One of the newer divisions in the sport--only strawweight is newer. However, super middleweight has seen more success than some of the more recently-created divisions, with a gaggle of talented and big figures among the top ten. At the same time, being less than 30 years old, this ranking does not have the historic names that fill other top tens.

In addition, there is a mix of those who make 168 their home and others who merely stop by for a little while. This makes it a difficult list to compile. Do you go with ten-year rainstorm or the two-year hurricane? This list is also unique in that it is one of the least populated by Americans of any higher weight class, with Europeans dominating the top ten. Here are the ten best to ever do it at 168 pounds:

1. Joe Calzaghe (1993-2008):

Credit: Tea Chimp / Creative Commons License 2.0

Other than Holyfield at cruiserweight and Ricardo Lopez at strawweight, there is no clearer choice for the #1 spot in any division. A ten-year reign as WBO champion and retiring undefeated at 46-0 only tells part of the story. Calzaghe’s skills and worth fall a little outside how we normally gauge greatness. For the less-astute observer, Calzaghe perhaps appeared to merely be a tough fighter who overwhelmed opponents with blustery hands. But not many fighters could fight as well as Calzaghe, as he just had an almost-genius aptitude for the simple art of combat. His view of a fight was hyper-advanced, accompanied by the ability to see angles and perceive a fight with the same coolness as a fan sitting on his couch.

Calzaghe won his first belt over top-5 all-time super middleweight Chris Eubank and while he did spend a lot of his reign beating second-raters, he eventually got some serious work done. Some of his better defenses came against 168-pound championship timber like Charles Brewer, Richie Woodhall, and Byron Mitchell. In 2006, Jeff Lacy was favored to beat Calzaghe and wound up getting destroyed. Came back to beat hard-nosed Sakio Bika, before overcoming a tough start to figure out Mikkel Kessler en route to a dominating decision.

2. Nigel Benn (1987-1996):

Nigel began his career as a bombs-away middleweight. Some setbacks forced him to refine his style and he admirably did just that, adding some finesse to his brawn. It enabled him to become one of the greatest ever at this weight. Defeated Sugarboy Malinga, before snatching the WBC strap from clever Mauro Galvano. A few defenses led to a rematch against Chris Eubank, who had stopped Benn at middleweight. Benn appeared unlucky to get only a draw in their 1993 unification bout. Nigel registered 2 more defenses before knocking out Gerald McClellan, in what would have been an absolutely glorious win, if not for the harrowing result, which left McClellan maimed for life. Two more defenses followed before Benn faded away with 3 straight losses.

Check out our entire collection of the all-time best fighters by weight class, as well as the breakdown of how these lists were made and what factors were included.

3. Chris Eubank (1985-1998):

One of the best of the early champions of 168, Eubank won the vacant WBO title with a nearly-fatal KO over talented Michael Watson. Defended against Sugarboy Malinga, before besting decent American imports like Ron Essett, Tony Thornton, and ex-champ Lindell Holmes. A pair of draws, against tough Irishman Ray Close and #2 all-time Nigel Benn followed, before Eubank scored an underrated win over unbeaten Graciano Rocchigiani. Beat Close in a rematch and in total, scored 14 title defenses. Sometimes lethargic and uninterested, Eubank could be difficult to like, but his accomplishments at this weight are almost unparalleled.

4. Roy Jones, Jr. (1989-present):

Far and away, the most impressive fighting force ever seen at 168 pounds. Only a short stay in this division prevents him from taking a higher spot. But for a short tenure at this weight, he certainly accomplished a lot. Most importantly, he won the only true Superfight to ever take place in this division. Before James Toney climbed into the ring against Jones, he was considered by many to be the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. For Jones to whitewash a fighter of that stature represents a feather in his cap that no one on this list can really claim. The fact that Toney was not at his best does nothing to reflect poorly on Jones. His 6 defenses that followed the Toney win were not against great fighters, but Jones still barely lost a round, en route to as dominating a 168-pound run as you can hope to see.

5. James Toney (1988-present):

Losing the biggest fight in division history by a landslide doesn’t reflect terribly well, but it is his what he did directly preceding it that allows Toney to stand out against others on this list. It was his work in this weight class that allowed him to be considered by many as the best fighter in the world. Who else besides Jones can really claim that on this list? Struggling at the scales at 160, Toney jumped up a division and his form blossomed. A stoppage of tough Doug DeWitt paved the way for an absolute clinic against Iran Barkley, which netted Toney the IBF belt. Decisioned tough Tony Thornton, before stopping unbeaten and talented contender Tim Littles. His dissection of former light heavyweight champion Prince Charles Williams was a thing of both beauty and brutality.

6. Andre Ward (2004-present):

Boxing history usually requires time to ruminate, but winning the Super Six tournament seems to be enough to place him among the best to ever do it at 168. Sure Lucian Bute is still out there, but winning a tournament of that nature speaks volumes, as does the fact that he was able to prevail in dominating fashion. The Olympic Gold Medalist took a while to get his career going, but when he did, he did so with aplomb and great distinction. With the old guard getting older, he is one of the leading candidates to become the PFP #1 guy here in the next several years. Wins over Miranda-Kessler-Green-Bika-Abraham-Froch represent perhaps the most comprehensive championship run in the history of this division. A win over Bute puts him pretty close to the top. This book is still being written.

7. Steve Collins (1986-1997):

Personally, I’m finding this the toughest one in the lot to rank. I never thought he was much of a fighter, but his toughness and grit were so off-the-charts, that I’m forced to look at his greatness along different lines. It’s a bit worrisome to rank Benn and Eubank ahead of him, as Collins is remarkably 4-0 against that duo, with a pair of wins over each. The Benn who was twice stopped by Collins was a depleted force, as he would never win another fight. But when Eubank lost to Collins the first time, he was unbeaten in 43 fights. But the Eubank wins were both close and Benn had just dropped his belt to 9-loss Sugarboy Malinga. His other work at the upper-reaches of 168 is pretty thin, but going 4-0 against the #2 and #3 guy all-time in the division is impossible to ignore.

8. Carl Froch (2002-present)

A little of the stink still lingers from a disappointing performance against Andre Ward, but prior to that, he compiled a list of triumphs that few on this list can match. After putting together a decent resume over tough domestic types, he went on a roll, defeating Jean Pascal, Jermain Taylor, Andre Dirrell, Arthur Abraham, and Glen Johnson. The only setback during that stretch was a close one on Mikkel Kessler’s home turf. That’s a major run of success against some pretty big names and good enough for #8 on this list.

9. Mikkel Kessler (1998-present):

The Dane’s championship pedigree at this weight class stretches back over 7 years and he is poised to go for another title in 2012. Coming up a short in two big ones against Joe Calzaghe and Andre Ward keeps him from being a great, but he did well against Joe and was really the first one to incur the Ward wrath. At the end of the day, his 2 losses could be against the 2 best to ever do it at this weight. And being the first to defeat Carl Froch is pretty big, even if it was an awfully close fight in his homeland. His resume has since been surpassed by Froch, who ranks ahead of him despite the heads-up win, which really could have gone either way. Wins over Manny Siaca, Anthony Mundine, Eric Lucas, Markus Beyer, and Librado Andrade, among others, illustrate his championship worth.

10. Chong-Pal Park (1977-1988):

In a division this thin in legends, you have to make room for the division O.G. Park’s true merit as a fighter can be difficult to gauge. The South Korean fought largely in Asia--not a region of the world you associate with good 168-pound boxers. He also reigned largely during a time when only the IBF recognized the existence of this weight class. Nobody terribly worthwhile at the time considered even fighting in this invisible division. And a pair of losses to former Hagler dancing partner Fulgencio Obelmejias doesn’t really help his cause, either. But winning 12 title bouts from 1984-1988 and being a feared puncher, and some groundbreaking points is enough to notch him a spot in the top-ten.

For many reasons, ranking light heavyweights is a tricky endeavor. Many of the greatest to ever do it at this weight were never officially champion. The issue of racism rears its head in this weight class, with many of the division’s top practitioners from the first half of the century being denied their rightful place.

Many old-time greats fought in many divisions and it can be difficult to isolate their prime into one division. Without many of them having won titles at 175, it’s not always clear. Almost half of this top-ten is occupied by fighters who were never officially champions at this weight. In other words, coming up with a list takes a little more work in this division than some others.

Here are the ten greatest light heavyweights who ever lived.

1. Archie Moore (1935-1963):

Credit: Bettmann/ CORBIS

Sure, it’s become en vogue to call Ezzard Charles the greatest light heavyweight of all time. While I won’t argue with that, I will offer that there isn’t a more accomplished light heavyweight than the great “Old Mongoose.” As a late bloomer, Moore’s prime is difficult to evaluate, but the feeling here is that his 3 losses to Ezzard Charles occurred before Moore had really hit his prime. The Moore that Charles beat was the same guy who would go on to lose to guys like Leonard Morrow, Henry Hall, Lloyd Gibson, and Clinton Bacon. Moore was good, but not the fighter he would later become.

At the end of the day, a nearly-decade long reign and a dozen or so wins over top-25 all-time light heavyweights is impossible to ignore. Long denied a title shot, Moore finally won the belt over Hall of Famer Joey Maxim at 36 and still managed to reign for almost a decade. The career K.O. king was also one of the quickest thinkers in the ring. Moore holds wins over Hall of Famers Lloyd Marshall, Jimmy Bivins, Holman Williams, Harold Johnson, Joey Maxim, Bobo Olson and a slew of tough contenders at 175.

2. Ezzard Charles (1940-1959):

If there is one fighter you could magically transform into, there aren’t many better choices than a light heavyweight Ezzard Charles. The “Cincinnati Cobra” never got a title shot at 175, but still has a good case for being the greatest light heavyweight of all time. Costing him the top spot is that he only spent 6 years in the weight class, while Moore’s accomplishments span nearly 20 years in this division. Nevertheless, going 3-for-3 against Moore speaks loudly, though Archie was not yet in his prime.

Charles also scored a trio of wins over Joey Maxim and beat Lloyd Marshall, Jimmy Bivins, and Gus Lesnevich, among others. From 1944-1948, he fought the most brutal lineup in division history, with only a robbery loss to Elmer Ray spoiling a perfect record over nearly 30 fights. It was during that span where Charles showed the total package of the likes that have seldom been seen in the history of the prize ring.

Check out our entire collection of the all-time best fighters by weight class, as well as the breakdown of how these lists were made and what factors were included.

3. Sam Langford (1902-1926):

Langford is a difficult fighter to rank for several reasons. Any footage on him is pretty sketchy. He fought in so many divisions against men of such divergent sizes that it is difficult to pinpoint his exact place. He never won a title during a time when black fighters were mostly frozen out of world title consideration. He also competed during a time of rampant “newspaper” decisions, some of which were not fought at full speed. Still, it’s difficult to pour over boxing history and not emerge with the belief that Langford was one of the very best to ever lace ‘em up and you have to put him somewhere. Turned pro in 1902 and by 1903, he was beating the likes of legendary Joe Gans, who had fought almost 150 bouts. Fought a draw with another legend in Joe Walcott and beat legendary fighters like Jack Blackburn, Dixie Kid, Jim Flynn, Stanley Ketchell, Philadelphia Jack O’Brien, Sam McVea, Harry Wills, Kid Norfolk, and countless others in a career that is impossible to quantify here.

4. Gene Tunney (1915-1928):

While it’s wrong to go outside of the division for analysis, you would tend to figure that a man who twice dominated heavyweight legend Jack Dempsey was a helluva light heavyweight--and you’d be right. He only lost once in an 86-bout career in as forgivable a setback as there is: a decision loss to super-legend Harry Greb. He would avenge that loss 4 times. Beat countless contenders, including wins over Hall of Fame light heavyweights Tommy Loughran and Georges Carpentier. A thoughtful pugilist, Tunney was one of the best pure boxers of all time.

5. Bob Foster (1961-1978):

You could make a case for Foster being ranked lower. But tipping the scale in Foster’s favor is the fact that he didn’t merely beat his challengers, he wiped them off the face of the earth. The spidery and immense-hitting Foster got off to a somewhat-slow start, fighting against heavyweights, something he was never good at. But once he settled into his groove, he was as formidable a force ever seen at this weight. Knocked out Hall of Famer Dick Tiger in 4 brutal rounds to win the world title in 1968. He would retire as champion in 1974, after winning 14 title bouts. While the era he dominated is not considered one of the best, it is his long string of dominance that effectively prevented anyone from being able to thrive during that period. Foster was one of the purest punchers to ever fight.

6. Michael Spinks (1977-1988):

The hard punching, awkward, and deceivingly-tough Spinks only lost his final bout, in a distinguished career that saw him achieve more than most guys on this list, including becoming the first reigning light heavyweight champion to successfully annex heavyweight honors. It was his work at light heavyweight, however, that puts him in rarified air. Spinks cleaned up on the tail end of a glorious light heavyweight era, scoring wins over Murray Sutherland, Yaqui Lopez, and Marvin Johnson, before winning his first belt over talented Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. Made defenses over talented contenders like Vonzell Johnson, Mustafa Wassaja, Jerry Celestine, Johnny Davis, Oscar Rivadaneyra, Eddie Davis, and others. Scored a key unification win over Dwight Muhammad Qawi just a short time after his wife died, as he entered the ring in tears. His right-hand, known as the Spinks Jinx, was one of the most powerful weapons ever wielded at 175.

7. Billy Conn (1934-1948):

Again, it’s wrong to venture outside the division for evidence, but it’s hard to not let the fact that a 169-pound Conn almost beat a peak Joe Louis resonate in one’s analysis. The cunning, tough, cat-quick, and hard-edged “Pittsburgh Kid” came up the hard way, earning his chops against the best in the business, before settling into a long period of brilliance, beating light heavyweight Hall of Famers Fred Apostoli and Gus Lesnevich. Also beat top contenders, former champions, and Hall of Famers like Fritzie Zivic, Vince Dundee, Teddy Yarosz, Young Corbett III, Solly Krieger, and countless more players at 175.

8. Tommy Loughran (1919-1937):

“The Phantom of Philly” turned pro and was soon swapping punches with one of the more glorious eras at and around 175. In 1922, the skillful and savvy boxing whiz began serving notice with a news win over Mike McTigue and a draw against Gene Tunney. In 1923, he scored a news win over Jeff Smith, fought a draw with Jimmy Delaney, and scored a win over the immortal Harry Greb. Still, he lost to some of these men and hadn’t found his footing yet. By 1926, no one could touch him. He easily beat former champ Georges Carpentier, Jimmy Delaney, and Young Stribling, before finally taking the belt over old rival McTigue. Defended against all comers, including holding back the challenges of Jimmy Slattery and the great Mickey Walker. Final defense came against future heavyweight king Jim Braddock.

9. Jimmy Bivins (1940-1955):

Bivins was a key part of that 1940’s light heavyweight explosion, where the best black fighters didn’t get their proper designation. Bivins defeated Hall of Famer Charley Burley in his first year as a pro. In his 2nd year, defeated Hall of Famer Teddy Yarosz. Beat reigning champion Gus Lesnevich in 1942, but the title was not on the line and finished the year with a win over future champion Joey Maxim and 3 wins over heavyweight contenders. In 1943, scored a decision over Ezzard Charles and rose from the canvas to stop Lloyd Marshall. In 1945, Bivins was in the midst of a long winning streak when he stopped Archie Moore in 6 rounds. At this point, Bivins was no longer making 175 pounds and went on to struggle--winning some and losing some for the next decade or so. But at his best, Bivins stood out, with 7 wins over light heavyweights who are in the Hall of Fame.

10. Roy Jones, Jr. (1989-present):

The ultimate test of the naked-eye observation vs. resume conundrum. Would Jones have beaten some guys ranked above him? Probably. But he suffers in the area of opposition. On one hand, he reigned as a light heavyweight titleholder from 1996-2004, much of that time considered the best fighter in the world. And he did beat some good fighters during that stretch, including a title-winning effort against Mike McCallum, a sizzling rematch knockout of Montell Griffin, a bodyshot K.O. over Virgil Hill, and wins over good fighters like Lou Del Valle, Reggie Johnson, Eric Harding, Julio Cesar Gonzalez, and a close one over Antonio Tarver. A long line of fights against no-hopers and his inability to make a fight with Dariusz Michalczewski, long the obvious #2 guy, was not befitting for a man of his talent and ends up costing him higher placement in this illustrious group.

Jones was great, but watching him now sponge defeat after defeat against the type of opponents he should have been fighting in his prime only brings to light the unambitious route he took at 175 when he was at his best. Lesson to young fighters: When you wrap yourself up in the security blanket of sanctioning body politics, it could come at the expense of your legacy. Still, let’s face it, if this top ten could magically transform into a fantasy tournament, Jones would be one of the betting favorites.

Even though many of the greats in heavyweight history would be cruiserweights in the modern era, this is a long-suffering weight class. Almost devoid of marketability, this division has served mostly as a pit stop for aspiring smallish heavyweights or a wasteland for those who couldn’t cut it at heavyweight or light heavyweight. With a cruiserweight explosion in Europe, however, it’s not so bad nowadays.

There have been fine fighters at this weight. But as a neglected and fairly new division, it has lacked the star power of any of the “upper” weight classes. In most divisional top-tens, almost everybody is in the Hall of Fame. That is clearly not the case in this division. Here are the ten best to ever do it at cruiserweight.

1. Evander Holyfield (1984-present):

Credit: Gary Rothstein/Icon SMI

Not many divisions exist where the #1 choice is this clear, but there really is no argument about the identity of the greatest cruiserweight of all time. After turning pro at light heavyweight, the maturing Holyfield soon joined the ranks of the cruiserweight division, where he began a reign of dominance that has not been seen since. Beat Dwight Muhammad Qawi in a draining 15-rounder for his first belt, before unifying the belts against Rickey Parkey and Carlos DeLeon. Also knocked out former champ Ossie Ocasio, gold medallist Henry Tillman, and Qawi in a rematch. Evander was unparalleled at this weight.

2. Carlos DeLeon (1974-1995):

Fighting as a lightweight as recently as 1976, the mercurial DeLeon was cruiserweight champion by 1980. His world championship resume spanned a decade, with the Puerto Rican slickster winning the cruiserweight title 5 times. Beat all the top cruiserweights from the first half of the 80’s, including Marvin Camel and ST Gordon. Took some puzzling losses, dropping his belt to Gordon and Alonzo Ratliff, but always bounced back with key wins. Lost resoundingly to Holyfield in a 1988 unification match, but regained the WBC throne upon Holyfield moving up to heavyweight.

Check out our entire collection of the all-time best fighters by weight class, as well as the breakdown of how these lists were made and what factors were included.

3. David Haye (2002-2011):

Does it say more about Haye’s excellence or the division’s lack of meaningful history that he can claim the #3 spot? Maybe a little bit of both, but Haye did something that had not been done since the days of Holyfield and that’s clean out the division and establish clear-cut superiority over his peers. By the time Haye moved up to heavyweight, he had established a clear margin of dominance over the rest of the weight class. Got off the canvas to knock out unified champion Jean-Marc Mormeck, before starching WBO titlist Enzo Maccarinelli in 2 heats to consolidate his world title claims. The depth of his resume might not be very impressive, but becoming “the man” in a division with slim pickings counts for a lot.

4. Johnny Nelson (1986-2005):

Nelson might not have been that great of a fighter. He was awkward and inconsistent for much of his career, losing to a slew of cruisers and heavyweights before finding solid footing. At the same time, he went almost the final decade of his career unbeaten, including a nearly 7-year run as WBO champion, which included 14 defenses. Knocked out Carl Thompson for the title, before defending against the likes of Marcelo Dominguez and Guillermo Jones, among others.

5. Jean-Marc Mormeck (1995-present):

The overlooked Mormeck was the top guy in the division for a spell, unifying the title for the first time since the days of Evander. Became the only other man besides Roy Jones to stop Virgil Hill for his first title, who had just knocked out another good champion in Fabrice Tiozzo in the first round. Mormeck stopped two good contenders in Dale Brown and Alexander Gurov, before repeating the win over an aging Hill. Beat undefeated Wayne Braithwaite to snag another belt, before a puzzling stoppage loss to inconsistent O’Neil Bell. He came back to beat Bell and regain his belts, before falling to Haye in a fight where he also had his man on the floor. Mormeck was one of the more ambitious cruiserweights of all-time in terms of matchmaking and by partly consolidating the titles, stands out from the rest of the pack.

6. Steve Cunningham (2000-present):

The 6’3” Cunningham is one of the more impressive-looking cruiserweights of all-time, and even though he sometimes never fought to his full potential, his resume is impossible to dismiss. His wins over Guillermo Jones, Krzysztof Wlodarczyk, and Marco Huck--all still reigning world champions, represents perhaps the most top-heavy list of wins of any cruiserweight. Cunningham has also beaten notable cruiserweights such as Kelvin Davis, Wayne Braithwaite, and Troy Ross.

7. Anaclet Wamba (1982-1994):

The largely-forgotten Congo-born Frenchman was a classy 6’3” boxer of considerable skill and durability, even if he didn’t light the world on fire when he fought. With an iffy decision loss early in his career and an egregious DQ loss, both on his opponent’s home-floor, one can say that the 46-2-1 Wamba was never beaten in the ring. Bounced back from the scandalous loss to WBC champ Massimiliano Duran and stopped him in 11 to begin a nice title reign. Defended against Duran, Andrew Maynard, tough countryman Akim Tafer, and Adolpho Washington and unbeaten Marcelo Dominguez--both of whom would go on to claim world titles.

8. James Toney (1988-present):

Not an easy guy to rank. From a purely naked eye point of view, he was probably a better fighter than everyone ranked ahead of him, except Holyfield. But his cruiserweight legacy, not that he paid it much mind, suffers since he left the division immediately after winning a title. To his credit, however, he beat an excellent champion in Vassiliy Jirov in one of the best demonstrations of boxing ever seen in this division. And his 4-year run at cruiserweight was productive, as he beat some name guys without being seriously challenged. Though he didn’t always have the belts to prove it, Toney was probably the best guy in this weight class during his tenure.

9. Juan Carlos Gomez (1995-present):

Watching Gomez as a lethargic and underachieving heavyweight, it’s easy to forget his days where he was a sharp and powerful 6’4” cruiserweight champion. Only one man lasted the distance with Gomez during his 11-fight/4-year reign. His list of challengers are not altogether compelling and he never consolidated his world championship claims, but Gomez did re-introduce a level of excellence to the division that had not been seen since the days of Holyfield.

10. Dwight Muhammad Qawi (1978-1998):

It would have been easy to put Vassiliy Jirov or several others in this slot, as they might have a stronger overall resume at cruiserweight. It’s just that Qawi was slightly more badass than those guys and really the first guy to bring attention to the division as its first name champion. And while giving points for losses can be a faulty way to evaluate legacies, the fact that he was the only man to threaten to beat Holyfield until Evander fought Riddick Bowe years later counts for a lot. After Michael Spinks brought an end to his glorious title run at 175, Qawi moved up, beating contender Michael Greer, before stopping unbeaten WBA champ Piet Crous in his native South Africa. Knocked out a slipping Leon Spinks in a defense before his glorious stand against a young Holyfield. Remained a factor for several years, with wins over former champ Lee Roy Murphy and Tyrone Booze and an absolute robbery-loss to Ossie Ocasio.

While one of the easiest lists to compile, with so many many hallmark names at the top, it is one of the more sticky rankings in the sport. The number one and two spots are easy enough, with an even argument on Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis. After that, it is an absolute free-for-all with some of the giants from the past.

This division, more than any other, requires one to ignore the head-to-head fantasy component. Let’s face it, what a heavyweight really is has changed drastically over the years. Up to 4 of the people on this top-ten might not even be a heavyweight in today’s era of 250-pound cyborgs. This division really forces one to be mindful of the fact that a fighter can only really be judged against his era.

There are so many different factors and who’s to say which ones should carry more weight? One can go off any number of things, like accomplishments, won-loss record, quality of opposition, or a ton of other factors. Not to mention the visceral feeling of simply who you thought the greater fighter was. At the end of the day, you can easily make a case for anyone on this list after number-two moving up or dropping at least several spots.

Here’s my two cents:

1. Muhammad Ali (1960-1981):

Credit: Ken Regan; Ali.com

A lot of the Ali lore is caught up in sentimentality and his ability to buck the odds time and again. But it’s impossible to deny the quality of his massive triumphs. He beat two guys on this list (Foreman and Frazier), and several others who lurk nearby. His longevity and ability to rule the division’s toughest era when he was already past his prime speaks volumes. The 70’s version of Ali relied on his incredible spirit, intelligence, and durability. The 60’s version just might have been the greatest physical marvel to ever grace the division. No other heavyweight was able to create more magic. Check out this collection of Muhammad Ali Facts.

2. Joe Louis (1934-1951):

As omnipotent a heavyweight who ever existed, with a 12.5 year-reign as Heavyweight Champion. A short and deadly puncher who left bodies quivering in his wake. Louis could carve a man up with his bludgeoning jab, before rifling that short right hand that could not be denied. A revolutionary heavyweight, in light of some of the lumbering kingpins that preceded him. Louis fought more like a middleweight, with textbook technique and punches thrown in crisp combinations. His beatdown of Max Schmeling was one of the historic wins in history, avenging the only defeat he would suffer until well past his best many years later.

3. Jack Johnson (1897-1932):

Completely ruled over his peers with advanced skills. Johnson was athletically-gifted, using movement and defense, in addition to his considerable brawn. He toyed with Hall of Famers, using all the same punches used today. Jack would control opponents with ring generalship, exhibiting a level of defense that had not been seen by big men before. As many fighters in his era did, Johnson came up tough, losing some en route to developing his world-class skills. Once he got on a roll, he was hard to stop. Beat some of the legendary and neglected black heavyweights of his day, including wins over Hall of Famers Sam McVea, Joe Jeanette, and Sam Langford. Unlike his contemporaries, he got a shot at the title and made good--stopping Tommy Burns for the Heavyweight Title. After winning the belt, “The Galveston Giant” beat Hall of Famers Stanley Ketchell and a comebacking Jim Jeffries. Constrained in part by the times he lived, where heavyweight champions would be on the shelf for long periods, he lacks the championship pedigree of others on his list. But even the most scrutiny-filled analysis of Johnson gives way to the conclusion that he was the greatest heavyweight until Joe Louis came around and one of the more dominant forces in the history of the division.

Check out our entire collection of the all-time best fighters by weight class, as well as the breakdown of how these lists were made and what factors were included.

4. Larry Holmes (1973-(2002):

Some say he ruled a weak era. But he might have had something to do with that, reigning for so long, that other heavyweights were shut out of the top spot. Still, his list of victims contains an underrated and hungry list of dangerous heavyweights. With a bad arm, he won the WBC belt from top-20 all-time heavyweight Ken Norton, not losing for another 7 years en route to a 48-0 record. His title-loss and subsequent rematch defeat to Michael Spinks was the least convincing dethroning of anyone on this list. It’s important to note that out of Larry’s 21 title-fight victories, 7 were against fighters who held or would win heavyweight championships. One of the best heavyweights at an advanced age, beating top contender Ray Mercer and giving champions Evander Holyfield and Oliver McCall good fights well past age 40. Legendary toughness and chin, with the best jab in heavyweight history, Larry is in rarefied air.

5. Evander Holyfield (1984-present):

Perhaps no fighter better maximized his capabilities than Holyfield--an undersized heavyweight who ruled in a time of giants. Historically, Holyfield was closest to Ali in having the ability to bounce back and score improbable wins against heavily-favored competition. Knocked out Buster Douglas with one punch, before scoring wins over a veritable who’s-who of modern heavyweight history. With wins over Holmes and Foreman, albeit at an advanced age, he has two victories over top-6 all-time heavyweights. He almost got Lewis in the rematch and his two wins over Tyson, just outside the top ten, also speak volumes. Throw in wins against Michael Dokes, an upset rematch win over Riddick Bowe, Ray Mercer, Michael Moorer (in another rematch), John Ruiz, and Hasim Rahman and you have one of the most complete resumes in history.

6. George Foreman (1969-1997):

No one can match his longevity--the man was a world-class heavyweight in eras that span the Nixon and Clinton administrations for goodness sake. Throw in his demolitions of Frazier and Norton and you have a brief reign at the top, but one that was perhaps unprecedented in its brutality. Making absolute mince meat out of two leading members of the 70’s heavyweight explosion counts for a lot. And though Ali eventually got him, he bounced back nicely, culminating with a legendary off-the-floor win over Ron Lyle in what might have been the greatest of all heavyweight brawls. Emerged from a decade-long retirement and began one of the most successful comebacks in sports history, culminating in him winning the linear belt back against Michael Moorer in 1994, 26 years after he won Olympic gold.

7. Rocky Marciano (1947-1955):

Personally, I find the modern tendency on the part of some to minimize Marciano’s talents to the be one of the biggest misrepresentations of boxing history. Sure, some of his bigger-name opponents were old, but does that mean they weren’t good? And those who point to his lack of speed and coordination or how he was a bleeder with no size should wonder how he managed to clean out the heavyweight division and retire with a record of 49-0 (43). Maybe when you look at films of him now, some things that make him great don’t immediately leap out and grab you. Nevertheless, Marciano was probably the toughest of all heavyweight champs and the hardest puncher under 190 pounds to ever grace the ring. His stamina also ranks among the best of all-time, as does his durability and pain threshold. Jersey Joe Walcott was aging, but still a heck of a fighter and reigning champion when Rocky beat him, and again in the rematch in one brutal round. Go watch his fights with legendary Ezzard Charles and tell me that guy couldn’t still fight. And old Archie Moore would still be winning title fights years after Marciano rose from a knockdown to stop him in 9. Say what you will, but retiring undefeated as champion with no compelling contenders remaining is a status very few can claim.

8. Jack Dempsey (1914-1927):

A revolutionary fighter and figure, Dempsey was a forerunner of a style we still look for in our heavyweight champions. Before he came around, you picture heavyweight boxing as a more gentlemanly endeavor. “The Manassa Mauler” introduced the hyper-aggressive, beatdown-style of fighting that fans still gravitate to in droves. He also drew the parameters of fame and superstardom for boxers. In a sense, one could say his celebrity surpassed his actual value as an all-time great heavyweight, but not by much. Before he even won the title in one of the more graphic beatings in boxing history against Jess Willard, Dempsey had in large part cleaned out the division, dominating a tough roster of contenders. His reign consisted of many long layoffs, which would be intolerable in the modern era. And though he was hardly unique for this practice, he never fought the compelling black contenders of the time. But from 1919-1926, he was the king of the sport and dominated a good list of contenders, even knocking out future champion Jack Sharkey in between his losses to Tunney.

9. Lennox Lewis (1989-2003)

Two punches away from the top-3. At the end of the day, being stopped on fluky one-punch knockouts to the inglorious duo of Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman is what keeps him out of the top reaches of this list. Other heavyweights have absorbed similar losses, but they never lost their belt to fighters of that ilk. Other than that, his resume is impossible to dismiss. I’m not sure I wouldn’t pick Lewis in a mythical tournament among those on this list. His right hand was one of the more destructive weapons in heavyweight history. Many felt Razor Ruddock would rule the post-Tyson era, until Lewis brutalized him in 2 rounds. With wins over Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, and Vitali Klitschko, he beat a wide range of heavyweight champions. It’s his list over good guys just underneath the category of “great” that sets him apart. By beating Tony Tucker, Frank Bruno, Tommy Morrison, Ray Mercer, Oliver McCall, Andrew Golota, Shannon Briggs, Michael Grant, David Tua, and Hasim Rahman, he cleaned out his era as comprehensively as anyone on this list.

10. Joe Frazier (1965-1981):

The recently-deceased Frazier certainly isn’t relying on any sentimentality points to crack this list in the 10-spot. He was one of two men to be in “The Fight of the Century” when he fought #1 Muhammad Ali. Coming out the winner in a fight of that stature counts for a whole lot and represents perhaps the single greatest victory in the history of the sport. And while he came up short against Foreman in a big way, he still had enough to give Ali absolute hell in the Thrilla in Manila. Fought during a very tough era and with wins over Oscar Bonavena (twice), George Chuvalo, Jerry Quarry (twice), Jimmy Ellis (twice), and Bob Foster, he has a body of work that allows his to withstand the later losses to Foreman and Ali with his legacy intact. His left hook was greatest of all heavyweight champions. His win over an unbeaten Ali forever stamped him as a heavyweight great. The Joe Frazier who showed up that night would have been a handful for any heavyweight.

This is the payoff for being a boxing fan. To the outside observer, it looks like we’re just watching an endless series of fights--some good, a lot bad, and that’s about all there is to it. What those people miss out on just might be the most compelling head-to-head competition in all of sport. These are the diamonds in the rough, the gold nuggets that turn up in the pan that keep us coming back for more. Take a look at the 2011 round of the year in boxing.

The 2011 Round of the Year: James Kirkland vs. Alfredo Angulo (Round 1)

A whole fight’s worth of action in 3 minutes. Within ten seconds, they were winging punches with venom. Kirkland pinned Angulo and began to whack away with shots, when, BOOM! A picture perfect right between the seams crushed against Kirkland’s jaw and dumped him on the canvas. Somewhat shakily and with a face conveying disbelief, Kirkland rose quickly and was clear at the end of the mandatory eight-count.

Angulo moved in for the kill with guns a’ blazing. Some shots landed and some didn’t, as Kirkland careened across the ring into the ropes. With Kirkland trapped, Angulo banged away with the referee taking a close look. On and on it went, for over a minute, with Kirkland taking a beating and looking the worse for wear.

With about a minute left in the round, the two exchanged combinations and you could almost sense all the wind drain out of Angulo’s sails. Suddenly, he looked as bad as Kirkland. “The Mandingo Warrior” sprang to life, sensing Angulo had hit a wall. A few shots seem to shake Angulo. Kirkland forged inside, smacking Angulo with two big rights. A clubbing left sent Angulo sprawling toward the ropes. Kirkland ripped into Angulo in the corner with lefts and rights sending “El Perro” down, his right arm hung up in the bottom rope.

With his mouth agape, Angulo rose wearily and took the referee’s count. The bell rang as the two resumed action ending one of the best rounds of the past decade. This fight was expected to be a barnburner between two hard-hitting and hungry fighters looking to gain footing in their careers. A lot of “can’t-miss” fights actually miss, but in a year of disappointments--this one delivered and then some. Kirkland, 30-1 (27), would go on to win by 6th round TKO.

Don't forget to check out the rest of our 2011 boxing awards for dozens of different year-end awards and honors!

2nd Place: Edgardo Lopez vs. Felix Rivera (Round 2)

Usually, when a 1-0 fighter beats an 0-2 guy, it doesn’t make a ripple. But when Edgardo Lopez stopped Felix Rivera in the 2nd round of a televised prelim bout, the action was absolutely unforgettable. After losing the first round, it looked like Rivera would get his first victory, as he plowed into Lopez to open the 2nd round.

Roundhouse shots with both hands rocked Lopez. A thunderous right crunched against the side of his jaw and he went down. Looking all the world like a KO victim, a barely-conscious Lopez groped and flailed, attempting to get up. Rubbery and with his eyes suggesting an alternate reality, he somehow rose before ten and managed to answer the referee’s “Are you alright?” inquiry.

Rivera moved in for the finish. As Lopez tried to maneuver his way away from his tormentor, he resembled a newborn doe trying to find its footing. Lopez remained resolute, but punches continued to sneak through and around his guard, as his cause began to appear hopeless. Slowly, he started to return fire, but his punches had the affect of a peashooter against the cannon blasts of Rivera.

Suddenly, you could see Lopez clearing up, as he zinged Rivera with a few crisp body-shots. A flush long-range right slammed against Rivera’s jaw, who stuck out his tongue in an act of defiance. Nevertheless, it enlivened Lopez. A few hooks to the body took a lot out of a now-depleted Rivera. A right to the head stiffened him, but Rivera lashed back with some nice shots of his own, as well.

With a little under a minute left, Rivera backed Lopez to the ropes, but Lopez pivoted. A fatigued Rivera found himself out of position. Lopez seized the moment and jarred Rivera badly with a big right to the head. Another right separated him from his senses. As he fell, Lopez hit him with a terrible left hook as Rivera fell flat on his face. He would be taken from the ring on a stretcher. That’s a lot of action in 2:10.

3rd Place: Victor Ortiz vs. Andre Berto (Round 6)

Probably the best 60 seconds of the year. With both fighters exchanging with a minute remaining in the round, a howitzer Berto right smashed into Ortiz’ jaw, sending him to the mat. It looked like a fight-ending kind of punch. Ortiz was certainly hurt, but bounced up and tried to shake it off. Berto’s followup attack was brutal, as he went upside Ortiz’ head with cracking rights and lefts. How was Ortiz standing?

After soaking up a series of clean punches, Ortiz threw a wide hook that found an advancing Berto’s jaw. Berto stopped dead in his tracks. With split-second reaction time, Ortiz threw a shorter hook, sending a shocked Berto to the deck and the crowd into hysterics. Ortiz may have stunk up the joint against Mayweather in his next fight, but can look back at this moment as a key reason why he beat Berto en route to winning the WBC Welterweight crown.

4th Place: Hernan Marquez vs. Luis Concepcion I (Round 1)

Defending WBA Flyweight Champion Luis Concepcion opened his fight against Marquez raining shots on his challenger. He couldn’t miss with his right hand, landing it flush on Marquez’ face time and again. Marquez, best known for a stoppage loss to Nonito Donaire, remained stoic and threw back, but was getting overwhelmed. A huge cross dumped Marquez on the mat at the halfway point.

Slowly, Marquez got up at 7. Concepcion snapped his head back with another right. It almost looked like when Juan Manuel Marquez couldn’t get out of the way of Pacquiao’s left in the first round of their initial encounter. Gunning for a quickie ending, Concepcion raked Marquez with shots as the contender tried to find his bearings. A big body shot had Concepcion taking measure, lining up his man for the big KO.

Marquez rocked back into the ropes. Suddenly, both men started winging. Simultaneously, they landed hooks. Marquez’ landed better, sending Concepcion to the canvas, thus ending a magnificent 3 minutes of action. Marquez would win a great fight in the 11th round, repeating his victory in October with a 1st-round knockout.

As they say, “That’s why they play the game.” Every year, results come down the pike that leave fans groping to make sense of it all, and 2011 was indeed the year of the upset. Today’s superstars can easily become tomorrow’s afterthoughts. In other sports, the idea of fighting your way to success is simply a metaphor. But in a sport where hungry fighters literally fight to get what they want in life, you can never assume what will happen in a boxing match. Here are 3 more reasons why you never really know what will happen in this sport.

2011 Upset of the Year: Orlando Salido KO 8 Juan Manuel Lopez

Even if you thought Lopez’ defensive liabilities would eventually catch up to him, you probably didn’t think the 11-loss Salido would be the man to turn the trick in their April bout. Lopez was making his way onto pound-for-pound lists, and at 30-0 (27), considered a budding superstar--gearing up for a featherweight superfight with fellow unbeaten Yuriorkis Gamboa.

Three consecutive 1st-round knockouts in his first three world title fights underlined his potential and wins over Ponce DeLeon, Gerry Penalosa, and Rafael Marquez, among others, seemed to have him poised for bigger things. And not there is anything wrong with Salido, who has shown himself to be a upper-echelon performer, going 23-3 since 2002 against good competition. But this was clearly meant to be a showcase for Lopez.

In splitting a pair of bouts with tough, but unexceptional Cristobal Cruz and losing a clear decision in his previous fight against Gamboa, Salido seemed to hit his level of a capable contender unable to compete with the top guns. Down twice in the 12th round against Gamboa, Lopez was going to presumably finish off the job. Think again.

There was some good back-and-forth, but before long, two things were becoming clear: Salido was walking through Lopez’ best shots and “Juanma” had no answer for Salido’s right hand. Not that the early rounds saw no success for the champion, but flush blasts to the head began to take their toll on Lopez, who was dropped in the 5th round. The pounding continued, with Salido mercilessly slamming the meaty part of Lopez’ head with bludgeoning rights. The slaughter was stopped midway through the 8th round.

Don't forget to check out the rest of our 2011 boxing awards for dozens of different year-end awards and honors!

2nd Place: Nobuhiro Ishida TKO 1 James Kirkland

Kirkland, 27-0 (24) was in his 3rd comeback fight after a spell in the can. The hard-punching Texan was expected to dispatch of the Japanese visitor, fighting in the USA for the first time. With only one loss since 2004, Ishida was a step up from the cannon-fodder served up to Kirkland in his first two comeback fights, but hardly considered a threat. With 7 knockouts in 30 fights and being 35 years old, it wasn’t easy to see this coming.

Kirkland came out gunning, but was soon picked off by the sharpshooting Ishida. Down he went from crisply-thrown, but not terribly menacing-looking punches from the angular underdog. Unable to adjust, Kirkland continued running headlong into his opponent, who pelted him at will. After 1:52 and three knockdowns, ref Joe Cortez had seen enough and gave Kirkland the hook. He may have been able to continue, but looked very wobbly at the end. His inability to take Ishida’s shots was stunning, especially in light of Kirkland’s subsequent knockout win over Alfredo Angulo.

3rd Place: Lamont Peterson W12 Amir Khan

However you may feel about the result, not many people outside of Peterson’s camp thought it would be that close. The two points deducted from Khan were the deciding factors, throwing a light of controversy over this bout. But just because Peterson needed a few breaks to win doesn’t completely detract from the fact that it was a huge upset.

Peterson looked to be a good contender sort, a successful pro who lacked that extra something special. Against Timothy Bradley, he was stalwart, but otherwise uninspiring as he dropped a wide unanimous decision. With people thinking Bradley may have ducked Khan, whose stock had been on the rise, this one figured to be another rout. It was, at root, a stay-busy fight, a way for Khan to stay active while waiting for bigger fights--maybe even a match with Floyd Mayweather.

Peterson fought his tail off, wickedly attacking Khan’s body with a determined effort. Khan did well and probably enough to win the fight anywhere outside of Washington, D.C., but he was thrown off by the fierce fighting of the dogged challenger. Peterson put himself in position to win this fight and even if he wrongly benefited from a pair of points being taken away from Khan (for pushing of all things), that doesn’t mean he didn’t do exponentially better than anyone thought he would.

Some of the more inspirational stories in the sport are when a written-off boxer scratches and claws his way back to the top. It takes a special fighter of great resolve to conquer the uphill battle that is required to complete a successful comeback. The fact that there are so many successful comebacks in the history of boxing speaks not only to the fighting ability of the sport’s participants, but to their unyielding fighting spirit, as well.

Here are the best comebacks of 2011:

2011 Comeback of the Year: Brian Viloria

A world-class fighter for the better part of a decade, Viloria has won some and lost some en route to becoming a world champion, but one who was just as likely to lose as he was to win when facing top competition. His on again/off again run as a world titlist appeared to come to an end after a shocking 12th-round TKO loss to Carlos Tamara in 2010. Viloria’s future prospects were not helped by the fact that Viloria was hospitalized following the bout after collapsing.

Signs that Viloria was not yet finished came to bear in July, when “The Hawaiian Punch” won a title in his 2nd weight class, claiming the WBO Flyweight belt against Julio Cesar Miranda by unanimous decision. But still, few expected him to beat high-flying Giovani Segura in their December 11 title bout.

Segura had cleaned out the same 108-pound class that saw Viloria struggle. With a pair of knockouts over previously unbeaten Ivan Calderon, Segura looked indestructible and after a long struggle on the scales, he figured to assume his fearsome ways at 112. Until he ran into Viloria, who pelted him with power shots on his way to an upset 8th-round TKO.

At the outset of 2011, Viloria looked to be an afterthought playing out his role. By the end of the year, he had become a key player at 112 and a fighter with some lucrative options at his disposal. That is an 180-degree turn for which Viloria should be proud and it’s good enough for him to be the 2011 Comeback Fighter of the Year.

----> Don't forget to check out the rest of our 2011 boxing awards for dozens of different year-end awards and honors!

2nd Place: Jorge Arce:

A good argument can be made for this award going to Arce, who may have actually come from further back to resurrect his sagging career. Not many thought Viloria could come this far back, but no one was predicting that Arce would be a factor once again. Losses to Vic Darchinyan, Simpiwe Nongqayi, and a dismal draw to worn-out Lorenzo Parra had Arce’s career on the skids. The wins he scored appeared to be results of clever matchmaking.

That’s why Arce was a 6-1 underdog against rising, but relatively-unaccomplished WBO titlist Wilfredo Vasquez, Jr. in their May 122-pound bout. With the fight hanging in the balance, Arce scored a final-round stoppage in thrilling fashion. He didn’t rest on his laurels, knocking out Nongqayi in a September rematch, before decisioning former victim Angky Angkota for the vacant WBO Bantamweight Title in November.

Watching Arce struggle at 115 and 118 over the past few years, it seemed unfathomable that he would ever win another title, much less at 122 pounds. And the two wins he scored since that victory were also nice. But what keeps him out of first place is his level of opposition being slightly lower than Viloria’s. Vazquez, Jr. held a title, but in a perfect world, is just a good young contender. And Nongqayi, pushing 40, had never distinguished himself as anything special outside of his previous win against Arce. And beating the likes of the mediocre Angkota for a world title is nothing short of runaway sanctioning body shenanigans.

Nevertheless, Arce came from a long way back to once again become a factor in this sport. He has made an awful lot of people eat their words.

3rd Place: Erik Morales: When Morales resurfaced in 2010, his return was greeted mostly by cringes. After all, Morales had been emphatically shown the door in 2007--dropping 4 straight fights and 5 of 6. His April 2011 match with big-hitting Marcos Maidana had people worried for Morales’ health. Maidana was a huge favorite and considered a terrible matchup for the rickety Morales, who had presumably taken far too many punches in a taxing career.

OK, so Morales didn’t win. But his competitive majority-decision loss was one of the feel-good stories of the year. Showing flashes of his prime and that still-beautiful right hand, Morales fought through a closed eye and gave Maidana all he could handle. Then in September, Morales and undefeated Pablo Cano went at it for the vacant WBC 140-pound title. Cano gave Morales a tough fight, but Morales once again summoned his irrepressible spirit. After 10 rounds, Cano had seen enough of Morales for a lifetime and called it a day.

His world title claims are certainly spurious and he lost his only other fight of the year, but Morales’ comeback has worked out a lot better than most thought it would.

Mares vs. Agbeko II Results

Credit: Esther Lin / SHOWTIME

In a rematch from a controversial fight in August, Abner Mares, Montebello, Ca, won a 12-round decision over Joseph Agbeko, Bronx via Ghana, to retain his IBF Bantamweight title. Mares, now 23-0-1 (13), won by 3 scores of 118-110. The fight seemed a tad closer than that.

Agbeko opened strongly with a lot of spring. His jabbing and bodywork likely took the first round. Agbeko continued being assertive in the 2nd, but when Mares began getting up on the balls on his feet, he found success. After a furious exchange at the end of the 2nd, Mares emerged with a big cut over his right eye. Referee Lou Moret didn't rule a cut, giving the Mares cause a bit of urgency.

The cut seemed to enliven Mares. He opened the 3rd winging shots and was generally more active to take the round. Agbeko slowed a bit in the 4th. When using lateral movement, Mares was able to dictate the start of most exchanges. He wasn't dominating Agbeko, but he seemed to be taking control. Aiding his cause is that for the time being, his cut was under control.

Mares was more flat-footed in the 5th, allowing Agbeko to find range more easily. The former champion landed some nice left hooks and right hands to take the round. Mares got back on his toes in the 6th, which might have earned him a slight edge in a close round. Agbeko, however, did win his share of exchanges.

Mares looked good in the 7th, right around the time he began to fade in their first fight. For the first time, he iestablished some clear separation from Agbeko, as he moved and landed sudden combinations. Agbeko was in the fight, of course, but tactically suffering at this point, throwing looping punches and getting picked off by a sharper Mares. Agbeko found some hope in the 8th round, as some sharp shots opened up Mares' cut again. It seemed to pump some life into Agbeko, who began to hone in with a revitalized jab. Mares seemed truly bothered at this point, as Agbeko made some serious headway.

The one-two of Agbeko continued to make strides in the 9th. Mares, in full control a few rounds prior, lost steam and direction, before rallying at the end of the round with a very nice left hook that shook Agbeko. But the Agbeko jab is giving Mares problems. Close round.

Agbeko had problems remaining consistent throughout the fight, but his jab continued to be effective in the 10th. Mares came alive in the final minute. He buckled down and with blood pouring down the side of his face, lashed back at Agbeko with a passion.

This was definitely a hard-fought bout. While perhaps not as exciting as the first, it has been draining for both men. Mares took advantage of a slowing Agbeko is the 11th. His quickly-thrown spurts of punches allowed him to control the round. Toward the end of the round, Mares, who is developing almost a Sugar Ray Leonard-like sense of how to close a stanza, began pelting Agbeko with combinations. A big right, perhaps Mares's best shot of the night, rocked Agbeko.

In the final round, both men appeared gassed. Mares, summoning his dogged fighting spirit once again, found enough in the tank to stay on his toes while a tiring Agbeko followed him around the ring. Mares darted in with enough surprise shots to take the round, with a typical buzzsaw finish to punctuate matters. Proboxing-fans.com saw things a little closer than the judges at 116-113, Mares. Nevertheless, it was a fine performance for the IBF champion, who finally scored a conclusive and controversy-free win. An absolutely huge win for Mares. Agbeko falls to 28-4 (22 KOs).

Darchinyan vs. Moreno Results

WBA Bantamweight Champion Anselmo Moreno defended his title with a unanimous decision over Vic Darchinyan. Moreno was brilliant in neutralizing the favored Armenian, en route to a dominant decision win. Scores were 116-111, 117-110, and 120-107, all in favor of Moreno.

Moreno started well in this battle of top southpaws. Moreno looked swift and slick from the outset, so polished that he made Darchinyan look even more raw than is normally the case. Vic is getting close, but Moreno is slightly more effective in countering the frequent misses of Darchinyan.

The second saw a good fight break out, with Moreno landing some thunderous southpaw lefts. Lucky for Darchinyan, he was facing an opponent with 11 knockouts in 33 fights.

Darchinyan started finding a home for his looping power left in the 3rd round, with Moreno showing a good chin. The defending WBA champion also caught Darchinyan coming in with some nice shots.

Darchinyan continued to stalk, but Moreno is hard to hit. Vic is still in the fight, but has yet to put a dent in Moreno, a steely boxer. At the end of the 4th, Darchinyan had a point taken for rough-housing when he tossed a clutching Moreno to the floor. His frustration is certainly building.

By the fifth round, Vic looked a bit lost, looking for one big shot. Moreno was nullifying him--tying him up and catching him with counters when Vic was on his way inside. Vic is putting on pressure, but Moreno remained poised.

By the 6th, Moreno began landing vicious lefts on Darchinyan, even appearing to hurt him a few times. With each increasing round, the fight is getting away from the matador/bull dynamic everyone foresaw. But Vic is punching from too far away and in close, his shots are wide.

In the 7th, Moreno was utterly dominant. He has been immune to Darchinyan's pressure, which has only served to bring out his counter-punching brilliance. He's slick as they come, using angles, and landing huge shots on the exposed face of Darchinyan.

By the 10th, the Darchinyan cause began to look lost, with Moreno having spent the last several rounds slamming him with jabs, straight lefts, and hurtful-looking bodyshots. After 10 rounds, Moreno was looking fantastic. Even though he was a reigning champion with a line of defenses behind him, Moreno, 26, showed form that wasn't very evident watching him on tape. He is a resourceful and slick titleholder, with a nice arsenal of punches and wonderful punch anticipation.

In the last 2 rounds, Vic irrepressibly pressed forward, but still to little avail. He would throw a punch from far away and inevitably miss, only to be countered or tied up by the fast-thinking Panamanian. After 12 rounds, there was no doubt. A new star was born at bantamweight. Moreno just punched his ticket. With this performance, he belongs in any conversation having to do with the identity of the world's best bantamweight. And if universally-recognized top 118-pounder Nonito Donaire stays at 118, Moreno looks to be his most dangerous challenger. Darchinyan, almost 36, is now 37-4-1, following this lopsided setback.

The Night of the Heavyweights card took place in Helsinki, Finland, and was broadcast live to the United States on EPIX. In the first fight of the evening, Alexander Povetkin easily took care of Cedric Boswell to win by stoppage. In the second, Dereck Chisora seemingly punished Robert Helenius all night, but ended up losing a controversial split decision. Read on for the full Helenius-Chisora and Povetkin-Boswell results.

Credit: Photo Wende

Alexander Povetkin, Chekhov, Russia, defended his WBA Heavyweight Title with an 8th-round knockout of challenger Cedric Boswell, Atlanta via Detroit. Povetkin, 227, took charge from the beginning. Boswell offered a lively jab, but when Povetkin moved in close, he seemed lost and a bit overwhelmed.

Boswell, a marginal choice as a challenger for a "world title," did about as well as he could. But there is a reason why the 42-year old's best moments in the ring in a 17+-year career were wins over 27-0 Roman Greenberg and an aged Oliver McCall.

Povetkin looked good as he worked Boswell over with combinations. The former Gold Medal winner is not a huge puncher, but is unique as a heavyweight in his ability to throw combinations and maintain a high workrate. At his best, he almost looks like a fighter from a lower weight class. Until you look at his somewhat-doughy physique.

In round six, Boswell began to look like he was facing an insurmountable task. In the 7th, he looked like a beaten man, with Povetkin in full command and coming on strong. In the fatal 8th, a series of left hooks left Boswell, 35-2 (26) in deep peril. With the referee about to step in, Povetkin spilled Boswell on the canvas emphatically with a big left-hook/right hand. Time was 2:58.

The knockout raises Povetkin's record to 23-0 (16 KOs). This was his first defense after winning the vacant belt from Ruslan Chagaev in August.

Robert Helenius was awarded a gift split-decision over Dereck Chisora in a 12-round heavyweight bout. Scores were 115-113 and 115-113 for Helenius, and 115-113 for Chisora. It certainly appeared that Chisora had done enough to win.

Helenius, 239, appeared listless, as he was generally outworked by the more energetic Chisora. Against Tyson Fury--a fighter most figure to be inferior to Helenius, Chisora looked to be a different fighter. Perhaps there was some truth that he was not in proper shape for that bout. In this fight, he exhibited far greater fighting spirit and stamina. In fact, it was Helenius who appeared to be gassed for much of the fight. Helenius was resilient and durable, as he absorbed a lot of hard swats from the pressuring Chisora. But he was unable to show much of the form that had some people labeling him as the leader of the new school of heavyweights.

It was a fast-paced heavyweight encounter, but Chisora did most of the work. When Helenius did manage to connect, Chisora took the punches well. The much crisper London resident kept bringing pressure, with the Fin giving quarter.

Helenius did land some shots and he certainly blocked many of Chisora's menacing-looking swings. There were also times when his shots got to Chisora a bit. But he never appeared to clearly be getting the better of it and certainly not to the tune of 7 rounds! Nothing against Finland, but I don't remember any key fights ever being held there in 30+ years as a boxing fan. After this result, I hope it's another 30 years before they book another meaningful fight. Hometown decisions are nothing new, but there's a certain threshold. This verdict went beyond any bounds of reason, as Chisora was basically robbed.

I could be in a hyperbolic mood after witnessing what appeared to be a travesty, but it seems that Europe is collectively pushing the envelope further and further with these bad decisions. A clunker once in a while is part of the game and the USA is not innocent in this equation, either. But at times, it appears that Europe is taking it too far. Let's hope that with a booming boxing scene, they can start having some results that actually match the action we see in the ring. Otherwise, what's the point?

• Date: December 3, 2011
• Site: Honda Center in Anaheim, California
• Titles: WBA Bantamweight Title: 12 Rounds

Credit: Tom Casino / Showtime

For Darchinyan, this is chance to remain a part of the cream of the crop of a still-loaded bantamweight division. Moreno has a chance to increase his international profile, enter the upper-echelon of the division, and secure some big fights in the future. The term “crossroads fight” is perhaps overused, but this fight will be critical in determining the career trajectories of these two boxers.

By the Numbers

Darchinyan: The “Raging Bull” is now 35, in a pro career that began in 2000, after Darchinyan represented Armenia in the 2000 Olympics. Is probably a bit shorter than his advertised height of 5’5-and-a-half and with a 64-inch reach, his size is slightly small for the weight class. The southpaw is 37-3-1 (27).

Moreno: Big for a bantamweight at 5’8,” Moreno is only 26, despite a pro career that dates back to 2002. He has only 11 knockouts in a 31-1-1 record. The Panamanian southpaw has won 25 consecutive bouts.

Styles

Darchinyan: The southpaw brawler has added new dimensions over the years, including increased speed and boxing ability, but power remains the most compelling part of his game. He uses his awkwardness to good affect, setting up his power-shots, including a hard hook and smashing straight left.

Moreno: Enjoys taking the lead with his in-and-out southpaw style. Features a lively jab, which he utilizes to dictate pace and distance. Above-average height and reach allows him to better negotiate a long-range fight.

Ring Record and Quality of Opposition

Darchinyan: Beat a respected flyweight titleholder in Irene Pacheco in 2004 and racked up 6 defenses (all by knockout) before running into Nonito Donaire and losing his belt by 5th-round TKO. Eventually went on to become the first unified champion at 115-pounds, with a vicious run of knockouts against Dmitry Kirilov, Cristian Mijares, and Jorge Arce. Dropped back to 115 after an upset loss to Joseph Agbeko and racked up some more wins.

Any questions about Vic’s ability to compete at 118 were answered during the Showtime Bantamweight Tournament. Lost a disputed split decision to eventual tournament champion Abner Mares in a fight that might have gone the other way with a referee who was harsher about low blows. Decimated Yonnhy Perez, before scoring a wipeout decision over tough Evans Mbamba in Armenia in September.

Moreno: His only loss and draw occurred when he was 17 and still in the neophyte 4-round stage of his career. It may come as a surprise that this will be Moreno’s 10th WBA title fight. He defeated a capable, though perhaps slipping, champion in Volodymyr Sydorenko in 2008, before racking up 8 defenses as a busy champion. Repeated the Sydorenko win a year later.

Credit: Team Moreno

Struggled in a pair of defenses against Nehomar Cermeno. In fact, it is worth noting that in Moreno’s last 7 wins, 4 were decided by split decision. Perhaps more troubling is that none of those fights were against top guys.

Questions:

Darchinyan: Is his win over Yonnhy Perez a false indicator that he still has it? Or did he merely nudge a teetering Perez down the hill? When a bantamweight is nearly 36 with the better part of a decade fighting top-level competition under his belt, is it just a matter of time before the erosion begins to set in?

Moreno: Has he established enough separation from the second-tier group of bantamweights to warrant standing a good chance against a top-tier guy? Is the dye cast or is Moreno capable of jumping up another class at this juncture in his career? Though only 26, has he reached his top level? Can he hit Darchinyan hard enough to instill the “The Raging Bull” with at least a healthy respect?

Darchinyan vs. Moreno Prediction

Moreno is a steady and capable boxer, but lacks that special something or extra dimension to defeat the likes of Darchinyan. If the Armenian battler arrives in the ring in similar form as recent outings, Moreno will find it difficult keeping him at bay. Though these steady and unspectacular sorts can sometimes be better than originally estimated, there is little to suggest at the moment that Moreno is on Darchinyan’s level.

Maybe he’ll prove me wrong, but I feel he has somewhat shimmied his way into the upper-reaches of the bantamweight division--building a reputation with a long unbeaten streak, while the other members of the top-tier are fighting each other.

Both fighters have a lot on the line. Darchinyan’s footing as a top guy is loosening a bit and a setback here would be disastrous at his age. Moreno, meanwhile, is trying to get into boxing’s big-time. With a growing family, he should have the hunger of a challenger in this fight, even though he is the reigning titleholder.

Moreno has good punch anticipation and a great sense of distance. That cleverness can go a long way in this fight. But it takes more than that to keep Darchinyan neutralized. Being wiry and slick is nice, but he might have a difficult time earning Darchinyan’s respect. The one-punch power of Nonito Donaire gave Vic problems. The hard-hitting and multi-dimensional boxer/slugger Joseph Agbeko gave him problems. As did the rabid trench-fighting Mares.

Moreno’s steadiness and professionalism will keep him in the fight, but at some point, Vic is going to start getting to him. In the middle rounds, look for Darchinyan to establish a little momentum, before lowering the boom on Moreno.

Prediction: Vic Darchinyan wins by 9th-round knockout.