Boxing's G.O.A.T.: Muhammad Ali, Manny Pacquiao, and More
JON M FISHMAN Lerner Publications Minneapolis sports greatest of all time boxing's G.O.A.T. MUHAMMAD ALI MANNY PACQUIAO AND MORE
Fresco paintings in Greece show a form of boxing This painting is from around the 2nd century BCE ROUND ONE Boxing’s history is jam-packed with incredible champions But how do you choose the greatest of all time G.O.A.T. Picking the best athletes is never easy In the United States some pro sports leagues have competed for more than 100 years 4
WILLIE PEP fought in almost 250 pro boxing matches He lost only 11 times MANNY PACQUIAO has won world championships in eight different weight classes That’s more than any other boxer in history FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR S pro boxing career lasted for more than 20 years He retired with an undefeated record During World War II 1939 1945 JOE LOUIS fought in almost 100 boxing matches to entertain US Army troops The matches aren’t included in his official boxing record Equipment rules and strategies change with time That makes it a challenge to compare athletes from different eras Boxing’s history is much longer than the histories of most other sports Middle Eastern carvings from 5,000 years ago show a form of boxing In 688 BCE boxing became a sport at the Olympic Games in Greece The fighters wore soft thin strips of leather on their hands and forearms In Europe boxing’s popularity rose again in the 1700s Some fighters began to wear padded gloves to protect their FACTS AT A GLANCE 5 5
