Oscar De La Hoya, one of boxing’s most decorated champions and now a leading promoter, has weighed in on the timeless debate over who stands as the greatest fighter in history. Speaking to ES News, the former Olympic gold medalist and multi-division world champion declared that only Sugar Ray Robinson belongs alongside Muhammad Ali at the sport’s summit.
“Sugar Ray Robinson’s the greatest of all time. That’s basically it,” De La Hoya said. “All the weight divisions, hardest puncher, best footwork. He would fight multiple times a month. Took on the very best, took on the toughest challenges.”
Robinson’s career remains one of the most prolific in boxing history. Over a remarkable 25 years, he fought 201 times, captured world titles at both welterweight and middleweight, and took victories over legends such as Jake LaMotta, Rocky Graziano, Henry Armstrong, and Sammy Angott.
For De La Hoya, Robinson shares top billing only with Ali, the man universally recognized as “The Greatest.” “He’s [Robinson] literally the G.O.A.T in boxing obviously next to Muhammad Ali,” he said. “I’d put both together.”
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