Boxing Records That Will Never Be Broken

They say records are made to be broken. But some are simply unbreakable.

Boxing history holds certain achievements that can never be surpassed and will forever stand the test of time, regardless of the great fighters striving for these accomplishments.

Here, look back at the greatest feats ever earned in the ring with boxing records that will most likely never be broken.

Youngest World Champion: Wilfred Benitez

When it comes to prodigies in any sport, Wilfred Benitez is perhaps the greatest in history. His achievement of becoming the youngest boxing world champion ever at just 17 years old is almost unbelievable.

In March 1976, ‘El Radar’ made history by dethroning Antonio Cervantes to claim the light-welterweight world title while still six months away from turning 18.

Benitez was still in high school in his home of Puerto Rico and even had classmates sitting in the front row to witness his remarkable achievement.

He eventually became the youngest three-division world champion ever too, and is remembered as ‘The Fifth King’ after facing Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran in his illustrious career.

Oldest Heavyweight World Champion: George Foreman

The late great George Foreman defied expectations to become the oldest heavyweight world champion back in 1994, when he returned from a decade-long hiatus to knock out Michael Moorer in Las Vegas.

‘Big George’ first became world champion in 1973 by brutally demolishing Joe Frazier in two rounds, meaning there was an incredible 20-year gap between his initial and second heavyweight reigns.

Foreman famously lost his title to Muhammad Ali in their iconic ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ showdown but regained the heavyweight throne at the age of 45 two decades later. A unique record that, like his legacy, will stand the test of time.

Most Division World Title Wins: Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao is boxing’s first and only ever eight-division world champion. It’s a record that is unlikely ever to be broken, but there are certain aspects of his feat that must be put into context without diminishing it.

There are many more weight classes in the modern era and a lot of different titles within each one, making it somewhat 'easier' to jump through divisions with success, while Pacquiao’s light-middleweight belt was won at a catchweight as well.

Nevertheless, Pacman began his world title runs at 112 pounds and reigned all the way up to 150 pounds – over a third of his body weight. That’s why the Filipino was a once-in-a-generation fighter.

Most Career Knockouts: Billy Bird

All-time great Archie Moore was believed to have held the record for most knockout wins ever in a professional boxing career, but that distinction actually belongs to the lesser-known Billy Bird.

The London-born welterweight competed from 1920 to 1948 in a career which spanned an astonishing 356 contests, in which he achieved a staggering 139 knockout victories (compared to Moore’s 131).

In the modern boxing landscape, it’s virtually impossible for fighters to accumulate as many bouts, let alone earn that many stoppage wins. Bird’s record is therefore safely unsurpassable in boxing history.

Most Career Fights: Len Wickwar

The name Len Wickwar may not be that familiar among even the most die-hard boxing fans, but this Leicester-born fighter holds a truly unbreakable record.

Competing from 1928 to 1947, the British lightweight compiled a reported record of 340-87-43 for 473 total bouts – holding the record for most professional fights in a career.

However, it’s a stat which is hard to fully determine precisely due to fights in the late 19th and early 20th centuries being banned in certain areas and many therefore being labelled as ‘exhibitions’.

So, there are legendary champions from these times, such as Joe Gans and George Dixon, whose actual records and total figures are difficult to calculate accurately.

But dedicated researchers and boxing historians have tirelessly worked through vintage newspapers and archives to compile the most accurate data possible, with Wickwar subsequently holding this crazy record of 473 fights and over 4000 completed rounds.

Longest Unbeaten Streak: Jimmy Wilde

Floyd Mayweather Jr’s final career record of 50-0 is often heralded as one of the great feats in history, but several fighters enjoyed even more impressive unbeaten streaks.

Jimmy Wilde compiled an incredible 103 consecutive fights without tasting defeat, having made his professional debut in 1910 and not suffering his first loss until 1915.

‘The Mighty Atom’ is widely regarded by many historians as the greatest British fighter of all-time and the best flyweight ever, with the Welshman reigning as world champion from 1916 to 1923.

Oldest World Champion: Bernard Hopkins

Bernard Hopkins was a rare breed of fighter who epitomized longevity in the toughest sport there is.

Beginning his career with a debut defeat in 1988 after serving five years of an initial 18-year jail sentence for nine felonies, Hopkins used his passion for boxing to escape his past life of crime and would go on to become a two-weight world champion.

The former undisputed middleweight ruler holds a historic record which will likely never be broken, being the oldest world champion ever in the sport at 49.

Hopkins first beat George Foreman’s record by winning a world title again at 46 when defeating Jean Pascal in 2011, but later broke his own record twice, with wins over Tavoris Cloud and Beibut Shumenov when aged 48 and 49, respectively.

Most Titles Held Simultaneously in Different Weight Classes: Henry Armstrong

Henry Armstrong is seen as one of the greatest prize-fighters ever, with many historians ranking him alongside the likes of Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali.

The legendary Hall of Fame inductee remarkably reigned as the undisputed champion in three different divisions at the same time in 1938, during an era when there was only one world title in each weight class.

‘Homicide Hank’ held the featherweight, lightweight and welterweight crowns simultaneously, a feat which will never be surpassed.

Incredibly, Armstrong was close to ruling four divisions at once when there were only eight in total, having battled to a widely disputed draw with middleweight champion Cerefino Garcia in 1940.

Other Unbreakable Boxing Records

Most Ever Rounds in a Fight: Jack Jones vs Patsy Tunney (276 total rounds in 1825 before the Queensberry Rules were introduced in 1867).

Longest Ever Fight: Andy Bowen vs Jack Burke (110 total rounds lasting seven hours and 19 minutes in 1893).

Most Times Fighting Each Other: Mike Sweeney vs Danny Cripps (63 total fights).

Only Fighter To Ever Challenge for Heavyweight World Title on Professional Debut: Pete Rademacher.

Most Fights In A Year: Jack Marks (75 fights in 1911).

Best Winning Streak In A Year: Harry Greb (went 45-0 in 1919 alone).

Header image: AP