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Nick Parkinson
Boxing has a long history of great champions, stars and celebrated Hall of Famers. Since the creation of the Marquess of Queensberry rules in 1867, almost every generation has produced at least one fighter to be considered in the best-ever conversation.
From the start of the year 2000 to today, many fighters have earned a place in the International Boxing Hall of Fame and others are waiting for the call. Some had participated in memorable trilogy fights, and most of them have won championships in multiple weight classes and have topped the list of best fighters pound-for-pound at some point in their career.
With such a magnificent history, putting together a list of the 10 best male fighters of the 21st century is difficult, but we tried. From Floyd Mayweather to Oscar De La Hoya and Roy Jones Jr., here’s our list of the best boxers since 2000.
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1. Floyd Mayweather
Key accomplishments: 50-0 record (27 KOs) from 1996 to 2017, five-division world champion, longtime pound-for-pound No. 1
Mayweather won world titles in five weight classes and dominated the pound-for-pound rankings from 2005 to 2015. His immaculate defense — with a trademark shoulder roll technique to block punches –along with sublime footwork, blurring hand speed and pinpoint accuracy, helped him beat the best of his era: Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya, Canelo Alvarez, Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton and Juan Manuel Marquez, among others.
His decision win over Pacquiao generated more than $600 million in 2015 and remains the biggest fight in decades. Mayweather’s bout against former MMA champion Conor McGregor in 2017 also generated more than $600 million, second most all time. Mayweather’s wealth of boxing talent made him the world’s highest-paid athlete in 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2018 (according to Forbes). — Nick Parkinson
2. Manny Pacquiao
Key accomplishments: Since Jan. 1, 2000: 35-6-2 pro record, multi-division world champion, held world titles in the 2000s, 2010s and 2020s.
Pacquiao was unknown when he first fought in the U.S. in 2001 but became a record eight-division world champion. His all-attack, buzz saw style, with punches thrown from all angles, overwhelmed ring greats such as Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Oscar De La Hoya and Miguel Cotto.
His fight against Floyd Mayweather took five years to finally happen, and while it didn’t deliver the entertainment boxing fans were expecting, it generated more than $600 million in total revenue. Pacquiao also had a memorable feud with Juan Manuel Marquez, winning the first three fights and losing the fourth by KO. Pacquiao recovered from that defeat in 2012 to win six more welterweight title fights by 2019. — Nick Parkinson
3. Bernard Hopkins
Key accomplishments: 55-8-2 record (32 KOs) from 1988 to 2016, oldest ever boxing world champion at age 49, 20 middleweight title defenses, two-division world champion; inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2014
Hopkins’ otherworldly longevity saw him fittingly call himself “The Alien” late in a 28-year professional career. He made a record 20 world middleweight title defenses (1996-2005) and stopped Oscar De La Hoya with a body shot to become undisputed champion in 2004. The Philadelphia native’s ring IQ and exceptional conditioning allowed him to win world titles well into his 40s. In 2011, Hopkins outpointed Jean Pascal for the light heavyweight title to become the oldest boxing world champion at 46. Two years later, Hopkins won back a light heavyweight title, and in 2014, at age 49, he defeated light heavyweight champion Beibut Shumenov. — Nick Parkinson
4. Roy Jones Jr.
Key accomplishments: 66-10 record (47 KOs) from 1989 to 2023, four-division world champion, longtime pound-for-pound No. 1
Jones is considered the best boxer of the 1990s, but he also had significant success in 2000 and after. Jones, from Pensacola, Florida, became only the second boxer to win titles at middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight (after Bob Fitzsimmons) when he jumped two weight divisions to outmaneuver and outbox John Ruiz for the WBA heavyweight title in 2003. Jones won with ease despite Ruiz outweighing him by 33 pounds. But Jones was never the same imperious boxer again. He returned to light heavyweight to beat Antonio Tarver by a majority decision but then got knocked out in a rematch. More defeats followed, and he was still fighting last year at the age of 55.
5. Oscar De La Hoya
Key accomplishments: 39-6 record (30- KOs) from 1992 to 2008; six-division world champion; successful promoter while still boxing, inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2014
From 2000 until his career ended in 2008, De La Hoya lost only five times. And despite the setbacks, De La Hoya was boxing’s biggest star, generating approximately $700 million in pay-per-view income until Floyd Mayweather eclipsed him. De La Hoya was entertaining with a vicious left hook and fought the best boxers of his generation. The “Golden Boy,” from East Los Angeles, won a world title in a sixth weight class (middleweight) by decision over Felix Sturm (2004). He also became a leading promoter after establishing Golden Boy Promotions in 2002.
6. Canelo Alvarez
Key accomplishments: 61-2-2 record (39 KOs) from 2005 to 2024 in an ongoing career; reigning undisputed super middleweight champion; four-division world champion
The exciting fighter from Guadalajara, Mexico, is still on top of his game at 34, and is No. 2 in ESPN’s latest pound-for-pound rankings. Only Dmitry Bivol and Floyd Mayweather have beaten Canelo in a 19-year professional career. Alvarez has also won world titles at junior middleweight, middleweight and light heavyweight. His trilogy with Gennadiy Golovkin will define his career. Some felt Golovkin was unlucky not to win their first fight – scored a draw in 2017 – before Canelo won a majority decision in the rematch in 2018 and was a more convincing winner in the third in 2022.
7. Andre Ward
Key accomplishments: 32-0 record (16 KOs) from 2004 to 2017; two-division world champion, inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2021
At just 33, Ward retired with an unblemished record after unifying world titles at super middleweight and light heavyweight. Ward, from Oakland, California, won a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics and, as a professional, unified two super middleweight titles, won three light heavyweight titles and retired in 2017 as ESPN’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter. His best wins came over Carl Froch (2011) by decision and an eighth-round stoppage of Sergey Kovalev (2017) in a rematch after Ward controversially won the first fight. Ward was an intelligent fighter and an accomplished technician with an excellent jab, which enabled him to outsmart heavy punchers such as Froch and Kovalev.
8. Juan Manuel Marquez
Key accomplishments: 56-7-1 record (40 KOs) from 1993 to 2014; three-weight world champion, inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2020
Marquez delivered one of the most memorable and stunning knockouts in recent years when he sent the great Manny Pacquiao to the canvas in the sixth round of their 2012 bout. The pair fought four times; after a draw, Pacquiao won two fights before Marquez’s right hand brought a shocking finish to their last encounter. Marquez had been in trouble in Round 5 but displayed the toughness that defined his career to rebound and finish Pacquiao. “Dinamita” Marquez, from Mexico City, won titles in four weight classes (featherweight, junior lightweight, lightweight and junior welterweight) and also beat the likes of Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Diaz and Joel Casamayor.
9. Joe Calzaghe
Key accomplishments: 46-0 record (32 KOs) from 1993 to 2008; longest-reigning super middleweight champion, inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2014
Calzaghe retired in 2009 with a 46-fight unbeaten record mostly spent at super middleweight and is boxing’s third-longest-reigning world champion (10 years, 11 months). Clazaghe, from Wales, United Kingdom, complained about being avoided before he outpointed Jeff Lacy and Mikkel Kessler in title unification fights. He enjoyed a glorious finale to his career, including a unanimous decision verdict over the previously undefeated Kessler to successfully defend his WBO super middleweight title for a record 21st time, claiming Kessler’s WBA and WBC belts in the process. After that fight, southpaw Calzaghe’s hand speed was too much for Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. in decision victories at light heavyweight, fighting in the U.S.
10. Vitali Klitschko
Key accomplishments: 45-2 record (41 KOs) from 1996 to 2012; three-time heavyweight champion, inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2021
The century started inauspiciously for Klitschko: He quit on his stool due to a shoulder injury in a fight against Chris Byrd in 2000, then in 2003, his face was cut to shreds after he stepped in on late notice to challenge the world champion, Lennox Lewis. Dr. Ironfist recovered from the Lewis loss to win the WBC heavyweight title but announced his retirement in 2005 due to injury. Three years later, he resumed his reign and, along with brother Wladimir, the WBA, IBF and WBO champion, dominated the heavyweight division until Vitali’s ninth and final title defense in 2012 at the age of 40. Vitali was considered heavier-handed and had a less cautious style than Wladimir. He finished his career with a 15-2 record in world title fights.