20 Best Cruiserweight Boxers In History

20 Best Cruiserweight Boxers In History

Originally published by Ian S in  March 2023 and Updated by Ian S in May 2024.

Cruiserweight is a weight class in professional boxing between light and heavyweight and was interchangeably used with the light heavyweight division. The division has lured some of the most talented boxers in the sport around the globe who have in turn left an indelible mark that will be celebrated for eternity. 

These cruiserweight boxers stand out from the competition thanks to their extraordinary fighting styles, speed, power, technical prowess, and exceptional boxing skills.

These fighters aren’t just any other fighters; they are the “It” in the sport, and their influence is unmatched as evidenced by the reputation they uphold. Because of their consistency, tenacity, and resolve, they have established benchmarks for what it means to be a cruiserweight, and their successes have served as an example to aspiring cruiserweight boxers. Let us find out who the best cruiserweight boxers in history are.

1. Evander Holyfield

Evander Holyfield statue at Madame Toussard’s in Washington photo by cliff1066 – Wikimedia commons

Evander Holyfield is a retired American professional boxer who competed between 1984 and 2011. He was the undisputed cruiserweight champion in the late 1980s and the heavyweight champion in the early 1990s, and he is the only boxer in history to have won the undisputed title in two weight categories during the three-belt era. After defeating Lineal & WBC Champion Carlos De León in Las Vegas in 1988, Holyfield became the first internationally recognised World Cruiserweight champion.

Related: 10 Things You Need to Know About Legendary Boxer Evander Holyfield

2. Carlos De León

Puerto Rican boxer Carlos De León was the first cruiserweight to win the world championship twice. He then successfully defended the cruiserweight championship on two more occasions, breaking his record for the most times he had won. He participated in 61 fights, winning 52 (32 KOs), losing 8 and drawing one.

3. David Haye

David Haye vs Ismaïl Abdoul, EBU (European) Cruiserweight Title photo by Loura Conerney – Wikimedia commons

Former British professional boxer David Haye competed from 2002 until 2018. He was the first British boxer to make it to the World Amateur Boxing Championships final, where he won a silver medal in 2001. He gained multiple world championships in two weight divisions.

In his professional career, Haye won three of the four major world titles and the Ring magazine and lineal titles to become the undisputed cruiserweight world champion in 2008. From 2005 through 2007, according to BoxRec, he held the top spot in the world for cruiserweights. In 2003 and 2004, he was also in the top 10.

4. Oleksandr Usyk

Oleksandr Usyk’s open training photo by Andriy Makukha – Wikimedia commons

Oleksandr Usyk is a professional boxer from Ukraine who has won numerous world titles in two weight divisions, including the combined WBA (Super), IBF, and WBO heavyweight crowns since 2021 and the Ring magazine heavyweight title in 2022. Before that, he was the first boxer in that division to hold all four major world titles, holding the undisputed cruiserweight belt from 2018 to 2019. Usyk, along with David Haye and Evander Holyfield, is one of only three boxers to have won both the cruiserweight and heavyweight world championships after his victory over Anthony Joshua in 2021.

Related: Top 10 Facts about Oleksandr Usyk

5. Dwight Muhammad Qawi

Dwight Muhammad Qawi is a former professional boxer from the United States who competed between 1978 and 1998. He held the WBC and Ring magazine light heavyweight titles from 1981 to 1983, going on to hold the WBA cruiserweight title from 1985 to 1986. In 2004, Qawi was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

6. Juan Carlos Gomez

Juan Carlos Gómez is a retired Cuban boxer who competed from 1995 until 2014. From 1998 until 2002, he held the WBC cruiserweight belt and contended for the WBC heavyweight title once in 2009. He fought in 60 fights, winning 55 (39 by KO), 4 losses, and 1 no-contest.

7. James Toney

James Toney picture shot in Agalarov Estate of Moscow photo by Stoyan vassev – Wikimedia commons

James Toney is a boxer who competed professionally from 1988 to 2017. The IBF and Lineal Middleweight belts from 1991 to 1993, the IBF Super Middleweight title from 1993 to 1994, and the IBF Cruiserweight title in 2003 were among the titles he held in several weight classes. In 2005 and 2006, Toney also made two challenges for the world heavyweight title; the first time he won, but the second time he lost because of a positive drug test. He took part in fifteen fights for world titles overall, spanning four weight divisions.

8. Marco Huck

German professional boxer Marco Huck photo by Thomas Leupold – Wikimedia commons

From 2009 through 2015, German professional boxer Marco Huck held the WBO cruiserweight title. He made thirteen consecutive successful defences, a division record he shares with Johnny Nelson, making him the co-longest-reigning cruiserweight world champion of all time. In addition, Huck held the IBO cruiserweight championship from 2016 to 2017, the European cruiserweight title from 2008 to 2009, and he once competed for the WBA heavyweight belt in 2012.

9. Tony Bellew

Tony Bellew in 2020 photo by Anything Goes With James English – Wikimedia commons

Tony Bellew, an Englishman who boxed professionally from 2007 to 2018. He held the WBC cruiserweight title from 2016 to 2017 and also tried going for the undisputed cruiserweight championship in his final fight. Between 2010 and 2014, he held the British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight titles. From 2015 to 2016, he held the European cruiserweight title. As an amateur, he also won the ABA heavyweight championship three times.

10. Jean-Marc Mormeck

Jean-Marc Mormeck photo by Hirameki – Wikimedia commons

 Jean-Marc Mormeck competed professionally from 1995 to 2014. The Frenchman twice held the WBA, WBC, and The Ring world cruiserweight titles between 2005 and 2007. He is a two-time unified world cruiserweight champion. He held The Ring cruiserweight title for the first time since Carlos De León in 1987 and the unified cruiserweight title for the first time since Evander Holyfield in 1988.

11. Antonio Tarver

Antonio Tarver after a boxing match against Danny Green in July 2011 photo by
Eva Rinaldi – Wikimedia commons

 Antonio Tarver was a formidable boxer during his heydays before he retired. He engaged in boxing from 1997 to 2015, winning the WBA (Unified), WBC, IBF, Ring magazine, and IBO light heavyweight and cruiserweight belts, in addition to numerous more world championships in the weight class. He continues to be the only boxer in history to have won gold in the Pan Am Games, the World Championships, and the U.S. Nationals all in the same year.

12. Firat Arslan

Firat Arslan pulled the WBA Weltmeister-Gürtel photo by Fotodesign Kissner, Bad Überkingen – Wikimedia commons

German professional boxer Firat Arslan, who is of Turkish heritage, held the WBA cruiserweight championship from 2007 to 2008. Additionally, he made challenges for the WBO cruiserweight title twice (in 2012 and 2014) and the IBF cruiserweight title once in the year 2014. 

13. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk

Krzysztof Wlodarczyk with signed boxing glove. photo by Kontrola – Wikimedia commons

Krzysztof Wodarczyk is a Polish professional boxer and a two-time former cruiserweight world champion. He held the titles of the International Boxing Federation from 2006 to 2007 and the World Boxing Council from 2010 to 2014. He engaged in 66 fights, winning 61 (41 by KO), 4 losses, and 1 draw.

14. Steve Cunningham

American professional boxer Steven Cunningham twice held the IBF cruiserweight championship between 2007 and 2011. His moniker, “USS,” alludes to his time spent from 1994 and 1998 serving in the US Navy aboard the aircraft carriers USS America and USS Enterprise. In his 40 fights, he won 30 (13 by KO), suffered 9 defeats, and drew 1.

15. Orlin Norris

Orlin Norris is an American boxer who fought professionally from 1986 to 2005. During the year 1993 to 1995, he was the WBA cruiserweight champion. He was a National Golden Gloves champion during his amateur years. In the 70 matches he got involved in, he won 57 (including 30 knockouts), lost 10, drew one, and had two no-contests. 

16. Anaclet Wamba

Boxing legends are forged through grit, determination, and an unwavering spirit, qualities that Anaclet Wamba embodied in his remarkable career.

The Congolese-French former professional boxer, who competed from 1982 to 1994, etched his name among the Best Cruiserweight Boxers In History by holding the WBC Cruiserweight title from 1991 until 1994.

His journey began with a notable amateur career, representing the People’s Republic of the Congo at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. After turning pro in 1982, Wamba’s perseverance paid off when he captured the WBC Cruiserweight belt by defeating Massimiliano Duran via TKO in 1991. He defended his title seven times before being stripped, leaving an indelible mark on the sport’s annals.

17. O’Neil Bell

Give ’em Hell, that’s the attitude O’Neil Bell brought into the boxing ring throughout his illustrious career from 1998 to 2011.

The Jamaican professional boxer carved his name among the Best Cruiserweight Boxers In History by holding the undisputed cruiserweight title in 2006 and the lineal cruiserweight title from 2006 to 2007.

 Bell’s journey was paved with triumphs, including defeating former IBF champion Arthur Williams twice by KO and controversially capturing the vacant IBF title against Canadian Dale Brown in 2005.

His crowning achievement came when he unified the titles by beating Jean-Marc Mormeck in 2006, becoming only the second undisputed cruiserweight champion after Evander Holyfield.

18. Guillermo Jones

Dubbed El Jefe, Guillermo Jones’ boxing legacy is one of resilience and unwavering determination. The Panamanian former professional, who competed from 1993 to 2017, etched his name among the Best Cruiserweight Boxers In History by holding the WBA cruiserweight title from 2008 to 2012. 

Jones’ journey was a testament to perseverance, as he fought his way through four weight classes, enduring setbacks, and controversial decisions before finally capturing the WBA crown in 2008 at the age of 36, becoming Panama’s oldest world champion. 

His reign was marked by inactivity and controversies, but he silenced doubters in 2013 by knocking out Denis Lebedev to unify the titles in a brutal encounter that left lasting impacts on both fighters. Whether beloved or polarizing, Jones’ unwavering spirit and determination solidified his place in boxing’s annals.

19. Al Cole

Cocoruff (talk) Robert Brizel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

You can’t discuss the cruiserweight division’s greats without mentioning Al Cole. The American former professional boxer, born Alfred Rudolph Cole, is among the Best Cruiserweight Boxers In History, having won the IBF cruiserweight title and dominated the weight class until his move to heavyweight.

Standing at an imposing 6′4“, Cole was a towering force in the cruiserweight ranks, capturing the IBF belt after just three years as a pro by defeating champion James Warring. He successfully defended his title five times, with notable victories over Uriah Grant, a fighter who had previously beaten Thomas Hearns.

While his heavyweight campaign wasn’t as successful, Cole’s legacy extends beyond the ring, as he portrayed Ernie Terrell in the film “Ali,” showcasing his boxing prowess on the silver screen. With his combination of size, skill, and Hollywood stardom, Al Cole left an indelible mark on the sport.

20. Vassiliy Jirov

Kazpost, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

One of the most dominant forces in cruiserweight history, Vassiliy Jirov left an indelible mark on the division. The Kazakhstani former professional boxer, who competed from 1997 to 2009, is among the Best Cruiserweight Boxers In History, having held the IBF cruiserweight title from 1999 to 2003. 

Jirov’s journey began as an amateur, where he won a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics and consecutive bronze medals at the 1993 and 1995 World Championships in the light heavyweight division. Turning pro in 1997, Jirov’s power and skill were immediately evident, as he won his first 11 fights by knockout, including victories over Exum Speight and Art Jimmerson.

His reign as IBF champion was marked by his relentless aggression and punching power, making him a formidable opponent for any challenger. With a remarkable record and a place in Olympic history, Jirov’s name will forever be etched in the annals of boxing greatness.

Also Read: 15 Greatest Middleweight Boxers Of All Time