvador Sanchez's life was cut short, else he may be up there, too. IMO, Tyson and Roy Jones shouldn't even be in the Top Five. Tyson was stopped by all the top competitors he faced (who were bigger and had good jabs); and Jones, though he was an extremely talented athlete, chose to play it safe (and make a circus) by wasting his prime away on a long list of forgettable no-names while juggling basketball, instead of taking his legacy more seriously and fighting dangerous boxer/punchers like Michael Nunn, Gerald McClellan (who beat him in the amateurs), Nigel Benn, and Julian Jackson when they were all in their primes and in his weight division. It's only now that he has suddenly decided to take more chances, but long after his prime is over. Shame for the fans! Anyways, my top five are #1 Joe Louis, #2 Ray Robinson, #3 Muhammad Ali, #4 Ray Leonard, #5 Marvin Hagler.

I would never take anything from Rocky Marciano. However, the copetition when he was around was not that good. The good heavys, were already old men. That's what makes Rocky's being in the top 5 or top ten. Now, all that said, he left undefeated, so that he has to be in the top ten. Ali, Hagler, Sugar Ray, Joe Louis, Chavez, Duran, Jack Johnson! There were really good fighters in the 50's and early 60's who fought often and for real, e.g Pep, LaMotta, Griffith, the guy who fought Joe Louis three times, Basilio,. Its hard to say.

Rocky Marciano was 49-0, 43 knockouts. He has to be No. 1.

No. 2 -- Sugar Ray Robinson -- just a super-great all-around boxer-puncher who was still winning fights past his prime.

No. 3 -- Roberto Duran -- was way past his prime when he beat Sugar Ray Leonard. His greatest fights were as a lightweight and no lightweight was ever better.

No. 4 -- Archie Moore -- a great light heavyweight who fough far beyond his prime.

No. 5 -- Muhammad Ali -- no telling how great he might have been if he hadn't lost those years when he had his title stripped.

No. 6 -- Joe Louis -- powerful puncher who still holds the record for most title defenses.

What made Ali great, were his speed and ring generalmanship. Arguably, the vast majority of heavyweights just couldn't keep up with him. Liston and Foreman are great examples, of powerful hitters, who couldn't hit him with anything. However, Frazier, who was destroyed by Foreman, twice, was just a cut below Ali because of his heart and counterpunching, ability. Ali was vulnerable to counter punching, as exemplified by Ken Norton, who fought Ali 3 times and never attacked but constantly countered. He was 1-2 and probably got robbed in the split decision. Marciano, never lost and could hit harder than Frazier and take a punch as well, they would have to fight a few times to settle this one for sure. Ali redifined the sport, with his speed, and elusiveness.

although several (other) greats are mentioned in the comments above, i believe ali eclipses all of them because he was, in his prime, "the whole package". like babe ruth, michael jordan and tiger woods, he transcended the very sport he played. the true mark of "greatness" is not someone who never falls down, but someone who falls down and gets back up and overcomes. ali also fought at a time that i feel is the single best generation of heavyweights ever... ali, frazier, foreman, norton. they all took turns beating the crap out of each other in a perpetual round-robin, and when the smoke finally cleared, ali was the last man standing.

i guess the biggest argument from some is that of rocky marciano, and i think that's mostly due to his undefeated record. yes, he was a great fighter and fought several great opponents, but he is more akin in standing to mike tyson than to ali because if you look at all the people he fought, alot of them were (as with tyson) "tomato cans". and like during tyson's reign, marciano's generation simply didn't yeild the caliber of fighters that ali's did.

jeez, i could babble on about this all day, but i have work to do. so in closing, i will simply say "ali... the greatest of ALLLLLLLLLLLLLL time".

regards, jo.

Pacquiao! 8 TITLES IN 8 DIFFERENT DIVISIONS. Whew! grew up guys!

Pacquiao! 8 titles in 8 different division. whew! accept the fact. grew up guys!