Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins are two of the best fighters in recent memory, but both agree one man in the history books tops all others.
The legendary duo locked horns in a monumental showdown at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas back in September of 2004, a fight that saw Hopkins become the first undisputed middleweight champion of the ‘four belt era’ when he stopped De La Hoya in the ninth round to add the WBO title to his unified WBC, WBA and IBF belts.
They have since partnered up for Golden Boy Promotions and continue to develop today’s talent with a view to creating the next big star – but who do they feel is the best of all time?
Speaking to ESNEWS, De La Hoya didn’t hesitate to name the late great Sugar Ray Robinson as the greatest fighter in history.
“Sugar Ray Robinson is the greatest of all time! That’s basically it, look at this here [his shirt] 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. Sugar Ray Robinson, he’s literally the GOAT.”
Hopkins shares the same views of his former rival turned business partner, once telling the media that he also believes Robinson is the very best fighter to have ever graced the sport.
“The best fighter ever is Sugar Ray Robinson. To me the best fighter after that is Muhammad Ali, and then the debate starts from on and on from there.”
Robinson fought on just over 200 occasions as a professional throughout the course of his storied 25-year tenure, which spanned between 1940 and 1965.
He became six-time world champion along the way, reigning as the world welterweight champion between 1946 and 1951 before he eventually made the move up to middleweight, capturing the world title five times within a 9-year period before his retirement.
- Kailem Lowe
