GOAT debate in boxing
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 25 Sep 2025
In the book “How To Be The Greatest Like Muhammad Ali,” writer and sports commentator Steve Dawson listed five fighters whom he thought could lay legitimate claim to rivaling the heavyweight legend for being the GOAT in the ring. No question in Dawson’s mind that Ali is the greatest. But he left the door open for debate on whom might be considered as the next greatest. He named Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Manny Pacquiao, Henry Armstrong and Roy Jones, Jr.
Robinson was recognized as the best pound-for-pound fighter in his era that spanned 1940 to 1965. He turned pro at 19 and over an eight-year period, was unbeaten in 91 bouts. Robinson held the world welterweight and middleweight titles and is the first-ever, five-time champion in the same division. His record was 174-19-6 with 109 KOs and two no-contests. He died in 1989 at 67.
Leonard was an Olympic gold medalist in 1976 and fought as a pro from 1977 to 1997, capturing world titles in five weight classes. He was a welterweight, superwelterweight, middleweight, supermiddleweight and lightheavyweight world champion. Leonard, now 69, retired with a 36-3-1 record, including 25 KOs.
Armstrong is the only fighter ever to hold three world titles in different divisions simultaneously. He was a featherweight, lightweight and welterweight champion, campaigning from 1931 to 1945. His record was 151-22-10, with 100 KOs. Three Filipinos whom he tangled with were Kid Moro (Severo Bascon), Varias Milling and Ceferino Garcia. Moro held Armstrong to a draw twice in 1933 and 1934 and lost on points in 1933. Milling was decisioned in 1935 and knocked out in 1937 while Garcia lost by a unanimous verdict in 1938 and fought Hammerin’ Hank to a draw in 1940. Armstrong died in 1988 at 75.
Jones was a middleweight, supermiddleweight, lightheavyweight and heavyweight world ruler who fought from 1989 to 2023, registering a record of 66-10 with 47 KOs. At the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Jones was robbed of a gold medal when judges gave hometowner Park Si Hun a 3-2 split decision. Jones landed 86 punches and Park, 32 in the three-round bout. Despite the loss, Jones was named the best stylistic boxer of the Games. He was 54 in losing his last fight to Anthony Pettis on a majority decision in 2023.
As for Pacquiao, Dawson wrote that “he has emerged as arguably Asia’s most successful sportsman ever (and) it’s hard to think of anyone who has earned more money or garnered more affection from his countrymen.” He continued, “Asia has supplied Formula 1 drivers, grand slam winning tennis players, English Premier League footballers, Major League Baseball starting pitchers, NBA superstars as well as many fine cricketers but nobody currently generates as much respect on a global scale as Pacquiao.”
Dawson cited that in 2008, ESPN’s Asian cable TV asked viewers to vote for their Champion of Champions and Pacquiao was the runaway choice over cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and even stars from beyond Asia like Ronaldo, Lewis Hamilton, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Dawson mentioned that no other fighter in history has won world titles in eight divisions. “Like Ali, he also had key adversaries whom he’d gotten the better of----Marquez, Morales and Barrera will forge the most enduring memories … he beat greats Oscar de la Hoya and Ricky Hatton and could barely have done more than what has been asked of him.”
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