Heavyweight boxing may get all the attention, but the Light Heavyweight division is where some of the all-time greats plied their trade.
The 175 lb weight limit is sandwiched between the Super Middleweight and Cruiserweight boxing weight classes, making it perfect for top fighters to either jump up or slim down to make their name.
Numerous incredible fighters have found their fortune in the Light Heavyweight division, including a legendary champion with over 200 fights under his belt.
5. Michael Spinks
While Michael Spinks may be best remembered for his brief stint as a heavyweight, his true greatness was made apparent in the Light Heavyweight division.
The Olympic gold medalist established himself as the man to beat in the 175 lb weight class as he dominated the Light Heavyweight division from 1981 to 1985.
With his trusty “Spinks Jinx” – the straight right hand that won him so many incredible fights – Spinks went on to become the first reigning Light Heavyweight to win the Heavyweight title when he beat Larry Holmes in their historic encounter.
He may have ended his career with a crushing defeat to Mike Tyson, but Spinks’ record as a Light Heavyweight is what his legacy will entail.
4. Bob Foster
Between 1967 and 1974, Bob Foster dominated as the undisputed champion of the Light Heavyweight.
He defended the titles 14 times, in a career where he managed 46 knockout victories out of the 56 total wins while suffering only eight losses.
Nicknamed “The Deputy Sheriff”, Foster was a dominant champion in an era where fights came thick and fast, and he never balked at a challenge, beating all comers in impressive fashion.
In fact, only two men managed to beat Foster during his reign as Light Heavyweight champion. Those men were Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali, during his attempt to compete in the Heavyweight division.
While he couldn’t beat these all-time greats at a higher weight class, he was unstoppable in his prime as a Light Heavyweight.
3. Roy Jones Jr
Roy Jones Jr is one of the all-time greats in multiple weight classes, but he absolutely dominated during his time as a Light Heavyweight fighter.
He started at Light Middleweight and went all the way up to become Heavyweight champion, but Jones Jr’s most dominant spell came between 1997 and 2003.
During this time, the Olympic silver medallist reigned as the unified Light Heavyweight champion, defending the belts 12 times against all the top fighters of the era.
His blisteringly fast hands and incredible movement allowed Jones Jr to unleash incredible combinations without giving his opponents time to react.
He relied mainly on his reflexes, which gave him a flashy, unorthodox style that saw him rarely getting hit while in his prime, while also being able to knock out his opponents at a moment’s notice.
There will be many lists for numerous weight classes that include Jones Jr, and the ranking of the best Light Heavyweights of all time is no exception.
2. Archie Moore
Archie Moore is a remarkable figure in boxing history, with an incredible boxing record that will be impossible to break for any modern fighter.
Nicknamed “The Old Mongoose”, Moore fought 220 times between 1935 and 1963. He won an incredible 186 bouts, with 132 knockouts – more than all but one man (Billy Bird) in boxing history.
He fought legends from multiple eras, including Rocky Marciano, Floyd Patterson, and Muhammad Ali, to name just a few of his incredible opponents.
Moore won the Light Heavyweight championship in 1952, holding it for ten years. To this day, he holds the record for the longest reign in the history of the weight class and is undoubtedly one of the all-time greats in Light Heavyweight history.
It’s remarkable how anyone could top him. But there is one man…
1. Ezzard Charles
As impressive as Moore was, Ezzard Charles beat the man three times in one of the greatest careers in boxing history.
In a nearly two-decade career, the “Cincinnati Cobra” dominated in three weight classes, including as the greatest Light Heavyweight of all time.
This is despite the fact that Charles had his career interrupted when the Second World War broke out, and he served in the military instead of fighting professionally.
While he shockingly never won the World title at Light Heavyweight, Charles was a technically brilliant fighter, years ahead of his time, and fought and beat all of the top Light Heavyweights of his era in his incredible career.
He even made the jump up to heavyweight, winning the world championship and facing legends like Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano in the process.