A History of Boxing: Who are Some of the Most Impressive Boxers of All Time?
Boxing is one of the most popular modern-day combat sports. People tune in to watch the latest pay-per-view fights, they visit massive arenas, they even practice the sport on an amateur level, and of course, they wager on it. With boxing being so steeped in our modern day life, many forget how old the martial art is.
The first mention of boxing comes to us from Ancient Egypt, close to 5000 years ago. However, many historians believe the sport may predate Egypt. In fact, a lot of experts are convinced boxing has been around since the prehistoric era. Of course, the evidence for that remains sparse, if not non-existant. Still, the influence boxing has had on our culture can’t be denied.
Boxing’s Influence
From sports to film, boxing has inspired quite a lot of our modern society. It is debatable, for example, whether mixed martial arts would be as big as they are if they weren’t, in some way, associated with boxing. Tiger Woods, golf’s best and most noteworthy player, has said on numerous occasions that his main inspiration was not a golfer, but rather a boxer – Muhammad Ali.
Boxing also influences games. There are a ton of fighting games relating to boxing, or that feature a boxer, with Steve Fox from the Tekken series being the best-known one. Not just mainstream games either. Many of the best slot sites in 2024 feature slot games that incorporate themes of some kind. Boxing is among the more popular themes featured in slots.
That isn’t even mentioning the films like Rocky and Raging Bull, which many would consider some of the greatest of all time. But, boxing would be nowhere near as popular without the athletes who elevate the sport. That is why, in this article, we’d like to bring up a couple of the best boxers of all time.
Melankomas
We mentioned before that boxing is a sport dating back to the ancient era. So, our first entry is an ancient boxer, from Greece. Melankomas was a Carian boxer, well known for winning the Olympiad in 49 AD. What is most impressive about Melankomas is that he was said to have never thrown nor taken a punch.
Melankomas trained his body for endurance, stamina, and speed. In the ring, he would dance around his opponents, dodging all of their punches, until they would tire themselves out and quit the match. While it may not be the most exciting fighting style, it is certainly one of the most unique and impressive. Which is why he is deserving of a spot on the list.
Mike Tyson
No list of greatest boxers is complete without Iron Mike. Tyson dominated the boxing scene in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and though he has been embroiled in dozens of controversies, he remains a legend in the boxing world. So much so, that former world heavyweight champ, Tyson Fury was named after him, by his dad who always enjoyed the sport.
Most people remember Mike Tyson for his rivalry with fellow boxer Evander Holyfield. Though both were incredible on the ring, Tyson remains a pop cultural icon, due to the particularly brutal fight, in which he lost his cool and bit Holyfield’s ear. Of course, the boxer took a lot of heat for his behavior, but it didn’t stop him from becoming a legend.
Muhammad Ali
Finally, we would be remiss if we did not bring up Cassius Clay, better known by his self-assigned name, Muhammad Ali. Ali was an excellent boxer, of that there is no doubt. However, the reason most remember and know of him, even outside of boxing, is because he was a larger-than-life figure. He was outspoken about his controversial opinions on politics, religion, and society.
However, he was just as impressive in the ring. Many will remember his iconic catchphrase, flap like a butterfly and sting like a bee, and even use it without understanding where it comes from. Boxing fans, however, will remember his rivalry with Joe Frazier, who is another one of the greatest boxers to ever live.
