Top 20 Greatest Fighters of All Time
David Mccullough general
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 20 Greatest Fighters of All Time.
For this list, we’ll be looking at the greatest combattants in different disciplines of combat sports including MMA, Boxing and traditional martial arts. Our choices will be based on skill set, dominance and influence.
Which of these fighters would YOU avoid taking on in a fight? Be sure to let us know in the comments!
#20: Willie Pep
Greatly remembered for his defensive prowess, Willie Pep could evade just about anything thrown his way. What also flustered his opponents was his unorthodox style. Often switching stances and with constant head movement, he would confuse his opponents and easily edge them out. His evasion skills are evident, as his career spanned over 20 years and he fought in a total 241 fights, winning 230. His defensive tactics and technique put him in a class of his own, earning him the nickname “The Will o’ The Wisp”. He will forever be remembered as a skilled fighter and one of boxing's greatest competitors at featherweight.
#19: Jack Dempsey
Considered one of boxing’s pioneers at heavyweight, the Manassa Mauler was a massive draw and star during the early 20th century. With tremendous speed and powerful knockout power, win, lose or draw, the man always put on a show and opponents knew they’d be in for a war. Dempsey’s reign at heavyweight at the time was unprecedented, having held the heavyweight crown after defeating Jess Willard for 7 years. In the end, Dempsey set the standards for what it meant to be a boxing superstar at heavyweight, and cemented the boxing style that fans frequently defined and associate the division with.
#18: Daniel Cormier
Very few fighters have earned the honor of being crowned champion in separate divisions, but Daniel Cormier is just one of them. A decorated wrestler, Cormier eventually made the transition to Mixed Martial Arts where he would go on to dominate in Strikeforce, and eventually, the UFC. Often remembered for his fierce rivalry with Jon Jones, Cormier went on to successfully defend his light heavyweight and heavyweight belts a total of 4 times with memorable and dominant performances. Despite the shadow of Jon Jones looming over his tenure as the light heavyweight champion and losing out on the trilogy with Stipe Miocic, there isn’t a doubt Cormier is among one of the greatest to ever compete in the octagon.
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#17: Roberto Durán
With 70 knockouts under his belt, it’s no wonder this legend was nicknamed “Hands of Stone”. Along with his vicious knockout power, another one of his key attributes was his longevity. Durán rack up several wins and claim titles in several divisions, and become the first man to defeat the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard. A powerhouse who overwhelmed his opponents with his voracious style that often had them reeling in the ring, Durán always got crowds on their feet and has been deemed by many as the greatest to compete at lightweight.
#16: Archie Moore
With over 200 fights to his name, this light heavyweight icon epitomized durability and longevity in fighting. Moore also made a name for himself for his punching power-with an outstanding 141 knockouts to his name. What also made Moore unique was his perseverance. Whether he was battling injuries or going relatively unnoticed throughout a good portion of his career, Moore continued on, eventually earning a title shot against and beating Joe Maxim at the age of 39. He was a champion for nearly a decade, and while he did fall short when taking on established fighters in the heavyweight division, Moore will forever be remembered among the greats at light heavyweight.
#15: Sugar Ray Leonard
A force to be reckoned with, Sugar Ray Leonard fought his way to championships in 5 different weight classes. As revered as his style is, Leonard is often remembered for beating some of the greatest fighters of his generation, including Tommy Hearns, Roberto Durán and Marvin Hagler. You’d be hard pressed to find many fighters who’s fight resume is as strong as Leonard’s. He is often credited as one of the fighters who kept boxing relevant after Mohammed Ali’s retirement. With his unmatched technique and persona, Leonard was feared by many in the late 70s and 80s, and with good reason.
#14: Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Noted for his lavish lifestyle, Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s name has always been considered among the elite in boxing. The reason why? His IQ and incredible defensive tactics in the ring. Simply put, he is among the greatest boxers when it comes to avoiding damage and getting hit. While arguments have been made that he’s never fought fighters who were in their prime, there’s still no denying the skill and that undefeated 50-0 record. Whether you love him or hate him, there’s no denying that “Money” Mayweather has cemented his place among the all time greats in the art of boxing and combat sports.
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#13: Khabib Nurmagomedov
This Dagestan star never lost a fight, earning 29 wins in a row. Through strong wrestling and vicious ground and pound, Nurmagomedov has dominated every opponent that was put in front of him. Despite injuries often hampering his rise to the top, Nurmagomedov would eventually capture the UFC lightweight title and defend his belt against the biggest names in the division. Following his third title defense against Justin Gaethje, “The Eagle” retired, citing his belief that he could no longer fight without his father, who passed away after a bout with Covid. Leaving the sport at the top of his game, Nurmagomedov will forever be remembered as one of UFC’s biggest stars, whose no nonsense approach and fighting style had him serve some of the biggest whoppings on pay per view.
#12: Rocky Marciano
When you talk about durability in fighting, there’s got to be mention of Rocky Marciano. Not only was he unbeaten, but in all the brawls that he fought, he was only knocked over twice. Marciano had all the intangibles for what makes an excellent fighter: stamina, speed, heart and ferocious knockout power. His conditioning was also second to none, as he never tired in a fight and constantly put pressure on his opponents. These qualities, his fighting style and reign as a heavyweight champion make him a legend and an obvious choice for this list.
#11: Anderson Silva
The Spider once held the UFC record for most consecutive title defenses, and at one point even UFC prez Dana White called this Brazilian the best mixed-martial artist ever. Known mainly for his Muay Thai skills, he’s also got black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo among his many ranks. Labeled one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in history, he has won fights by knockout, submission, intimidation and any other way he can – which sometimes gets him in trouble. Making a return in the foray of boxing, fans are curious to see how Silva will fare in the years to come.#10: Jon Jones
He’s considered by many as the greatest light heavyweight fighter all time, and it’s not hard to see why. His meteoric rise in the sport saw him earn a title shot and successfully claim the Light Heavyweight crown against legend Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at 23 years old. Whether by submission, a knockout or by engaging in an all out war, for nearly a decade, Jon Jones went on to defend his belt against some of the greatest light heavyweights in history, dismantling them one after the other. Simply put, no one seems to have been able to figure out the Jon Jones puzzle. With Jones expected to make his return to the UFC at heavyweight, fans wait patiently to see how the former light heavyweight king will fare in this division.
#9: Roy Jones, Jr.
Named the Boxing Writers Association of America’s Fighter of the Decade for the ‘90s, Jones was the first boxer to go from light-middleweight to a heavyweight title. To start his career, he went 34 bouts without losing – and even then, his first defeat was controversial. With an original style and granite chin, Jones set a record by holding seven belts simultaneously. Though his dominance declined, Jones’ legacy was secure.#8: Fedor Emelianenko
How do you earn the nickname The Last Emperor? Try going undefeated for almost a decade. Longevity was his greatest asset, as was intensity, stoicism and unpredictability. This Russian heavyweight was a tough guy to knock-out – or dominate. Some say he benefited from easier opponents by fighting for PRIDE-FC, M1 Global and Affliction rather than UFC; but in his prime, Emelianenko was unquestionably king.#7: Manny Pacquiao
In his heyday he was arguably the biggest name in combat sports. Labeled Fighter of the Decade for the 2000s, the Pac-Man became the first octuple boxing champion, and collected 12 world-titles across eight weight divisions. After starting his career in 1995, this Filipino fighter rocketed through weight classes like no one before or since, mastering fancy footwork with a stringent work ethic, and eventually becoming one of the world’s most electrifying and highest-paid athletes.#6: Georges St-Pierre
On top of being a great ambassador to the sport of MMA, this welterweight’s brains, brute strength and discipline allowed him to succeed and dominate his opponents in the octagon. GSP’s martial arts skill set was second to none, with karate, boxing, jiu-jitsu, wrestling and Muay Thai all in his arsenal, he is one of the most well-rounded fighters to have ever stepped into the octagon. One of the UFC’s biggest pay-per-view draws in history, the man known as Rush rode a career full of incredible highs.#5: Mike Tyson
Once the undisputed world heavyweight champion, Iron Mike claimed victory in his first 19 professional fights – all by KO. Having won several titles in the heavyweight division over his career, the Baddest Man on the Planet was dominant and dreaded in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and could possibly have taken any guy on this list in his prime.#4: Muhammad Ali
He was The Greatest, and as much a personality as he was a fighter: Ali persistently trash-talked rivals, and stood up for his beliefs. In the ring, this heavyweight used his height, footwork, speedy fists and Rope-A-Dope technique to triumph. An Olympic gold medalist and three-time world champ, he ended his career with 56 wins in 61 fights. And even when people called him over-the-hill, Ali surprised them all.#3: Joe Louis
Known as one of the greatest heavyweights to ever step between the ropes, the Brown Bomber brought the sport of boxing back from low-point with his track-record of industriousness, authenticity and powerful punching. He defended his championship title 25-times over 140 consecutive months, and retired with 66 wins in 70 fights, 52 coming by KO. An American icon, he also represented U.S. athletic dominance and the fight for integration.#2: Bruce Lee
Lee had the goods to back up his pop-culture status: Powerful, flexible, lightning-fast and with unheard-of stamina, he revolutionized fighting as an artform and brought martial-arts to new levels of popularity. As the founder of Jeet Kune Do, or The Way of the Intercepting Fist, Lee’s was an amalgam of techniques. But he was a street-fighter first and foremost and a warrior in the purest sense of the word.Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
Ronda Rousey
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Jackie Chan
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Jet Li
This Wushu Champion Was A Driving Force in the Growth of Martial Arts
Amanda Nunes
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George Foreman
A Career Spanning Almost 3 Decades, His Size and Knockout Power Made Him a Formidable Foe
