The cruiserweight division in professional boxing used to be its own legitimate division decades ago — stocked with talent.
But in the modern days of the ring, the division has really played as a stepping-stone for those talents and prospects to prepare for an almost inevitable heavyweight boxing climb.
Throughout the years, some massive names have emerged from 200lbs and lower — from the likes of Oleksandr Usyk to decorated veteran, Evander Holyfield. Below, let’s rank the top five greatest to compete at cruiserweight.
5. James Toney (77-10-3(2))
A ferocious counterstriker during his pomp, veteran former super middleweight champion Toney would make good on his long-mooted cruiserweight move back in 2003.
A three-weight champion in professional boxing, Toney had enjoyed gold at both the middleweight and super middleweight limits before finally testing cruiserweight waters.
Competing at heavyweight toward the end of his career, Toney’s best and most successful days are remembered as his 14-fight stint at 200lbs.
Beating compatriot Steve Little to win the IBO crown back in 1997, Toney would land a unanimous decision win.
And going on to win the IBF title at the same limit a whole six years later, Toney headlined against reigning champion and Kazakh star, Vassiliy Jirov. Handing the Olympic gold medal winner a loss, Toney would then face the above-mentioned Holyfield in a non-title bout — albeit at heavyweight.
Despite facing ‘Real Deal’ deep into the decorated star’s career, Toney still took home a major feather in his cap with a ninth round TKO win in Las Vegas.
4. Johnny Nelson (45-12-2)
One of the more decorated cruiserweight champions to land on this list is British veteran puncher, Johnny Nelson.
Competing until 2005, Nelson holds a distinct record — having never lost his cruiserweight crown — won six years prior during his time in the squared circle.
Ending his career in the midst of a spectacular 21-fight unbeaten streak, Nelson is often the forgotten man when it comes to dominant cruiserweight forces.
Stopping Carl Thompson in 1999 with a fifth round knockout to win the IBO belt, Nelson would take out names such as Pietro Aurino, Adam Watt, and George Arias, all on home soil to defend his crown.
Travelling to Denmark to face off with former titleholder Ezra Sellers in 2002, Nelson would slip and land a straight right — dropping and stopping the Floridian, all while sporting his patented split-sided shorts.
3. David Haye (28-4)
Back in 2008, British star David Haye was untouchable — and considered by many as the face of British boxing.
A former unified cruiserweight champion, Haye eventually made his way to heavyweight after scooping gold in an infamous clash with Wladimir Klitschko.
Another stunning knockout force, finishing all but two of his 28 wins, Haye won the WBA, WBC, and The Ring cruiserweight titles with a memorable stoppage of Jean-Marc Mormeck.
Returning to fight Welsh star Enzo Macrinelli in a WBO title charge, Haye stopped the defending champion with a second round knockout win.
And beyond his success at cruiserweight, Haye also bested the likes of John Ruiz and Audley Harrison, to go with a high-profile decision win over Nikolai Valuev to win the WBA heavyweight crown. The pairing with the 7ft Russian was aptly billed as David vs. Goliath.
2. Oleksandr Usyk (23-0)
Comfortably considered as the greatest heavyweight of this generation, Usyk has taken out the who’s who of that particular division.
Namely, the Ukrainian star has twice beaten both Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. And this month, Usyk returns in a bid to unify the titles against Daniel Dubois, whom he knocked out in 2023.
But long before his heavyweight run began with a stoppage win over Chazz Witherspoon, Usyk ran roughshod through countless cruiserweight stars.
16-0 at the weight class, Usyk exited with a memorable eighth round KO win over the veteran, Tony Bellew, after countless high-profile cruiserweight title wins.
Unifying the championships against Murat Gassiev, Usyk would previously beat Krzysztof Glowacki, Thabiso Mchunu, Michael Hunter, Marco Huck and Mairis Briedis during that same run.
And while likely to be remembered for his spectacular performances at heavyweight, the career of Usyk at the elite levels began with a splendid run of victories at cruiserweight.
1. Evander Holyfield (44-10-2(1))
Another fighter likely to be associated with his heavyweight exploits over anything is Evander Holyfield — who tops this list.
And going down as one of the top 10 greatest heavyweights of all time, Holyfield made history with his stature at that weight class.
In 1990, Holyfield won the undisputed heavyweight crown in the “three-belt era” — stopping Buster Douglas inside just three rounds.
But in 1988, Holyfield had crowned himself as the undisputed cruiserweight kingpin. To this day, only Usyk has replicated that unified success in both divisions.
Perhaps best known for his doubleheader heavyweight showdown with Mike Tyson, in which he won on each occasion, Holyfield comfortably established himself as a cruiserweight in the decade prior.
Stopping Carlos de Leon to win the undisputed cruiserweight titles in 1988, Holyfield had already taken on the who’s who of the division long before then.
Riding a pair of wins over Dwight Muhammad Qawi into his fight with de Leon, Olympic bronze medalist Holyfield would also finish Ossie Ocasio, Ricky Parkey, and Henry Tillman during his pomp.
A ferocious puncher and technician, Holyfield enjoyed a higher output and approach at cruiserweight before dominating heavyweight with precision power shots against some of the division’s biggest names, including Tyson, George Foreman, and Larry Holmes.
Honorable mentions
Carlos de Leon, Steve Cunningham, Dwight Muhammad Qawi, Jean-Marc Mormeck, Carl Thompson