Al Bernstein’s Top-10 Greatest-Ever Fighters

By James Slater: Recently, I got in touch with Emanuel Steward and Thomas “Hitman” Hearns, asking them for their opinions as to who the ten greatest-ever fighters in history are. Both greats kindly got back to me, and I was also given another expert’s personal top-10: that of Showtime commentator and all-round boxing brain Al Bernstein.

Fans always like to read a list of this kind, all the more so when a bonafide boxing expert is providing it. Who knows more about boxing than Bernstein? Al has been commentating for decades now and he has forgotten more about boxing than most of us will ever know.

Over the years, while working for ESPN and for Showtime, Bernstein has watched many great fighters and fights, and he is as qualified as anyone to give us his choices for the ten finest boxers in history. Al admitted that it “wasn’t easy” picking his top-10, but here it is:

1: Sugar Ray Robinson

2: Henry Armstrong

3: Archie Moore

4: Joe Louis

5: Muhammad Ali

6: Sugar Ray Leonard

7: Jack Johnson

8: Marvin Hagler

9: Roberto Duran

10: Ricardo Lopez