Boxing might be a sport known for its spectacular knockouts and brutality, but there is more to the sweet science than sheer violence. Some of the most successful fighters ever to step in between the ropes have been more renowned for their fight IQ than the power in their fists.
At the highest level, it takes more than straight aggression to get the job done. When two evenly matched foes come up against one another, the victor is often the individual who is able to use their boxing brain to outwit their adversary.
Witnessing the most intelligent fighters in full flow during a major bout can be just as satisfying as watching a vicious knockout. However, considering that so many talented boxers have graced the square circle over the years, selecting the 20 individuals with the greatest boxing intelligence is no easy task.
This is where the power of ChatGPT comes in. Below is a look at the 20 fighters that AI ranks as having the best boxing IQ in the history of the sport.
20 greatest boxers of all time ranked by AI (20-11)
Position
Boxer
Professional record
20.
James Toney
77-10-3 (47 KOs)
19.
Marvin Hagler
62-3-2 (52 KOs)
18.
Roberto Duran
103-16 (70 KOs)
17.
Evander Holyfield
44-10-2 (29 KOs)
16.
Tyson Fury
34-2-1 (24 KOs)
15.
Sugar Ray Robinson
174-19-6 (109 KOs)
14.
Gene Tunney
65-1-1 (48 KOs)
13.
Joe Louis
66-3 (52 KOs)
12.
Juan Manuel Marquez
56-7-1 (40 KOs)
11
Carlos Monzon
87-3-9 (59 KOs)
10
Pernell Whitaker
Professional record: 40-4-1 (17 KOs)
‘Sweet Pea’ had such an elusive style that he was a nightmare for any opponent who liked to box on the front foot. Whitaker’s ring craft often meant that he could dictate the pace of his fights and he made good use of his southpaw stance to disrupt the rhythm of those he faced. His poise under pressure saw him deal effectively with ring legends such as Oscar De La Hoya and Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. The 1984 Olympic gold medal winner made a seamless transition to the professional game and only lost once in his first 42 bouts.
9
Andre Ward
Professional record: 32-0 (16 KOs)
In terms of sheer adaptability, ‘S.O.G’ could do it all. A superb technical boxer, the Oakland, California native wasn’t afraid to get rough when the situation demanded it. He would frequently clinch and try to wear his opposition down, while also allowing himself an opportunity to rest. Ward’s footwork was also world-class, as he used it to cut the ring off and make sure that he was rarely placed in a vulnerable position during his fights. His ability to nullify the strength of his foes saw Ward get the better of a number of highly respected world champions, including Carl Froch, Chad Dawson and Sergey Kovalev. He retired undefeated after 32 professional fights.
8
Lennox Lewis
Professional record: 41-2-1 (32 KOs)
Former undisputed heavyweight champion Lewis defeated every man that he ever faced in the ring, having avenged defeats to both Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman in rematches. A major part of Lennox’s success in the sport was his willingness to learn from his previous mistakes in fights. As his career progressed, he became far more defensively aware, maintaining a high guard whenever possible and making strong use of his long reach to ensure that his jab was an effective weapon. Lewis was known to study his opponents intensely before fights, often identifying their weaknesses long before ever exchanging blows. He would tailor his boxing to suit the fighter he was facing. For example, his jab was crucial when he fought Evander Holyfield, whereas he dismantled Mike Tyson with power shots.
7
Willie Pep
Professional record: 229-11-1 (65 KOs)
When a fighter is able to win a round without ever throwing a punch, their boxing IQ is tough to question. That’s exactly what Pep managed to do when facing Jackie Graves in July 1946. Relying exclusively on only footwork, head movement and feints, Pep was able to make Graves look so far out of his depth that the judges awarded him a round in which he never threw a blow. Pep made a career out of using his speed to evade punches, often earning a standing ovation from fans in attendance for his audacious style. Willie knew how good he was, too, frequently taunting his opponents for their inability to catch him cleanly.
6
Sugar Ray Leonard
Professional record: 36-3-1 (25 KOs)
A five-weight world champion, Leonard was so slick that he managed to seamlessly blend both attack and defence to the point where his opponent could never get comfortable in the ring. Standing five foot, 10 inches tall, Sugar Ray had a 76-inch reach, which he used to impressive effect. His boxing brain was so in tune with what his foes were likely to do that he could often anticipate their next move and counter it by landing crisp combinations. Leonard was also never afraid to mix up his style when needed. He could switch from boxing technically to becoming a brawler at a moment’s notice. Leonard faced some of the best fighters of his generation, such as Thomas Hearns, Marvin Hagler and Roberto Duran, but none were ever able to fully figure him out.
5
Muhammad Ali
Professional record: 56–5 (37 KOs)
Ali’s manta of “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” was more than just a crowd-pleasing catchphrase. The heavyweight legend had lightning-fast footwork and understood how to circle his opposition in order to avoid taking punishment. His stinging jab would frequently prevent foes from getting on to the front foot, and he was a defensive master when under pressure. ‘The Greatest’ loved to play mind games in the ring, utilising a lean-back style and his famed rope-a-dope tactic to encourage opponents to punch themselves out. Once they were sufficiently tired, Ali would pounce with crisp combinations and take back the advantage. His mental strength meant that he rarely shaken during a fight and was able to swiftly change his game plan when fights weren’t going as he had planned.
4
Vasyl Lomachenko
Professional record: 18-3 (12 KOs)
Having taken dance classes from an early age, Lomachenko laid the foundations for his elite boxing career from childhood. His ability to pivot and create angles from which to throw punches was exceptional, but the Ukrainian also excelled defensively. Employing shoulder rolls and subtle head movement to evade his opponents’ punches, the two-time Olympic gold medal winner presented a puzzle that few could solve. Although he became slightly easier to hit as he moved up in weight, the three-division world champion was seemingly able to bait his foes into making mistakes with ease. When they came, Lomachenko was ready to punish them with his blistering hand speed.
3
Oleksandr Usyk
Professional record: 24-0 (15 KOs)
One of the few active fighters in these rankings, reigning undisputed heavyweight champion Usyk is so good that he makes the sport look easy. An undisputed champion at cruiserweight, ‘The Cat’ has now achieved the same feat at heavyweight on two occasions. He secured his third spell as an undisputed champion after demolishing Daniel Dubois in their Wembley Stadium match. The Ukrainian’s outrageous boxing brain was on full display in the contest, as he repeatedly used sharp footwork and ringcraft to neutralise the pressure applied by his younger opponent. Whenever Dubois looked to have Usyk in a vulnerable position, the Olympic champion would circle out of danger and resume his own attack. It’s not just Dubois who has struggled to come to grips with the undefeated superstar, either. Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have both shared 24 rounds with the 38-year-old and found limited success.
2
Bernard Hopkins
Professional record: 55-8-2 (32 KOs)
Hopkins competed at the top level of the sport for more than 28 years, competing in his final professional fight at 51 years old. That longevity was only made possible due to the Philadelphia native’s supreme boxing IQ, which saw him evolve as he got older. Typically fighting out of the Philly Shell stance, B-Hop minimised the punches he absorbed by tucking his chin and using shoulder rolls to keep his foes at bay. Hopkins was a master counter puncher, who would expertly pick his shots for maximum effect. As he got older, his ability to force his opponents to fight at his pace was crucial, but when the opportunity came to inflict damage, ‘The Executioner’ invariably found the telling punches, as the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Kelly Pavlik and Jean Pascal can testify.
1
Floyd Mayweather
Professional record: 50-0 (27 KOs)
‘Money’ Mayweather’s intelligence in the ring was so outrageous that he barely lost a round in his 20-year professional career, let alone a full fight. After suffering hand issues before truly reaching his peak, Floyd was forced to fully embrace the defensive side of the sport – and he did so in a manner that few have come close to matching. His lateral movement made it tough for his opposition to get close to him, and even when they did, his tight defence would simply see him deflect their punches. Floyd used his jab to expertly control the distance throughout his bouts, frequently frustrating his opponents and leaving them prone to mistakes. The Mayweather blueprint folk glory worked across multiple weight classes, as he outclassed every foe he stepped through the ropes with. Ring legends such as Manny Pacquiao, Canelo Alvarez, Oscar De La Hoya and Miguel Cotto all failed to put a serious in Mayweather, who became the biggest pay-per-view draw in boxing history as fans willingly parted with their cash in the hope that he would finally be defeated. It never happened.
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