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
hands In the 1800s boxing matches adopted many of the rules that modern fights use Matches took place in a square ring surrounded by ropes Biting headbutting and hitting below the belt were banned After a long break the Olympics restarted in 1896 and boxers began competing at the Games again in 1904 In 2012 women’s boxing became an official Olympic sport Amateur boxers compete at the Olympics and other competitions such as the Pan American Games They gain experience to become pro fighters The top pro boxers fight This drawing shows a 19th-century boxing match in London 6 6
in matches around the world and earn millions of dollars in prize money Boxing’s long history makes it even harder to choose the G.O.A.T. As you learn more about the sport you’ll probably have your own ideas about the best fighters to step into the ring That’s fine Learning about boxing and forming your own opinions is part of the fun Dayana Sanchez left and Beatriz Soares Ferreira right compete at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima Peru 7
