Teddy Atlas, the famed coach and analyst, has ranked Henry Armstrong as the best boxer in history, placing him above Sugar Ray Robinson. Atlas shared his controversial opinion on his YouTube channel, The Fight.
Sugar Ray Robinson has long been credited as boxing's greatest. His career spanned from 1940 onwards, racking up an impressive 174 wins out of 200 fights. Robinson held the welterweight championship from 1946 to 1951 and won the middleweight title a record five times.
Atlas praised Robinson's skills, saying, "174 wins. Greatest footwork, greatest speed. He was majestic, just beautiful to watch." Robinson's style combined speed, power, and finesse, redefining what it meant to be a complete fighter and setting a new standard of excellence.
Despite Robinson's achievements, Atlas puts Henry Armstrong at the top of his list. Born Henry Jackson Jr. in 1912, Armstrong's career ran from 1931 to 1945. He amassed 151 wins, with 101 knockouts.
"My favourite fighter of all time," Atlas said of Armstrong. "He defended the welterweight title 18 times in 27 months! You'll never have a man like this again. Fought at featherweight, welterweight, and then (for) the lightweight title, wins all three titles within 10 months."
Armstrong's most notable achievement came in 1938 when he became the only boxer to hold world titles in three weight classes simultaneously. He defended his welterweight title 19 times, a record that stood for many years.
Both fighters left an indelible mark on boxing history. Armstrong died in 1988, and both he and Robinson were inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.
You can hear more of Atlas's boxing insights on his YouTube channel, The Fight.
