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Thomas Hearns says one man stands alone as the greatest boxer of all time

Sheldan Keay

21st December, 2025

Thomas Hearns says one man stands alone as the greatest boxer of all time
Image credit: Getty

Thomas Hearns has revealed who he believes to the best to ever lace up a pair of gloves.

Hearns had a remarkable career in his own right, becoming the first boxer in history to win world titles in five divisions after claiming gold at welterweight, light middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight.

He was one of the legendary ‘Four Kings’ alongside fellow greats Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler and Roberto Duran, with the quartet competing in epic battles against one another throughout the 1980s.

Hearns retired in 2006, nearly 30 years after his professional debut, with his final record reading at 61 wins, 5 defeats and 1 draw.

Many fans would mention Hearns when discussing the greatest of all time, and ‘The Hitman’ has now named who he believes hold that honour.

Speaking to ESNews, it came as no surprise to hear who Hearns views as the best.

“Muhammad Ali.”

Heavyweight icon Ali is arguably the biggest name in the history of boxing, taking part in some of the most memorable fights that the sport has ever seen, including the ‘Rumble In The Jungle’ against George Foreman and the ‘Thrilla In Manila’ against Joe Frazier.

Ali became world heavyweight champion on three occasions, but his accomplishments outside of the ring were just as impressive as inside of it, as he became a global cultural figure for his activism efforts.

After a long battle with Parkinson’s, Ali sadly passed away in 2016, but he once revealed that he thinks there was one man who ranked above him as the greatest of all time.

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