Long before Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier, there was Jack Johnson. He didn’t get nearly as much credit and reputation because boxing was never as popular as baseball. With that being said, Jack Johnson had a huge impact on the landscape of professional sports. He wasn’t just a good black boxer. He was the greatest boxer of his generation. He dealt with so much racism that his fights were sometimes rigged so that a white boxer would beat him. In the ring, however, both (more…)

Jack Dempsey is by far one of the most popular boxers of all time and he was the last of the athletes from the “golden age of sports.” He was born in 1895 and was the heavy weight world champion for seven years straight from 1919 to 1926. He was a very aggressive fighter that new how to win his fights. His greatest asset in the ring was his amazing punching power and how he was able to knock his opponents down easily. (more…)

Oscar De La Hoya became famous after defeating Miguel Gonzalez. The fight took place on Jan. 18th, 1997, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Retaining the WBC Super Lightweight Title proved he was a great fighter. On Dec. 6, 2008, Oscar De La Hoya fought Manny Pacquiao and retired from boxing months later. Oscar De La Hoya is one of the boxing’s all-time greats.

Professional Boxing Record
39 – 6, 30 Knockouts

Amateur Record
223 – 5 , 163 Knockouts

The Earlier Fights
12/12/1992 – VS Cliff Hicks, KO 1
11/23/1992 – VS Lamar Williams, KO 1
1/3/1993 (more…)

The Gatti vs. Ward trilogy is composed of monumental battles in the history of the sweet science. Gatti and Ward were similar welterweights and gave 2 consecutive fights of the year because of their boxing prowess and explosive momentum-changing fights. With Ward hailing from Massachusetts and Gatti from Canada the fighters would meet three times in which they would exchange ferocious blow after blow. The fight was so fierce that the fighters would both go to the hospital (more…)

Bernard Hopkins recently proved age is just a number when he became the oldest champion in the history of the sport. The amazing thing is the fact that he looks like he still have a few championship level years in him. Bernard Hopkins is 46-year-old champion whose name still strikes fear in the hearts of opponents.

Bernard Hopkins has come a long way since serving five years in prison in the 1980s. He lost his first professional bout in 1988 and hasn’t looked back since. He has been as dominant (more…)

Maybe you’re not cut out for life in the gym or you can’t really live in the offseason when your favorite fights aren’t airing – we’ve got you covered! Here’s a quick list of our very favorite boxing movies – keep an eye on your directstartv.com satellite channels to see if they’re coming on in your area!
Million Dollar Baby: One of Hillary Swanks first feature films is also one of her best. It’s not exactly a feel good film but (more…)

Many people have been wondering if Floyd Mayweather is the greatest boxer of this generation. This is a very tough question, but until recently many people would say he is. Mayweather has beaten many of the greatest fighters and his ring accolades are unmatched.

For example, Floyd Mayweather Jr has won nine different titles in five different weight classes. Fighting and winning at so many different weights shows he has an incredible balance of strength, speed, and stamina. His record is unblemished at 41-0 with 25 of (more…)

The only world heavyweight champion to retire undefeated, with 43 knockouts in his 49 fight career, Rocky Marciano was undoubtedly one of the greatest boxers of all time. Born and raised in Brockton, MA., Marciano held boxing’s pre-eminent title from 1952 to his retirement in 1956 and was knocked down only twice in his career, once by Jersey Joe Walcott and once by Archie Moore. In his first title fight versus Walcott, Marciano was knocked to the canvas in the first round but recovered and knocked Walcott unconscious in the 13th round. The title (more…)

Born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. (then subsequently converting to Muslim, thus changing his name), Muhammad Ali is considered by many to be the greatest boxer of all time. His legend began, www.ali.com as a 12 year old, when he proclamed to a police officer that he would “whup” whoever stole his bike. The cop in turn told him he “had better learn how to box”.
While possessing adequate power and phenomenal speed, Ali’s greatest attribute could very well have been his ability to psychologically dismantle his opponent even before they stepped into the ring. In an (more…)

Sugar Ray Leonard, Mike Tyson, even the legendary Muhammad Ali, great boxers aren’t always great decision makers when it comes to closing out their career. Enter the 46-year old Evander Holyfield, past the point of wondering whether his best days are behind him, yet still taking shots to the head even at an advanced age. Yes, Holyfield’s head is notoriously hard, just ask the aforementioned Tyson, who was so frustrated by headbutts he turned The Real Deal’s right ear into a real meal. However, in his advanced age, perhaps even more prevailing is Holyfield’s hardheadedness in regards to calling it quits and leaving the ring in graceful manner.Already owning the Heavyweight title a record 4 times, not only is a 5^th unlikely, but unnecessary. Holyfield has nothing left to prove. The man who has gone toe to toe and gotten the better of the likes of George Foreman, Larry Holmes and Riddick Bowe, quite simply has no business slumming around with fighters like Sherman “Tank” Williams well into his 4^th decade, much less looking overmatched. (more…)